Early signs of pregnancy

Alright, I need all of the mother's help. I'm trying not to jump to conclusions, but I feel like I set myself up for this. There is a chance I might be pregnant, but it is slim. I have been on birth control pills for 5 years, I have on been sexually active for 1.5 years. Last month my pack ran out and I ended up not being able to get a refill for a week after I was supposed to start the new pack. My boyfriend and I had un-protected sex (No lectures please, i'm aware of the consenquences). Beforehand, I had spoken to my mom, she is a medical assistant, about if I should be ok or not. She of course reccommended using condoms for a month just to be sure, but also told me the chances of getting pregnant only being a week behind were very slim. Which is why I decided to go Au Natural.

Now, my dilemma. I have been freaking out since we had sex worried that i could possibly get pregnant. The past couple days 1.5 weeks since our rendezvous, I've noticed that my breasts feel a lil heavier on my body then usual. I have felt a slight bit of fatigue and random moments of light cramping. I've read articles about all of the early signs of pregnancy, and now i think i'm being a hypochondriac about my symptoms and chalking it up to pregancy out of guilt and worry. I'm not due to start my period for another two sundays... so a pregnancy test is out of the question.

So, Mothers, tell me before your missed period... How did you know you were pregnant?

Again, please no lectures on un-protected sex, I'm an adult and am perfectly capable to handle a pregancy. 

 

 Source

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/early-signs-of-pregnancy-453138/

Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms That Could Help Confirm Your Suspicion of Early Pregnancy

There are many very early pregnancy symptoms and how can you tell if they are a sign of pregnancy? The more of these symptoms you have that are listed below then the higher probability there is that you are pregnant. Read through the list below and see how many of these very early pregnancy symptoms you have.

Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms:

Most pregnant women have some very early pregnancy symptoms. On the rare occasion some women have no symptoms of early pregnancy except that them miss their menstrual period. Some women are so busy in their lives that they are unaware that their menstrual period was due and forget they did not get their periods.

• You missed your menstrual period could indicate you are pregnant.
• You menstrual period was late and you only had some mild spotting instead of a proper menstrual flow.
• You are experiencing morning sickness and/or vomiting first thing in the morning could indicate pregnancy.
• Your food suddenly tastes differently and you now dislike certain foods.
• You are suddenly craving certain foods is a very early symptom of pregnancy, which indicates you are depleted in minerals.
• Your breasts are tender and seem to be enlarging.
• The brown part of your nipple (the areola) is becoming darker and bigger.
• You notice your energy level is lower and you are feeling tired all the time.
• You have more mood swings than normal, which can be a result of sudden hormone changes that occurs in pregnancy.
• You are making more trips to the bathroom to urinate and there is not pain associated with urination is a common very early symptom of pregnancy.
• You start to experience headaches that can be a direct effect of hormones as a symptom of early pregnancy.

Diagnosis of Pregnancy:

If you are sexually active and have one or more of the above early symptom of pregnancy then purchase a home pregnancy kit. Test your urine first thing in the morning when your urine is more concentrated to see if you are pregnant or not. These pregnancy tests are very sensitive and very accurate; a positive test means you are definitely pregnant. A negative pregnancy test may not conclusive especially if you performed it incorrectly or not testing an early morning urine sample.

Now what:

If you believe you are pregnant, seek medical or midwifery advice to confirm pregnancy and discuss your pregnancy plans.

If you are taking prescription medications, notify your health care provider immediately that you are pregnant to seek advice about your medication.

While you are waiting for your appointment, start taking a daily multivitamin which has at least 400 micrograms of folic acid in it to prevent congenital abnormalities.

Take adequate mineral supplements to prevent pregnancy complications.

Eat good nutritious food and make sure you increase your protein intake.

Stop all alcohol intake and stop smoking cigarettes or drastically reduce, your baby’s life depends on you.

Also see medical or midwifery advice if you are not pregnant and you menstrual period does not come within the next month as you may have an underlying medical condition.


Pregnancy Statistics:


65% of all pregnancies are unplanned.

25% of all pregnancies ends in a miscarriage.

25% of women choose to terminate their pregnancy.


Finding out you are pregnant can be a very welcoming experience in your life or it can also be a time of tremendous stress for you. My book "Birth, A Conscious Choice" offers amazing insights and comfort into pregnancy, miscarriage, adoption and termination of pregnancy. It is not just for pregnant women but for anyone who has had an issue with their mother or a pregnancy related trauma. For pregnancy products, pregnancy one on one coaching and pregnancy information view

http://www.PregnancySuccessCoach.com

You may also be very interested in an amazing message that was telepathically dictated to me for humanity from my son when he was seven-weeks old. Yes you read correctly! I have the ability to communicate with baby’s emotions from inside and outside the womb. Down load this AMAZING MESSAGE FREE at


http://www.PregnancySuccessCoach.com/Message_For_Humanity.html

If you wish to ask me a personal question about your pregnancy or an issue in your life then visit

http://www.PregnancySuccessCoach.com/Ask_Hannah_Section.html

Hannah Bajor. C.N.M.,M.S.N.

Certified Nurse Midwife

Pregnancy Success Coach

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

How can you tell You are Pregnant ? A quick head to toe
list.

