At Trying to Conceive, we are passionate about all topics related to the female body, conception, pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

Everyone’s road to motherhood is different and we all face our own obstacles. With this blog, we are providing as much information on fertility and pregnancy-related topics as possible. We aim to make the journey easier to navigate through for everyone trying to conceive, including those for whom making a baby didn’t turn out to be as simple as they hoped.

A new addition to our site is free and personalized Ovulation Calendar.

Contents

Pregnancy Signs

Are you pregnant, or trying to conceive a baby? Are you wondering whether you could be expecting, but are not sure? The signs and symptoms of pregnancy are many and varied. Some symptoms are almost universal. Other symptoms are tricky, because they can indicate either a pregnancy, a period, or a medical condition.

No matter what pregnancy symptoms you are experiencing, you’ll find them on this list. We’ll try our best to help you figure out what is going on with your body. And, as your pregnancy progresses, we will continue to be here for you whenever you are wondering if the sensations you are going through are normal or not. We’ve grouped pregnancy signs into the three trimesters, but please note that some symptoms can occur in any trimester. If you can’t find your symptom in your current trimester of pregnancy, feel free to take a look at the others, too.

First trimester

The first trimester of pregnancy is, for many women, the period during which they experience the largest number of unpleasant symptoms. Fatigue and morning sickness are common during this time, but they are by no means the only indications of pregnancy. As your body is working hard to create a stable environment for your rapidly developing embryo, you are likely to encounter any, or all of the following pregnancy signs.

Implantation bleeding or spotting – the first indication of pregnancy

An implantation bleeding is a light bleeding that occurs when a fertilized egg starts to implant into the lining of the uterus, the endometrium. Implantation bleedings typically occur between six and twelve days after ovulation. If you have been keeping a close eye on your menstrual cycles and are aware of the date of your ovulation, an implantation bleeding is very telling, and the first indication that you have conceived during that cycle. In other words, an implantation bleeding is the very first sign of pregnancy.

About a third of pregnant women experience an implantation bleeding, according to most research. The bleeding itself is generally more like a very light spotting, which can last anywhere up to two days. More often, women will just notice a few drops of blood in their underwear. The color of the spotting can vary, but the blood that is expelled is most old blood and can be dark brown or pinkish (excuse me for offering too much information, but this is caused by mucus mixing with blood), or dark red.

Some women will notice some cramping with an implantation bleeding. The uterine wall is rich in blood and tissue, and it is no wonder that some bleeding and cramping can take place when a fertilized egg implants itself there, in preparation for nine months of pregnancy! Cramping with an implantation bleeding does not indicate a miscarriage. At the same time, it’s important to be aware that most miscarriages take place very early on, and before a missed period. These are known as chemical pregnancies.

If you have noticed an implantation bleeding, you can go ahead and take a home pregnancy test immediately. Some tests are very sensitive and if your body has already produced adequate levels of hCG, the test might just be positive. You will have much better chances of getting accurate test results of you test on the date that your period was expected, however.

Missed or late menstrual period

A menstrual period that is late, and subsequently does not turn up at all, is one of the most obvious and reliable pregnancy signs! If your monthly cycle has been regular, you know when you ovulated and when your period was due, the day of your missed period is one that should definitely prompt you to do an at-home pregnancy test. There are a few caused for late or missed periods, but pregnancy is without a doubt the most common one.

After you conceive, your fertilized egg travels down from the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where it starts to nestle into the lining of the uterine wall. Some women do experience an implantation bleeding – something that is sometimes confused with a menstrual period. Normally, this light spotting occurs around a week before your period is due, so if you have regular cycles and keep track of them, separating an implantation bleeding from a period should not be hard.

Of course, there are some other reasons why your period might be late. Extreme stress is one of them. More physical factors like a new exercise routine, significant weight gain or weight loss, illness and the use of certain medications or illegal drugs are also among the things that can delay or prevent periods. Travel can also do weird things to your cycle. Of course, fertility problems like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also stop your cycle.

If you have been having periods regularly, and you have been trying to conceive a baby, a missed period most probably signifies a pregnancy! Before we congratulate you, we do suggest that you take a pregnancy test though! By the time you have missed your menstruation, your body will have produced enough hCG, or human Chorionic Gonadotropin, for a DIY pregnancy test to be very reliable.

An unusually short “period” AKA early pregnancy spotting

Imagine this scenario – you had been expecting your period for a few days, and perhaps experienced some abdominal cramping. Then, right in line with your expectations, you notice the start of your menstrual flow. Only your bleeding does not increase in volume and stops almost immediately after it started. Was this a period at all? Or could you be pregnant? An unusually short “period” could indeed be an indication of pregnancy. It should really be referred to as early pregnancy spotting, though you won’t know that right away.

If the situation described above applies to you, our first advice for you is to simply take a pregnancy test. Light spotting that is not a period can mean a few things. One possibility is that you are experiencing an implantation bleeding that is a little late. This is especially likely for women who have irregular or longer than usual menstrual cycles. Another possibility is that you are not experiencing an implantation bleeding, but simply first trimester spotting. This is rather frequent, and can have a number of causes.

