Here are some possible signs of pregnancy:

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding, in women who experience it, is typically the first indication of pregnancy. When the embryo implants into the uterine wall, some blood may be released. However, only about 20 to 30 percent of women experience this bleeding, which is really more like a pink or very light red discharge of blood. Any bleeding that is not your period should be discussed with your doctor.

Delay/Difference in Menstruation

When a woman misses a period, often the first thing she does is take a home pregnancy test. A late or skipped menstrual period is the most well-known symptom of pregnancy. Some women may bleed lightly during pregnancy. If this occurs in the first few weeks, it’s called implantation bleeding and should be very light. Heavy bleeding after a period is late or after a pregnancy test has shown you are pregnant could indicate a miscarriage and you should speak with your doctor.

Other factors may also create an irregular menstrual cycle or a missed period. These include:

• Excessive changes in weight and/or diet

• Hormonal imbalances

• Stress

• Going off birth control pills

• Breastfeeding

• Travel, esp. involving changes in altitude

• Illness

• Antibiotics

Swollen / Tender Breasts

A woman’s breasts may become sore, swollen or tender as early as one or two weeks after conception. However, this is also a sign of PMS so, if you experience swollen breasts, you may want to wait until the first day of your missed period to take a home pregnancy test. You may also experience tender or sore breasts if you have a hormone imbalance or recently started birth control pills or other hormone-based birth control.

Fatigue/Tiredness

Extreme fatigue or even feeling more tired than usual could indicate pregnancy and may begin as early as the first week after conception. However, there are multiple other factors that could make a woman tired, so if this is not accompanied by other symptoms of pregnancy, consider other factors first.

• Are you getting enough sleep?

• Are you under stress?

• Could you have a cold or the flu?

Stress, exhaustion, depression, illnesses, a change in exercise habits or even a change in diet can leave you feeling fatigued.

Nausea/Morning Sickness

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between two and eight weeks after conception, and typically subsides at the start of the second trimester. Some women do not experience morning sickness at all, while some feel a degree of nausea throughout pregnancy. Rule out other causes first, including food poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach disorders, stress and a stomach flu.

Backaches

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy, but it may begin at any time during your pregnancy and last until delivery, or come and go based on your level of physical activity and other factors.

Like most pregnancy symptoms, backaches may be caused by a number of other factors, including impending menstruation, stress, back problems, physical injuries such as pulled muscles.

Headaches

The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause headaches early in pregnancy but, since headaches are so prevalent in women and have so many other causes, this is not usually a good indicator of pregnancy unless accompanied by other symptoms. Headaches may be caused by:

• Dehydration

• Caffeine withdrawal

• PMS

• Eye strain

• Stress

• Cold or flu

• Seasonal allergies

• Sinus infection

Frequent Urination

Around six to eight weeks after conception, as the uterus grows and shifts, taking up more room in your abdomen and exerting force on your bladder, you may experience frequent urination. Frequent urination in the absence of other pregnancy symptoms, however, could indicate a problem such as:

• Urinary tract infection

• Bladder infection

• Diabetes

Using diuretics or increasing your liquid intake may also cause more frequent urination.

Darkening of Areolas

If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker. This may also be caused by a hormone imbalance not related to pregnancy. Areolas may not return to their original color after childbirth.

Food Cravings

As any pregnant woman – or her husband who hit the convenience store at midnight for ice cream, with or without pickles – can attest, pregnancy food cravings are not a myth. They can last throughout your entire pregnancy, but usually don’t appear until the second trimester or late in the first trimester.

Dieting, PMS, lack of a certain nutrients, stress or depression can also cause food cravings. Click here to read about some strange food cravings experienced by the BOL bloggers.

Enhanced Sense of Smell

For moms-to-be pregnant for the first time, an enhanced sense of smell is often one of the oddest symptoms of pregnancy. This evolutionary trait may have developed to help pregnant women detect – and avoid – spoiled foods before they ate them. It can be embarrassing if you have to leave a room because of someone’s intense body odor or want to gag around people with the scent of third-hand smoke clinging to their bodies.

