If you are here, you surely are wondering what is going on with all the changes in your body. The question you would have in mind would possibly be – Could you be pregnant?
To start with, we wish to inform you that for some women, the symptoms might be earlier and they usually occur after a few weeks from the conception. These signs could be sooner than you missing your period, and having the feeling of being pregnant.
Though the symptoms might now be the same for everyone and vary in terms of intensity, frequency, and duration. So, to give you a guideline, we are here with a checklist containing some of the symptoms which are first signs of pregnancy.
Very Early Symptoms of Pregnancy
Tender, swollen breasts
Breasts are a necessary guide to the changes which are occurring to your body. You know the way you feel and hence, they provide the first symptoms of being pregnant, for the changes can be felt sooner. Hormonal changes as a result of conceptions are clearly visible in an early stage, i.e. two weeks after conception and as a result, breasts become tender, tingly or sore. You may also feel your breasts a lot more fuller and heavier.
Fatigue
The very early symptoms of pregnancy are highly fatigue and tiredness. They are as well a result of the hormonal changes which happen to occur to your body in the early pregnancy. In the stage of early pregnancy, production of the hormone progesterone increases. This progesterone, which injected into the body in high dosages, has the ability to get a person all dizzy and sleepy. While this process goes on, if the body experiences any kind of lower blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure and increased blood production, leads to high loss of energy in the body and results into energy loss during pregnancy.
Slight bleeding or cramping
Among the other first symptoms of pregnancy can be spotting. A small amount of spotting or vaginal bleeding is normal to sign of pregnancy. The spotting is precisely referred to as implantation bleeding and happens when the fertilized eggs are attached to the lining of the uterus. This generally happens from 10 to 14 days after fertilization. Women who have it generally experience it a bit earlier and it is spottier with a color which is lighter than normal period, but it wouldn’t last for a longer period. For some women, earlier pregnancy signs may also include abdominal cramping. They are actually a lot more similar to that of menstrual cramps.
Nausea with or without vomiting
This symptom is experienced by almost all women who are pregnant. Morning sickness can generally happen at any time of the day including night. Some women experience it quite earlier than the others i.e. two weeks after conception. Nausea begins to emerge, at least a part of it, from constant rise in levels of estrogen.
This rise actually leads to stomach getting emptier rather slowly. Also, pregnant women develop much more sense of odor, and the smell of cooking, perfume or cigarette may lead to the formation of waves of nausea in the early stages of pregnancy. You may though choose to adopt or follow a lot of tips which can be found online, which help a lot more in fighting the sense of morning sickness.
Food aversions or cravings
Food cravings are a lot more common in women who are pregnant. Pregnant women may develop a sense of craving just with the smell of something and this happens a lot with coffee and fried food. This is too much of a common thing to experience. Though, the craving and the preference highly differs from women to women. This is proportionate to the symptoms of pregnancy, highly vary and they vary as per the hormonal changes which are suffered by the women. The first stages are generally very dramatic for the hormonal changes are much more.
Headaches
Your body goes through a lot of changes while the pregnancy process goes on. At such a crucial time, you may experience a lot of changes which may result in headaches. To be precise, the exact reason for the frequent occurrence of headaches is an increase in blood circulation. The increase in the blood circulation is also as a result of a change in hormones and this leads to frequent and a lot milder headaches.
Constipation
Among the early common symptoms of pregnancy, constipation is generally experienced by a lot of women. As already referred to, hormonal changes give rise to a lot of changes in the body and as a result of which few regular processes of the body slow down. The increase in the progesterone also leads to slower passing down of the food. The food which passes down from the intestines actually slows down and results in constipation.
Mood swings
Hormones also give rise to a lot of emotional, with a constant level of hormones a human experience a constant level of feelings. But at an early stage of pregnancy, the hormonal flow is massive and hence the pregnant ladies, who suffer from such high hormonal levels, often get emotional and weepy over everything and nothing. The most common of all are the mood swings, and they usually occur in the early stages of pregnancy, and in abundance.
Faintness and dizziness
As already discussed, you are bound to lose your usual level of energy as a lot of new changes take place in your body. Also, for the same reason, you might also feel fainting or dizziness along with falling asleep quite often and being exhausted.
The pregnancy process generally dilates your blood vessels and as a result of which the blood pressure drops. This is when and why you would feel the sense of lightheaded or dizzy. While in the early stages of pregnancy, women also tend to experience a drop in the blood sugar, as a result of which faintness is usually to occur.
Raised basal body temperature
The basal body temperature is referred to as the temperature your body has at the start of the day, this is when you wake up, the first thing in the morning. The temperature usually is normal, but at the end of the ovulation process, the temperature increases and tends to remain the same until the next period arises. Few of the ladies out there keep track of their basal body temperature, in order to determine when they are going through the ovulation process. If you have been keeping track of your body basal temperature, and it tends to be constant for more than two weeks, there are chances you are pregnant.
Missed period
This symptom is considered the most obvious early symptom. It is when women miss their period that makes them wonder if they are pregnant. This is when women get to their business of going through everything which determines or would let them know they are pregnant. We understand your concern, even if you experience a lighter period as compared to your normal period, and that is perfectly normal.
The symptoms which are listed below often occur after you have actually missed your period and you will get to know if you actually are pregnant.
Just feeling pregnant
This is a symptom in itself, you might be feeling the change already and this also might be the reason you continue to read the article further. A lot of women often have this intuition of pregnancy signs and then, they highly believe in it. The fact is that the intuition is more than often proved to be true and correct.
