I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and I realise my perspective has probably shifted quite significantly after what I’ve just been through, so take this as my slightly jaded two pence rather than me telling anyone what they should do!
But honestly… if you can, save yourself the orbit and wait until your period is due to test. Or even better, until you’re late.
I used to completely understand the urge to test early - I did it myself. But what good does it actually do to see that early positive, only to spend the next several days testing repeatedly, analysing whether the line is darker, comparing today’s test with yesterday’s, and potentially finding out you’ve had a chemical pregnancy?
You haven’t necessarily gained any useful information. You’ve just potentially bought yourself several extra days of anxiety and emotional investment.
And then once you do get that positive… put the tests down.
Because after this experience, I really don’t think test progression tells us nearly as much as we convince ourselves it does. A darker line is lovely and reassuring, but it doesn’t tell you that everything is going to be okay. Equally, a test that doesn’t look dramatically darker one morning doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.
I know why we do it. I absolutely get it. When you’re desperate for reassurance, a little strip of plastic feels like the only thing you can control.
But having now had a pregnancy that progressed far enough to get a 3+ on a Clearblue and a comete dye steeler, only to ultimately be a missed miscarriage, my perspective has shifted quite dramatically.
The tests can tell you that you’re pregnant. They can’t tell you that you’re going to stay pregnant.
And I think, if I’d really understood that beforehand, I might have saved myself a lot of unnecessary spiralling.
So yes. Probably slightly jaded. But perhaps someone else will find it useful. ❤️🩹