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/

What is pregnancy planning and why is it important?

Having a baby is one of the most important events in a woman's life. Women considering pregnancy are encouraged to start planning for the pregnancy with their doctors early. This early planning process is called pregnancy planning. The goals of pregnancy planning are to create a healthy environment for the fetus and to prevent birth defects and other pregnancy related problems to the greatest extent possible. The issues addressed during pregnancy planning include nutrition, vitamins, body weight, exercise, avoidance of certain medications and alcohol, immunizations, and genetic counseling. Even though many women will have normal pregnancies without any planning, pregnancy planning improves the chances of a smooth pregnancy and a healthy baby. Unfortunately, over 40% of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and many more women who are anticipating conceiving do not seek prior medical consultation. Public education is important to improve pregnancy planning.

Pregnancy planning can help prevent exposure of the mother to potentially harmful medications or substances during the early days of pregnancy. The baby's organs begin developing as early as 17 days after conception, and the fertilized egg begins to grow even before the first day of the missed period. Some women continue to have light bleeding that may be mistaken for a menstrual period during the first few months of pregnancy and may not even realize that they are pregnant. Others may not recognize that they are pregnant until they experience a weight gain or abdominal enlargement. By then, they may have already been exposed to medications or substances potentially harmful to the fetus.