In irritated cervix is a common cause of early trimester spotting. If you have recently had intercourse, this is a likely culprit. But an ectopic pregnancy, a molar pregnancy, or a miscarriage are also possible reasons for bleeding in early pregnancy. If you are pregnant and spotting, don’t insert a tampon into your vagina, don’t have intercourse, and do contact your healthcare provider at the first opportunity. If your bleeding is extremely light and you are already experiencing other pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, tender breasts, and extreme fatigue, it could well be a belated implantation bleeding. Please, don’t start panicking before you even know whether you are pregnant.

Have any of you had early pregnancy spotting? Do you know what the cause was, and how did it make you feel? Please feel free to share your stories!

Instinctively “knowing” that you are pregnant

There are many signs that indicate pregnancy. Some are subtle, while same are glaringly obvious. Some are easy to confuse with the sensations many women get every month when they are expecting their period, or with the symptoms of a common cold or flu. Perhaps no “symptom” of pregnancy is quite as unique as this one. Many newly pregnant women instinctively “know” they are pregnant. This feeling has little to do with any of the other symptoms of early pregnancy, and it isn’t uncommon to just “feel” pregnant even before your period is due.

“Hey, I think I am pregnant” is a feeling that you can encounter even if you are not experiencing any morning sickness, don’t have tender breasts, and have not even missed a period yet. It is something that can strike seemingly out of nowhere, even if you don’t have a clue when your menstruation should be starting. Are you suddenly overcome by this feeling? It happens to many women, and their instincts are proven right a lot of the time. If this description fits you, take your feelings seriously and get a pregnancy test.

Of course, there is nothing scientific about this pregnancy sign. Women who have been trying to conceive for a while might think that this is a feeling they experience every month, and that it simply means they hope they succeeded this time. But when you are pregnant and simply feel it, it is something that you will be able to distinguish from the feeling of just hoping you might have conceived. Feeling that you are pregnant is, arguably, just as much of an indication that you are expecting as any of the other, more objective signs of pregnancy.

This does not happen to every woman, and of course it is entirely possible to be pregnant and not have that “knowing feeling”. If you do get it, don’t ignore it, though.

A positive pregnancy test

After a missed or late period, most women who were trying to conceive (and even those who were not!) are quickly prompted to take an at-home pregnancy test to see whether they are in fact expecting a baby. A positive pregnancy test is not exactly one of the pregnancy signs, but it is certainly a very powerful indication that you are pregnant. Perhaps it is the most reliable “sign” of pregnancy. How do pregnancy tests work, and is there any chance they could be wrong?

DIY pregnancy tests require you to pee onto a stick, as most of you are aware of. What does a pregnancy test need your urine for? Well, they work by detecting the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin, which is produced as soon as a fertilized egg starts implanting itself into the lining of your uterine wall. This hormone, often just called hCG, dominates the female body in those early weeks and can be found in the blood and in the urine. Blood tests for pregnancy are even more accurate than urine tests, and they can be done earlier on – before you have even missed your period. So, how soon after a missed period can you take a pregnancy test? Immediately! At-home pregnancy tests are extremely reliable once a woman has missed her period.

The highest concentration of hCG is found in a woman’s urine first thing in the morning. That is why the general recommendation used to be that a pregnancy test should be done at that time. But technology has moved on a bit, and modern pregnancy tests can be used at any time of day. If you test too early, it is possible to get a negative pregnancy test and to still be pregnant. If you are on medication containing hCG, false positives are also possible. Generally speaking, pregnancy tests are very reliable. If you have just tested and your test showed that you were pregnant, it’s not too early for us to say, Congratulations!

A bloated or tender abdomen

Are you newly pregnant, and have you noticed that your abdomen is slightly bloated or tender? Some women find themselves wondering if it is possible that they are already “showing” that early on in pregnancy. The truth is that a bloated abdomen is in no way caused by the size of your baby, but mostly by hormonal changes in your body. Abdominal tenderness and cramping are common because your uterus, a large and strong muscle, is going through a lot of changes. These sensations can be compared to muscle tenderness after you have just started a new work-out regime; your uterus is getting used to being active, where it was previously sedentary.

If you have just found out that you are pregnant, and yet you are already thinking about buying maternity clothes, you are not alone. Almost all women will notice some abdominal bloating during their first trimester. Along with morning sickness, changes in your breasts, and fatigue, a bloated abdomen is one of the most frequent pregnancy signs after a missed period and a positive pregnancy test. What caused bloating during early pregnancy?

Progesterone is a hormone that is essential to pregnancy. It is responsible for many of the feelings you will have during the first trimester of your pregnancy, and a bloated abdomen is one of them. Believe it or not, the bloating itself is more likely to be situated inside your bowels and your stomach than your uterus. Progesterone relaxes muscle tissue throughout your body, and along with bloating, excessive wind or (to put it in plain English) farting is also common in the early stages of pregnancy.

To get relief from bloating, try drinking plenty of fluids like water or herbal teas. Avoiding highly processed foods and eating healthy but small meals can also help.

Pregnancy nausea and/or vomiting

Morning sickness, as it is still commonly called, is without a doubt the most reported pregnancy symptom. For many, pregnancy nausea starts early on in pregnancy. And make no mistake about it – it can, indeed, strike at any time of the day, not just in the morning. Pregnancy sickness can show itself in the form of a slight queasiness, or manifest as vomiting several times a day. Some women sail through their pregnancies without vomiting a single time, but this is quite rare. The good news is that you can undertake steps to prevent morning sickness or at least make it more bearable.

