Trying to get pregnant is a rollercoaster of emotions. For some it’s so exciting and things work out seamlessly and for others it’s an uphill battle.
I know for my husband and I it was such a rough battle for us.
My family generally had an easy time getting pregnant, most of them either had honeymoon babies or got pregnant while they were on birth control.
So I thought that it would be a piece of cake for us! That was not the case for us.
When I first got off birth control I got pregnant right away which was what I was anticipating, but then we lost our baby.
After my period came back we got pregnant again as soon as I ovulated. Again pretty hopeful, but we lost our second baby.
This was so rough on us and I almost wanted to give up on trying to get pregnant because I felt like I would just lose every single baby.
I would read into every sign of early pregnancy symptoms and how I could stay pregnant. Every month I would take a pregnancy test when I was close to my period. I was obsessed with getting pregnant.
After 6 months of our second loss we got pregnant again. It was so hard to get excited and be hopeful because I felt like I was just going to lose another baby.
Luckily our little rainbow baby stuck around and has stayed healthy throughout my entire pregnancy!
What I mainly want you to know from all of this is these early pregnancy symptoms could also be a sign of your period.
The only true way to know that you are pregnant is to have a positive pregnancy test and have it confirmed with an ultrasound.
It is fun though when you are first trying to get pregnant to read through all of these symptoms because it is an exciting and challenging journey.
Also knowledge is power so looking out for these symptoms can help prepare you for pregnancy and what may occur.
Tender Breasts
Tender breasts occur right after conception because of the raising levels of estrogen.
Your breasts may feel tingly, sore, or painful to the touch. Your nipples also may feel tender.
This symptom will stay after your missed period. I know for me I would have days when my breasts were tender and days when they felt normal. So it may change for you as well.
Fatigue
I felt this one before I even took a pregnancy test. Fatigue occurs because of the raising levels of the Progesterone hormone which start to raise after conception.
Your body also starts to produce more blood after conception for your growing baby and placenta.
According to the AHA Journals your blood volume increases by 50% throughout your pregnancy.
So you will most definitely feel tired because of all of the changes in your body and you’re growing another human!
Nausea
Nausea occurs days after conception because of the raise in your hormone levels.
It may be accompanied with puking for most women. I luckily never puked throughout my pregnancy, but the fatigue and nausea was a real thing for me!
Stress and fatigue can also cause a physical reaction in your body.
Smell Sensitivity
With an increased level of hormones your sensitivity to smell increases.
I would always tell my husband it was my pregnancy super power.
Smell sensitivity could cause other symptoms to occur such as nausea and vomiting. Especially if it’s a smell that is unpleasant or very strong.
Bloating
Progesterone increases causes you to bloat because this hormone slows down your digestive tracts which traps gas in your intestines.
When I joined my birth board in Baby Center we would take bump or blump photos when we were in early pregnancy.
Bloating is a very common symptom in early pregnancy.
Frequent Need to Pee
Man the urge to pee was constant. I felt the need to pee at least every hour. The toilet and I became best friends!
This is caused by extra blood flow in your body. With this extra blood flow your kidneys are producing more urine because it is filtering out more toxins from your blood.
Also with you drinking more water and the baby and uterus pushing on your bladder you will need to pee more often. This will just get worse as you get further along in your pregnancy.
Cervical Mucus
After implantation the mucus in your vagina tends to be thick, gummy, and clear in color.
You will also likely discharge more.
Some women discharge so much that they need to wear panty liners daily, so keep a couple on hand in your purse just in case!
Implantation Bleeding
About 10-14 days after conception your could have light spotting or bleeding from the egg implanting onto your uterine walls.
Implantation Bleeding should stop after 1-3 days and it’s a lot lighter than your usual period.
Constipation
Increased levels of Progesterone causes the muscles in your body to be more relaxed.
With relaxed intestines it causes your food to digest slower leading to constipation.
You can combat constipation by adding more fiber into your diet. Also eating healthier will help you with constipation and bloat.
Headaches
With a surge of hormones and your blood volume increasing you will more likely get headaches.
During early pregnancy for me I got headaches daily and it sucked. There are some natural ways to relieve headaches before you take any medications.
Food or Smell Aversions
The hormonal surges in your body can intensify your aversions to certain foods. It could also make you feel nauseous and have the feeling to puke.
Your once loved cravings may not be your cravings anymore during pregnancy.
You may also get some strange cravings too!
Mood or Emotion Changes
Your mood or emotion may change due to an increased level of estrogen and progesterone.
You usually get crazy emotions in your 1st and 3rd trimester. Most people call your second trimester the golden period because you get a raise of energy and your emotions aren’t bouncing off the wall.
Also physical stresses, fatigue, and changes in your metabolism can cause your mood or emotion to change.
Dizziness
Hormones make your blood vessels more dilated than usual.
With an increased blood flow, a drop in blood pressure and a drop in sugar levels you may feel dizzy more often.
If you start to feel dizzy you need to sit down so you don’t fall and cause harm to yourself or the baby.
I hope y’all are excited for your pregnancy journey and I hope it goes smoothly for all y’all!