The thing might be, you just feel the difference, an unusual self of yours. The difference might be as a result of anything, but basically, tired, moody, queasy or lightheaded. You may also experience a series of heartburn, constipation, or having the urge to pee a lot. Feeling dull ache or stiffness in the lower back, having sore breasts, sensitive breasts, etc are as well common to experience.
How can you really be sure you are pregnant?
The symptoms as stated above aren’t exclusive to pregnancy. These symptoms are just the same as PMS or it may even be the cause for any kind of sickness. On the other front, you may also be pregnant and not realize, as the above-mentioned symptoms do not occur for everyone.
Now, if you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms or you missed your period already, the best thing you might want to do is to take a home pregnancy test. A pregnancy test is a must if you have irregular periods or did not keep track of your periods.
After you take up a test, if you find the results to be positive, you should definitely take a doctor’s appointment for the next instance. It is of great benefit to confirm your pregnancy because that would be the time you will actually start taking care of your health and rather adapt your lifestyle as per the pregnancy requirements.
If you are ever worried about the symptoms and confused about what might be the reason, you shall take a pregnancy test in either case. This would always give you the appropriate answer to all your questions. Rather than keeping a pile of the questions in your mind, you will find the answers in an instance.
You shall take a test after a day or two from the time you missed your periods if you want an appropriate result. Even, if you are expecting a baby and yes find a negative result, you can consider taking a test again after a few more days.
Heads up on the facts about pregnancy
- The symptoms experienced by women while being pregnant differs greatly from lady to lady. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms and they vary in severity.
- Also, the symptoms of the same women might not be the same twice. They can differ from the first time pregnancy in numerous ways.
- Missing period and putting on weight might be the common symptoms to every woman.
- There are many medications which are safe while consuming being pregnant.
- If you want relief from the symptoms, you may use home remedies and self-care strategies.
- There are times when the symptoms of mood changes, fatigue, and breast tenderness are the symptoms of PMS and are mistaken to be the signs of pregnancy.
When do the symptoms start?
This too depends on women and varies, as for some symptoms may be experienced as soon as the first week, while for others the symptoms take place later in the pregnancy. Also, what generally happens is that women experience symptoms, similar to that of the monthly cycle and women do not realize they actually are pregnant.
Ways which can help relieve the symptoms
Women can opt the home remedies and the self-care routine, which is absolutely safe to relieve the pregnancy symptoms. This is because the symptoms are generally unpleasant to have experienced. You can consume a few of the medications which include the antibiotics, as they are quite safe to take while being pregnant. You must always take to a doctor before you think of purchasing medicines over-the-counter, prescription medicine including supplements or vitamins. Consultation, in any case, is always better.
We have also piled up a list of self-care measures which can be adopted to eliminate the symptoms up to an extent as they are quite troublesome.
- You need to maintain a proper diet and also perform exercises which can help lessen symptoms. This is because proper diet and exercise will keep your weight under control while strengthening and toning your abdominal muscles. You need to keep notes that while you are in your first trimester, you need to highly avoid exercises which require you to lie on your back for a prolonged time.
- You may opt for a pregnancy girdle and sling, which plays a vital role in supporting your abdomen.
- You also need to notice your feet, and if you have any kind of swelling, you need to go buy shoes which are loose and comfortable, just not too tight.
- You need to be cautious while lifting heavy thing which can be any heady item or for instance your other children. You must always bend your knee while you lift and keep your back straight always.
- Sleep on a firm mattress helps a lot and hence, you might want to invest in one, if you do not already have it. Also, lie on your side while sleeping, and keep a pillow between your legs in order to sleep in a more comfortable position. This would give you a bit of relief.
- You need to go bra shopping and buy one which would give god support to your breasts, as they would probably be tender or even sore.
- If you suffer from constipation, you need to increase your fiber intake, eat lots of fiber. This would keep your bowel movements regular and help you get rid of constipation. Fiber includes fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole grains. You may also take fiber or stool softeners as per your issues as it helps a lot.
- You need to eat small portions of food but at regular intervals. The frequent yet small meal helps a lot in fighting nausea, and you must highly avoid any kind of food which triggers your nausea. It is always to the best of your health to consume plenty of fluids and avoid all kinds of fatty foods. Small and frequent meals are also recommended to prevent heartburns.
If you are still not satisfied with the symptoms mentioned and wish to be sure you are pregnant, it is always a better option to take up a pregnancy test. The test best taken is a day or two after you have missed your period.
Later signs of pregnancy
Later signs are the symptoms which occur generally at the time of the second and third trimester. Few of the first symptoms may be retained from the early symptoms and the rest may be a completely different set of symptoms. The retained symptoms are mood changes, headaches, increased urge to pee, cravings, backache, and fatigue. The other kind of symptoms generally differ from time and may experience betterment.
The other symptoms are in a relationship with the growing uterus and weight gain. Now, all the later pregnancy symptoms are as well not experienced by everyone just like the early symptoms. the frequency or rate of effect varies too. Everything differs from one woman to another and so does the later symptoms.
These signs are:
- weight gain,
- breast changes,
- heartburn,
- swollen feet and ankles,
- varicose veins,
- leakage of urine,
- shortness of breath,
- braxtons hicks contraction.
If you have any issues or doubt regarding any of the symptoms of your pregnancy, you must visit a doctor for the first thing. He/she will be able to guide you thoroughly through your entire pregnancy period. Keeping a lifestyle which would be beneficial for your well being shall be the priority.
