Why Does It Happen
During early pregnancy, levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones spike, which causes increased blood flow to your breasts. These hormones are also why some women experience breast tenderness around the time of ovulation and as part of PMSbut in that case, the hormones begin to plummet as you get closer to the start of your period, and the breast pain subsides. If youve conceived, your hormone levels will rise rather than fall and your breasts will become increasingly tender.
Shortness Of Breath During Pregnancy
Shortness of breath can happen due to increased upward pressure from the uterus and changes in physiologic lung function.
Recommendations:
- When walking, slow down and rest a few moments.
- Raise your arms over your head .
- Avoid lying flat on your back, and try sleeping with your head elevated.
- If prolonged shortness of breathing continues or you experience sharp pain when inhaling, contact your health care provider. You could have a pulmonary embolism .
Frequent Urination And Incontinence During Early Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body increase the amount of blood it pumps. This causes the kidney to process more fluid than usual, which leads to more fluid in your bladder.
Hormones also play a large role in bladder health. You may find yourself running to the bathroom more frequently or accidentally leaking.
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Pregnancy Glow And Acne During Early Pregnancy
Many people may begin saying you have the pregnancy glow. The combination of increased blood volume and higher hormone levels pushes more blood through your vessels. This causes the bodys oil glands to work overtime.
This increased activity of your bodys oil glands gives your skin a flushed, glossy appearance. On the other hand, you may also develop acne.
Cramping And Spotting During Early Pregnancy
From week 1 to week 4, everything is still happening on a cellular level. The fertilized egg creates a blastocyst that will develop into the babys organs and body parts.
About 10 to 14 days after conception, the blastocyst will implant in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This can cause implantation bleeding, which may be mistaken for a light period.
Here are some signs of implantation bleeding:
- Color: The color of each episode may be pink, red, or brown.
- Bleeding: Bleeding is usually compared to your regular menstrual period. Spotting is defined by blood present only when wiping.
- Pain: Pain may be mild, moderate, or severe. According to a , 28 percent of women associated their spotting and light bleeding with pain.
- Episodes: Implantation bleeding is likely to last less than three days and doesnt require treatment.
Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illicit drugs, which are associated with heavy bleeding.
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Understanding When Youll Be Most Fertile
When your body releases an egg during ovulation, it has 12 to 24 hours to live. Yikes! It must meet a sperm during that time, or else it dies and you wont get pregnant.
But heres the good news if youre trying to get pregnant: Sperm have a much longer life. In fact, sperm can live for up to seven days inside of your body.
So, its possible that if you have sex shortly before ovulation, you can get pregnant from sperm that was waiting inside your body.
You may want to track your fertility so you know when you have the highest chances of getting pregnant. At the end of week 1, its possible to get a better idea of when youll ovulate by:
- charting your menstrual cycle on a calendar
- checking your cervical mucus
- continuing to measure your basal metabolic temperature if you use this method of family planning
- using ovulation test strips that measure your bodys hormone levels, and can tell you whether or not youre ovulating
All of this is sometimes called the fertility awareness method. It may help you get pregnant, but its not the most reliable form of birth control so beware.
Are Home Pregnancy Tests The Best Way To Check For An Early Pregnancy
Home pregnancy tests are generally very reliable. These tests involve urinating on a small test strip and then waiting for a symbol to appear in the result window. This window will usually show a test image . This symbol appears first and means that the test is working. Always check the packaging and instructions of your test to make sure it is working correctly. Within a few minutes, the test will show either a positive result or a negative result. Some digital tests will display a word or phrase .
Blood tests for a possible pregnancy are done in your healthcare providers office. This version of the test looks for hCG in your blood. You still need to wait for hCG to build up in your body before taking this type of pregnancy test. Your healthcare provider may recommend this option in some cases. Call your provider if you suspect youre pregnant and discuss the best type of test.
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When Should You See A Doctor About A New Pregnancy
If youve taken a pregnancy test and its positive, go ahead and make your first prenatal visit right away.
At the first prenatal visit, youll get a physical exam and other tests to make sure everything is looking healthy, and youll learn about your pregnancy timeline. Youll also get to talk through any expectations and questions you have about your pregnancy.
Questions or concerns about your symptoms? Our 24/7 nurse line is free for our members and patients.
Positive pregnancy test? Schedule a visit.
What Causes Bloating And Gas In Thefirst Two Weeks Of Pregnancy
The cause of bloating in early pregnancy is the increasedlevels of hormone progesterone. This hormone causes smooth muscles to relax.
