Have you been experiencing changes to your body, mood and sleep pattern? Have you been wondering whether it could be the early signs of pregnancy? Some women experience early signs, whilst some don’t have any indication at all. Remember that every woman is different, and no two journeys should be compared.
The only definite way of knowing if you’re pregnant is to take a pregnancy test, however it’s still good to be in the know. We’ve put together a reference list of what to look out for if you’re unsure:
1) Spotting and cramping
Early on, symptoms of menstruation and early signs of pregnancy are easily confused as they can be similar. If you have conceived, you may experience implantation bleeding, which is when the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterus wall, which can cause cramps and spotting. Women often see this as their period starting, just in a more mild form. Cramping in the feet and legs is also considered an early sign of pregnancy. It occurs as a result of how your body is processing calcium.
The thickening of the vaginal walls can also lead to a milky discharge being excreted, which if odorless, is typically harmless and can be left to clear up on it’s own. However, if not odorless, pay a visit to your doctor.
2) Mood swings
Sudden changes in your mood can be one of the early signs of pregnancy. It could mean you are in the first trimester, causing your hormones to go haywire. Unexplainable crying, feelings of stress, and heightened emotions in general can all be early pregnancy symptoms. The rapid changes your body is undergoing will leave your hormone levels rocketing up and down, leaving you feeling not yourself. Although, as with all generalised symptoms, this may not be a display of pregnancy symptoms at all, and may be a sign of something else changing within your body.
Whether you are trying, or already are pregnant, conceiveplease™ Pre-conception and Pregnancy vitamins have been formulated to support pre-conception health and provide micronutrients important for the increasing needs of pregnancy. This may help your body to feel balanced in the face of early pregnancy symptoms.
3) Dizziness and fainting
Some pregnancy symptoms can feel pretty unpleasant, or even scary, so it’s a good idea to read about them so you’re not caught off guard. Dizziness and fainting is one of the early signs of pregnancy, but can occur the whole way throughout too.
The main cause of dizziness is due to the rising hormones causing your blood vessels to relax and widen. This is to increase blood flow to your baby, but it means blood returns more slowly to you. This causes your blood pressure to be lower than usual, which reduces the blood flow to your brain, resulting in temporary dizziness.
It can also be caused by low blood sugar levels that may occur due to changes in your metabolism. Women who are anemic or who have varicose veins may be more susceptible than others. During the second trimester, dizziness may be caused because your growing uterus puts pressure on blood vessels. Later, in the third trimester, it can be caused if you lie on your back, allowing the weight of the baby to press on your vena cava (a large vein that carries blood from your lower body to your heart). Maintaining a healthy diet, and ensuring your vitamin intake is sufficient via prenatal vitamins such as conceiveplease™ Pre-conception and Pregnancy vitamins may decrease these symptoms hugely.
4) Breast changes
One of the most common pregnancy symptoms is a change in the look and feel of your breasts. They may grow larger, and feel tender or highly sensitive. The veins on your breasts may become more noticeable and your areola (nipples) may darken. These changes can start to occur as early as the first week after conception, although they can start as late as 12 weeks. Women with darker hair and darker complexions tend to notice more colour change than fairer skinned women.
Some women report to having sore and tingly breasts as an early pregnancy symptom in the first one or two weeks. Some even say their nipples become too sensitive to touch. The nipples may become more prominent and feel quite sensitive or even sore. Some pregnant women choose to start wearing a comfortable, supportive bra such as a sports bra without underwires to support their changing breasts.
Seeing prominent blue veins is amongst the more common pregnancy symptoms, with around 50% of women reporting it. Blood flow increases by about 20-40% during pregnancy as our veins are transporting blood, nutrients, and oxygen to your developing fetus. The increased blood volume makes the veins more visible under the skin.
Breast discomfort often subsides after a few weeks, although it may return in the later stages of pregnancy. If you have been experiencing any of these changes, whilst it is not definitively an early sign of pregnancy, it is extremely common in first trimester. If in doubt, the conceiveplease™ One Step HCG Urine Pregnancy Test is a quick, affordable, and sensitive test that helps you accurately determine if you are pregnant in the privacy of your own home.
5) Insomnia
Experiencing sleep problems whilst pregnant is totally normal. Infact, insomnia is so common in the first trimester it’s considered something to look out for as one of the early signs of pregnancy. Between more frequent trips to the bathroom, huge changes in hormone levels, and pregnancy side-effects such as congestion and heartburn, you might be spending more time awake than asleep throughout the night. The good news: whilst insomnia isn’t fun, it won’t hurt your baby.
Physical and logistical causes aside, another big cause is stress. All the early signs of pregnancy can compound and cause anxiety about everything from the pregnancy, labour and generally becoming a parent! Being open about your feelings, developing a bedtime routine, exercising and staying comfortable are all things that can help you overcome those sleepless nights.
6) Increased body temperature
Did you know that feeling overheated for 2 weeks or more when you wake up in the morning may be an early sign of pregnancy. Following ovulation, your body temperature can be higher than normal. If it doesn’t regulate over the next couple of weeks, this can be considered an early pregnancy symptom.
You can use a basal body thermometer to track your first morning temperature, and you might notice that it rises around 1 degree when you conceive and stays elevated throughout your pregnancy. Though not definitely one of the early pregnancy symptoms (there are other reasons your temperature can rise), it could help you preempt your baby!
If you experienced any of these symptoms, only to receive an unwanted negative test result, don’t be disheartened. The conceiveplease™ Fertility Kit contains everything you need to aid you in your journey of natural conception. If you are confused about when an optimum time to have sex with your partner is, and would like to optimise your chances of conceiving naturally, the conceiveplease™ One Step Ovulation & Pregnancy Planning Kit is aimed at optimising natural conception, whilst our prenatal vitamins will keep both you and your partner healthy during the conception process.