For some expectant mothers, morning sickness is the very first pregnancy symptom they notice. As much as 75 percent of all pregnant women will experience pregnancy nausea and vomiting. Some will feel nauseous mainly during the mornings, and notice that they can handle icky smells better in the afternoons. Many others do not have a set pattern of nausea, and feel nauseous at different times every day. Pregnancy nausea is largely known as a first-trimester ailment. It is true that a majority of women find their nausea clears up after the first twelve weeks, but there are pregnant mothers who stay nauseous throughout their pregnancies too.

Pregnancy nausea is caused by a potent mix of hormones that flood your body when you conceive a baby. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and estrogen are the prime suspects, but other hormones may contribute to pregnancy sickness as well. Furthermore, your sense of smell and taste is heightened when you are expecting, and this increases your chances of throwing up too. Every woman is different, and if you are wondering whether morning sickness is the same for subsequent pregnancies, the answer is that there are no hard and fast rules.

What can you do about pregnancy nausea?

• Eat small meals, frequently.

• Stay hydrated – drink plenty of water or herbal teas

• Don’t try and hold it in if you feel the need to vomit – sometimes, you feel much better after throwing up

• Eat a dry cracker or something else that is really bland, before you get up

• Try to avoid smells that trigger your nausea

Aversion to certain foods, drinks, or smells

Aversion to certain, specific foods, drinks, or smells something that comes with the job when you are pregnant. In a sense, this is simply an extension of pregnancy nausea and vomiting. But these aversions do not always make you feel sick, or cause you to vomit. Sometimes, newly pregnant women simply find that things that they used to love no longer appeal to them.

One of aversions that is most frequently encountered by expectant mothers is an aversion to coffee. Even if you used to drink so many cups of coffee that you might as well have bought shares in Starbucks before, it is entirely possible that the thought of drinking coffee just no longer appeals to you. Strong perfume smells, or the smell of fish, are also common offenders. Do you normally get Chinese take-out every Saturday evening, but now prefer to nibble on some carrots instead? Totally normal!

Unsurprisingly, theories that such aversions were “designed by nature” to protect your growing fetus from harmful substances go round quite a lot. At Trying To Conceive, we think that such theories sound logical and plausible. It must be noted that there is no scientific evidence (yet) that pregnant women have aversions to foods, drinks, or other items because they could be dangerous for your baby. Just as there are women who can’t drink a single cup of coffee during pregnancy, there are also those who crave caffeine. And then there are those expectant moms who simply can’t resist items that are clearly not good to eat, like paper, soap, and similar non-food items (look at our article about ice cravings during pregnancy for a common example).

If you have noticed sudden aversions to things that you liked, or that were at least bearable before, it might be a great reason to take a pregnancy test. These aversions often turn up at the same time as morning sickness.

Extreme fatigue, and low energy

Extreme fatigue and low energy is almost inescapable during the first trimester of pregnancy. If you are hardly able to get through the day and would like going to bed at 4 pm best of all, you are certainly not the only one. Hormones in your body, progesterone most notably, are hard at work and are preparing your body for nine more months of pregnancy. Progesterone can make you fatigued and sleepy all by itself, but there are other contributing factors as well. Let’s take a look at the different things can contribute to low energy in early pregnancy, as well as some of the things that you can do about it.

In the first place, you’ve got to remember that your body is growing a whole new human being from scratch, along with an internal organ of your own – the placenta. It is no wonder that this takes some of the wind out of your sails! Many of the other symptoms that are common during the first trimester of pregnancy contribute to tiredness as well. If you are suffering from pregnancy nausea and vomiting, this can exhaust you physically. Being unable to keep meals down also means having less fuel to spend during the day. Frequent urination in the nighttime can shorten your time spent sleeping, and contribute to fatigue. And leg cramps or heartburn can also keep you up at night. Iron deficiency anemia is also more common in early pregnancy, and that can make you extremely tired. Get a blood test so you can exclude anemia or treat it.

Sometimes, simply giving into the fatigue and getting as much rest as you can is the best approach. Fresh air, and plenty of fruits and vegetables can also do you a lot of good. The best remedy for pregnancy fatigue is time, however. Most women find that they have tons of energy again once they enter the second trimester of pregnancy.

Sore and tender breasts

Sore and tender breasts are a common occurrence when a woman is about to get her period. Just before the onset of menstruation, the female body experiences a surge in the hormones estrogen, progesterone and prolactin. This cocktail is responsible for breasts that feel heavier, are a bit painful to the touch, and are slightly bigger than usual. Sore and tender breasts are also a very common early pregnancy symptom. But because this probably happens to you every month, it can be difficult to recognize it as a sign of pregnancy.

The cause of breast changes in early pregnancy is exactly the same as the cause of breast changes during your monthly cycle – hormones. It is easy to assume that your tender breasts are a signal that your menstruation is about to start. Unfortunately, there is no formula to distinguish tender breasts before a period from tender breasts that are caused by early pregnancy. The only difference when you are pregnant is that your breasts will continue to feel sore, bigger, and more tender, and your period will not turn up.

