Pregnanacy Symptoms

Some women sail through pregnancy with only very minor signs or symptoms, whereas others seem to have it all. If this is you, don’t be afraid. There are many things you can do to ease the effect your pregnancy symptoms have on you. Also, take comfort in the fact that many of the things described below will disappear by the early portion of your second trimester. Most likely, you won’t experience any symptoms of pregnancy until about the time you’ve missed your period or shortly thereafter.

If you start to experience one or many of the symptoms below and you haven’t had a period for a while, you may very well be pregnant. Take a home pregnancy test and find out for sure. It’s best to wait until at least the first day of a missed period before you take a pregnancy test. If it’s negative, try another test again in a few days. Once you have a positive result, make an appointment with your practitioner and head on over to our Stages of Pregnancy section.

Missed Period

Among the first signs of pregnancy is a missed period. If you have missed your period, then home pregnancy test kits can help determine if you are indeed pregnant. These tests measure the levels of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG. This is secreted in large amounts if you are pregnant and can be found in your urine.

It is best to purchase an ultra-sensitive home test. The most sensitive tests register below 20 mIU/ml and can detect pregnancy as early as six to eight days after conception. Tests that are less sensitive can often be incorrect. Others may not be able to detect pregnancy if they are performed on the first day of a missed period. It is best to determine if you are pregnant as soon as possible so you can start taking care of yourself.

Reasons for a Missed Period

Pregnancy is the most common reason for a missed period.
During breastfeeding you may find that you will miss your period. However, it is important to realize that you can still get pregnant during this time. Certain medical conditions can cause you to miss your period, with it resuming when you are healthy again. If you have a co-existing illness that may be causing you to miss your period, see your medical doctor.

Excessive exercise.

Females who exercise excessively (e.g. marathon runners) will have periods of menstruation cessation. By reducing their exercise to more appropriate levels, they are usually able to return to normal cycles. Also, low body weight associated with excessive exercise or poor eating habits/malnutrition can cause disruptions in your cycle.
Birth control pills often cause some women to miss their period completely. Even after you stop taking the pill, you may experience aberrant menstrual cycles for three to six months.

Menopause.

As women approach menopause, their periods continue to get more and more irregular until they eventually stop completely.

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding is often confused for a period as it occurs at the same time as the expected period would occur. Since implantation bleeding is lighter than your normal period, it is also easy to mistake it for breakthrough bleeding or spotting. Implantation bleeding occurs when the trophoblast attaches itself to the endometrium and slowly starts eating away the lining, thereby causing implantation bleeding. It usually appears light pink or brown in color. How long it will last tends to vary from woman to woman. Although some women may refer to implantation bleeding as pregnancy spotting, they are not one and the same thing. Spotting in early pregnancy can occur for various reasons and is not necessarily implantation bleeding.

Pregnancy can be a difficult time for a woman, even more so if you’re going it alone. If you’re a single mom or single mom-to-be, then visit Pregnancy Stories to share your experience and words of advice with other single mothers.

Morning sickness

Although everyone talks about it, morning sickness only affects about 50% of women at some time during their pregnancy. Often, it may be the first sign that you are pregnant, but usually morning sickness won’t hit you until about a month after conception. Some women are sick all day while others just sick at night. The symptoms may vary form mild queasiness to vomiting. Typically, morning sickness tends to peak around eight to ten weeks, when your hormone levels are highest, and then will taper off as you begin your second trimester. A rare form of morning sickness known as hyperemesis gravidarum is a condition of uncontrollable nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that results in dehydration and acidosis. Using specially formatted tapes can help curb your nausea discomfort.

Breast soreness

As is common during your periods, breasts become extra sensitive during your pregnancy. This is caused by increasing levels of hormones that accompany pregnancy. These same hormones are present during your period but to a lesser degree, which is why you may also experience tender, swollen breasts during your period. This feeling typically diminishes significantly after the first trimester and goes away after the second trimester of your pregnancy.

