Are you pregnant? Often, our body gives us the signs that we are pregnant before that plus sign ever shows up on a pregnancy test. However, many signs of pregnancy could also be symptoms of a medical problem or even just premenstrual syndrome, so it’s important to take that test as soon as a positive result is possible.

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

by Barbara A. Eastom Bates

It happened during the ninth month of my first pregnancy. I was going through a department store check-out lane where a teenage girl was ringing up my purchases. She looked shyly at my burgeoning belly with an expression that could only be described as reverent.

With eyes full of dreams of future motherhood she asked, “Is pregnancy really as bad as everyone says?”

Without the slightest guilt, I replied, “No. It’s worse.”

The Deception
When my husband and I announced the birth of our blessed expectation some months prior, along with endless congratulations, I received the good news of the many wonderful changes I could expect.

“You’ll positively glow.”

“Your hair and nails will look fabulous.”

“You’ll feel absolutely beautiful.”

According to family and friends, as a gestating woman, I would feel nothing short of a precious vessel, glowing with health and radiance given only to those experiencing the miracle of growing a child.

About a week later, wearing the pallor of death, I was running away from the smell of my husband’s lunchtime tuna fish sandwich knowing I’d never been so violently ill my entire life.

The Reality
Although it’s rumored there are actually women who sail through pregnancy untouched by any ills or discomfort, I was not one of them. If I’d ever experienced a pregnancy glow, I’m certain I could only have been radioactive.

I was told to expect a little morning sickness. I didn’t anticipate 24/7 progesterone poisoning, body aches, or never ending fatigue. And in all the happy tales of pregnancy recounted to me, I’m certain I’d have remembered hearing if pure, unadulterated misery were mentioned as a symptom of gestation.

Sitting in my obstetrician’s office near the end of the first trimester, she asked how I was feeling. “Sick.”

“Good.” She replied.

Seeing my defeated look, she offered a small respite. “You’ll start to feel better after week 12 or 13.”

I crossed the days off my calendar waiting for magical week 13. It came and went. My never ending nausea did not. I was sick, tired, and sick of being both.

I’d been told how sharing a child together would make my marital relationship more intimate. I, on the other hand, hated my husband. No matter he and I had joyfully consented to make this child together, or that he worried and did the best he could to make me feel more comfortable. Somewhere in the back of my mind, as I watched him lie peacefully asleep at night while I was awake fending off nausea, all I could think was, “this is your fault.”

And so it went for the entire duration of nine months. I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt, if I ever survived this go-round on the pregnancy rollercoaster, there would be no more children in my future, ever. Motherhood just wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be.

The Grand Debut
Jacob Lyle arrived in early fall that year, bearing 10 perfect fingers and toes, a head full of brown hair and big blue eyes. He was bruised and battered from birth, yet, to my eyes, perfection unlike the world had ever seen before.

Suddenly, my entire life made sense. At 23-years old, I wasn’t yet sure what I wanted to be when I grew up, or what my future held outside of being a wife to my husband. With the arrival of Jacob, I knew exactly why I was here—to be the mother of this beautiful child. Having Jacob filled my life with a sense of awe and wonder I had never known. I was a mother, and that was enough.

Altered Expectations
While I had expected sleepless nights with my newborn, what I hadn’t expected was how much I would enjoy them. I gladly gave up sleep to have the chance just to hold my tiny son in my arms and look at his sweet face.

I expected life to change. I never expected the very foundations of my world to be rocked. It came as a total shock that the simple act of becoming a mother—wasn’t simple.

Previous to motherhood, tragedy in the world was sad. After the birth of my son, it was heart-wrenching. No longer could I watch a movie or read a news report depicting harm to a child without emotion. Every child became my child. What if it were Jacob who was sick? What if it were Jacob who was injured?

Issues I’d previously given no thought suddenly became of substantial importance. Was there truly a difference between breastfeeding and formula feeding? Should we circumcise? If I vaccinated my child, he could have a serious adverse reaction. If I chose not to vaccinate, he could become very ill.

I became an information addict and read every book on childcare I could get my hands on and spent endless hours researching my concerns and second guessing my decisions. The rest of my waking hours were spent staring at Jacob as he slept, assuring myself he was still breathing and would only continue to do so thorough my conscious willing of it. Fortunately, he survived my new mother paranoia and came out relatively unscathed– or at least, I will assume so until I’m presented with a bill for therapy.

Personal Truths
I had gone into motherhood with the words of many fostering my belief I’d have a baby, but life would eventually go back to normal again by the magical six-week check-up (at which point I’d also have lost all my baby weight). What I didn’t know when I gave birth was normal was gone forever, along with any peace of mind, my figure, and any hope of a good night’s sleep, but that I’d never trade a moment of my new life to have it back again.

Motherhood, I’ve come to find, is a journey rather than a destination. And while we may endeavor to share experiences with a new mom-to-be, the truths of motherhood remain personal and hers alone to find. The only certainty is the journey is well worth traveling.

I only wish I could talk to that teenager one more time.

