Not Sure If Hungry Or Sick
Oh dear, our appetite really can be a bit of a rollercoaster in early pregnancy. It can be a confusing time when youre not sure if youre feeling sick because you need to eat or youre feeling sick because youve got morning sickness and eating will make it worse.
Forum mum-to-be katie4matthew sums it all up when she says, I cant tell the difference between feeling sick and hungry at the moment. Im so confused!
Increased Oil In Your Skin
Some women experience more oil production from their sebum glands, thanks to hormone fluctuations. Also, more blood volume can increase the secretion of oil. You may be especially prone if you already have oily or combination skin.
This can have some unwanted side effects, such as acne. But along with acne, increased oils can also make your face look like its glowing.
Remember: Take A Test
The most important thing you can do if you feel you may be pregnant is take a pregnancy test. These are inexpensive and widely available. You can even find them sometimes at the dollar stores! There are also community resources available such as Planned Parenthood, where you can get a test for free if you cannot afford to pay.
If you are too shy to buy one yourself, ask a friend to pick one up for you. You can even buy them on Amazon. For your health and your babys health, its best to know as soon as you can if you are indeed pregnant. Buck up and get one!
When taken properly, home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate. Though some say you can take them up for five days before your missed period, the earlier you test, the more likely you are to get a false negative. If the test is negative and your period still doesnt come, try again.
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Weeks Pregnant: Your Symptoms
Every mom-to-beâs experience of pregnancy is unique. In fact, what you experience during this pregnancy may be different to what you experienced during a previous pregnancy. To help you feel more prepared for whatever may come, take a look at this list of possible symptoms of pregnancy at four weeks:
Cramping Outside Of Your Period Could Be A Sign Of Pregnancy
Several pregnancy symptoms are similar to the signs that your period is on its way.
But if you feel those familiar cramps come on, it might not be that time of the month. Instead, it might mean you’re pregnant.
“The cramping that occurs during early pregnancy comes from the increased blood flow to the uterus,” Dr. Michele Justice told The Bump. “The cramps before your period are due to increased prostaglandins that help the uterus prepare to shed its lining.”
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How To Treat Bloating
In order to treat occasional bloating that appears due to pregnancy or other causes, you can try the following methods:
- eat slowly: as you read above, eating quickly leads to swallowing a lot of air, so try to take your time while you eating to decrease the chances of bloating
- avoid chewing gum: chewing gum simply leads to swallowing too much air, which might make your symptoms even worse
- eat smaller meals: people experiencing bloating are often more sensitive to having food in their stomachs, which is why eating smaller portions can alleviate some problems
- take supplements: taking probiotics or digestive enzyme supplements can help you overcome bloating and reduce the symptoms of gas or other digestive problems
- prevent constipation: constipation can make bloating symptoms even worse, so make sure you drink enough water, stay active and read about other tips that can help you fight against constipation.
- drink mineral water: like Donat! Its health benefits have been scientifically proven, as it draws the water from the intestinal wall, increasing the volume of the intestinal content, putting more pressure on the intestinal wall, and thus helping ease the way to unblocked bowels.
Bloating is an extremely common symptom of various conditions, and you can also feel bloated when pregnant.
How To Relieve Stomach Gas In Early Pregnancy
Bloating is normal in early and throughout pregnancy because of the slowed digestion mechanisms. However here are tips to get relieve you from bloating.
- Modify your diet: Aim to eat foods rich in fibers which will help absorb water in the digestive tract to get food moving down the intestines
- Drink more water: Water simply keeps things moving down your tract to avoid constipation which in return triggers bloating. Additionally, water keeps you hydrated.
- Eat smaller portions: Do not overload your digestive system by eating larger meals. It is advisable that you eat smaller portions throughout the day which will be easily digested. Remember to steer clear off unhealthy snacking. Always get yourself off the couch.
Move around and take part in light exercises like rope skipping or walking. Exercise during this period will tone down your digestive tract muscles and help you eliminate gas. Walking at least 30 minutes daily will do you good.
It is important to cut down on other foods known to contain gas such as cabbage, onions, fried foods and sugary foods. You can always find alternatives to such foods and stay healthy all the way.
Additionally:
- Chew your food thoroughly to make it easily digestible
- Avoid chewing gum, causes you to swallow air causing gut irritation
- Avoid talking while eating, only causes you to take in more air.