Headaches

Due to the changes in your body, headaches are a common symptom of pregnancy. However, headaches alone are not a reliable sign of pregnancy since many other conditions exist that may cause headaches. A new headache should always be evaluated by your health care practitioner.

Bloating

Bloating is present both in pregnancy and prior to your period. It may be present immediately or within a few weeks.

Vaginal discharge

Vaginal discharge with itching or burning may be a sign of an infection or a sexually transmitted disease. However, without itching or burning, a discharge may be present during pregnancy. This is due to the build up of mucous that is occurring in the cervix to create a plug in order to shield your developing baby from infections and other harmful things.

Fatigue

Changes in the hormones in your body, especially increased progesterone levels, may cause you to feel tired or even completely exhausted. Further, the extra effort that your body is exerting when starting to make and nurture a baby will magnify your fatigue. Once you hit your second trimester, your normal energy levels should return.

Bleeding or spotting

Some women experience a small amount of red, pink or reddish brown spotting. This is a normal sign and indicates that the fertilized egg is beginning to burrow into the lining of your uterus about six days after fertilization. However, if you also experience pain along with pregnany spotting or bleeding, call your doctor immediately as this can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.

Increased sensitivity to odors and foods

It is not uncommon to be overwhelmed by certain smells that you liked before or find that certain foods are now completely repulsive to you. Both of these signs may be a side effect of rapidly increasing estrogen in your system and may come and go or last throughout your pregnancy.

Frequent urination

With pregnancy, your body increases the amount of blood and other fluids which leads to extra fluid being filtered by your kidneys and ending up in your bladder. The result is that you may find yourself going to the bathroom at a much higher frequency than before. This may start as early as six weeks into your first trimester and remain or even get worse throughout your pregnancy.

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A home pregnancy test will help you learn quickly whether or not you’re pregnant. If you have the typical signs of pregnancy, using an ultra-sensitive pregnancy test will tell you what you need to know in the privacy of your own home.

Pregnancy and Genetic Counseling

Genetic counseling is the process of determining the risk you have of passing on an inheritable disease to your baby. Genetic counseling involves a specially trained healthcare professional who identifies families at risk, investigates the problem present in the family, interprets information about the disorder, analyzes inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and reviews available options with the family.

Who should seek genetic counseling?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 3% of babies born in the United States will have a birth defect. Genetic counseling is not necessary for the majority of couples who are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant. Genetic counseling should be considered by couples who have one or more of the following risk factors:

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  Abnormal results are obtained from routine prenatal testing
  
  
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  Amniocentesis results identify a chromosomal defect
  
  
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  An inherited disease is present in a close family member
  
  
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  If either partner has already had a child with a birth defect or genetic disorder
  
  
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  If the mother is over 35 years old

The following represents some of the ethnic groups which have a greater chance for certain genetic defects:

Ethnic Group	Genetic Defect
African Americans	Sickle Cell Anemia
Central or Eastern Jews	Tay - Sachs disease
Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern	Thalassemia

What is involved in genetic counseling?

When you are working with a genetic counselor there are a number of things you should expect. You should start with your blood relatives on both sides to begin creating a comprehensive background on specific diseases and why they occurred. This is probably the most important piece of evaluating genetic risks.

To help facilitate this evaluation, your healthcare provider will probably ask some of the following questions:

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  Do you have a history of diabetes, hypertension, cancer or twins?
  
  
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  Are there any diseases that seem to run in your family?
  
  
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  Is there a history of genetic disease like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, or muscular dystrophy?
  
  
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  Is there anyone with mental retardation or any kind of birth defect?
  
  
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  Have any of your sisters, cousins, or other relatives had problems with their pregnancies?
  
  
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  Are your parents alive, and are they healthy?
  
  
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  What is your ethnic background?
  
  
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  Is there any reason that you suspect that your baby may be born with a birth defect or other medical problem?