Breast changes are often one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. Most women will notice a change in their breasts before their period was due, and will notice that their breasts will continue to go through changes during their whole pregnancies. As your due date draws nearer, and your body prepares itself for childbirth and breastfeeding, you are likely to start leaking colostrum, the first milk your baby gets, from your breasts. Colostrum production can start as early as 22 weeks gestation. Many women will see that their breasts increase in size as their pregnancy goes on. The size and color of your nipples may also change. Do not be alarmed by this – it is totally normal. Breasts may also feel slightly lumpy during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, but tender breasts alone are not enough to make you conclude you are pregnant. If you are looking for a full list of symptoms, take a look at our pregnancy signs page.

An increase in the frequency of urination

Do you find yourself in the restroom every couple of minutes, wondering why you need to pee yet again? Do you have to interrupt important meetings at work to urinate? Are you having trouble making it to your destination without peeing yourself when you are driving? welcome to the beautiful, exciting, and sometimes somewhat urgent world of pregnancy. An increase in the frequency of urination is a pregnancy sign that is almost universal at the beginning of the first trimester, and one that lasts right up till birth. Read on to find out why.

Pregnant women have a higher blood volume than their non-pregnant counterparts. The uterus, the growing placenta, and the fetus itself all need blood. The increased blood volume supports the life growing inside you. That makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? The downside for you, the expectant mother, is that this increased volume of blood also means that additional fluids go through your kidneys, onto your bladder, and need to be eliminated.

Many women find that they have an especially urgent need to pee during the night time. Later in pregnancy, this is due to the baby putting pressure on your bladder. But early on during the first trimester, frequent night time urination is caused by the fact that fluids which your body retained in your extremities, your hands and feet, return to your kidneys and your bladder as you relax and lie down.

Avoiding stimulating fluids such as coffee and tea can help alleviate this problem. Drinking more water than usual might actually help against nightly bathroom tips. If you find that this is contrary to common sense, you are not the only one. But water helps your system run smoothly, and fights edema, a normal symptom of pregnancy.

An altered libido – wanting more sex, or none at all

An altered libido is really nothing more than a change in the level of your sexual desires. Of course, everyone has a fluctuating libido, and both men and women go through periods of wanting more sex, less sex, or no sex at all. Sometimes these changes are triggered by events in a person’s personal life (stress, or feeling relaxed), and sometimes they are caused by hormones. Women who are newly pregnant often find themselves going through libido changes.

Decreased sex drive

A decreased desire for sex is more common during the first trimester of pregnancy than an increased libido. This has a lot to do with hormones like progesterone, which are making you physically tired and not up to much in general – especially sex! You are probably also experiencing some pregnancy nausea and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy, making intercourse with your partner even less of an attractive thought. Later in pregnancy, insecurity about your growing and changing body may lead to a decreased sex drive. If you do feel like having sex, but are simply too tired, perhaps this is a great time to ask your partner to give you a nice, relaxing massage or pamper you in other ways.

Increased sex drive

Some women report that they have increased sexual desire during pregnancy, and that their sex life has never been as great as when they were expecting a baby. This is simply the other side of the hormonal coin – the same hormones have a different effect on different women. Pregnancy also means that there is a higher volume of blood in your body, especially around your reproductive organs. For some women, that caused an increased desire for sex, and more sensational orgasms too.

Al altered libido alone isn’t really much of an indication that you are pregnant, but it can help you piece the puzzle together if you are having other symptoms too.

Unusual vaginal discharge

Vaginal discharge, or cervical mucus, is something that every woman experiences as soon as she starts menstruating. If you have been charting to conceive and tracking your cervical mucus, you probably know that vaginal discharge varies in amount, color, and structure depending on where in your cycle you currently are. In pregnancy, cervical mucus also changes. If you notice any unusual vaginal discharge, pregnancy could certainly be to blame.

Most pregnant women notice an increase in cervical mucus. While that might be annoying, you can console yourself with the fact that you will at least not be getting any periods while you are expecting! Pregnant women may notice this increase in vaginal discharge because the cervix softens and is working hard to prevent any infections from forming in the uterus. In other words, the vaginal discharge you notice is actually working to protect your growing baby from bacteria and viruses.

While more discharge is completely normal, do keep an eye open. If your “lower regions” feel itchy, your discharge smells bad, or there is any blood in it at all, please contact your healthcare provider to make sure you do not have a yeast infection or some other problem. Most of the time, this is nothing serious but it does need treatment.

Did you know that vaginal discharge can also alert you that you are about to go into labor? During pregnancy, the cervix is kept closed by a large “coin” of mucus and blood, appropriately called the mucus plug. When the cervix dilates and effaces enough, and labor is about to start, a pregnant woman will lose this mucus plug. The mucus plug can come out all at once, or bit by bit. If you notice something like that around your due date, you can expect your baby to turn up sometime soon!

Mood swings or feeling very emotional

Early pregnancy comes with a set of pretty universal and unmistakable symptoms, that are easy to interpret. These include morning sickness, extreme fatigue, and of course a missed period. But some other common early pregnancy signs are not so simple to interpret, yet they are definitely caused by hormonal changes and pregnancy. Many women notice mood swings, and feel extremely emotional in the early weeks of pregnancy.

If you suddenly cry while you are watching the news, or even because a co-worker helped you out at work, or because the bus was late – perhaps it is time to wonder if your period is late, too! This is actually how I discovered my first pregnancy. Someone made a random nice comment, really nothing special, and I found myself crying for some reason. A few days later, after I had taken a pregnancy test, I realized why I simply could not stop crying!

