Early Signs Of Pregnancy

While ultrasounds and pregnancy tests are the main approaches to find out whether you're pregnant, there are different signs and symptoms of pregnancy you can pay special attention to. 

You may begin to notice certain symptoms two weeks before your next period or a week after conception. Not all women experience these symptoms or signs, but it shouldn't be a problem and you can have a healthy pregnancy. 

What Are The Early Signs of Pregnancy?

1. Changes in Breast 

During the first weeks of pregnancy, your breast will become tender, sensitive, swollen and heavy. Your breast will ache, tingle and grow at a certain point. These changes happen due to hormonal change and will go away after some weeks when your body balances with the hormones. Apart from those, the area around your nipples will also darken. 

2. Cramps and Vaginal Discharge 

Another indication of early pregnancy that can be mistaken for PMS or a regular menstrual symptom is cramps. During pregnancy, bloodstream expands all over the body. Increased flow of blood in the uterus can cause cramps. 

Along with cramps, you will also experience the discharge of white and milky liquid from your vagina. This occurs due to the thickening of vaginal walls right after the conception stage. However, both these symptoms are common and mild in nature. 

3. Dizziness 

During the first trimester, you will experience dizziness or light-headedness on certain occasions. This happens because of the increased flow of blood and hormonal changes. 

4. Sensitivity to Smell

Your sense of smell will be elevated if you are pregnant. Even mild scents and fragrances will be undesirable and pungent to you. Certain smells may even cause nausea and vomiting. 

5. Morning Sickness and Nausea 

More than half of pregnant women experience morning sickness. The severity varies from person to person. You may feel sick during the day or only at night or feel ill in an irregular pattern. Since an individual's feeling of smell gets elevated during pregnancy, the scents from food sources, aromas, and smoke can trigger morning sickness. 

You may even feel nausea at times which can trigger you to vomit. It is common and normal to have cravings, change in food preferences, feeling nausea during the entire pregnancy stage. However, all these symptoms go away in a couple of months. Eating healthy foods and getting enough rest will keep you stronger and help in developing your baby. You can visit your doctor to receive necessary and important advice. 

6. Late or Missed Period 

The clearest early indication of pregnancy is a missed period. In any case, not all differed or missed periods are due to pregnancy.

There are other reasons that will trigger your body to delay menstruation. It is possible that you lost or acquired too much weight. Fatigue, stress, and hormonal problems are different prospects. There are cases where some women miss their period when they stop taking birth control pills. In any case, if a period is delayed and pregnancy is a chance, you might need to get a pregnancy test.

7. Frequent Urination 

When you are pregnant, your body pumps a lot of blood and produces more fluids from the kidneys. This causes your bladder to fill up more frequently than normal. This symptom is likely to occur after your late period. 

8. Fatigue

Extreme tiredness is a very common early sign of pregnancy. You will feel tired more frequently than usual. Regular and mild activities will tire you quickly and cause you to rest long hours. During this period, it is advisable to consume rich protein foods, drink plenty of liquids and get enough rest. 

9. Weight Gain 

Another early sign of pregnancy is gaining weight. You are likely to gain weight during the first couple of months. And the intake of calories will increase as your pregnancy progresses. This is common in almost all pregnant women. 

How Do Symptoms Differ Among Women?

During pregnancy, your whole body goes through different changes, and for this reason, every woman experiences pregnancy differently. Although there are common symptoms and signs of pregnancy, the severity and pattern vary for each individual. Age can also play a role in determining whether pregnancy stage will be severe or mild. If you are below 18 years, you should take better care of your body during pregnancy because your body is still growing. If you are above 30 years, you should take extra care of your lifestyle and nutrition. 

It is also possible to experience second pregnancy differently from your first pregnancy. The symptoms and severity cannot be determined beforehand. For this reason, you are advised to visit your chosen doctor when you are pregnant. This way your doctor will guide you throughout the pregnancy stage. Your change in diet and daily routine will differ from other pregnant women although you may be going through similar symptoms. 

A pregnant woman may experience all the symptoms or may experience few of them. If you are having any problems or, the symptoms are painful and troublesome, consult your doctor to make an arrangement to counterbalance them.

Sources:

1. verywellfamily.com

2. cityofoaksmidwifery.com

3. healthline.com

Meet Our KeaMommy Contributor: Sara Gale Sara loves traveling and exploring new places with her family. She is mom to 2 lovely children and loves bringing them out on adventures.