How Did You Know If You Re Pregnant

What Are Common Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Everyone experiences different symptoms of pregnancy and at different times. Its important not to compare your pregnancy to someone elses because pregnancy symptoms can vary so dramatically.

There are several signs of early pregnancy that you may or may not have. The most common symptoms include:

Remember, the only way to know for sure that youre pregnant is to take a pregnancy test or have your healthcare provider perform an ultrasound.

Other Signs And Symptoms You May Experience During Pregnancy

Throughout your pregnancy, your body will do some unique and wonderful things. Some of these physical changes may subside, while others may continue over the course of your pregnancy.

These are some of the changes you may experience during the second and third trimesters of your pregnancy:

Watch the following video to find out how your partner can be more involved during your pregnancy:

When To See A Doctor

If your periods suddenly become lighter and you think you may be pregnant, the only way to be sure is to take a pregnancy test. If the light bleeding is due to implantation, taking the test from 2-3 days after the start of the bleeding may show a positive result depending on the sensitivity of the urine test and the amount of hormones present in the body. But if the test is negative, it may still be too early, so wait another week and test again. Every woman is different and while for some the pregnancy test may be positive on the first day of your missed period, for others it may not be positive until up to one month after.

If you are not pregnant, having a noticeably light period from time to time normally isnt the sign of any problem. Sometimes this may be due to temporary disregulation in the menstrual cycle, such as during periods of stress. However, you should see a doctor if you have persistent irregular periods , severe lower abdominal pain, or any other unusual symptoms such as excessive hair growth or weight loss, because these could be indicative of an underlying condition.

Featured image is of menstrual pads scattered against a blue background

One of the first signs of pregnancy can be a light period, and it can be difficult to tell whether it is due to pregnancy or not as the bleed can occur at around the same time of a normal period.

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Changes In Food Patterns

This can go both ways you might feel cravings towards a particular type of food and aversions towards others. This occurs due to rise in the levels of estrogen in the blood and can happen any time throughout the pregnancy. Food cravings can be satisfied, provided that the items are safe and that you do not overeat.

What If I Have A Positive Pregnancy Test And Then Start Bleeding

About 25-30% of pregnant women experience some type of spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy. This can be a result of many different factors including implantation bleeding, infection, cervical irritation, ectopic pregnancy or a threatened miscarriage.

Many women who have this light bleeding go on to have normal pregnancies and healthy babies. About half of the women who experience some light bleeding will go on to have heavier bleeding that will ultimately result in miscarriage.Unfortunately, there is no way to predict whether or not vaginal bleeding will progress to miscarriage. If you experience light bleeding that continues to get heavier, accompanied by painful cramping, back pain or stabbing pains, then you would want to seek medical attention right away.

If you experience some very slight spotting that then goes away, you would want to make sure to share this with your healthcare provider so that they are fully informed of everything you are experiencing in your pregnancy.

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When Did You Let Everyone Know You Were Pregnant Family Insecurities Holding Me Back

All in all, I cant hide out forever. I even thought about buying a really baggy hoodie to hide my growing bump in the winter months lol. It would be real awkward if I showed up February 2022 with a baby lol. Like surprise, yep I have a baby now!

Maybe Im taking this pregnancy sharing a little too seriously. I can somewhat blame social media for that. Its like I want others to be happy with me.

So how long did you wait to share your pregnancy? Was there any possible jealousy and judgement? Who judged more, friends or family?

Can You Confirm Pregnancy From Changes In The Sleep Pattern

A pregnant womans sleep pattern changes owing to the increased levels of progesterone in her body. However, a woman might lose sleep due to a host of other reasons, so it is wrong to conclude that someone is pregnant just because she is not sleeping well.

A combination of the above-mentioned signs can indicate that you are pregnant if only one or two affect you, you are most likely not pregnant. However, do pay the doctor a visit to confirm that you are going to have a baby if you experience some of these symptoms.

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Can You Feel Pregnant Before You Miss Your Period

Yes, you can feel pregnant before you miss your period. Some people say theyve felt pregnancy symptoms within a week of conception .

Could I have the symptoms of early pregnancy and not be pregnant?

Many of the symptoms of early pregnancy overlap with other medical conditions, as well as your typical menstrual cycle. Premenstrual symptoms can be very similar to pregnancy symptoms. This can make it difficult to tell the difference. You can also miss a period and not be pregnant. This can happen when you lose or gain a lot of weight or are stressed. Breastfeeding can also cause your period to stop.

The best way to know youre pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests are available at your local pharmacy or grocery store without a prescription.

