The Great Debate: to Pee or Not to Pee

So, there is this great debate in the TTC world about when to POAS (pee on a stick, for future reference).

Do you start testing the first day you could possibly get a positive, usually 10DPO? Or do you wait until your period is actually late, usually 14DPO or later?

I am strictly on the side of waiting it out. Seeing a BFN (big fat negative), for me, is too crushing, even when it is early. And my body does a pretty good job of letting me know that I'm not pregnant each month, even before my period actually starts.

In the beginning, I tested a lot. I can't even think about how much money I wasted testing at various times, even when it was quite obvious my period would be starting any minute.

Then I started charting. And paying closer attention to my body. I know that my temps stay high until around 11DPO or 12DPO. Then they either plummet or slowly begin to drop. I know that my boobs can start to hurt or be a little tender anytime starting at 1DPO. I know that I have random cramping throughout the 2ww (two week wait--time between ovulation and period). I know that I can be irritable. I cry. My skin breaks out. I bloat. I even get gas. To many these are phantom symptoms. After so many months, I came to realize that these are just my PMS symptoms. When they happen every month, almost exactly the same, clearly, they are my normal PMS symptoms.

So, I'm a waiter and watcher. I have only POAS once (well, one cycle; two tests) in probably 8 months. That was Cycle 12, so coming to the year mark, and I was a little anxious. And that was the month my body decided to play tricks on me and actually give me my longest LP and cycle to date.

Now, here I sit and 8DPO. And I'm contemplating POAS this coming Thursday--10DPO.

Why would I break my cardinal rule? It's the hubby's birthday.

I have up on thinking about what finding we are pregnant in a certain month would coincide with. Or when our phantom EDD (estimated delivery date). That stopped being fun after awhile.

But, for some reason, I just feel like doing it this time. Maybe because I feel like we could use something really happy like that right now. And maybe because I really don't think I am, so in the back of my mind, I'm hoping maybe I'm wrong. And because I'm really not feeling this cycle and because it would be early, I just do not feel like I would be disappointed in the slightest if it is a BFN. And I certainly wouldn't tell the hubby unless it is a positive.

So, the great debate is going on in my head right now. I don't know what I'll do. If anything, I will buy one Dollar Tree test and that's it. If negative, no more testing unless I'm late.

Stay tuned . . .