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How Long Does Gas In Pregnancy Last
A bloated stomach and constipation may persist into late pregnancy. It gets worse as the uterus expands and pushes back against the intestines. Take comfort your baby will soon arrive.
In such cases, ensure the juices you take dont contain certain bloating-promoting sugars known as FODMAPs. Examples are grape, cranberry, orange, and pineapple juices. You also must monitor your sugar intake in juices and carbonated drinks to reduce the risk of increased gas.
Exercise can help with gas: physical activity and exercise should become a part of your daily routine. You may not make it to the gym, but you can take a daily walk for at least 30 minutes per session. Exercise will promote emotional and physical fitness while also speeding up digestion and reducing the risk of constipation and heartburn. However, consult with your healthcare provider before starting any fitness regime.
Test your diet: be observant about the foods that trigger gas and bloating, and try removing them from your diet one at a time. Do this until your gas symptoms improve, but ensure you always have a balanced meal. Common gas culprits include broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, fried foods, whole grains, dairy products, beans, and wheat.
Have a fiber-rich diet: interestingly, most of the foods that contribute to gas problems in the short term can help manage the situation. Fiber, for example, helps bring more water to the intestines hence softening the stool and allowing for its smooth passage.
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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Which Pregnancy Books Should I Buy
If you are expecting or trying for a baby, you might want to buy some pregnancy books to help you prepare for motherhood. Weve put together some recommendations below, along with descriptions to help you decide whether or not these books are suitable for you or not.
First-Time Parent: The honest guide to coping brilliantly and staying sane in your babys first year, by Lucy Atkins
This includes surviving the first few days, adapting to your new routine, why your baby is crying, sleep advice, and so much more. Her guide also includes information on single parenting, and on adopted, multiple and special needs babies.
The Modern Midwifes Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond, by Marie Louise
Senior Midwife Marie Louise created this book to share up-to-date findings and expert insights into pregnancy, and this book is suitable for any women. Whether youre planning a pregnancy, you are pregnant, or youre well into your third trimester, this book is packed with facts and advice.
From incredible facts about breast milk to educating about labour, Maries guide is designed to help women understand more about their body and their growing baby, and what they can do to support them.
Were Pregnant! The First Time Dads Pregnancy Handbook, by Adrian Kulp
If youre a Dad whos expecting, or someone who wants to prepare their partner for what to expect, then this seems like the book for you.
How to Grow a Baby Journal, by Clemmie Hooper
When Pregnancy Is Unintentional
If you had unprotected sex or a contraceptive failure and fear you could get pregnant, emergency contraception is an option. Commonly called the “morning-after pill,” medications are available over-the-counter that can prevent pregnancy if taken within five days of having unprotected sex.
The sooner you take these medications, the more effective they are in preventing an unintended pregnancy. These medications do not cause an abortion, but rather prevent a pregnancy from being established.
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How To Deal With It:
Youll probably want to invest in some different kinds of bras, which could be larger, made out of cotton, and underwire-free. Wearing a bra to bed might help ease the pain as well. Though your larger twins might look enticing to your partner, make sure you let them know that they are welcome to look, but touching should be kept to a minimum.
If youre pregnant, your body is working hard to make another human, so youre feeling tired for many reasons!
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What Are Some Less Common Signs Of Early Pregnancy
There are some additional signs of early pregnancy that arent as common. Just like with the most common symptoms, these signs of pregnancy may or may not happen. Its important to remember that everyone is different and will experience unique symptoms.
Less common signs of early pregnancy can include:
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Why You Feel Pregnant
It can be fairly common to experience some physical symptoms as you enter into what many people call the two-week wait, the period of time between when you ovulate and when you expect your period. These symptoms can include:
- Breast soreness
- Mood swings
- Nausea and/or changes in appetite
While all of the symptoms could be pregnancy symptoms, they are more likely explained by either fluctuation in your hormones due to your menstrual cycle, or by other events in your life. These events can include illness, stress, or even something as simple as not enough sleep or too much exercise.
Some people experience premenstrual syndrome symptoms as pregnancy symptoms, where others do not typically have these symptoms every cycle.
When you experience a symptom that is not common to your cycle, it may be easily confused with a potential pregnancy.