But, instead of soft and easily touched by nice gestures, you might also be overly irritated and even angry all the time. Hormonal changes in early pregnancy can do unpredictable things to a woman. There are women who are emotional during their whole pregnancies, but mood swings are primarily a third trimester pregnancy symptom.

What is the answer to these mood swings? If your friends, relatives and colleagues know that you are pregnant, you can ask them to go easy on you and ignore any angry or emotional outbursts. Try and accept that emotional changes can be an integral part of pregnancy, and that it will get better as time goes on! While mood swings are not as easy to define as pregnancy vomiting, it is just another in a long list of pregnancy signs that is completely normal. Go with the flow!

First trimester weight loss

Pregnancy is a time during which you should focus on eating healthily, without worrying about how many calories you are consuming. Everyone knows that pregnant women gain weight, don’t they? But what if you are in your first trimester of pregnancy and instead of gaining weight as you expected to, you are losing it? Don’t panic just yet, as first trimester weight loss is not unusual. Let’s take a look at why some pregnant women lose weight during their first three months of pregnancy.

The female body is hard at work in those early weeks of pregnancy. When you are growing a whole new person from scratch, it is no wonder that you are burning more calories than usual. Couple this with the fact that the majority of pregnant women experience some morning sickness and vomiting during the first trimester, and find it hard to keep their food down, and it is easy to understand why weight loss is not unusual and nothing to worry about during the first trimester.

Instead of watching the scales, watch your plate and make sure that you are getting plenty of foods from every major food group. Especially fruit and vegetables are important during this time. If you are vomiting a lot, or have low appetite, trying to eat small meals but more often. Drinking plenty of water and sleeping when you experience pregnancy fatigue can actually help your overall health, and reduce your nausea. In turn, this approach can also put a stop to your weight loss.

By the time your second trimester starts, you should be gaining some weight, and noticing the beginning of a baby bump. Some women “show” their pregnancies much earlier than others, and some women obviously gain more weight than others over the course of their pregnancies. But while it is not essential to a certain specific amount of weight, your uterus should visibly increase in size over nine months.

Skin changes – impurities on the facial skin

Every woman knows that impurities on the facial skin can appear just before a period sometimes. Some women even notice zits before they start ovulating. Skin changes, and especially impurities, are also an early pregnancy symptom. Whether your skin is normally clear and perfect, or you get zits from time to time anyway, persistent impurities can give you that extra clue that it might be time to take a pregnancy test.

If you suddenly find yourself looking like you are back in high school, and are wondering whether you should be investing in some good skin purifying products, it could be a pregnancy test that you need instead. Of course, hormonal changes are the culprit. A surge in progesterone can cause break outs on your face, but also on other parts of your body, especially your shoulders and back. Besides pimples, pregnancy can also cause your skin to become itchy and irritated, and oily or shiney. Around half of all pregnant women will notice a so-called “pregnancy mask” – darker facial skin that looks like you have been in tanning too long, sun-glasses included.

Is there anything you can do about skin problems during pregnancy?

Many women find that facial impurities go away as soon as the first trimester is over. Not everybody gets that famous pregnancy glow that cosmetic companies would like to bottle and sell, but as your body gets used to the fact that you are pregnant, your skin should at least calm down a bit. Drinking plenty of fluids can help to cure pregnancy acne, and you should be making sure that you are eating a healthy and balanced diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables in any case, while you are expecting.

Using aggressive skin products is not advisable for pregnant women. Some of these are not safe for the fetus, and they are unlikely to be helpful anyway. Washing your skin with a gentle, natural soap and limiting your make-up could have some effect. The good news is that your skin will certainly return to normal once you give birth. And, because you are unlikely to start menstruating again right away, you could have the most beautiful skin in those early months of your baby’s life.

Linea negra – a dark vertical line on your tummy

Have you noticed a dark vertical line stretching from your belly button to your pubic bone? Or perhaps even from your belly button up to your breasts? That is the famous linea negra, dark line, which shows up on as many as three quarters of all pregnant women. What is the linea negra, and why do so many women get this pregnancy symptom?

The linea negra, which literally means “dark line” is something that most pregnant women get. It happens to women with all skin colors, but it’s likely to be darker in those with darker skin. This “war stripe” is caused by the same thing that causes other skin changes in expectant mothers – you can blame your hormones for this one too! But unlike impurities of the facial skin, or pregnancy acne, this skin change can actually be very beautiful.

This dark line can show up at any time during pregnancy – or not at all. Don’t worry if you do not get a dark line on your belly. Although most women notice some skin darkening around their belly, it is not a cause for concerns if you do not notice any yourself.

Most women who get a linea negra notice it sometime during the second trimester, but others notice it practically as soon as they take their pregnancy test, while some do not get it until they are about to give birth. Funnily enough, there are some ladies who will first see that their belly button starts getting darker, and a line will develop only after that. A linea negra is not permanent. It will start fading in the months after your baby’s birth, and eventually it will just disappear.

Loss of appetite in pregnancy

For some people, “eating for two” is a synonym for pregnancy. Yet, many pregnant women actually experience loss of appetite. What should you do when you don’t feel like eating during pregnancy? What causes a loss of appetite during pregnancy and is this something you should be worried about? When in pregnancy can you expect loss of appetite?

