First Signs of Pregnancy: 11 Early Pregnancy Symptoms

There is more than just a missed period, if you are looking for pregnancy symptoms. Fatigue, morning sickness, weight gain, smell sensitivity, bloating and heart rate are some of the early symptoms of pregnancy that one can look out for, in addition to the pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.

In this article, we will be discussing about a few early pregnancy symptoms that can help gauge if you are pregnant.

1.       Fatigue

One of the most common symptoms of pregnancy is, fatigue or tiredness. The levels of progesterone hormone soar during the early pregnancy and when the doses are high enough, progesterone can put you to sleep. On the same side, increased blood production, lower blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels can all sap more of your energy during pregnancy.

2.       Nausea

Morning sickness is one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. This may begin two weeks after conception in some women. Talking about nausea, the rapidly rising levels of estrogen leads to the same and also causes the stomach to empty more slowly. During pregnancy, various odor such as perfume, cigarette smoke or foods cooking can also cause waves of nausea.

3.       Cravings

Food carvings are pretty common among pregnant women. You may find yourself craving for certain foods such as fried food or coffee. On the other side, the pregnancy hormones may also cause aversions to certain smells. This usually occurs during the initial weeks after conception and may or may not last throughout the pregnancy.

4.       Bleeding or cramping

This is also known as implantation bleeding. The Small amount of spotting or vaginal bleeding is one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. This happens when the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterus lining, which takes place about 10-14 days after fertilisation. The bleeding is very lighter in colour and not like a normal period and so does not last very long. Abdominal cramping can also be experienced by some women early in pregnancy and these cramps are very much similar to menstrual cramps.

5.       Missed period

You know you have made it when you have missed your period. Perhaps, this one comes among the very first and most common symptoms of pregnancy. It is after this symptom that women begin to search for other pregnancy symptoms. But some women may also experience a much lighter period as compared to their usual. So, you are only going to notice the other listed pregnancy symptoms after you have missed your monthly cycle.

6.       The pregnancy feeling

So, keeping all the scientific reasons on one side, this one is completely dependent on the belief that many women have about pregnancy signs. Many of the pregnant women say they have an intuition, which is often proven correct. So, you may feel tired, queasy, light headed or may have heartburn and constipation. You may also feel a dull ache, have sore breasts or stiffness in the lower back.

7.       Raised basal body temperature

This is your oral temperature when you first wake up in the morning.  After the ovulation, there is a slight increase in this temperature and it remains the same until the next period. You can also chart your basal body temperature in order to determine when you ovulate. If it elevates continuously for more than two weeks, it specifies that you are pregnant.

8.       Constipation

This one is another common symptom of pregnancy. The food passes more slowly through the intestines and the increase in progesterone levels is to be mainly held responsible for this. Thus, it can lead to constipation. You must consider taking a pregnancy test if you feel constipated for over a week or more after you have missed a period.

Watch: 21 Must Know Early Pregnancy Symptoms

9.       Increased heart rate

This happens during week 8 to 10 that your heart may begin to pump faster and harder. Palpitations and arrhythmias are very common in pregnancy and this is mainly because of the hormones. However, the increased blood flow due to the fetus happens very later in the pregnancy but the management begins even before conception.

10.   Frequent urination

Your body increases the blood amount it pumps during pregnancy. Due to this, the kidney processes more fluid than usual, thus leading to more fluid in the bladder. However, the hormones too have a role to play in bladder health. So, you may find yourself rushing to the bathroom more frequently or even accidently leaking.

11.   Weight gain

This becomes very common towards the end of the first trimester. You may notice yourself gaining about 1 to 4 pounds in the first few months. So, the calorie requirements will also seem to increase as the pregnancy progresses. Later in the pregnancy, the weight often spreads out between the following as:

  •       Breasts – about 1 to 3 pounds
  •       Placenta – 11/2 pounds
  •       Uterus – about 2 pounds
  •       Amniotic fluid – about 2 pounds
  •       Increased blood and fluid volume – about 5 to 7 pounds
  •       Fat – 6 to 8 pounds

Conclusion:

One thing to be kept in mind is, that pregnancy symptoms and stages do not necessarily have to be common amongst all women. Also, there are chances that you may not go through all or any of these symptoms listed above but still be pregnant with an absolutely normal and healthy baby.

Apparently, you may come to notice that the body changes and symptoms of pregnancy you observed in the first trimester will also begin to fade once you reach the second trimester.

References:

  •       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12160915
  •       https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/signs

Author Bio:

I am Richa, Founder of ParentingHealthyBabies.com, a parenting blog started with the intention and hope to become a valuable parenting resource. I am a veteran writer on topics concerning parenting, pregnancy, homemade baby food recipes, child nutrition, wellness, health, education and lifestyle. Being a mother, my writings focus on inspiring and guiding new moms to raise healthy babies. I currently live in India and am an avid traveler with love for sand and beaches. Thanks!

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