Early symptoms of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is of course a beautiful moment in every women’s life. It is the most memorable journey of a parent, especially a mother. Many women or parents who are planning for kids at a certain period of time in their lives are so much curious to know if they have conceived or not every month just like I was after my marriage. Once they get their periods they become unfortunate. This repeats every month. Some women get pregnant very quickly and some women have to try very hard to conceive. It all depends on their overall health and their partner’s health. If both the partners are perfectly healthy then they will become parents very quickly.

Every woman is curious to know if they are pregnant before their missed periods. I was also in the same situation when I was planning for my second pregnancy. It took me more than 6 months to conceive again. During my first pregnancy, I conceived within 3 months of my marriage. It was a healthy pregnancy and I didn’t get any pregnancy symptoms. I got to know about my pregnancy when I missed my period.

But during my second pregnancy, I was very eagerly waiting every month to hear the good news again. There were times when I took a pregnancy test 3 to 4 days before my period every month just to know if I have conceived or not. But this time it was not at all easy. When we started to plan for pregnancy without using any protection, I got urinary tract infections continuously. Every month I faced the same issue. Got treatment from so many gynecologists but still, it didn’t seem to go away. Many told me that UTI is a very common problem in every woman and to prevent it we need to keep our bodies hydrated and healthy. A poor immune system, unhygienic vaginal area, sex without protection, eating unhealthy food, drinking less water, Sexually transmitted diseases, etc can cause frequent UTIs. So I started taking care of myself. After one month of a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle, I conceived once again. This was the happiest moment of my life. I started feeling many pregnancy symptoms before my periods. And this time I was sure that I am pregnant. But still, I waited for 2 to 3 days after my missed period and took a pregnancy test. I bought two pregnancy tests to confirm pregnancy. One I took at night and another in the early morning. And the result of both the tests came positive.

In this article, I will share with you some of the very common symptoms that you may feel before your missed period according to my experience. Many of the pregnancy symptoms are similar to period symptoms. Many women get all these symptoms before their periods. Women who don’t get these symptoms every month before periods can easily detect their pregnancy before missed periods. But women who get the symptoms before their periods too, have to wait till they miss their period.

1. Breast tenderness:- You might feel that your breasts have become full or heavy or a little bigger. You may feel tightness in your breast. This can happen in one or both breasts. This is because of the increase in pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone in your body. I started feeling this symptom one week before my period. Some women have this symptom before their period every month. So for them, it might be difficult to tell or detect early pregnancy.

Treatment:- Whenever you feel uncomfortable or have a heavy breast, remove your bra and wear loose clothing. If you have a loose bra, you can wear that too. This will make you feel a little light. And buy some bigger size bras as your breast size is going to increase in pregnancy.

2. Nausea:- This is also known as morning sickness. But I don’t understand why it’s termed only morning because in pregnancy your going to feel tired all day and night. Sometimes tiredness is more early in the morning and at night. This is one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. It happens due to the hormonal changes in your body to build up a new space for your growing baby.

Treatment:- Drink lemon juice or lemon water to get over tiredness and nausea. Ginger tea and honey are also known to reduce nausea. Eat one or 2 dates in the first trimester whenever you feel tired not more than that because having more dry fruits and dates in the first trimester can heat up your body and cause miscarriage. You can also eat one chocolate or any sweet if you are feeling dizzy. Lie down in bed and take some rest as much as you can. Do your work slowly. Drink plenty of fluids and eat fruits.

3. Vomiting sensation:- Vomitings or vomiting sensations early in the morning is very common in the first trimester of pregnancy. Many vomit all the food they ate, and some have a vomiting sensation only after having some water or any light food. These are the worst symptoms of pregnancy. When you vomit all the food, you have to eat something again to give energy to your body and for your growing baby. By the end of the second month of pregnancy, these symptoms will automatically go away.

Treatment:- You can smell or taste a lemon every time you feel a vomiting sensation.  If you tell your doctor about the nausea and vomiting symptoms that you are facing, she will give you a tablet that will control your vomiting and nausea.  But I didn’t take it because I just had a vomiting sensation only for the first two weeks of pregnancy.

4. Headache:- You may get headaches in the first few initial weeks of pregnancy. This is also because of the change in hormones in your body, and also the energy that is utilized to support your fetus inside your womb. Some have it throughout pregnancy. Pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman. Some may have few symptoms, some may have all the symptoms, and some may not have any symptoms. Your first trimester is going to be a little tough with all these pregnancy symptoms. After 2 months of pregnancy, you will notice an improvement in your overall health. I had headaches in the first two weeks of pregnancy and sometimes throughout pregnancy. It can also be due to stress or work overload. So always be happy and calm during your pregnancy period.

Treatment:- Do not take any painkiller or paracetamol tablet for headaches during pregnancy. Painkillers can have serious harmful effects on the developing baby. You can apply oil on the head, massage your forehead, apply zandu balm, or just sleep. Don’t take any stress or think anything negative about your pregnancy. Many women with these pregnancy symptoms think that since they are not feeling well, their baby inside the womb might also be feeling the same.  But this is totally wrong. Pregnancy symptoms are a healthy sign of a healthy pregnancy. This stress and negative thoughts can make your health worse. So speak with your doctor during your appointments whenever you feel something is not wrong with you.

5. Abdominal pain or discomfort:- Slight pain or period-like pain is also common throughout pregnancy. There might be some pain and discomfort in the abdominal area in the first few weeks of pregnancy. You can also feel some round ligament pain in the abdominal area. This is due to the changes and stretching of the uterus and implantation of the egg. Your pain might increase when you continuously work without rest, stand for long hours, walk around continuously, or do any other household work. You may not know this, but your uterus expands so much in the first trimester to create room for the fetus that your abdomen may seem bigger than before. Baby develops very fast during the first trimester and your body also changes a lot.