Morning sickness is common during the first trimester. As many as three quarters of all pregnant women feel nauseous, and most of those also vomit occasionally. While you are struggling with pregnancy nausea and/or vomiting, and while have a very sensitive sense of smell, it is logical that loss of appetite will follow. As long as you get enough calories and stay hydrated, you will be just fine.

The second trimester presents yet another opportunity for loss of appetite. Many women don’t feel like eating much during their second trimester, because the digestive system slows down during this time. This is caused by the growing uterus putting pressure on the stomach and other digestive organs. Lots of women also get constipated at this time.

In addition, the second trimester is when cravings for certain foods generally start. You might have fruit cravings or want fresh salads all the time. Or you might just have cravings for junk food, or even non-food items. Again, it is quite normal if you don’t feel like eating a lot, or if only certain foods appeal to you. But make sure that you get the right nutritionists and that you eat more than only those foods that you crave.

What can you do if you don’t feel like eating? One solution is top try and eat smaller meals, but a bit more often. Another thing you can do if you have a juicer, is making sure you get your five pieces of fruit and veg by drinking them. Green, leafy vegetables like spinach or rocket make great juice ingredients. Other things I have included in juices are carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, ginger, and celery. Green juices are a great solution for women who don’t feel like eating much, but really need all the goodness that fresh produce offers.

Second trimester

The second trimester is, for many women, the period of their pregnancy during which they feel at their best. Your growing baby bump enables you to show off your pregnancy (and people are no longer wondering if you just put on some weight!), the nasty pregnancy signs of the first trimester are largely in the past, and you might have tons of energy. What other things are you likely to encounter during the second trimester of your pregnancy?

A growing uterus

As you leave the first trimester behind, hopefully along with its less pleasant symptoms – morning sickness, aversions to certain foods and smells, andextreme fatigue – your body will start growing, and you will develop that beautiful baby bump that is so characteristic of pregnancy. All expectant mothers are different, and you may well be worrying if your belly is too big, or too small. All kinds of people, including total strangers, might be making comments about your body shape and speculating about your baby’s gender, or whether you are having twins. At least, as your uterus grows, everyone knows that you are pregnant, and not just fat!

Before you get pregnant, most of the abdominal cavity is filled by the intestines. When you get pregnant, the uterus starts taking up more space and the position of your your internal organs shifts to accommodate your baby. While you may have a bloated or tender abdomen during the first trimester of pregnancy, your uterus is still tiny and tucked away in the pelvis at that stage. Most women will start “showing” at some point in the second trimester.

Every woman “carries” differently. But whatever you look like on the outside, your baby will have reached the level of your belly button by the 20th week of your pregnancy. As your uterus grows, it will move up somewhat. Your bowels and bladder are likely to have less pressure concentrated onto them as the second trimester progresses, and you may feel more comfortable than before. If you palpate your abdomen, you can probably feel something protruding forward.

Your baby grows most rapidly during this time, and the way you look will change from week to week. Don’t forget to take pictures so that you can keep track of the wonderful changes your body and baby are going through!

Feeling fetal movement

Feeling your baby kick is certainly one of the most beautiful, exciting aspects of any pregnancy! From those small flutters that are barely noticeable, to the powerful and sometimes painful kicks that people can even see from the outside, feeling fetal movement makes you realize just how special it is to be expecting a baby. When can most pregnant women feel their baby kick, and is there any difference for subsequent pregnancies?

Ultrasound technology has revealed that a fetus starts moving its arms and legs in utero as early as six or seven weeks. But at that early point in pregnancy, your baby is far too small, and the movements far too week, for you to be able to detect any kicks or punches. The majority of first time mothers will start feeling fetal movement anywhere between 16 and 22 weeks along in their pregnancies. Those first few flutters are very light, and you might well find yourself wondering if that thunder-like sensation in your abdomen is your baby moving, or just your bowels playing up.

As your pregnancy progresses, your baby’s movements will be difficult to confuse with anything else. Some women are able to distinguish kicks from movements made with the hands, and can feel their babies flip about in their growing uterus. The time you can start to feel fetal movement does depend on the location of your placenta – those with anterior (frontal) placentae have to wait a while (or a lot!) longer to feel those kicks.

How often should you feel your baby move? Like everyone else, even babies in utero have rest periods and periods of activity. Besides that, some little ones seem to be hyperactive and make their mothers feel like they are doing acrobatics in there, while other babies are more easy-going and gentle. Getting to know your baby’s pattern of movements, and getting in touch with your doctor or midwife if something changes, or if your baby suddenly stops kicking, can be of crucial importance.

Pregnancy weight gain

Pregnancy is associated with weight gain, and it is normal for expectant mothers to worry about their weight. Are you gaining enough weight? Are you putting on weight faster than you should? What portion of your weight gain can be attributed to your baby and the placenta, and what portion is additional fat? Is your pre-pregnancy weight relevant when it comes to pregnancy weight gain? Let’s take a closer look at all of these questions.

Every pregnant women gains weight at a different rate. While it is important to make sure that you are getting adequate nutrition and that your diet is healthy and balanced (includes foods from all major food groups), obsessing over your exact weight gain or lack thereof is not necessary. What you should probably do if you want a clearer insight into your eating habits, is track the number of calories you are getting. Pregnant women are recommended to consume around 300 calories more than they would when not expecting a baby.