For pregnancy to carry on, it is crucial that you have thishormone in place until childbirth. Progesterone triggers gas, burping andbloating since it causes smooth muscles including those of the digestive tractto weaken.
- The muscle relaxation is what prompts nutrientsto move gradually to reach the developing baby.
- However, the problem is that as this process takesplace, your overall metabolism slows down causing bloating.
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Opt For Smaller Meals
The more food you pump into your stomach at a sitting, the more gas you’ll be pumping out. Fueling up on six small meals a day or three moderate ones plus two or three snacks will not only keep your nutrition levels constant to better nourish your baby, they’ll prevent your digestive system from getting overloaded, keeping gas pains and heartburn in check.
Symptoms Dwindle In The Second Trimester
Many of the body changes and symptoms of pregnancy you experience in the first trimester will start to fade once you reach the second trimester. Talk with your doctor about any symptoms that interfere with your daily life. Together, you can find relief and comfort for your pregnancy.
To receive week-by-week guidance about early pregnancy symptoms and more, sign up for our Im Expecting newsletter.
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Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby’s Development
Congratulations if you’ve just found out you are pregnant! You may have discovered this after having missed your period. At four weeks pregnant, a home pregnancy test could show a positive result if it detects the pregnancy hormone hCG , which is present in your urine about 10 days after conception.
Whether youâre completely thrilled about the prospect of becoming a parent, or are still getting used to the idea, now is the time to start planning while treating yourself to some extra-special care. If you’re wondering when to expect your little one, try our Due Date Calculator to find out!
While youâve been adjusting to being pregnant, the new life inside you has been busy. The fertilized egg is implanting itself into the side of your uterus.
It rapidly divides into layers of cells, some of which become the embryo. The cell layers will start to grow into different parts of your little one’s body, such as the nervous system, skeleton, muscles, organs, and skin.
The placenta, a disk-like organ that connects your bodyâs systems to that of the baby, begins to form and attaches to the uterine wall where the egg is implanted.
The umbilical cord will eventually come out of one side of the placenta, and the amniotic fluid, which will cushion your baby throughout your pregnancy, is already forming inside a surrounding membrane, or yolk sac.
During the upcoming weeks, your little one will form a neural tube, which is the main building block for the brain and spine.
Take A Pregnancy Test
If youre still not too sure whether the cause pf your missed period and bloating are lifestyle changes, the best way to determine whether youre experiencing the very early symptoms of pregnancy would be to take a pregnancy test at home.
Such tests can be purchased in any pharmacy or even online, if youd like to avoid buying yours in person. However, bear in mind that home pregnancy tests can show false results, especially in the early stages of pregnancy.
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What Does Early Pregnancy Bloating Feel Like
Although you wont be looking like youre smuggling a beach ball under your shirt just yet, bloating in early pregnancy might have you feeling like a balloon thats been blown up too far.
Your stomach might feel tight, tense, and harder than usual when pressed.
Bloating is often accompanied by constipation and gas during pregnancy, so you may well be feeling a bit stopped up too.
Medically speaking, pregnancy bloating isnt a big concern, but it sure can be uncomfortable and sometimes difficult to deal with mentally, too.
You might only be a few weeks pregnant and definitely not ready to break out the maternity clothes yet.
We hear you.
Your body changes in many ways during pregnancy, and not always in the glowing skin and luscious hair kind of ways either.
Luckily, there are some tips and tricks you can try to help soothe the pain, so you might be feeling more like yourself again soon.
As ever, if youre suffering from severe abdominal pain at any point in pregnancy, its worth a chat with your doctor.
How To Get Rid Of Early Pregnancy Bloating
Posts on Clarks Condensed contain affiliate links, which I earn a small commission from. These are provided for your convenience, and the price isn’t increased at all.
Are you just a few weeks pregnant but suddenly feel a few months due to early pregnancy bloating? Maybe youre waiting for that positive test and are wondering if that bloat is from pregnancy or an impending period. Heres why this happens and what you can do!
My attempts to hide my pregnancy for a few more weeks seemed futile as I walked past the mirror at six weeks.
The night before my stomach was flat . That morning? It looked like I was at least five or six months pregnant.
People say you always show sooner and bigger with your second, but I didnt expect that to happen until a little later on.
Im all about embracing your baby bump but man, I was only six weeks pregnant. I couldnt believe that I actually was already showing that much part of me was convinced I must have been pregnant with twins!
Then I remembered hearing about this before early pregnancy bloat. So, I googled it.