Mood Swings

It’s not just a myth. All those hormonal changes going on in your body can wreak havoc with your mood, too. Of course, mood swings can also be caused by stress or plain old garden variety PMS. Some women actually experience improved moods – or a more stable mood if they previously suffered from PMS-related mood swings – during pregnancy. Others discover that one or two specific individuals “push their buttons” but that people, as a whole, are easier to tolerate.

Increased Hunger

Doctors recommend that women not gain much weight in the first trimester, but you may feel hungrier than usual. To keep weight in check, maintain a healthy diet and eat lots of foods high in fiber, which are filling and will also help alleviate constipation. Drink a glass of water before every meal, too. Pregnant women shouldn’t need to increase their caloric intake to accommodate the growing fetus until the start of the second trimester, when they should eat approximately 300 extra calories per day. You can also maintain a high level of physical activity in the first trimester, which will help prevent excessive weight gain.

Later Pregnancy Symptoms

Some symptoms – such as a backache or headaches – may begin in the first trimester and persist throughout pregnancy. Others appear later.

Some later symptoms may include:

• Feeling extremely warm / hot flashes

• Varicose veins

• Quickening (fetal movement)

• Shortness of breath

• Stretch marks

• Changes in all areas of your body, including hair, skin and nails

• Blurred vision

• Insomnia

Essentially, “anything goes” when it comes to pregnancy symptoms. If you are concerned about any reactions you’re having or changes to your body, speak with your midwife or obstetrician.

Author: Dawn Allcot

While we have never known anyone who during pregnancy craved pickles and ice cream, not at the same time at least, the stories are definitely out there. Cravings can start early in the first trimester while the woman experiences morning sickness and only certain foods keep the nausea at bay. She may go weeks only wanting to eat one thing, driving her family crazy. It is also common for a woman to start craving food that she has never really liked before, and probably will not like again after her baby is born.

During the second trimester cravings become more determined and the woman’s partner might start hearing, “Honey, the baby wants some ice cream,” or “Honey, the baby wants Mexican food for dinner.” Women definitely have the upper hand when pregnant when it comes to where to go for dinner, and most use this to their advantage. And why not! There has to be some perks to go along with all the aches and pains, weight gain, and bigger breasts a woman must endure for nine months. Why not make her partner give into her cravings?

During the third trimester, just because the baby is getting bigger and there is less room for food, doesn’t mean that the cravings stop. They may in fact become more intense. A woman may be dying for chicken sandwich at lunch time, only to be able to eat half of it, because she gets full. However, at 2pm she is hungry again but that chicken sandwich no longer holds appeal and now she wants an ice cream cone from the local ice cream stand. When a woman has a craving for ice cream, nothing but that ice cream will take the craving away. Her partner may bring her a candy bar, or a slushy, and while she may eat and drink those, she will still want the ice cream.

There are many causes for food cravings besides being pregnant. Many women crave certain foods, like chocolate, right before their period begins. Stress and a poor diet can also lead to food cravings. But let’s face it! It is so much more fun for a woman to be pregnant and be able to wake her partner up at 2am saying, “Honey, I really want to chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and dill pickles. You wouldn’t mind going to the store for me RIGHT NOW would you?”

Pregnant Women Should Not Take Baths
This idea is false; however some of the beliefs behind it are true. Pregnant women can and should take baths. It is a great way for a pregnant woman to take some of the weight off her back and relax, especially later in pregnancy. If your water has broken however you should NOT take a bath as your uterus is then vulnerable to infection. You should also avoid throughout your pregnancy taking baths or sitting in hot tubs above 100 degrees. This can raise your body temperature too much and cause problems to your baby, especially during the first trimester.

Holding Your Hands Above Your Head Can Hurt The Baby
The truth is that the positioning of your hands has nothing to do with your baby’s positioning in the uterus or the umbilical cord becoming wrapped around him. Babies born with the umbilical cord wrapped around them is actually quite common as it happens in about 1/3 of all pregnancies and is actually caused by the early movements your baby makes in utero, while they are still small enough to make them.

Wearing A Lei Can Choke Your Fetus
This Hawaiian superstition is just that…a superstition. It makes no sense that a pregnant woman who wears a lei could be choking her baby.

