How Can I Tell I Am Pregnant?

Are you wondering how you can tell if you're pregnant? Read on to find out more.

Women who decide to try and conceive experience stressful moments monthly wondering if they are or aren’t pregnant. Most women plan on conceiving after they have talked it over with their spouse or significant other and sometimes conceptions just happen. Either way, women want to know how they can tell if they are pregnant so they can start preparing for the arrival of their new child. Women that find out they are pregnant go through a variety of different emotions as their hormones change.

They also worry frequently about being a good mother. Some women are very happy during their pregnancy and some experience more emotions than usual. Whatever the emotions are, this is going to be one of the happiest moments of a woman’s life. Eventually, all the hormones stable out and pregnancy agrees with the majority of women.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

When women start to wonder if they are expecting, the easiest way to find out early is by taking a pregnancy test. There are also other early symptoms of pregnancy that might start indicating that you are expecting. Missed period, tender breasts, cramping from your uterus growing, morning sickness and an increase in appetite.

pregnancy test

Do All Women Experience the Same Symptoms?

Every individual is unique and so is every pregnancy a woman experiences. The answer is no because all women do not experience the same symptoms. In addition, the early signs of pregnancy are about the same as the symptoms women get before they start their period. Many women don’t find out right away that they are pregnant.

Some find out after a few months and even later with some women. Even if women notice some of these symptoms, this doesn’t mean you are pregnant. The best way to confirm your pregnancy is to buy a pregnancy test and follow the directions closely.

Cramps and Early Spotting

Once a woman conceives, the egg becomes attached to the inner wall of the uterus. This is when a woman can spot and feel some cramping. Spotting can be very upsetting when you find out you are expecting, but remember this might be due to something referred to as implantation bleeding. Spotting can start as soon as six to twelve days after the egg becomes fertilized.

Cramping feels the same as menstrual cramps, and some women believe their period is starting. If you are used to having a heavier period, if you are pregnant, the bleeding and cramping aren’t as intense. This is a good way to determine if you might be pregnant.

expecting a child

Women also can see a white, milky colored discharge and this comes from the thickening of the uterine wall in preparation for the pregnancy. This symptom starts right away after conception. Cells are growing fast and lining the inside of the vagina, which causes the discharge. This type of discharge is present during pregnancy and shouldn’t cause women to worry in most situations. No treatment is necessary.

Sometimes this discharge can smell ripe and there is also a burning and itching problem for women. If you are having these symptoms, ask to see your doctor check if you have a yeast or bacterial infection.

Body Changes

Breast changes are another early pregnancy symptom. This happens because the hormones in a pregnant woman raise quickly after she has conceived. These changes make the breasts feel tender and full, swollen, sore and tingle the first few weeks. The areola, which is around the nipple starts to turn darker when a woman is expecting.

There are other issues that can cause changes in breasts for women. If a woman finds out she is pregnant, she should remember that these changes in her breasts are caused by the rising of hormones. Once the levels are stable the breast changes should not be as intense.

pregnancy

Tiredness

If you are pregnant and are tired, this is a very normal feeling. This starts early on in pregnancy and continues all the way through. Some women begin to feel extremely tired after the first week of pregnancy. Women feel more fatigued because of a hormone called progesterone. In addition, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, and more blood flow in a woman’s body also can cause more fatigue. Women should get enough sleep and eat more protein and foods high in iron to help them with fatigue.

Nausea

The dreaded morning sickness as this is called is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy. You might be one of the lucky ones and not experience morning sickness because not all women have it during pregnancy. No one knows what causes morning sickness, however, pregnancy hormones are considered the culprit. Nausea in women that are pregnant can happen at any time of the day but this occurs mainly during morning hours.

Eating patterns change and so do cravings for food. You might have loved pizza and now the smell makes you sick but you want a huge salad instead. Coffee is another culprit that makes most women sick during pregnancy. This comes from the changes in a woman’s hormones during pregnancy. Sometimes, these cravings can become very extreme.

cup of tea for pregnancy

There are cases where nausea, cravings and certain aversions to food can last for the whole pregnancy. By the end of the third trimester, most women are done with morning sickness. Always remember to eat a good diet, get as many nutrients as you need and you can ask your doctor for advice on what to eat when you feel nauseated frequently.

A Missed Menstrual Period

Women all know by now that this is the first sign of a possible pregnancy, but stress also can cause women to miss their period. Make sure you get a test to make sure you are pregnant. It’s important to read the instructions on when to use the test to get an accurate reading.

In addition, there are some pregnancies that women will bleed at the beginning of the first trimester and sometimes all the way through, they continue to spot. Talk to your doctor if you are spotting and still pregnant and ask him or her what you should look for. Women miss periods for a variety of reasons including, weight gain or loss, hormone issues, stress, and fatigue. In addition, women can miss their period if they decide to stop taking their birth control medications. It’s important to take a test to know what the cause of these symptoms is.

pregnant woman

Additional Signs

Women all know that pregnancy changes their hormones and can cause other symptoms. Some of the symptoms are an urgency to urinate more often. This starts around the sixth to eighth week of pregnancy.diabetes or using diuretics. When a woman is pregnant, frequent urination is due to being pregnant.

Constipation is another sign of pregnancy because of the higher levels of progesterone. Progesterone stops the food from passing quickly and causes food to slow down in your intestines. To combat constipation, drink more water, exercise and eat lots of foods that are high in fiber.

Mood swings are another sign of pregnancy and they are very common during the first trimester. Mood swings occur from all of the hormonal changes in a woman’s body. They also can occur from stress and being overtired.

pregnant woman and her child

Women experience headaches and back pain during pregnancy. Some experience one or the other and some experience both. If you are prone to headaches or migraines, calm down and lie in a dark room with a cool cloth on your head. If you are experiencing back pain, this is a good time to talk to your doctor about starting gentle yoga.

There also are women that feel dizzy and faint during the early stages of pregnancy. This happens due to low blood pressure, low blood sugar and blood vessels that dilate. It’s important to get up slowly if you are sitting or laying down so you don’t pass out and hit your head on the floor. If you feel dizzy, sit down and don’t move until your dizziness passes.

Conclusion

All women are different and so are all their pregnancies. Some women have all of these symptoms and some don’t have any symptoms at all. The good thing is symptoms don’t last forever, and a woman can always call and talk to her doctor if the symptoms become too intense. Doctors are great about coming up with plans to make your pregnancy more comfortable.