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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I bet you\u2019ve been taking your pregnancy tests all wrong.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Taking a test properly is more than just peeing on a stick (or into a cup.) This step-by-step tutorial will tell you the best way to take a pregnancy test, from start to finish.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Let\u2019s get started!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Gather Your Supplies&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You need\u2026&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;a &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/when-is-the-best-time-to-take-an-early-pregnancy-test-1960163&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;pregnancy test&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; (duh\u2026)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;a disposable cup (if you\u2019re using the dip stick kind of pregnancy test)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;a timer (probably got one on your phone)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;a pleasant morning hour (You really should take the test in the morning.)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;your &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/how-and-why-to-keep-a-fertility-calendar-1960274&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;calendar or fertility chart&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; &amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;your favorite chocolate (Just in case\u2026 we won\u2019t talk about why, so we don\u2019t jinx it, but I &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;know&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; you &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;know&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; why.)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Since it\u2019s best to take the test in the morning with your first morning urine, you might want to consider gathering these supplies the night before you take the test.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Just set them up in your bathroom or on your bedside table or dresser.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Take the pregnancy test\u00A0&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;one day after&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; your period is late. What does that mean?&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you expect to get your period Wednesday, then Thursday is one day late.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;(Not sure how to know when your period is coming? Hopefully you\u2019ve been &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/top-free-fertility-calendars-online-1959908&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;keeping a fertility calendar &amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;with your menstrual cycle dates, at the very least. Look at the longest normal cycle you\u2019ve had, and you should wait at least that many days before testing.)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ideally, take the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/using-first-morning-urine-for-a-pregnancy-test-2759853&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;pregnancy test in the morning&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, with your first urination. The pregnancy hormone \u2013 if there is any \u2013 will be higher then, making it more likely the pregnancy test will detect it.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;One sign you\u2019re taking the test too early? You can\u2019t bear to wait until the next morning.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;While you &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;can&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; take many pregnancy tests in the middle of the day, especially if your period is a few days late, I\u2019m willing to bet your period isn\u2019t a few days late.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Odds are, if you\u2019re the typical trying-to-conceiver, your period isn\u2019t even due yet.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I know you!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you\u2019re considering testing early, this is my advice\u2026 resist, resist, resist!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/reasons-not-to-take-a-pregnancy-test-early-1959886&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;7 Reasons Not to Take an Early Pregnancy Test&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Can\u2019t resist? Well, at least make sure your &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/infertility-treatment-17-options-you-should-know-1960182&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;fertility treatments&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; (if you\u2019ve had any) won\u2019t interfere with the result. If you had a &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/understanding-ivf-treatment-step-by-step-1960200&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;trigger shot&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, that means waiting 10 days.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You\u2019re probably thinking this is either an obvious step or a dumb one, but hear me out.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Unless you\u2019ve taken this particular brand and kind of test before, read the directions.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Things to take note of include:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Do you need to pee on a stick or into a cup?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;For how long do you need to hold the stick in the urine stream?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Is there a cap to remove on the test stick?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Do you need to replace the cap on the stick after taking the test?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;If you dip a strip into a cup, for how long do you need to do that?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;If a cartridge test, where do you put the urine drops?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;How many minutes should you wait before reading the results?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;After how many minutes should you NOT read the result? (Reading a result significantly after the recommended max time can lead to seeing a false positive, or an \u201Cevap\u201D line.)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;How do you know the test is working properly?&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;What does a negative result look like? (Just one line? The words Not Pregnant?)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;What does a positive result look like? (A plus sign? An extra line? The word Pregnant?)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Directions read? Time for the next step...&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Now, time to take the test!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you\u2019re peeing into a cup, grab your cup and go.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you\u2019re peeing on a stick, &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;remember to take the cap off&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; the test, if it has one!! (This is a very common step people skip when they are nervous.)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Take a quick peak at the directions again and note how long you need to pee on the stick and how you should hold the test when taking it. Then do it!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you peed into a cup, and you\u2019re ready to dip in strip in, take note of how long you should do this for.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you have a cartridge style test, you may need to use a dropper to drip the urine into the test well. (Don\u2019t drip it into the test window, where the results show up.)