For many women, pregnancy is a happy occasion. They look forward to the birth of their little one and begin dreaming of ways to decorate the nursery while imagining who the baby will look like. Before all of this can take place though, you need to verify that conception has actually taken place. This verification comes in the form of the tell-tale signs pregnancy produces.
Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is perhaps one of the most common signs of pregnancy, affecting nearly half of all expectant mothers. It can begin early in the morning, when you first eat, or or you might suffer from it in the afternoon or evening. It is different for every woman. Some even suffer from an uneasy queasy feeling all through the day. While this symptom usually lasts only for the first two months, it can continue for the duration of your pregnancy.
Breast Tenderness
When you first become pregnant, your body wastes no time preparing you for breastfeeding, even if that is not your intention. The hormones estrogen and progesterone take over, and milk production begins. This, in conjunction with the overload of hormones, causes your breasts to become swollen and sore. The Mayo Clinic recommends wearing a supportive bra to help ease your discomfort.
Spotting and Cramping
Approximately six to 12 days after conception, the fertilized egg will implant itself along the uterine wall; this causes implantation bleeding. You will generally notice its signs about a week before your monthly period is due, but the bleeding is different in a couple of ways. First, the bleeding is sporadic. The color also varies, as it is light pink rather than the red of a normal menses. It may also be accompanied by slight cramping.
Frequent Bathroom Breaks
You may notice an increase in the amount of trips you need to make to the bathroom. This is because your body begins to produce extra fluids once conception has taken place. These fluids are needed for the baby in the womb, as well as an extra blood supply for both you and the baby. As stated by Women's Health, this excess fluid is processed by your kidneys and sent to your bladder, resulting in extra trips to the bathroom.
Missed Period
This is the most obvious sign of pregnancy, especially if you are regular and your period comes at the same time every month. Once conception has taken place, you should miss your next expected menses. While being late by one or two days is generally not a real concern, once you are late by a week or more, a pregnancy test is definitely in order.