About The Author
Barbara Eastom Bates is the author of the upcoming release, “Basic Training for Brides-to-Be,” and editor-in-chief of Operation Military Spouse, opmilspouse@yahoo.com

By Demetria Clark, www.heartofherbs.comPregnancy has always been a time when I have been so thankful for my knowledge of essential oils and aromatherapy. I am not one of these women that carry pregnancy beautifully, I gain tons of weight, swell, have heartburn, gas and sleep all the time. Even though I am not the perfect pregnancy specimen I feel like it. I first saw the results of aromatherapy and pregnancy when I lived with midwives as a teen. I then took and expanded upon this knowledge when I myself became pregnant. Another wonderful thing I discovered about aromatherapy when pregnant and after the babies are born is that it gives you a reason to take the time to heal yourself and pamper yourself. What better that pampering “medicine”.

I originally formulated these blends for myself over five years ago they have since become ones used by pregnant woman, midwives and doulas all over the country.

Nausea Spray

1. In four ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle add 20 drops Spearmint 15 drops Lemon Essential oil 5 drops Sweet Orange Essential oil.
2. Shake well and mist air when feeling nauseas.

You can also try using Ginger, Neroli and Rosewood to find a mixture that works for you.

Leg Cramp Oil

This is great for leg cramps, varicose veins, varicosities and sore backs.

2 ounces St. John’s Wort Oil.
5 Drops Neroli.
5 Drops Grapefruit Essential oil.
This leg oil is fabulous. This is so soothing and relaxing on tired muscles.

Belly Balm – Stretch Mark Prevention Oil

This oil feels so wonderful going on. It is smooth, moisturizing and it can really help with itching that often becomes present when our skin starts stretching.

In a double boiler melt
1 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup Cocoa Butter
1/8 cup Apricot, Almond or Grapeseed Oilv 1/8-cup Kukui nut oil, Shea Butter or Mango Butter ( I love using Mango Butter)
When the oils are all melted, allow it to cool and add the essential oils and pour into another container for the mixture to be stored in.
10-20 drops Sandalwood (try to find an ethical source)
15 drops Patchouli
15 Drops Sweet Orange

You can try varying amounts of oils and types of essential oils but I love this combination. You can also use Rosewood, Rose, Lavender, Tangerine and Neroli. Massage all over thighs, breasts, stomach and everywhere else that needs nourishing and moisturizing. I have also used this on my face, living in the Green Mountains we get frigid winds and my fair skin often needs a protector.

Labor Mists

Relax and Focus
This is a relaxing blend to promote clarity and focus.
In a four-ounce spray bottle almost fill it with distilled water.

Add
20 drops Grapefruit essential oil 15 drops Sweet Orange Essential oil 10 drops Spearmint Essential oil Shake well and mist labor room, or you can make a compress using a wet cloth and misting the cloth, apply to forehead or the laboring Moms back. This mist is great for Dad too.

Transition can be a trying and tiring time for the mother. We want to support her and use a mist blend that will ground, calm and help uplift her spirits.

Add water to mister container as above and add 15 drops Mandarin 10 drops Bergamot 10 drops Lavender 10 drops Clary Sage

This is a strong blend and it should be used away from the mother. Never spray the mother directly. The point of using mists during labor is to be as non invasive as possible. Every person is different and their needs are individual and different also. Make sure that you understand the person you are making the blend for. The wrong blend can assault the senses and we must all realize in our need to help we make may something not so beautiful for the mother.

Disclaimer- Use essential oils with education and care. Research each oil before use, especially with pregnancy, labor, and children’s health.

About the Author
Demetria Clark is the Director of Heart of Herbs Herbal School in Vermont. She is also a Labor support doula and mom to two great boys.

Dehydration isn’t a big worry for most pregnant women, but for some women, it can become quite dangerous. Dehydration for anyone can cause weakness and sickness, but during pregnancy, it can also cause harm to your unborn baby or a spontaneous miscarriage.

Most of the time, dehydration during pregnancy occurs in the first trimester while the mother-to-be is dealing with morning sickness. When a woman experiences nausea and is unable to keep much of anything she eats down, including water, becoming dehydrated is very easy to do. Vomitting can deprive the body of the fluids and vitamins that it needs in order to stay healthy and to keep the baby hydrated.

Pregnant women will often end up in the hospital, and may need to be hooked up to an IV in order to be rehydrated when they are severely sick. A hospital stay can sometimes run to several days while the doctors try to get her vomiting under control. The biggest fear at this point is there not being enough amniotic fluid for the baby to grow in. Without enough amniotic fluid your baby could have deformities of the feet, legs and arms.

Later in pregnancy, during the second or third trimester, if a woman becomes dehydrated either from being sick, being too active and not drinking enough water, or during the summer months when it is very hot, it can cause different kinds of problems for both the mom-to-be and the baby. Dehydration often leads to premature labor as your uterus will start contracting. If you think this might be the case, try drinking at least two big glasses of water and laying down to rest to see if the contractions stop. Call your doctor or midwife as well to see what they suggest.