You Have to Drink A Lot of Water or Your Baby Will Get Dirty
A pregnant woman should drink water because it is good for them. However it has nothing to do with how clean or dirty the baby’s amniotic fluid is. The truth is your baby pees in and drinks the amniotic fluid surrounding them, and the amniotic fluid actually replenishes itself every three hours. Staying hydrated helps your baby, but your baby will not get dirty if you do not drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day.

You Need Boiling Water Nearby During Childbirth
Fact or fiction? In reality no one is really sure WHY midwives used to order the husbands to get boiling water. Some think it was just a ploy to get the husbands out of the room during tense times of labor. Others speculate that it was an effort to make sure the few tools that were used, were properly sterilized. Along the same lines so believe that it was a way to keep the tools used at room temperature instead of letting them get cold. Today there is little, if no need to have boiling water nearby during childbirth.

If You Have Heartburn During Pregnancy Your Baby Has A Lot of Hair
Because of there being less room in your stomach since there is a baby growing and pushing on it, heartburn is actually extremely common during those nine months. There is no proof or reason to believe that having heartburn is a sign of a baby being born with a head full of hair.

Your Partner Will Get a Sty in the Eye if They Don’t Feed You What You Crave
While this is fun and definitely something a pregnant woman might be able to get away with holding over her partners head, it is not true. However, that doesn’t mean that the person who denies their pregnant partner the food she craves is safe…

Sex Can Kick Start Labor
This one is actually true! Female enjoyment creates the hormone oxytocin which can help ripen your cervix and get it ready for labor. A mans semen contains the hormone prostaglandins which can cause contractions. Sex is often recommended at the end of a healthy, normal pregnancy. Ask your OB!

Full Moons Bring the Babies
While it is widely believed and noted in L&D rooms every where, however this myth has never been scientifically proven.

These are just a few that we have put together for you. To see our list of gender related pregnancy old wives tales, click here.

Shape of Moms’ Belly
Some say if the woman’s belly is big and round it means that she is carrying a girl. Likewise, if her belly is smaller and sticking straight out than she is carrying a boy. The way a woman carries her baby has nothing to do with the sex, but has everything to do with the body shape and type that the woman naturally has, when not pregnant.

Direction of the Ring
Many people believe in the good old ring test as a way to tell what the sex of their baby is going to be. In this test you hang your wedding ring from a string over your belly. If the ring swings back and forth your baby is a girl. If it swings around in a circle then it is a boy. This is not very good indication of whether or not you are having a boy or a girl. Fact is, if you hang your ring over any object or person it is going to swing.

Fast Heart Rate Tale
Some people believe that if your baby has a fast heart rate, near 170 beats per minute, then that means you are having a girl, and that if your baby’s heart rate is closer to 150 beats per minute then you are having a boy. This also is false. You baby’s heart rate will get faster and stronger during the first trimester as he/she grows. Then the heart rate fluctuates in speed during sleep and active times for your baby, just like an adults. So depending on when you listen to your baby’s heart rate, it might be faster or slower than it was the day before, or even earlier that same day.

The Shape of Moms Face
Some people believe that the shape of your face determines the sex of your baby. If your face is round then you are having a girl, long and narrow means a boy. This is just a myth however because where a woman stores fat and water during pregnancy has nothing to do with the sex of their baby. Along with that some believe that if your nose starts to grow or widen then you are having a girl because daughters “steal” mom’s beauty. While this sounds like something out of a fairy tale, it is simply an old wives tale.

The Key Test
Then there is the key test. Some say that if you can tell your baby’s sex by picking up a single key. If you pick the key up by big, round (top) part then you are having a boy. If you pick it up by the narrow part on the bottom then you are having a girl. Then, as if it isn’t detailed enough, if you pick the key up by the middle you are having TWINS!

The Mayan Tale
If you are Mayan then you may follow their beliefs and use numbers to determine the sex of your baby. The Mayans take the mothers age at conception and the year of conception and add them together. If the result is a even number then mom is having a girl. If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way! The Chinese have a similar way of determining the sex of a baby.

