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The two-week wait (2WW) after an embryo transfer can feel like the longest, most emotionally intense stretch of time. You’ve gone through so much—medications, appointments, injections, and the transfer itself—only to be met with the hardest part: waiting. Every twinge, every symptom (or lack thereof), and every passing hour can send you into a spiral of overanalyzing.
But here’s the thing—you don’t have to spend these two weeks in constant anxiety. There are ways to pass the time, protect your mental health, and even find moments of joy while you wait for that all-important beta test. In this post, I’ll share practical things to do, mindset tips, and self-care ideas to help make the wait a little easier. Because no matter the outcome, your well-being matters just as much as the result.
- Laugh! One of the best tips I ever read was to make sure you laugh during the TWW. Avoid stressful/suspenseful TV/movies/books. Watch and read things that make you laugh! For me this includes Friends, Schitt’s Creek, Superstore, New Girl, The Office, and comedy specials. I also enjoy a light-hearted rom-com book. Maybe you prefer game nights with friends, but anything to make you laugh!
- Adult Coloring Books – these help pass the time and relieve stress. There are so many to choose from depending on your interests. I also love this IVF themed one. I have these colored pencils and love them.
- Journal – I journaled about my experience because I knew one day I’d want to look back on it and/or show my child how hard we worked for them. I also used my journal to write positive affirmations and letters to my child. I love one with a pocket like this, so you can also keep important information (or photos of embryo!) in it. There’s also this IVF themed journal.
- A gratitude journal is another great way to pass the time and practice positivity. You can do a quick 5-minute one like this, or a more in depth one.
- Devotional – I love this one, but there are so many to choose from. These are another great way to keep positive and hope/trust in the process, which is so important!
- Keep warm feet! Thick socks – like these barefoot dreams or fleece lined, slippers, or even these toe warmers. If at home, I throw on the coziest socks or slippers I have. But, if I have to go to work or run errands and I’m afraid my feet will get cold, I’ll use some of these!
- Crafts/Hobbies – embroidery, scrapbooking, decoupage, or just catching up on photo albums. Anything fun and relaxing to keep busy. I love doing embroidery because then I can use my project as decor in the nursery, but there are so many crafts you could do for this purpose! For the TWW for baby #2 I’m also working on the photo albums I got behind on for my first baby.
- Eat & drink only warming foods. This is thought to keep your uterus warm. Think warm water with lemon or caffeine-free teas, soups, chili, etc.
- Light exercise – of course consult your doctor and go by their guidance. I know some doctors require bedrest for the first few days. My doctor says pretend it didn’t happen. I can maintain my current walk/low impact workouts, just not start anything new. This is a great way to pass the time and helps my mental health!
- Yoga/Meditation/Breathing exercises. There are so many of these on Youtube. They are another great way to ease anxiety and signal your brain & body that you are in a good mindset.
The two-week wait after an embryo transfer can be a rollercoaster, but you don’t have to let it consume you. By focusing on self-care, staying gently distracted, and surrounding yourself with positive energy, you can get through it with more peace and less stress. No, it won’t make the time pass any faster, but it will make the journey a little more bearable.
Whether you’re watching feel-good movies, journaling your thoughts, or leaning into gratitude, remind yourself: you are strong, you are doing everything you can, and you deserve kindness—especially from yourself. 💕
If you’ve been through the 2WW before, what helped you the most? Let’s support each other—drop your best tips in the comments!
For more IVF Tips, check out these posts: Surviving PIO Shots, My Top IVF Must-Haves from Amazon, Gearing Up for IVF Transfer