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Once you\u2019re finished, set the test aside and wash your hands.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Now, take a quick look back at the directions and see how long you\u2019re supposed to wait before looking at the results.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It\u2019s probably about 3 minutes.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Set your timer and walk away.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Yes. Walk... away.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I know how tempting it can be to watch the test change colors, but all you will do is go through 1,001 moods in those 181 seconds.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But don\u2019t walk away from the test without setting a timer. If you do that, you might stay away too long.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Reading a test significantly after the maximum wait time (usually about 10 minutes) can result in false positives or negatives.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;What can you do while you wait, without losing your mind? How about...&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Watch one of your favorite funny YouTube videos.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Call up a friend for a quick three-minute chat. (I know it\u2019s early, but you can call your best friend even early in the morning, right?)&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Go make yourself a cup of tea.\u00A0&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Put in a load of laundry or load/unload the dishwasher.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Turn on a song that makes you happy, do a little dance. No sad songs, please! Don\u2019t torture yourself.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Has your timer gone off? Great! Time to read the results.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Hopefully you read the directions and you know what a negative or positive is supposed to look like.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you took a digital test, reading the results will be easy. It will say the words Pregnant or Not Pregnant.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If it&amp;amp;#39;s the kind of test that shows lines, usually...&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;One pink line means negative&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Two pink lines means positive&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;No lines means the test didn&amp;amp;#39;t work&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;That lonely line that means negative isn&amp;amp;#39;t there just to tease you. That line also lets you know that the test is working.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Depending on which test you took, two pink lines -- for positive -- may be parallel or they may be perpendicular, making a plus sign (for positive!).\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Read your result? Onto the next step... (No, we\u2019re not done yet!)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Just because you read the results doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ve accepted them or even believed them.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;This can be true with both a positive or negative result.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;If the test is negative...&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Got that chocolate I told you to have nearby, when you collected your supplies?&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Take it out now. \u00A0While you munch, keep reading.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Getting a negative pregnancy test result can be heartbreaking, especially when you get them month after month. It\u2019s even more painful if you\u2019ve had fertility treatments.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But remember... until Aunt Flo (ie, your period) arrives, the month isn\u2019t officially over. You may have taken the test too early, or there may not be enough pregnancy hormone in your urine yet.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Don\u2019t give up hope yet.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/when-the-pregnancy-test-is-negative-1960156&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;When the Pregnancy Test Is Negative: What It Means, How to Cope&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;If the test is positive...&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you\u2019ve got a positive result, congratulations!! \u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You can take out that chocolate too. I bet you can use it.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Getting a positive result can be exciting and scary, especially if you\u2019ve been trying for months or years.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In this moment, though, try to enjoy it.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Just&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; for this moment, you\u2019re pregnant\u2026 yay!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/positive-pregnancy-test-is-it-real-other-faqs-1960245&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Got a Positive Pregnancy Test Result? All Your Questions Answered Here&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ivf-pregnancy-1960218&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;What to Expect During Early Pregnancy After IVF&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/making-a-pregnancy-announcement-after-infertility-1960243&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Making a Pregnancy Announcement After Infertility&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/how-to-have-a-healthy-pregnancy-after-infertility-1960247&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy After Infertility&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/are-your-odds-of-conceiving-twins-higher-than-most-3957110&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Quiz:\u00A0Are Your Odds of Conceiving Twins Higher Than Most?&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;If you think the test is positive, but you\u2019re not sure...&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you think you\u2019ve got a positive, but you\u2019re not sure, well, welcome to the club.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You either have a very positive result but can\u2019t believe you\u2019re finally pregnant.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Or there\u2019s no second line there, and you\u2019re just imagining it.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Don\u2019t feel bad if this describes you. We\u2019ve all been there.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Show the test to a friend or to your partner. Ask them what they see.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You can also take a picture of the test and post it in any number of fertility forums, or on social media. Someone will be happy to read your result and offer comfort or reassurance.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/why-do-i-feel-pregnant-when-im-not-1959989&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Why Do I Feel Pregnant When I&amp;amp;#39;m Not?&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/early-pregnancy-signs-and-symptoms-1960302&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;8&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Early Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ways-to-cope-when-trying-to-get-pregnant-1959974&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;9&amp;quot;&amp;gt;10 Ways to Cope When Trying to Get Pregnant&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/cultivating-support-when-facing-infertility-1960032&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;10&amp;quot;&amp;gt;How to Find Support When Trying to Conceive&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/pregnancy-test-how-to-1959887>