Waiting is never easy but now you can make it better by following my 10 Tips for Surviving the Two Week Wait.
1). Plan it: Sounds obvious but planning how you’ll manage your two week wait makes sense.
2). Who Knows? Select a trusted few. Tell them not to hover because you are not sick, you are just waiting. Remember that ‘no news is good news.’ If you have told everyone, expect lots of concerned calls wondering how you are, wishing you luck, or analyzing. Being hyper-vigilant to every twinge and ache is exhausting and gets you no further. Fine if you like attention,but remember fielding calls adds to stress levels.
3). Get back to work: regular routine helps keep your mind off things and focus outwards.
4). Distraction: Box sets can provide absorbing viewing, helping you focus away from anxious worrying. Now is the time to indulge and catch up with great must-see movies and series. However, some of my clients are surprised to find that their concentration level is lower than usual.
5). Give yourself a break: IVF is intense and you’re full of meds, so use this two week wait to have some downtime together. No clinic visits, bloods or scans. Consider it a mini-break after all you you have been through, time out before the next stage. Walks, lunches, picnics, daytime movies, weekend away, no-screen day, pampering … you choose!
6). Mindfulness: Remember you just don’t know if you are pregnant or not yet. Mindfulness keeps you focused on the here and now. Breathing techniques also help calm your mind quickly. Breathe in for a count of 5, exhale for a count of 7, repeat for 3 minutes and notice the difference. Worrying does not insulate you from disappointment so learn how to feel ok … right now. Treat yourself to a Mindfulness Skills session with me.
7). Sleep: Feeling tired is normal at this time, so don’t fight it! Build up your bank of sleep for a healthy pregnancy and get loads of rest, too.
8). Eat and Move: Continue eating well because … you have a passenger aboard. Forget steak tartare, pâte, shellfish, donuts,sodas and fast-food. Folic acid is still important, too. Gentle exercise and stretches are fine unless you have been warned off by your doctor. Your womb is small, contained and tightly closed to mind precious little ones. Some clients fear they’ll drop out during exercise or sex. Not true!
9). Love it: Sex is also fine unless your RE doctor has advised you otherwise. Orgasm keeps your womb healthy and relaxed.
10). Mind it: If you are concerned or experience any of the following consult your doctor without delay: bright red bleeding, brown spotting, pain in your abdomen, pelvis, legs or neck, if you have a fever, feel unwell, weak, dizzy or faint.
Thank you so much to all my lovely clients for sharing what worked for them.
Did you know that Mindfulness Hypnotherapy actually helps the time go by more easily? It’s called time distortion and I use it to help you get through this strange fortnight.
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