It is just as important to drink your eight glasses of water a day while pregnant as it is when you are not pregnant. Not only do you need to do it for your health, but you must do it for the health of your unborn baby as well.

During pregnancy it is likely for your appetite to wax and wane. You may find yourself overeating, or under eating on any given day. While this can be the “norm” during pregnancy, it isn’t necessarily good for you or your baby.

During the first trimester, especially if you are dealing with morning sickness, you might find that you don’t have any appetite and can go hours without eating. You might find that unless you force yourself to eat, you could go all day and it wouldn’t bother you. This is not healthy as your body needs food for energy to help your baby grow.

The opposite can be true in early pregnancy as well. If you are one of the lucky ones, feeling fantastic and enjoying the pregnancy glow with very little or no morning sickness, you might find that your appetite is huge, or at least, that it is bigger. You may find yourself wanting to eat everything in sight. It is important to watch how much food you eat, especially the amount of sweets as you do not want to gain an unhealthy amount of weight during your pregnancy.

A pregnant woman should eat extra calories during her pregnancy, but contrary to popular belief, she should not “eat for 2” or double the amount of calories that she normally takes in. A woman only needs an extra 300-500 calories a day to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, and most experts say these extra calories aren’t needed until after the first trimester.

As the second trimester begins you may find that your appetite comes back (if you lost it during the first), and that you are more interested in food again. Use this time to eat healthy and gain back any weight you have lost. If you had a large increase in appetite during the first trimester you may find that it normalizes and stabilizes during these 13 weeks.

As you enter the third trimester when your baby will do most of its growing, you are likely to feel an increase in your appetite. Your baby will put on the majority of his weight during these last 13 weeks and your body will need more food to feed your baby. Try to make sure you are making healthy choices, and try to stay away from desserts and sweets as much as possible.

As the end of your pregnancy nears, you may once again see a decrease in your appetite. The baby has gotten so big he is probably pushing on your stomach and not giving it as much room to expand. You may find that you are getting fuller faster, and that certain foods once again do not appeal to you. If this happens try to eat smaller, healthy meals as a way to get the calories and nutrients to your baby, while not making yourself fill up so much that you want to skip meals.

Pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy, however one of the most significant pregnancy symptoms is a delayed or missed menstrual cycle. Understanding pregnancy symptoms is important because each symptom may be related to something other than pregnancy. Some women experience pregnancy symptoms within a week of conception. For other women, symptoms may develop over a few weeks or may not be present at all. Below is a listing of some of the most common pregnancy symptoms.

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.

By Terry Edwards

One of the biggest signals of being pregnant is that awful feeling of morning sickness. How can you describe it? Unless you have been pregnant, it’s impossible for anyone else to really know how if feels. Doctors describe morning sickness as that nauseated feeling a pregnant woman gets during her first trimester of pregnancy. While that is kind of a vague definition, it’s true that many women experience morning sickness for their entire pregnancy, while others rarely have it at all. Some women will actually experience morning sickness in the morning, but the term “morning sickness” is a misnomer, as some women experience it during the afternoon as well as in the evening hours.

There is really no single cause for it, but physicians have concluded that there are a number of things that can contribute to morning sickness which include increasing hormone levels, sensitivity to odors and the enhanced sense of smell and a sensitized gastrointestinal tract. There are also other reasons why a woman may have morning sickness. Some of these include a pregnancy that involves twins or triplets, if the woman has had morning sickness with a previous pregnancy, and if the woman is susceptible to motion sickness or suffers from migraine headaches prior to becoming pregnant.

Since it is a widespread, common problem in pregnancy, there has been much research and study conducted related on how to best alleviate it. While there certainly isn’t a cure for morning sickness, there are ways in which it can be managed. Some of these are avoiding foods whose scents cause nausea, avoiding fatty foods, eating many small meals instead of three regular sized ones throughout the day, taking prenatal vitamins with food, drinking plenty of fluids between meals, and taking regular naps, which will allow the body to rest.

Although there is no medical backing for such things, ginger and peppermint seem to alleviate nausea and morning sickness for some women. Other alternative remedies that have been handed down from generation to generation as ways to quell morning sickness include bananas, vitamin B, cloves, cola syrup, honey, ice, lemons and red raspberry leaf tea. Before using any of these remedies, it is wise to first check with ones physician. There are also acupressure bands available that are worn on the wrist over a pressure point that sometimes alleviate morning sickness. If one has tried all of the aforementioned and there appears to be no relief in site, a physician may be able to prescribe an anti-nausea medication that will help. There are many types of these prescription medications available that are safe to use during pregnancy that will offer relief from morning sickness.

It may or may not occur with pregnancy, but if it does, there are numerous ways to manage it. The physician will be able to offer advice concerning this symptom that is a nuisance for so many pregnant women, and who knows, maybe in the near future the medical community will come up with a cure for it. But for now, try not to let morning sickness keep you down.

About the Author
You can find out more about Morning Sickness as well as much more information on women’s issues at http://www.surviving-pregnancy.infofroma-z.com.