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  What are genes and chromosomes?

  
  

  A gene is a segment of DNA that is coded to pass along a certain trait; it has a specific task (i.e. determining the color of your eyes). Genes are the simplest building blocks of heredity. They are grouped together in specific patterns within a person’s chromosomes, forming the unique "blueprint" for every physical and biological characteristic of that person.

  
  

  Chromosomes are made up of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules. Humans have 46 chromosomes arranged in pairs in every living cell of our bodies. When the egg and sperm join at conception, half of each chromosomal pair is inherited from each parent.

  
  

  
  

  What causes genetic disorders?

  
  

  Genetic disorders may be caused by of a variety of reasons. Genetic disorders may be caused by abnormalities in the chromosomes, which are referred to as chromosomal abnormalities. Disorders may also be caused by a single gene, which may be identified as dominant, recessive or X-linked disorders.

  
  

  Dominant Disorders: One gene is defective and it overrides the normal gene

  
  

  Recessive Disorders: Both genes in the pair are defective

  
  

  X-linked Disorders: A defective gene is on an X chromosome, which may be recessive or dominant

  
  

  The following is a list of potential explanations for birth defects or genetic disorders:

  
  

  
  
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    Spontaneous mutation
    
    
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    Errors in cell division
    
    
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    Single gene changes because of environmental exposure to chemicals or radiation
    
    
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    Defect in the development of the sperm or the egg
    
    
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    Recreational drug use
    
    
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    Exposure to lead or industrial chemicals

Pregnancy Problems

While every pregnant woman wishes for a healthy and full pregnancy, the reality is that in many cases pregnancy problems do arise. These complications can range from mild to severe, including general health concerns as well as those specific to pregnancy, and may result in pregnancy loss.

Luckily, there are some pregnancy risks factors that women can avoid in order to increase the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and child. Indeed, exposure to toxins such as cigarettes and alcohol is likely to affect both the mother as well as the baby’s health, the consequences of which may have lasting effects in the future.
Even if a mother avoids exposure to potentially dangerous substances, other unexpected pregnancy complications may arise. Knowing some of the signs and symptoms of these pregnancy concerns can help ensure early diagnosis and treatment of these potentially harmful conditions.

Pregnancy complications not only affect the mother’s health but may impact the health of her child. Our complications with baby section provides a useful guide for parents concerned with medical conditions that may affect their newborn baby.

Sexually transmitted diseases pose unique concerns during pregnancy, since these may affect an unborn child or be transmitted from mother to baby during birth. Find out about treatment options and health precautions that women can take when it comes to STDs and pregnancy.

Labor and Birth

Searching for information on labor and birth? Pregnant-Momz.blogspot.com provides you with all you need to know about preparing for the birth of your baby.

It’s never too early to start thinking about a birth plan. Preparing a birth plan is a great way in which to stay in control as much as possible of the type of labor experience you will have. A birth plan can include whether to have a home birth or a hospital birth or even a water birth. You may also want to consider keeping a pregnancy journal to record your thoughts and emotions.
Of course, it’s natural to be worried about the different stages of labor. Find out how to tell whether your contractions really mean you’re going into labor as well as other common signs of labor. Here you’ll also find out about when inducing labor is a good option and information on whether natural labor is right for you.

While they’re not always planned, Cesarean sections account for almost 30% of births in the United States. Learn about in which cases a Cesarean section is recommended over vaginal birth and how a Cesarean section affects your future pregnancies.

Yoga for Pregnant Momz

Pregnant woman sitting on the ground, stretching. Maybe she's doing yoga, or maybe she's stretching and focusing on the upcoming birth. Woman has one foot tucked in and the other out straight, so you can see the sole of her foot. Her arms are stretched above her head, palms touching. Her eyes are closed, as if meditating or focusing on relaxing. She's wearing gray sweatpants and a white sports bra; her belly and feet are bare

Introducing the New Baby to your Older Children

Bringing a new baby into the world is a wonderful experience. It can also be trying and difficult if you have other children at home. As you prepare for the birth of your new baby, here are some things you should keep in mind about introducing the new baby.