How Far Along Am I

Knowing how far along you are in pregnancy is helpful for both you and your healthcare provider. Your provider will use this information to check on your babyâs growth and development, keep an eye on your health, and schedule tests and exams.The weeks of pregnancy can be grouped into three trimesters:

• First trimester: 1 to 13 weeks

• Second trimester: 14 to 27 weeks

• Third trimester: 28 to 40-42 weeks .

Check out the illustration below to see how far along you are in your pregnancy:

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Changes In Taste Buds

Ive been a big coffee drinker my entire adult life. But as soon as I became pregnant with my twins, coffee smelled and even worse tasted terrible. I couldnt even think about drinking coffee without feeling sick. So, in the midst of other pregnancy symptoms, I spent a few weeks battling a headache due to caffeine withdrawal.Dysgeusia, or a change in your sense of taste, during pregnancy likely is caused by pregnancy hormones. It may cause you to hate a food that you normally love, or enjoy foods you normally dislike. Sometimes it can cause a sour or metallic taste in your mouth, even if youre not eating anything.While theres not a lot you can do about dysgeusia during pregnancy, you can try these tricks:

• Eat what you can. Dont feel bad if you have to avoid certain foods.
• Banish that metallic taste with acids such as citrus juices like lemonade, or foods marinated in vinegar.
• Brush your tongue along with your teeth, and rinse with a mild salt or baking soda solution.
• Change your prenatal vitamin. Some cause metal mouth more than others.

You Have An Ectopic Pregnancy

Do you have severe abdominal pain, light brown discharge and pregnancy symptoms? Then its possible you have an ectopic pregnancy.

What does ectopic pregnancy mean?

In normal pregnancies, fertilization occurs inside the Fallopian tube, which is a 10cm tube attached to the body of the uterus. After fertilization, the embryo or fertilized ovum is transported back to the uterus for implantation.

However, in ectopic pregnancies, this process fails to result in implantation outside the uterus, or in the fallopian tubes. Implantation inside the Fallopian tube will cause bleeding into the abdomen with symptoms like

• Pain especially in the right or left side of the abdomen
• Heavy vaginal bleeding, though it may be light bleeding or no bleeding at all.
• Dizziness or fainting attack
• Severe pain in the abdomen that gets worse with time

Who are at risk of an ectopic pregnancy?

• Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea infection
• Pelvic inflammation disease
• Drugs like Clomiphene citrate used to stimulate ovulation
• Previous history of an abortion

What to do?

You should inform your doctor ASAP about your symptoms. Ectopic pregnancy is an emergency worldwide and may cause death in young women if not treated early.

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Week 1 Pregnant Symptoms

Since conception hasnt occurred yet, you wont experience pregnancy symptoms from day 1. For many women, their first real symptom of pregnancy comes a month later when they miss their period. But you might experience menstrual symptoms during the first days of pregnancy. Some of the most common menstrual symptoms include:

• diarrhea or constipation

Other Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings changes in your hormonal balance. And that can cause other symptoms that include:

• Frequent urination. For many women, this starts around the sixth or eighth week after conception. Although this could be caused by a urinary tract infection, diabetes, or using diuretics, if you’re pregnant, it’s most likely due to hormonal levels.
• Constipation. During pregnancy, higher levels of the hormone progesterone can make you constipated. Progesterone causes food to pass more slowly through your intestines. To ease the problem, drink plenty of water, exercise, and eat plenty of high-fiber foods.
• Mood swings. These are common, especially during the first trimester. These are also related to changes in hormones.
• Headaches and back pain. Many pregnant women report frequent mild headaches, and others experience back pain.
• Dizziness and fainting. These may be related to dilating blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and lower blood sugar.

A pregnant woman could have all of these symptoms, or maybe have only one or two. If any of these symptoms become bothersome, talk with your doctor about them so you can make a plan to offset them.

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Things To Think About Before Baby Arrives

Breastfeeding: You and your baby gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk is easy to digest and has antibodies that can protect your baby from bacterial and viral infections.

Jaundice and Kernicterus: Any baby can get jaundice. Severe jaundice that is not treated can cause brain damage. Your baby should be checked for jaundice in the hospital and again within 48 hours after leaving the hospital. If you think your baby has jaundice, call and visit your babys doctor right away.

Newborn Screening: Within 48 hours of your babys birth, a sample of blood is taken from a heel stick, and the blood is tested for treatable diseases. More than 98% of all children born in the United States are tested for these disorders.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome : Learn what parents and caregivers can do to help babies sleep safely and reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS.

