Do you need to keep testing?

[RowenaDedalus]

Got a BFP on frer on Wednesday. Then clearblue digital on Thurs 1-2. Since then I have taken 3 internet cheapies but the line is so pale. Should I keep testing or is this insanity?

Put down the pee sticks. Take it from experience I'm 7+2 pregnant and peed on over 20 sticks. Congratulations though😊

I would take another digital to see if you're getting any progression in the weeks.

No. I took one. I then took another before my first midwife appointment.

I know it's easier said than done, but try and stop. You will drive yourself crazy. The darkness of the line isn't a reliable indicator of the viability of your pregnancy. For now, you are pregnant so try and relax and focus on that.

(Also, I hope this doesn't come across as pessimistic, but the result doesn't mean anything. At this stage, it is all totally out of your hands - what will be, will be.

Even if you see the test getting darker, it won't necessarily mean that everything is 100% a-ok for the next 9 months.

Equally, if it doesn't seem to be progressing, it doesn't mean it's all going wrong. And even if it does, there's nothing you can do about it.)

When I was pregnant last year even after my BFP I tested at least twice a week, sometimes three times. I’m extremely glad I did because as my lines started to get fainter I knew the pregnancy was failing and I was prepared for it.

Two weeks after my initial BFP I miscarried and woke up in the morning to an horrendous bleed. I was obviously upset but because I was mentally prepared for it I found I could handle it much better.

If I had gone to bed one night believing myself to be pregnant and then woke up to finding blood everywhere I can’t evdn imagine how distraught I would have been.

You definitely don’t have to keep testing but I’m glad I did.

I conceived again later in the year and tested regularly then too and was very much reassured to see the lines getting darker after my previous experience. I probably didn’t stop testing until I was about 11 weeks because I needed to know that everything was ok before going for the 12 week scan. I’m certainly not advocating regular and prolonged testing as in hindsight my behaviour was probably a bit OTT but after the miscarriage I was scared the same thing was going to happen again.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and just do whatever feels right for you

Primeravez- you're right, it's not like I can do anything about it if it fails.
Queen I am sorry for your miscarriage I think my need to test is similar to your reasoning. However, I may as well try to enjoy the time I have being pregnant, however brief that time might be!

Are you testing early or have you missed a period yet? Generally you get paler lines before you're due, that should darken as the time for your due period has passed. And HCG is meant to double every 48 hours so you should really be seeing the line darken roughly every two days.

My period was due last weds so I'm not testing early. I don't know if it's getting darker because the Internet cheapos were negative when frer and clearblue were negative. So now they are pale I don't know if that's good or bad! Might buy another clearblue digital and take it this fri to see if weeks have moved on