Expectant mothers with a healthy pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI) should gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds. It is normally more for women who started their pregnancies with a BMI that is on the low side, and slightly less for those who started out with excess weight. Pregnancy is not a time to start dieting, but it should not have to be a time to eat without limits, either. Remember that weight gain is not usually a nice steady graph, but something that goes in spurts. That’s totally normal, and just the way nature works.

Newborn babies tend to weight between 6 lbs and 10 lbs. A placenta averages 1.5 lbs, while the baby’s amniotic fluid amounts to around 2 lbs. So, after you give birth you can expect to lose anywhere up to 14 lbs immediately.

An increase in appetite – “eating for two”

For some people, the phrase “eating for two” is pretty much a synonym for pregnancy. Eating for two, as in eating double the amount, has no scientific basis at all. But it is not at all uncommon for pregnant women to notice an increase in appetite. For some, this happens early on in the first trimester, while others don’t feel up to eating much in early pregnancy due to morning sickness, but do have a larger appetite in the second and third trimesters. Should you give in, and eat as much as you like, or is there any reason to limit calories while you are expecting a baby?

Women who have a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) when they conceive do not need to pay special attention to the amount of calories they are consuming. It is said that pregnant women need an average of 300 more calories a day than their non-pregnant sisters. That’s not a lot – a couple of slices of toast with butter in the morning does the trick!

For the majority of women, eating as much as you want while you are pregnant is a great approach. What is more important than the amounts of food you consume is what you are actually eating. Make sure that you are getting foods from all major food groups and try snacking on fruits or vegetables when you get cravings. Pregnancy should not be an excuse to feast on fast food whenever you feel like it, but you should not be denying yourself healthy foods just because you are worried about excessive weight gain, either. An increase of appetite signals that your baby is growing, and your body needs more fuel to keep up with all the work.

Cravings for certain foods

The majority of expectant mothers will have some food cravings during pregnancy. Sweet and sugary foods constitute the most popular cravings, but other women will find that they simply can’t stay away from certain hearty snacks. In what stage of pregnancy do cravings usually show up? What are the most common cravings? And most important of all, why are you having food cravings while you are expecting a baby?

Scientists have been working to find the cause of food cravings in pregnancy for decades, but unfortunately, no evidence has been found as to what might be behind these cravings yet. Still, there are many theories surrounding this universally recognized pregnancy phenomenon. Perhaps the most popular theory is that cravings could be caused by hidden nutritional deficiencies. In other words, your body is in need of something, and your brain somehow acknowledges that and you experience a craving. Sometimes, cravings are simply a reflection of the fact that you need a few more calories while you have luggage on board!

Whatever might be the reason you are having cravings, it is clear that they are an integral part of expecting for a lot of moms to be. As long as you are not limiting yourself to the foods you are craving and are eating a healthy diet, there is no evidence that there is any harm in giving in to your cravings.

Sugar cravings during pregnancy are the most common, especially chocolate and ice cream. Tons of women also find themselves thinking about a nice steak or other red meat, and fruit cravings are common too. If you are experiencing ice cravings, or cravings for other things that are strictly speaking non-food items, you should exercise more caution. Craving things that are not edible is known as pica, and can be dangerous.

Montgomery’s Tubercules

We have discussed the changes a woman’s breasts when she gets pregnant before – sore and tender breasts are a common first trimester pregnancy symptom. But one slightly unusual symptom, that might worry you if you are not aware what it is, is Montgomery’s Tubercules. Montgomery’s Tubercules are raised spots on the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. They are caused by glands in the breast tissue called Montgomery – hence the name Montgomery’s Tubercules. These glands naturally swell up during pregnancy, and therefore Montgomery’s Tubercules belong on the list of pregnancy symptoms.

The raised bumps can vary in size and number per woman, and even per breast. Not every pregnant woman develops Montgomery’s Tubercules, and even women who are not expecting a baby can get them. Because the underlying glands produce oil to help keep the skin hydrated, you may notice that an oily substance is expelled from any Montgomery’s Tubercules that you develop during your nine months.

Montgomery’s Tubercules may look weird to you if you get them. It is no surprise that you may worry about them, when you have no idea what they are. Funnily enough, most online resources that talk about these bumps mention not only that they are completely normal – which they are – but also that Montgomery’s Tubercules are not additional nipples. This comment appears on numerous websites and I had to share it with you because it made me laugh. Of course, one cannot develop additional nipples, and what’s more, Montgomery’s Tubercules look nothing like nipples! They can rather be compared to zits or pimples, and usually appear when your breasts start growing in preparation for breastfeeding.

If you are worried about something connected to your beasts, asking your healthcare provider about the changes you are experiencing is in order. But we do want to stress that breast changes, including Montgomery’s Tubercules, are a normal and healthy part of pregnancy.

Enlarged breasts – your body is preparing for breastfeeding

As you leave behind your first trimester of pregnancy, you are likely to feel a lot better. The early, hormonal symptoms of pregnancy are largely gone, and instead you will start experiencing pregnancy signs that make it clear that your body is preparing for your baby’s impending arrival. Not only will you notice a growing uterus, and start feeling fetal movement, your breasts will also undergo numerous changes in an effort to prepare them for breastfeeding your baby once he or she is born. In this process, your breasts can grow several cup sizes. Enlarged breasts are a sign that your body’s preparations are going smoothly.