To help relieve focusing on these symptoms, you can take positive steps for your physical and emotional health. Eating nutritious foods, quitting smoking, and limiting or avoiding alcohol will promote your health and wellness whether or not it turns out you are pregnant.
Is Bloating An Early Sign Of Pregnancy
When you think you might be expecting, you will start looking for signs that you are in fact pregnant. During the first weeks of a pregnancy, there is no sure way to tell whether you conceived without a positive test result on your pregnancy test. Despite that, there are signs that your body gives you indicating that you are pregnant.
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Needing The Loo More Often
If youre pregnant, the loo may become your new best friend over the next few months. One Taiwanese study found that urinary frequency aka needing to pee a lot affects 77% of pregnant women.
At the very beginning of pregnancy, its not the pressure of your growing baby on your bladder thats causing you to wee a lot . Instead, its pregnancy increasing the blood flow to your kidneys by 35% to 60% and because its the kidneys job to produce urine, that means more urine collecting in your bladder.
As mum-to-be lunar eclipse says on our forum, it can get a bit much, especially at night. Im 5 weeks and peeing at least 3 to 4 times every night. Ive not got a decent sleep for about a week now. It surely cant get worse Ill be sleeping on the toilet!
Tingling And Numbness In Your Hands
Carpal tunnel syndrome tingling and numbness in your hands affects up to 60 per cent of women during pregnancy. It is caused by compression of the median nerve due to an increase in the tissue fluids during pregnancy.
Carpal tunnel syndrome may be mild, intermittently painful, or severe, which may cause partial paralysis of the thumb or loss of sensation. Symptoms usually resolve on their own soon after birth.
If you are experiencing tingling and numbness in your hands, inform your doctor or midwife. In very severe cases, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections or surgical treatment.
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Can You Feel Bloated At 3 Weeks Pregnant
Although you may not know that youre pregnant yet, you might be experiencing your first symptoms of early pregnancy this week. Bloating and mood swings are all very common symptoms of pregnancy at this stage. These symptoms are mainly due to an increase in the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
The 12 Early Signs Of Pregnancy From Feeling Tired To Headaches
- Vanessa Chalmers, Digital Health Reporter
- 12:48 ET, Apr 28 2021
A HEADACHE one day and bloating another – the signs of pregnancy are all too common in every day life.
It can take several weeks before you put them together and realise you could be carrying a baby.
Doctors calculate pregnancy from the first day of a womans last period, rather than from the date the baby was conceived – if the parents can remember it.
The first obvious sign is usually a missed period.
But even this could go amiss in a small number of women who are used to erratic menstrual cycles, or who simply dont track their usual pattern.
Not all women experience the same pregnancy symptoms.
But the most common are fatigue, breast tenderness, nausea and bloating, Lia Moss, a certified nurse midwife at Northwestern Medicine, who delivers babies at Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago, told LiveScience.
Find out more about these signs:
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Painful Gas Causes And Prevention During Pregnancy
Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
Gas and bloating are common discomforts of pregnancy. These digestion-related symptoms, which can range from mildly uncomfortable to downright painful, are caused by a variety of factors, including hormones and diet. The uptick in bloating and gas can come and go but can be an annoyance throughout pregnancy.
Heres what you need to know about the symptoms and causes of painful gas and bloating during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as some tips on how to find relief and when to call the doctor.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
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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Why Is The Top Of My Stomach Big
Upper belly fat can be the result of your body storing water weight. Sodium consumption, dehydration, and a lack of electrolytes can cause your body to retain water. This can make your stomach and other areas of your body appear swollen. Stick to a diet low in salt while youre working to lose belly fat.
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Loss Of Appetite For Favourite Foods
Pregnancy can really mess with your eating habits, thats for sure. As well as craving foods you may not have previously been interested in, you can actually lose a taste for some foods and drinks that are usually a big part of your normal diet. Women sometimes go off staples such as coffee, tea or fatty foods. Changes in tastes and a heightened sense of smell are very common and can persist throughout pregnancy but do tend to be strongest early on, Dr Knight explained.
What else could it be?People often experience a loss in appetite when theyre feeling anxious or stressed. This is because anxiety triggers emotional and psychological changes in your body to help you deal with the pressure, they often affect the stomach and digestive tract and can make you lose your appetite. When youre feeling more relaxed, your appetite should return back to normal.
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