“Okay Google, is an itchy toe an early pregnancy symptom?”
The infamous 2-week wait. The most stressful 14 (or more) days of your life, and you relive it over and over and over again. The time when your mind is hyperaware of your body. And you wonder if every little thing is an early symptom of pregnancy. It’s okay, breathe, you’re not crazy and you’re definitely not alone!
“I’m peeing like every 2 hours…this must be the month!!”
“Seems like I’m gassier than ever…”
“Ugh heartburn…wait, I don’t get heartburn….OMG am I pregnant?!?!?”
“I’m insatiably hungry…wonder if this is eating for 2!”
“Oooh what was that little twinge in my pelvic region!?!? Could that be what implantation feels like?”
“Is that nausea I feel?”
“Just ate tortilla chips with turkey pepperoni and hot banana peppers, surely that’s a craving only a pregnant woman could have!!”
If you’ve done any of the above (or anything similar), only to pee on a stick and see the dreaded ONE LINE……don’t worry, it’s completely normal and you’re certainly not the only one feeling this way. The mind is a powerful thing. Don’t believe me just research pseudocyesis….
The number of times I have googled “Is _______ an early sign of pregnancy?” is, quite frankly, embarrassing when I look back at it. (Especially because I’m medically trained and I know that the MOST COMMON early symptom is a missed period). I bet you can find someone writing about one instance where the mailman’s dog’s brother’s owner’s cousin had sympathy morning sickness and that was their first sign of pregnancy…..🙄
The only early pregnancy symptom that will mean anything to me now is that little pink or blue line. I no longer take a test 4 days before my period is supposed to come. In fact, I don’t take one unless I’m at least 2 days late. Taking a test before a missed period really only increases my chances of disappointment and I’m trying to find ways of minimizing disappointment through all of this. I know the 2-week wait is the absolute worst. It’s impossible to not think about it. Especially early in your journey, or after any type of procedure. Your hopes are so high. There’s so much riding on that little pink or blue line. Waiting 2 more minutes, let alone 2 more days seems like torture. I feel like I could have a PhD in the 2ww by now (or at least close to a masters 😏). What I have been doing as of late is try to pack those last 2 weeks of my cycle with things that distract me from worrying or obsessing about whether or not I could be pregnant. And I have vowed never to pee on a stick before a missed period ever again! And to tell the you truth it has made life those 2 weeks a little bit more tolerable…
Baby Blues 