Over the Hump?

What are the real-life symptoms of very early pregnancy? Is this myth or reality? Are you supposed to feel anything while the egg is fertilized and implanted? For me, this journey began in the “2ww”, or the 2-week waiting period beginning the day of your last ovulation, assuming the egg was fertilized by a sperm cell, and ending the day when your period is due to arrive. While on my 2ww, I surfed the net many times looking for women’s opinions on their own experiences and anticipation. Here is a forum where women confess very graphically their anxieties and symptoms. If you haven’t yet experience it, you probably will: Couples trying to get conceive are a species of their own, and I had to learn a host of abbreviations for pregnancy terms. Here are a few:

BFP= Big Fat Positive (as in the test line of your pregnancy test)

CM= Cervical Mucus

DPO= Days post-ovulation

AF= Aunt Flow (but I’m sure you knew this)

TTC= Trying to conceive

As for symptoms during the 2ww, I did not have any at all. In fact, I doubt that they are so conspicuous. I remember telling my husband that I didn’t think we had succeeded this first month of trying. If you are one of these women, smacked right in the middle of this torturous waiting period, I found a useful page on Babymed.com with a not so amusing, but very effective list of things to do while you wait to miss your period and do a home pregnancy test. I did about 10 things from that list, and felt less anxious and more productive. I went out and bought candles, re-organized my drawers, did some gardening and browsed nurseries online. I also spent more time with my dog, who was acting clingy for a few days, but I was happy to oblige since he’s not the cuddly-type. And even though I didn't feel any symptoms, I started to foolishly hope that I might be pregnant about 4 days before my period was due when we were lounging in the sofa and Piki, my small Russell terrier, rested his tiny head on my belly which was exposed because it was very hot that day. I will never forget that day. I was peaceful and as long as it lasted, I felt ready to accept the outcome of this.