The onset and degree of pregnancy symptoms will vary within women. Many women experience them within days of conception, others take a few weeks before pregnancy symptoms kick in and a lucky few feel no discomfort at all. The early pregnancy symptoms listed here generally can be felt once implantation occurs (8 - 10 days from ovulation) and will lessen after the first trimester. It is frustrating to realize that many pregnancy symptoms are very similar to those that occur right before menstruating. However, combined with high temperatures and a longer luteal phase - they are key indications that you are pregnant!




Nausea and Vomiting

• 
  

  Nausea and vomiting may come as early as a week into the pregnancy. Many women experience illness in the morning (morning sickness), some in the afternoon or evening, others feel nausea throughout the entire day. There is no explanation as to why pregnant women feel this or even a solution as to how to prevent it - however, eating small frequent meals, and snacking on saltine crackers seems to give some kind of relief. Eating a protein/carboy hydrate at bedtime (try an apple and a glass of milk) tends to lessen the nausea that occurs in the morning.
  

 

Breast Tenderness

• 
  

  Breasts may be very tender, swollen and start to enlarge. Many times the veins within the breast will become more visible. Your nipples may start to darken in color, become more erect and be extremely sensitive. These symptoms are due to increasing amount of HCG hormone that begins at implantation.

Frequent Urination

• 
  

  Pregnancy causes the uterus to swell and it will start to enlarge for the growing fetus immediately. The uterus puts pressure on your bladder making you feel the need for more frequent urination. Many women start to feel this symptom within a week or two after pregnancy has occurred.

Feeling Tired / Sluggish

• 
  

  This one is pretty obvious. When pregnant your body is going through some major hormonal changes. HCG levels alone go from 0 - 250,000 mIU/ml in just twelve weeks. Your temperature is also higher due to the amount progesterone circulating through your body which will also make you feel a little sluggish.

Missed Period / Light Bleeding

• 
  

  Light bleeding (spotting) may occur approximately 8 - 10 days from ovulation. It usually happens around the same time you would have gotten your menstrual period. Some women assume they have started their period when in fact they are pregnant. The spotting is caused from implantation which is when the fertilized egg burrows into the endometrial lining.

 Dizziness
and/or Fainting

• When standing in one place you may feel dizzy or even faint. The growing uterus compresses major arteries in your legs which causes your blood pressure to drop making you extremely light headed. Skipping meals or going too long without eating may cause you to feel dizzy or faint. When not eating frequently enough it causes low blood sugar. Blood sugar is the primary source of food for your baby so it will be depleted much more
  quickly.

Constipation

• 
  

  Pregnancy hormones will slow down bowel functions to give maximum absorption time of vitamins and nutrients. Unfortunately, this symptom usually only gets worse as the pregnancy progresses.

Irritability

• 
  

  Raging hormones are the cause of this...along with having to put up with all the other symptoms. This symptom should decrease soon into the second trimester but until then, a healthy diet, moderate exercise and plenty of sleep should help the crabbiness somewhat.

 Heartburn

• 
  

  The uterus is very swollen and starts to push upward as it grows. The increasing levels of HCG will also slow down digestion making your stomach not empty as fast which increases the stomach acid.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Most women equate a missed menstrual period with the possibility of being pregnant, but other symptoms and signs are experienced by most women in the early stages of pregnancy. It's important to remember that not all women will experience all of these symptoms or have the symptoms to the same degree. Even the same woman can have different types of symptoms in a subsequent pregnancy than she had in previous pregnancies.

The following are the most common pregnancy symptoms in the first trimester:

A missed menstrual period is most often the first sign of pregnancy, although a woman may still experience some bleeding or spotting around the time of the expected period. However, if a woman does not have regular menstrual cycles, she may notice some of the other symptoms of early pregnancy before it is apparent that the menstrual period has been missed.
Feelings of breast swelling, tenderness, or pain are also commonly associated with early pregnancy. These symptoms are sometimes similar to the sensations in the breasts in the days before an expected menstrual period.
Nausea and vomiting are also common in early pregnancy. Traditionally referred to as "morning sickness," the nausea and vomiting associated with early pregnancy can occur at any time of the day or night. Most women who have morning sickness develop nausea and vomiting about one month after conception, but it may develop sooner in some women.
Fatigue and tiredness are symptoms experienced by many women in the early stages of pregnancy. The cause of this fatigue has not been fully determined, but it may be related to changes in hormone levels.
Some women may experience feelings of abdominal enlargement or bloating, but there is usually only a small amount of weight gain in the first trimester or pregnancy. In this early stage of pregnancy a weight gain of about one pound per month is typical.
A woman in the early stages of pregnancy may feel she has to urinate frequently, especially at nighttime, and she may leak urine with a cough, sneeze, or laugh. This is due to the growing uterus pressing upon the bladder.
A persistently elevated basal body temperature (as occurs after ovulation) is another characteristic sign of early pregnancy.
Women may notice a deepening of the color of the area surrounding the nipple, called the areola and/or a dark line going down from the middle of the central abdomen area to the pubic area.
Some women may develop a so-called "mask of pregnancy" in the first trimester, referring to a darkening of the skin on the forehead, bridge of the nose, or cheekbones. Doctors refer to this condition as melasma or chloasma, and it is more common in darker-skinned women than those with lighter skin. Melasma can also occur in some conditions other than pregnancy.
Finally, mood swings and stress are common symptoms reported by many women in the early stages of pregnancy.