Equal Treatment - It is hard not to constantly dote on the new baby once you’re home. Be cautious about spending so much time with the new baby that you inadvertently ignore your other children. Try to set aside special time with each child. Talk about their day at school, or extracurricular activities they are involved in. Spend your special time focusing only on that particular child.

Reminisce - Now would be the perfect time to get out the picture albums and baby books from your older children. Set aside a special day just to go through the books. Talk about how you felt when each child was born. Share funny stories with them. Recollecting fond memories will bring your family closer and will show your other children that they are just as special as the newborn.

Get Them Involved - Let your children be involved in the caretaking of your new baby. Give each child a special responsibility. One child might be in charge of gathering the diaper-changing necessities, while another is in charge of warming the bottle. Your older children can take turns feeding the baby. Let your children be involved; however, don’t force them to participate if they don’t want to at first. Sometimes it takes a few days for children to “warm up” to the idea of a new baby being in the house.

Be Patient – Some children don’t take too well to a new sibling but be patient and know that you are doing the right things and that your older child will soon come around. Eventually your children may even be such good friends that you won’t even remember this time.

Swimming - Exercise for Pregnant Momz

Swimming is a wonderful way for pregnant women to exercise, and it's generally considered very safe. But check with your doctor or midwife before you take the plunge.

If you swam consistently before you got pregnant, you should be able to continue. If you didn't exercise at all, you should still be able to swim now — you'll just need to start slowly. Do some gentle stretching beforehand, do a few warm-up and cool down laps, and don't overexert. You'll learn how to work out at the appropriate intensity by listening to your body.

The water itself poses no risk to you or your baby: Research hasn't found any health hazards for healthy pregnant women from the bacteria, chlorine, or other chemicals in pools. But do skip the hot tub and sauna, as overheating can hamper the development of a growing fetus, according to various studies.

How to Mentally Prepare for your Labor

As your due date nears, you may be growing a bit anxious over the labor and delivery. Here are some ways you can mentally prepare for your labor.

Tip #1: Find Your “Happy Place”
Where is the one place that you feel most at peace? Maybe it’s a specific setting, like at your favorite café or sitting on a blanket in the middle of the park. Whatever or wherever you feel most at place is going to be your “happy place” in your mind. Practice focusing on that place where you feel calm and at peace with yourself. Hold those feelings for several minutes before you open your eyes. When you begin to feel anxious, close your eyes, take a deep breath and go to your happy place.

Tip #2: Envision a Calm Labor
Don’t let your mind run wild with all the stories you’ve heard other women talk about. Each labor is unique and much of it depends on how well you personally cope with it. What is the best possible way you would like your labor to go? Capture that in your mind. Think on it. Envision a happy, calm labor.

Tip #3: Practice Positive Thinking
It’s very easy to get wrapped up in negative thoughts about your labor. You’re already anxious about the coming day. Don’t allow negative thoughts to creep up and make you more nervous. Practice positive thinking. One way to do this is to speak positive affirmations every time you start thinking negative. Here are a few affirmations for you to practice:

- “I am strong and able to birth my child in a calm and positive environment.”
- “I can remain calm, even in the midst of this emotional time.”
- “I am the best mother for my child.”

Write your own positive affirmations and practice them daily.

Trying to Conceive after age 35

Many women today find themselves trying to conceive after the age of 35. This opportunity can be full of joys and riddled with new questions. Despite the challenges, many women in their thirties and forties successfully conceive.

What are some of the challenges to conceiving after 35?