Drain-O Test
So many people believe this old wives tale which is completely false. They are told to put a tablespoon of Drain-O in a cup and pee into it. If the mixture turns green you are having a girl. If it turns blue you are having a boy. Supposedly there is something in the moms’ urine that mixes with the Drain-O causing it to change color and determine the baby’s sex.

Acne Myth
Acne during pregnancy is caused by hormones, not the sex of your baby. However, many believe that if you have an increased amount of acne during pregnancy then it means you are having a baby girl.

Cravings
This one sounds good and can be an “explanation” for many of moms’ cravings, but is it true? Some people say that if you crave salty food while pregnant it means you are having a boy and if you crave sweet food while you are pregnant it means you are having a girl. Does this mean that baby girls are sweet and baby boys are salty?

Do You Smell Like Garlic?
The question should be, “Do you WANT to smell like garlic?” There are people that swear that the garlic old wives tale is true. They say that if you eat a clove of garlic, and the smell comes out through your pores then you are having a boy. If no garlic is detected then you are having a girl. Who really wants to find out THAT bad though?!

Ultrasounds Are Always Right
This one is definitely false. We have heard many stories where a woman has received an ultrasound, and sometimes more than one ultrasound where the doctor claims that she is having either a boy or a girl. The mother buys everything she needs for her little son or daughter, and when the day of delivery comes she is surprised with a baby of the opposite sex. Most of the time the ultrasound technician gets it right, but that is not always the case.

These are just a few of the popular pregnancy old wives tales that deal with the sex of your baby. To see other pregnancy related old wives tales click here.

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding is the earliest pregnancy symptom. About eight days after conception the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. Some women will experience spotting as well as some cramping. Other Explanations: Actual menstruation, altered menstruation, changes in birth control pill, infection, or abrasion from intercourse.

Delay/Difference in Menstruation

A delayed or missed menstruation is the most common pregnancy symptom leading a woman to test for pregnancy. When you become pregnant, your next period should be missed. Many women do bleed while they are pregnant, but typically the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period. Other Explanations: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal problems, tension, stress, ceasing to take the birth control pill, or breast-feeding.

Swollen / Tender Breasts

Swollen or tender breasts is a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes in their breasts such as tender to the touch, sore, or swollen. Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to be swollen or tender.

Fatigue/Tiredness

Feeling fatigued or more tired is a pregnancy symptom which can also start as early as the first week after conception.Other Explanations: Stress, exhaustion, depression, common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling tired or fatigued.

Nausea/Morning Sickness

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between 2-8 weeks after conception. Some women are fortunate to not deal with morning sickness at all while others will feel nauseous through most of their pregnancy. Other Explanations: Food poisoning, stress, or other stomach disorders can also cause you to feel queasy.

Backaches

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy, however it is common to experience a dull backache throughout an entire pregnancy. Other Explanations: Impending menstruation, stress, other back problems, and physical or mental strains.

Headaches

The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause you to have headaches early in pregnancy. Other Explanations: Dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, impending menstruation, eye strain, or other ailments can be the source of frequent or chronic headaches.

Frequent Urination

Around 6-8 weeks after conception, you may find yourself making a few extra trips to the bathroom. Other Explanations: Urinary tract infection, diabetes, increasing liquid intake, or taking excessive diuretics.

Darkening of Areolas

If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker. Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or may be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.

Food Cravings

While you may not have a strong desire to eat pickles and ice cream, many women will feel cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant. This can last throughout your entire pregnancy. Other Explanations: Poor diet, lacking a certain nutrient, stress, depression, or impending menstruation.

If you think you are pregnant you may purchase a home pregnancy test such as those made by Clearblue Easy, or you may contact the Association for a local pregnancy testing center that provides free or low-cost pregnancy tests.

If you are pregnant, when are you due? Find out with Babies Online’s FUN Due Date Calculator and Birthday Fun Facts

Source:
Early Pregnancy Symptoms, from American Pregnancy Association. Article Reprinted by permission.

For further information, call the American Pregnancy Association helpline at 800-672-2296 to speak with a Reproductive Educator. © 2000-04 American Pregnancy Association. All Rights Reserved.

