16 Early Signs of Pregnancy

It's been a couple weeks since you did the deed, and now you're dying to know: am I pregnant?

You'll need a home pregnancy test or a blood test at your OB's office to know for sure, but until you can take one (the best time is once your period is late) click through these 17 early signs of pregnancy and see if any of them feel familiar.









Shortness of Breath

Do you get winded going up the stairs all of a sudden? It might be because you’re pregnant. The growing fetus needs oxygen, leaving you a little short. Sorry to say, this one may continue throughout your pregnancy, especially as your growing baby starts to put pressure on your lungs and diaphragm.


Sore Breasts

Putting on your bra this morning felt like mild torture. And are you imagining it, or are the girls a little bigger? Tender and heavy-feeling breasts, darkening of the areolas and even more pronounced veins on your chest can be a first sign that you're pregnant. Wear your most supportive bra -- to bed if you need it -- to help ease discomfort.

Fatigue

You didn't even make it through one page of your book last night before falling asleep. If you're suddenly exhausted, it might be a response to the increasing hormones in your body. For many women, tiredness continues through the first trimester, but then ebbs in the second.

Nausea

Most pregnant women start to get the queasies when they're about 6 weeks along, but some can experience morning sickness (which unfortunately can occur morning, noon and night) earlier. It will most likely subside as you enter the second trimester. In the mean time, try to eat foods that will settle your stomach, like crackers or ginger ale.

Frequent Urination

If you suddenly find yourself unable to sleep through the night without a trip to the loo, it might be a sign. During pregnancy your body produces extra fluids, which has your bladder working overtime - and you taking a lot of pee breaks.

Headaches

More early signs of pregnancy include an aching head, a result of changes in hormones. Just in case you are indeed pregnant, take pg-safe acetaminophen instead of ibuprofen to deal with the pain.

Backaches

Is your lower back a little sore? If you don't normally have back pain, it could mean your ligaments are loosening. Sorry, this one might continue through your pregnancy as your weight gain and shifting center of gravity throw your posture out of whack.

Cramping

Is it PMS or pregnancy? It's hard to tell, but if you're feeling crampy, it might be your uterus stretching to get ready for a baby.

Cravings or Food Aversions

Suddenly, you cannot get enough citrus. Or perhaps fish now turns your stomach. If you notice food issues that weren't there before, it could be your body telling you you're pregnant.

Constipation and Bloating

You swear you fit in your skinny jeans just last week. If you're feeling a little puffy or backed up, it might be extra progesterone due to pregnancy, which slows down your digestive system.

Mood Swings

WWIII erupted over your husband's failure to put his socks in the hamper. Moody much? If you're feeling a little hormonal, if might be because your body is adjusting to well, new hormones. Assure your husband that the roller coaster emotions will pass.

Elevated Basal Body Temperature

If you've actively been trying to get pregnant, you may have been charting your basal body temp to pinpoint ovulation. Generally, your BBT is elevated from ovulation until you get your period 2 weeks later. If it stays elevated beyond two weeks, it might be because you're pregnant.

Super Smell

Your garbage can now makes you gag -- guess you're off trash duty! If you're repulsed by certain smells, or have an increased sensitivity to odors, it may mean you've got a bun in the oven.

Dizziness or Fainting

This is the go-to symptom they use to signify pregnancy in movies, but it's based in reality. Low blood sugar or blood pressure can cause a woozy episode. Make sure you eat enough and stay well-hydrated.

Spotting

Darn! You got your period. Or did you? If it was much lighter than normal, and a few days earlier than expected, you may actually be experiencing implantation bleeding, where the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall and causes a little bloodshed.

Late Period

Many of the early signs of pregnancy are also symptoms of PMS. How to tell the difference? The most telling clue yet will be a missed period. If your cycle is fairly regular and you're late, you should head to the drugstore.


Positive Pregnancy Test

You won't know for sure whether you're a mama-to-be until you do the pee-stick test. If you get a negative result and you still don't get your period, it just might just be too early for the test to detect. Wait a few days and try again. And if it's positive -- congratulations!

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Nausea (natural remedies)

• Why it happens
• Which therapies can help?
• Self-help suggestions
• Breakfast for morning sickness

Why it happens

Nausea, also known as 'morning sickness', and mild vomiting are common symptoms in early pregnancy. You may experience feelings of nausea accompanied by tiredness and lethargy at different times of the day, but usually the symptoms will clear up by the end of the first three months. Occasionally, symptoms can continue throughout pregnancy, and may be more likely to do so if you are expecting twins. Severe vomiting that does not stop (hyperemesis) requires urgent medical attention.

Although the causes of nausea in pregnancy are not yet known, the following have been suggested as contributing factors: low blood sugar, low blood pressure, hormonal changes, emotional ambivalence about the pregnancy, food deficiency (in particular of vitamin B6 and iron), an excess of refined, spicy, or greasy foods, and pressure on the stomach from the growing uterus in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Which therapies can help?

• Homeopathy. There are several remedies that can be effective, so consultation with a homeopath is recommended. (To find a registered practitioner, visit our complementary therapies A-Z.)
• Acupuncture, psychotherapy, and cranial osteopathy. These therapies may all be effective in relieving nausea.
• Herbalism. Consultation with a herbalist is recommended since there is such a wide range of herbs that may be useful. Chamomile and wild yam root, for example, aid digestion and have a sedative effect, while balm and meadowsweet are soothing.
• Shiatsu. Applying pressure to the stomach meridian may alleviate symptoms.
• Aromatherapy. Use essential oils of lavender, chamomile, and rose (either singly or combined) mixed with a base oil, as a massage oil. You can also put a drop or two of one of these on a tissue and carry it with you.

Self-help suggestions

Listed below are some useful tips and natural remedies that may be helpful for nausea. If one remedy doesn't work, experiment with another:
• Practice deep breathing, meditation, and yoga and try to take an hour's walk in the fresh air every day.
• Consider possible emotional causes and seek professional help if need be, or discuss your feelings with someone understanding.
• A protein-rich snack eaten half an hour before you go to bed in the evening will help to ensure that your blood sugar level doesn't fall too low during the night.
• Try to remember to get up slowly out of bed and take your time in the morning. You may find a teaspoon of cider vinegar in a cup of warm water helpful first thing.
• An infusion of grated ginger root may bring relief if drunk while you are feeling nauseous.
• Increase the iron-rich foods in your diet, such as beef, sardines, eggs, dried fruit and green leafy vegetables.
• If you have no appetite, take 10-20g of vitamin B6 as a daily supplement.
• Try an audio-therapy CD. Similar to those developed for travel-sickness, CDs are now available to ease the symptoms of morning sickness. Frequencies and pulses, disguised by music, interrupt signals from your brain to your gut telling your body to be sick.

Breakfast for morning sickness

Stay in bed for half an hour after waking and sip a digestive herbal tea, such as peppermint, fennel or chamomile, or a glass of mineral water with a few dry crackers. Rise slowly, have some fresh fruit or fruit juice and breathe deeply in the open air. Half an hour later have a slice of wholegrain toast with yeast extract and a second cup of herbal tea.

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