I was definitely not the only one to go to bed one morning and wake up with a belly the next. Frequent bloating in early pregnancy is very normal
It can also be one of the first early pregnancy signs mom experiences. Because bloating is common with a menstrual cycle, it might make you wonder if youre pregnant or if Aunt Flo is just on the horizon.
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Abdominal Pain Or Discomfort
Sharp, shooting pains on either side of your stomach may result from the stretching tissue supporting your growing uterus. These pains may also travel down your thigh and into your leg.
Recommendations:
- Change your position or activity until you are comfortable; avoid sharp turns or movements.
- If you have a sudden pain in your abdomen, bend forward to the point of pain to relieve tension and relax the tissue.
- Apply a hot water bottle or heating pad to your back, or take a warm bath or shower.
- Try a massage.
Heightened Sense Of Smell
If your favorite dish suddenly smells like dead fish, you may be experiencing one of the more bizarre early signs of pregnancy. Often associated with morning sickness and all the lovely things that come with it, having a super sniffer isnt exactly a blessing. Most of the time, the strong smells will seem nauseating to the mom-to-be.
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High Basal Body Temperature
If youve been charting your basal body temp, you may be privy to one of the subtle signs of pregnancy that many women wont even notice: a higher than normal reading. When youre charting, your basal temperature peaks when you ovulate, then gradually decreases during the latter part of your cycle until your period begins. But if you get pregnant during the cycle, your basal temperature wont plummet; instead, itll stay high.
Is Bloating Or Gas An Early Sign Of Pregnancy
One of the very early signs of pregnancy in the first week is bloating. Even though it can be hard for many women to distinguish early pregnancy bloating and period bloating, most of them find it normal to be bloated during these times.
But what causes gas after conception? Is being bloated before period a sign of pregnancy? Not always, but if accompanied by other pregnancy symptoms, it is likely to be a sign that will be followed by a positive pregnancy test.
High levels of progesterone after ovulation reduce contractions in the gut leading to bloating and accumulation of gas.
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About Our Fertility Expert Dr Amin Gorgy
Dr Gorgy co-founded The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy in 2004 and is now its co-director. Previously, he was the deputy director of the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre. He is a fellow of the;Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and a member of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.
Tender Tingly Darker More Sticky Out Nipples
Your nipples may also change significantly during the early weeks of pregnancy. Your nipples may begin to ache, tingle or protrude more than usual, says midwife Ellie. The areoles the dark circle around your nipple may also become even darker and larger.
Tender nipples were the first sign for Tamarabell on our forum. I started to get a feeling I was pregnant about 1.5 weeks before I was due on, so pretty early, she says. I had really tender nipples and sort of butterflies in my tummy for a few days. My test came up positive the week before I was due. The doctor didnt believe it and made me do another one. I just sort of knew that something was different!
Whod have thought wed ever get excited about sore/dark nipples! adds lynz_81, whos been pregnant before. Be warned: they will only get bigger and darker now!
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Missed Period During Early Pregnancy
Once implantation is complete, your body will begin producing human chorionic gonadotropin . This hormone helps the body maintain the pregnancy. It also tells the ovaries to stop releasing mature eggs each month.
You will likely miss your next period four weeks after conception. If you have an irregular period, youll want to take a pregnancy test to confirm.
Most home tests can detect hCG as soon as eight days after a missed period. A pregnancy test will be able to detect hCG levels in your urine and show if you are pregnant.
Bloating Or Pregnant How Do You Tell
If youve been sexually active in the past few weeks, then pregnancy is a possibility, but other factors can cause bloating. Those who track their menstrual cycles know if they missed their period or not, which is extremely helpful in determining if its a possibility.;
The best way to figure it out is to take a home pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests are typically accurate if taken on the day that your cycle is due to arrive, and directions are followed correctly.;
If you worry about these tests accuracy, you can ask your doctor to order a blood test.
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How Long Does Pregnancy Bloating Last
Sorry, but that ate-too-much feeling you’ve been experiencing is a;pregnancy symptom;that’s likely to get worse as your uterus keeps expanding and pressing on your stomach and intestines.;
It’s a bit of a pain for you , but take comfort in knowing that your baby is oblivious to the discomfort of pregnancy bloating and the other pregnancy symptoms you’re experiencing .
Unusual Feelings And Emotions
If your emotions feel a little out of balance in early pregnancy, the reason is once again hormones. Its most common in the first trimester, so the feeling of being on an emotional roller coaster will likely settle down after a little while.
As with other early pregnancy symptoms, you may find that staying active, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a social life can help you deal with these symptoms.
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