The most common cause of age-related decline in fertility is less frequent ovulation. As women age, they begin to have occasional cycles where an egg is never released. Egg quality and quantity also declines in a woman’s 30s and 40s. Other reasons conceiving after 35 may be more difficult include:

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  Infection or surgery that caused scar tissue around the fallopian tubes or cervix


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  Endometriosis


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  Fibroids or uterine disorders


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  Decrease in cervical fluid


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  Chronic health problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes

Miscarriage is also more common in women over 35. This is often caused by increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities. Women aged 35-45 have a 20-35 % chance of miscarriage.

How can I increase my chance of conceiving after 35?

Trying to conceive after 35 may seem overwhelming, but there are many things you can do to make getting pregnant easier. Here are some things to remember:

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  Schedule a pre-conception appointment. You and your health care provider can review your medical history, current medications and overall lifestyle. This gives you the opportunity to address any concerns about trying to conceive after 35.
  
  
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  Women over 35 take longer to conceive. The average time it takes a couple over 35 to conceive is 1-2 years, so try to remain positive if you do not become pregnant immediately.
  
  
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  A woman who is physically, mentally and emotionally healthy is more likely to conceive. Alcohol, smoking and caffeine can negatively affect fertility. Being overweight or underweight can also affect fertility by interfering with hormone function.
  
  
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  Observing your fertility signs can tell you a lot about your body. Recording your basal body temperature and cervical fluid can help you pinpoint the best time to have intercourse while trying to conceive. These fertility signs can also reveal if you are ovulating regularly. Becoming familiar with your fertility will also help you discern between pending signs and symptoms of pregnancy.
  
  
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  Consider taking an at home fertility screening test.. There are over-the-counter tests that help screen for key elements either male or female fertility. Tere are testing kits like Fertell that provide initial screen for both men and women. This often gives couples a peace of mind as the move through the journey to conceive.
  
  
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  Visit your health care provider if you haven’t conceived after 6 months of purposeful intercourse. If you have not conceived after 6 months, contact your health care provider to discuss the possibility of fertility testing. You may decide to consult a fertility specialist at this time.

Pregnancy Journal for Your Baby

There are so many wonderful new products to help you create family keepsakes. Maybe you’re like me, technically challenged in the hobby/craft department or don’t have enough time to devote to one project. That’s when you need to get creative and expand on those things that may be around you, already.

If you’re pregnant, adopting or planning for the future family, you will no doubt be looking into a pregnancy journal. They come in all shapes and sizes with prices starting as low as $6.95 and increasing to $135 (and more!). Some are for creative writers with empty pages to fill to your heart’s content. Others have various ways to stimulate your thoughts with questions, quotes or phrases that you must complete. These are wonderful for people who find it challenging to document their thoughts and feelings.

Another choice you have are software journals. More of the journals in this format are provided free on the Internet and allow you to customize the look and feel of your journal. When completed, you can print your journal as a hardcopy.

The latest version of pregnancy journals are software applications you use on your computer. You have complete privacy and you’re assured the information you enter won’t be lost if a server on the Internet crashes. In addition to typing your story into a page, you have the ability to upload your personal images and record audio messages to your baby.

All of these journals are available for you to review and decide which is for you. Are you a prolific writer? Then of course, you would want the journal with mostly blank pages to allow you enough room to complete everything you want to record. If you’re unsure how to start your journal, choose one that provides you with ideas or questions. If you’re an avid software or Internet user, you would definitely enjoy using one of the Internet or software applications available, allowing you to type all your information, instead of writing by hand.

Whatever you choose, your pregnancy journal is a keepsake to be cherished by your new baby. It should include your thoughts, feeling, wishes and dreams throughout the pregnancy period. During this time of high emotions, you will be completely convinced you will never forget a moment of the experience. But as the years roll by, you do forget and by the time your child is ready and anxious to learn about his or her birth, precious details of events, conversations and moments shared are forgotten.

Forgotten, until you retrieve your pregnancy journal and are reminded of all these precious memories. Memories your child and their family will cherish for a lifetime.