Signs of Pregnancy
Unsure if you may be pregnant? It may be time to take a pregnancy test if you are experiencing many of the common pregnancy symptoms listed below.
1. Tender and Swollen Breasts. One of the most common pregnancy symptoms is tingling or soreness of the breasts. Breasts will begin to change shape as they fill out in preparation of milk production very early on in pregnancy. Not all women experience these changes; however, it is quite common for women to experience breast sensitivity and soreness in the first few months of pregnancy.
2. Darkened Areolas. As the body prepares itself for breastfeeding, hormones can cause darkened areolas for many women during pregnancy.
3. Exhaustion. Fatigue is a very common symptom in early pregnancy as a lot of energy is required to produce a baby. Being tired and feeling exhausted is in fact one of the very first signs of early pregnancy. Around week 12 of your pregnancy you can expect some relief from the symptoms of fatigue as the placenta develops and becomes fully developed.
4. Irritability. Mood swings are common for many women throughout pregnancy. While your body is adjusting to being pregnant, it is natural to experience diverse emotions as your hormones change.
5. Strange Cravings or Hunger. Your body works very hard to grow the baby developing inside. As such, your body needs approximately 300 additional calories per day. For some women, cravings for food they would never eat before or abnormal feelings of hunger can occur.
6. Sensitivity to Smells. For many women, their sensitivity to smells are intensified during pregnancy. Smell sensitivity is another common symptom that you may be pregnant.
7. Elevated Basal Body Temperature. Many women track their basal body temperature when trying to conceive. If you have been tracking your basal body temperature, an increase of approximately one degree lasting for more than two weeks after the common dip in temperature, which indicates ovulation, is an encouraging sign of pregnancy.
8. Food Aversions. If opening the refrigerator door makes you cringe and you cannot even walk by your local restaurant without gagging, you may be pregnant. Many women report that intense food aversions are one of the first signs of early pregnancy. Rising levels of the beta-HCG hormone can be the culprits for such food aversions.
9. Frequent Urination. Your uterus pushes directly on your bladder when you are pregnant. This leads to more recurrent trips to the lavatory for urination.
10. Constipation. You may also experience constipation during pregnancy due to changes in your intestines and additional pressure. As you progress in your pregnancy, your baby grows more adding additional pressure on your bladder and internal organs.
11. Light Spotting. During implantation, the process in which the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall, women may experience light spotting. This may occur a few days to 10 days after conception. Not all women experience spotting after implantation; however, if you have had a light period this month, you may still be expecting.
12. Nausea. One of the most common side effects of pregnancy is the feeling of nausea or as they say “morning sickness”. An increased level of hormones is the culprit for the ill feeling of nausea that up to 80 percent of women experience during pregnancy. Morning sickness may be experienced all day for many women. For other women, nausea may be experienced only during a specific time of day. Usually by 12 weeks of pregnancy, the nauseous feeling starts to subside or go away altogether.
13. Headaches. Although some women may receive a slight pardon from migraine headaches during pregnancy, the opposite can be true. Many women who suffer from hormonal migraine headaches may experience an increase in the occurrence and severity of their migraine headaches during pregnancy.
14. Faintness or Dizzy Spells. Many women experience feelings of being light headed or dizzy in early pregnancy. This is due to hormones shifting as well as the heart beating faster in order to pump more blood through the body. This causes blood pressure to gradually decrease early in pregnancy.
15. Metallic Taste. Some women experience a metallic taste in their mouth during pregnancy.
16. Dreams. Many women complain of having vivid dreams during pregnancy. Dreams may intensify and become dramatic and more frequent due to surging hormones.
17. Missed Period. The most obvious sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Although a missed period is a common indicator of pregnancy, stress or diet can also be the cause.
If you believe you may be pregnant, please see a doctor.
Signs of Pregnancy | Toronto Newborn Photographer
