The Two-Week Wait: Common Symptoms

What is the two-week wait, exactly? First off, let’s clear up some misconceptions about early pregnancy symptoms.

The “two-week” wait isn’t always two weeks on the dot: It usually ranges from 2 to 3 weeks or 10 to 17 days. During ovulation, the sperm fertilizes the egg. Past ovulation, around 6 to 12 days later, the fertilized egg grows and the embryo implants itself in the uterus, which marks the official start of pregnancy—and the earliest possible time you can take a pregnancy test (with accurate results, anyway).

This time after implantation and before your (hopefully missed) period can produce some tell-tale signs of early pregnancy, such as the production of hCG, the hormone detected by pregnancy tests. That said, two-week wait symptoms vary from person to person, and you may not experience any symptoms at all. Additionally, these symptoms often overlap with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, creating the perfect storm for conception confusion.

As you count down the days until you can take a pregnancy test, let us soothe your worries and help you prepare for whatever sensations come your way.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms vs. PMS Symptoms

Conception kicks off some important changes in your body—you’re hopefully about to start growing a baby in there, after all! These changes often produce some physical and emotional symptoms, which can persist from conception through your entire pregnancy.

So, during the two-week wait, before your potentially missed period, you may experience early pregnancy symptoms like:

• Spotting – When the fertilized egg implants itself in the uterus, it can cause some light bleeding. This is also known as implantation bleeding. Implantation occurs anywhere from 5 to 14 days after the sperm fertilizes the egg—right in that TWW window. That said, implantation doesn’t cause spotting for every pregnancy.
• Fatigue – This isn’t your usual, “I haven’t had my morning coffee yet” fatigue. During the first trimester, heightened levels of the hormone progesterone can make you feel more tired than usual.
• Mood swings – Laughing with one breath and crying with the next? It could be due to the greater levels of estrogen and progesterone pumping through your body.
• Tummy troubles – Around the time you may experience implantation bleeding, you may also feel some mild cramping. Many people in early pregnancy will also feel bloated or constipated due to digestive changes.
• Body aches – Headaches and backaches are also common for many people during early pregnancy, often due to increased blood flow and hormone changes.
• Increased urination – Frequent urination can be an additional symptom of the early stages of pregnancy.

Noticing anything familiar about these symptoms? Many early pregnancy signs mirror PMS symptoms, which can also occur about 1 to 2 weeks before your period is supposed to start. You probably know your usual list of symptoms, but PMS often triggers:

• Fatigue
• Changes in mood
• Tender or swollen breasts
• Breast or nipple sensitivity
• Craving different foods
• Nausea
• Cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and/or constipation
• Head- or backaches

Because the two-week wait occurs during prime PMS time, you may feel confused about any symptoms you experience. Consider taking note of these potential sensations without assuming their cause prematurely.

The Role of Hormonal Changes in Symptoms

Hormones regulate many important bodily functions, from appetite to sleep, stress, and yes, even reproduction.

In fact, hormones are really doing the most during the TWW. In particular, human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG) will jump during this time. This is the hormone that pregnancy tests look for in your urine.

Your estrogen and progesterone levels also increase after conception, helping to create a healthy environment for the fertilized egg to grow and develop. These particular hormones can have specific impacts on your:

• Mood
• Digestive system
• Sleep
• Cravings
• Breast tenderness

That said, changes to these functions don’t automatically mean your pregnancy hormones are spiking.

Can you tell if symptoms are pregnancy-related or not?

Unfortunately, before you take a pregnancy test, there’s no way to truly know if your symptoms are pregnancy-related or not.

It’s also important to note that signs of early pregnancy typically don’t begin until 4 to 6 weeks after conceiving—past the TWW time. That said, many people do experience these symptoms during this period and end up with a positive pregnancy test soon after. The same can be said for people who experience zero symptoms.

Remember: TWW symptoms don’t have the final say on your pregnancy status. The only way to know for sure is by waiting. (Easier said than done, we know.)

With a little help, though, you can make this time fly faster—and with fewer tummy flutters.

Coping Strategies During the Two-Week Wait

Whether this is your first TWW or your twentieth, you may be feeling a whirlwind of emotions alongside potential symptoms: excitement, anxiety, doubt, frustration—the list goes on.

Let us be the first to say these emotions are not all “in your head.” And you’re not alone in feeling them. Getting pregnant can be a long, involved process—one that requires mental and emotional preparation along with the physical.

So, here’s our advice for moving forward with the best possible mindset.

Stay Calm and Positive

To cope with any stress or uncertainty you feel during the TWW, follow these tried-and-true strategies:

• Do the things you love – Take your mind off that pregnancy test waiting in your bathroom cabinet by spending time doing your favorite activities. Indulge in your hobbies (or take up a new one), hang out with the besties, or rewatch your comfort show for the fifth time. This can also include having some fun with your partner: having “no pressure” sex, cuddling, or going out to your favorite restaurant.
• Bust that stress! – Try some different stress-busting activities, like deep breathing, mindful meditation, journaling, or walking, to help relieve anxious thoughts and strengthen your optimism. Additionally, there is a connection between exercise and fertility!
• Distract yourself – Sometimes, the only way to quiet the mind is by focusing on literally anything else. So, start that home-improvement project you’ve been putting off, or watch that new series your coworkers have all been raving about.

Finally, try meditating on your family goals and reminding yourself why this waiting period matters. Eventually, your patience will hopefully be rewarded!

Consider the Role of Lifestyle and Stress Management

There’s no pressure to drastically change your lifestyle during the TWW. That said, medical professionals recommend you avoid partaking in any activities that may harm an early pregnancy, including:

• Drinking alcohol
• Smoking
• Intense exercise

Another factor that can be bad news for a pregnancy? Stress. But when you’re anxious about your upcoming date with the pregnancy test, stress can be challenging to avoid. In this case, consider finding ways to minimize stress in other areas of your life. For instance, now is probably not the time to start that 30-day HIIT workout challenge or take on a new level of responsibility at work.

Instead, lean on your support system while you weather the TWW: your partner, family, friends, and other loved ones. A few hours of quality time with them can alleviate stress better than you may think. Consult your doctor if you have concerns about high stress levels during the two-week wait.

What to Expect and When to Test

What should you expect when you expect to be expecting? Well, we’d recommend managing your expectations. Observing potential pregnancy symptoms can be helpful, but stressing and over-analyzing questions like how much a gender blood test costs or how much NIPT costs before you’re able to test doesn’t benefit anyone. Instead, it’s best to keep an open mind and stay positive.

Once your two weeks are up, you can test. Keep in mind, however, that doctors highly recommend waiting to take an at-home pregnancy test until after a missed period. In fact, it may be even better to take it about a week later for greater accuracy, as this is when your hCG levels will be high enough, at approximately 12-15 DPO, for a pregnancy test to detect.

Continue Your Pregnancy Journey with the SneakPeek® Test

The two-week wait marks the first step in a long process toward welcoming a new baby into your family. After confirming your pregnancy, another exciting milestone is learning your baby’s sex.

Luckily, you don’t have to wait long to find out.

The SneakPeek® Early Gender DNA Test allows you to learn your baby’s predicted sex as early as 6 weeks into pregnancy—a whole 3 months sooner than your 18-week ultrasound. It’s also clinically-proven with over 99% accuracy and the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home gender test on the market.*

Join the over 1 million parents who have used the SneakPeek® Early Gender DNA Test to bond with their baby sooner. Order your test now and plan for joy!

*SneakPeek recommended six to one among 100 OBGYNs survey