Child Safety Seats: Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States. But many of these deaths can be prevented. Always buckling children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, and seat belts reduces serious and fatal injuries by up to 80%. Top of Page

How Do You Know Youre In Labour

FTM here! Does your water break and then youll contractions? And then I wait until they are closer together to go to the hospital?

I literally have no idea what to expect! Any stories would be wonderful!

Thank you

Its different for everyone. With my first child my water broke and contractions started a few hours later after I arrived at the hospital.

With my second child, I woke up to contractions every five minutes and went to the hospital where they broke my water.

Pay attention to your body and if you feel like you might be in labor, call L& D to see what they advise. Ive kept the handout my doctor gave as well that says When to go to the hospital.

When my water broke, they made me come in right away and induced me. Didnt even let contractions start on their own. I switched practices now and they would see if labor would start in its own first. It may depend on your dr.

I cant speak to how it starts naturally since it didnt happen for me

For both I had started feeling contractions and went to the hospital. My first my water in the truck on the way there and my second my water broke at the hospital.

Thats how my labor started with my first but then I stopped having contractions so I had to get induced. Hopefully this time my contractions start first! Youll notice when the real contractions start !

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How Do Pregnancy Tests Work

All pregnancy tests work by detecting the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in the urine or blood. This hormone is present only when a woman is pregnant. If the pregnancy test detects hCG, it will say you are pregnant.

hCG is made when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This usually happens about 10 days after conception .1 The amount of hCG builds up quickly in your body with each passing day you are pregnant.

So if you take a home pregnancy test too soon after implantation, your hCG level may not be high enough to detect the pregnancy. If the test says you are not pregnant, take another pregnancy test in a few days.

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How To Prevent Pregnancy

Not everyone is ready to start a family, and some people have already completed their family and want to take all possible precautions to avoid adding to it. You can click here to visit the Active Ingredients blog and learn more about birth control and view other health content.

One of the best ways to prevent pregnancy is with the use of oral contraceptive pills. You can access prescriptions online and have them delivered directly to your door. Birth control pills work by stopping or reducing ovulation, which is the release of an egg from an ovary.

Some of the many other pregnancy prevention methods include condoms, intrauterine devices , contraceptive implants and injections, and diaphragms.

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Irritability Or Mood Swings

You could feel oversensitive, grumpy, and tearful due to hormonal changes altering the levels of neurotransmitters or chemical messengers to the brain. This could result in heightened emotions, both positive and negative . But such feelings could be like your PMS symptoms and may not necessarily help in determining pregnancy.

Do All Women Get Early Symptoms Of Pregnancy

Every woman is different. So are their experiences of pregnancy. Not every woman has the same symptoms or even the same symptoms from one pregnancy to the next.

Also, because the early symptoms of pregnancy often mimic the symptoms you might experience right before and during menstruation, you may not realize you’re pregnant.

What follows is a description of some of the most common early symptoms of pregnancy. You should know that these symptoms may be caused by other things besides being pregnant. So the fact that you notice some of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. The only way to tell for sure is with a pregnancy test.

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You And Your Pregnancy At 1 To 3 Weeks

Your weeks of pregnancy are dated from the first day of your last period.

This means that in the first 2 weeks or so, you are not actually pregnant your body is preparing for ovulation as usual.

Your “getting pregnant” timeline is:

• day 1: the first day of your period
• day 14 : you ovulate
• within 24 hours of ovulation, the egg is fertilised by sperm if you have had sex in the last few days without using contraception
• about 5 to 6 days after ovulation, the fertilised egg burrows into the lining of the womb this is called implantation
• you’re now pregnant

Find out more about trying to get pregnant.

More About Morning Sickness

The first thing to know about morning sickness is that it can hit you at any time of day.Probably a result of your changing hormones, it usually starts about week six and settles by week 14. The good news is that you may feel better if you:

• drink small amounts of fluid, often. Try flat lemonade, sports drinks, diluted fruit juice, weak tea, clear soup or a hot drink make of stock
• suck on ice or ice-blocks
• try ginger tablets, dry ginger ale or ginger tea
• eat small amounts of food more often, so you dont have an empty stomach
• eat a dry biscuit when you wake up in the morning, to avoid feeling sick when you get out of bed
• try salty foods such as potato crisps or salty biscuits
• suck on barley sugar or boiled lollies
• avoid fatty, rich or spicy foods
• avoid the smell of hot food
• avoid cooking dishes with strong smells
• rest as much as you can.

A small percentage of women have prolonged and excessive vomiting , which can lead to dehydration if it is not treated. See your doctor if you have severe morning sickness.

In some extreme cases, women need to be rehydrated in hospital, using intravenous fluids.

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