Quite often, wanna-be Sugar Kickers ask me: “How can I curb my carb cravings to keep myself from tasting and then inevitably gobbling handfuls of cookies or crackers?” One of the most powerful and potent strategies is so simple that you’ll wonder why you never tried it in the first place. Simply hold off before doing anything – especially something that you’ll later regret. After all, if you mindlessly shove those fast-acting, Much-Like-Sugar Carbs™ in your mouth, you might later feel wiped out, spaced out, moody and depressed because the numbers on your scale continue to climb. Think about it: Just about all of us are good at delaying in the first place. You know how you keep putting off cleaning the house, giving your boss that proposal or even throwing out the garbage?  More to the point, many of us are pretty darn good at procrastinating, right? I know I am. While I’m certainly not proud of this dubious skill, delaying, I’ve found, is a fun, clever way to give procrastination a positive spin! I hit upon this incredible strategy back in 1998 when I kicked sweets and simple carbs on doctor’s orders. To this day, I’m struck by how easy, effortless, and darn effective it is to just delay! Everyone of any age—unless you’re maybe a tot—can cultivate this tactic. All you have to do is promise yourself to hold off for a brief period of time. Then, you can delay over and over again, even for hours. Just think: The next morning you’ll be relieved and proud of yourself that you didn’t cave into your cravings. Here are 7 ways delaying can be your remarkable ally to help you pull the plug on your unwanted sugar habit. (It’s one of “6 D’s” strategies that I’ve developed to help both myself and other “Sugar Kickers.”)

1. Delaying (first 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc.) before eating that brownie, cookie, or candy bar gives you a golden opportunity to break away from your impulses so that you can easily detach from them.
2. Delaying for 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, etc. allows your cravings to readily subside while you get involved with other things.
3. Delaying lets you take positive, health-promoting action by simple inaction. Yes, doing absolutely nothing can be pivotal when kicking or cutting back on sweets and quickie carbs.
4. Delaying turns procrastinating into an effective art form and proactive gesture. 
5. Delaying allows you to zero in on what foods—if any—you’re really craving. Does your body really need cookies, cake, and pretzels? I highly doubt it!! Or would your amazing body rather have water, fresh vegetables and fruits, high-quality protein or healthy fats?
6. Delaying gives you a chance to get in touch with your true feelings. What the heck is really going on that makes these quickie carbs so tantalizing to you?
7. Delaying permits you to take pride in yourself that you put off a short-lived, self-defeating immediate gratification in favor of a long-term positive outcome. (Isn’t it far preferable to lose weight, have more energy and concentrate better than giving in during one moment of weakness and then suffering the consequences?)

In short, simple delaying is truly one of the most effective tools a successful Sugar Kicker can use.Pro-Active Action To Cut Your Cravings
I encourage you to become a delaying artist now. Of course, as you know, “practice makes perfect.”

• Next time you have a hankering for something sweet (that’s processed), begin by delaying. Look at your watch or a clock and now wait for 5 minutes before putting any refined sweets in your mouth—you can easily do that!
• Now, step outside your obsessive sugary thoughts and wait 10 minutes. It can help if you do something else in the meantime.
• Then hold off another 20 minutes. Be creative with your delaying time. Some people find doing the dishes or putting clothes away is a way to pull the plug on your food thoughts.
• Then really challenge yourself! Wait an hour, then 2 hours, or maybe even the whole evening. You can do it!
• Finally, write about your experience in a journal or notebook.

By delaying, you could learn a lot about yourself and the power of a focused mind.To this day, I thank Ms. Delay for helping me to learn that Life is Sweeter Without Refined Sweets™.

About the Author
Connie Bennett is an ex “sugar addict” and “Sugar Shrew No More!,” who helps folks worldwide stomp out their sugar habit. She is author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Jan. 2007); founder of The 21-Day, Kick-Sugar Countdown Diet™; creator of the  SUGAR SHOCK! Blog; a holistic health counselor; and a journalist, who’s contributed to The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, TV Guide, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Living Fit, US, InStyle and cbs.com. To get tips and learn about Connie’s tele-seminars with experts, sign up for the free Stop SUGAR SHOCK! ezine. Copyright © 2006, Stop SUGAR SHOCK™