Colostrum, the first milk that your body will produce to nourish your baby in his or her first couple of days after birth, actually appears at some point during pregnancy. Many women will see that their breasts start leaking small amounts of colostrum in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. Your breasts might continue to grow throughout your pregnancy. This is very common, although it does not happen to every pregnant woman – and we have to note that you will be able to breastfeed your baby even if your breasts stay the same size.

If you find your breasts grow enough to warrant buying new bras, you may want to look into buying some good nursing bras. These are not strictly necessary, but many women find that they do make breastfeeding easier and give you quicker access to your breasts while you are nursing. Take into account that your breasts may still continue to grow when you go bra shopping. Some ladies go from an A Cup to a D Cup, or even bigger! Sometimes, growing breasts mean itchy and irritated skin. If you are experiencing this, try massaging some anti-stretch mark cream onto your breasts to help the skin cope with all the changes.

Blood pressure changes – hypertension or hypotension

Blood pressure is something that will be monitored carefully in pregnancy, and measured at every prenatal appointment. Of course, you can check your own blood pressure at home or at a pharmacy as well. Does blood pressure in pregnancy differ from blood pressure when you are not expecting a baby? And what if you have pregnancy hypertension (high blood pressure) or hypotension (low blood pressure)?

During the early months of pregnancy, the hormone progesterone dominates the body. One of the things progesterone does is relaxing the veins. Additionally, pregnant women have more blood that needs to be pumped around the body. Because of this, many women experience hypotension or low blood pressure during the first and second trimesters of their pregnancies. If you are feeling weak, dizzy, and have a tingling feeling in your extremities, this could be due to low blood pressure. Though sometimes unpleasant, low blood pressure is mostly harmless, especially when you are pregnant and the cause is clear.

High blood pressure can also develop during pregnancy. If your healthcare provider finds out you have hypertension before you reach 20 weeks, it will most likely be assumed that you already had a high blood pressure before you got pregnant. After 20 weeks, high blood pressure will be classified as pregnancy hypertension. Like with lower blood pressure, this is not normally dangerous. But if you do have high blood pressure while you are expecting, your doctor or midwife might want to keep a closer eye on you.

It is suddenly spiking blood pressure that is a worry, because it can indicate pre-eclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy condition that can quickly turn into eclampsia which can, amongst other things, lead to seizures. For more information about this, see pre-eclampsia cause found.

Skin changes – that pregnancy “glow”

Is your facial skin brighter, and almost perfect, all of a sudden? You have got to be pregnant! If you have ever heard that pregnant women have a glowing, wonderful skin, and wondered if that is true, now is the time to find out. Many moms to be do really get that beautiful pregnancy “glow”! What causes the famous pregnancy glow, when does it normally turn up, and is there anything you can do to reproduce it when you are not expecting?

As we have discussed before when describing the other pregnancy signs (please do check out our full list!), pregnancy causes an increase in the volume of blood that is pumped through your body. This is one of the factors that contributes to your beautiful skin, because more blood is circulated around your facial area too. Hormones are, of course, the other factor. Oil production working over hours on your facial skin probably sounds like a nightmare and a recipe for pimples, but this is in fact exactly what is happening to you. As a result, you will look great!

The pregnancy glow is most likely to show up during your second trimester, and it might well stay with you until after you give birth. In my experience, most women in their first trimester of pregnancy have break outs and impurities on the facial skin, and when that clears up you will be positively glowing! This is a definite pregnancy symptom, and though cosmetic companies might love to bottle that glow and sell it for lots of money, it is ultimately caused by internal things that can never be recreated when you are not pregnant.

If your facial skin is too oily for your taste, you can try cleaning it with a gentle, oil-free cleanser. Of course, there is always facial powder to help you as well.

Water retention – edema

Edema, the build up of excess fluids, is a common and normal pregnancy symptom. This condition, also popularly called water retention, usually manifests itself in the arms and legs. The majority of pregnant women get some water retention somewhere along the line while they are expecting a baby. The most common for of edema has got to be swollen ankles. Is edema ever a serious health concern? And what can you do to combat this pregnancy sign?

Edema is especially common in expectant mothers who are not very physically active. If you have a long commute to work, or if you have an office job, you are bound to notice some degree of swollen ankles and feet in pregnancy. Changing positions as often as you can, stretching your legs while you are at your desk, and taking frequent breaks to go for short walks, can do wonders. Water retention is caused by the additional blood volume every woman has while they are “with child” pooling around the extremities. Pregnancy and your growing uterus put the veins and internal organs under more pressure than usual, which means the flow of blood from your legs back to your heart takes a bit longer than it normally would.

Besides physical activity, drinking plenty of water is the best way to fight water retention. Dehydration can cause a wide range of problems in pregnancy – edema is just the tip of the iceberg. Comfortable shoes without heels and loose fitting clothes can also help you keep edema at bay. Swollen ankles during pregnancy are slightly irritating but nothing to worry about. But if you notice a swollen face and swollen hands, and they will not settle down, it is time to contact your doctor. These could be signs of preeclampsia, and need to be taken seriously.

Continue reading this ebook at Smashwords.
Download this book for your ebook reader.
(Pages 1-31 show above.)