Treatment:- The best treatment for abdominal discomfort is to take rest. Whenever you feel pain in your abdomen, just leave all the work and lie down. You can also apply some coconut oil to the abdomen, Slightly massage the area to reduce pain. Don’t apply any hot bags or cold bags when you know that you are pregnant. If your pain still persists and doesn’t go away, then talk to your doctor. She will suggest you some tablets or injections if the pain is unbearable or disturbing your everyday routine.

6. Change in body temperature:- This is a very common symptom seen in all pregnant ladies throughout their pregnancy. Your abdominal body temperature will slightly raise up as soon as the egg implants in the uterus. You may feel this when you touch your abdomen, things, and back. This is due to the changes going on in your body. Your body gets heated up very quickly as it is working very hard to support your baby. You may notice a high raise in abdominal temperature at midnight. Because this is the time when your body is working very hard when you are asleep.

Treatment:- Whenever your body temperature rises, it’s very important to hydrate yourself so that your body doesn’t get heated up. Throughout pregnancy, it’s very important to have lots of liquids and plenty of water. This will make your body function smoothly and accurately. You can have fruit juices daily, coconut water, lassi, barley water, sabza seeds water, etc to keep you hydrated and cool.

7. Frequent urination:- This is common in the initial weeks of pregnancy and it can last for the whole nine months in some women. Frequent urination can be caused by two reasons during pregnancy. One is due to the growing uterus during pregnancy to make room for your baby. Another one is due to urinary tract infections that are common during pregnancy.  If you have this problem then it’s better to wear nighties or lehengas so that your private part is open to some fresh air and gets dried up easily. But if you have a urinary tract infection, then you need to consult your doctor and take further treatment.

Treatment:- Pregnant women should drink 50 percent more water than normal women. This is very important to keep your body functioning smoothly throughout pregnancy. I know it’s really hard to drink water all the time and go to the washrooms frequently. But you have no other choice. If you want to have a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy you should always be well hydrated. If you are not able to drink water all the time, you can take fresh fruit juices or some watery fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, orange, lemon juice, lassi, coconut water, and sugandi which helps to keep your body hydration level up to a level.

8. Dark areolas:- You may have noticed that your breast area around the nipples has turned a little darker before you missed your period. Some may have this symptom and may not notice it. This is due to the change in hormones in your breast to make your breast ready for milk production for your baby. You may also feel that your breast has become heavy, tight, full, and tender to touch in the initial weeks of pregnancy before you miss your period.

9. Constipation:- This was my worst experience during my initial weeks of pregnancy. It started one week after I got to know that I am pregnant and lasted for 2 and half months. I don’t know if this is termed constipation or not, but every time you pee, your anus is going to hurt a lot. I had constipation twice a day, but when my stool was normal too I had the same pain. The pain is so severe that you might scream while having bowel movements. I think as the uterus grows in the initial weeks of pregnancy, it puts more pressure on your anus, and that area might become weak and delicate. So every time a substance passes out from there it hurts a lot. I experienced this and thought that this is going to be throughout pregnancy. I told my doctor, but she thought it is due to constipation and gave me Dhupalac syrup for constipation. But I didn’t take that syrup even once, because I knew it wasn’t due to constipation, it is only due to extra pressure on the anus.

Treatment:- I don’t think there is a specific treatment for this because this is a natural process. Every mother’s body is different and everyone goes through so many changes in the body during pregnancy. But if you really have constipation, you need to change your diet first. Include liquids like barley water, coconut water, sabja seeds water, fresh homemade juice, and take more water. Avoid spicy foods, oily, and fast foods at this time. Limit the quantity of meat and chicken intake too during constipation. If you still feel constipated you can talk to your doctor and take Dhuphalac syrup or any other constipation syrup.

10. Gas and bloating:- This is also a common symptom seen mostly during the first trimester. This is also due to pregnancy hormones and changes in your body posture and functioning. I had this in the first 4 to 5 weeks and after that I was normal. But sometimes you may experience this without any reason. Bloating makes your stomach look full and round like a ball. This gas and bloating can also hurt you when you touch your stomach or press it against something.

Treatment:- It is not at all a good idea to have gas relief tablets during pregnancy. Instead, you can try some home remedies like having jeera water early in the morning, eating garlic, and detox water which contains lemon slices, pudina leaves, mint leaves, amla slices, cucumber slices, etc.

11. Heartburn:- Pregnancy hormones are to blame for this symptom too. You may feel like your heart is burning inside and all the food from the stomach is coming upward in the windpipe and your digestion has become very slow.

Treatment:- To get relief from heartburn, drink lots and lots of water, and avoid spicy food, oily food, and fatty food. Eat slowly and less. Divide your meal into small portions and have it after every 2 to 3 hours. Don’t lie down after meals, this can make your heartburn worse. Prefer walking slowly after every meal and after every few hours.

12. Dizziness:- This is known to be the first sign of pregnancy in old ages. Whenever a married woman faints or gets dizziness, she is considered pregnant. This is true but not every dizziness is related to pregnancy. Hormonal changes in your body after the implantation of the egg in the ovary can bring numerous changes in the body. Since your body is working very hard and taking lots of energy, it’s very easy to fall dizzy or faint.

Treatment:- Whenever you feel that you are becoming weak and tired, stop the work you’re doing and just sit or lie down in bed. You can have some water or any kind of sweet. Glucose water is the best for pregnant women to get back energy within 5 minutes. I would also recommend pregnant women to have some cholates handy so that they can eat them whenever they feel dizzy.

13. Weight Gain:- Did you just notice that your abdomen and hips are getting bigger than before? Your breast has increased in size and your weight suddenly increased by 2 to 3 kgs. I also had this same experience before I knew I was pregnant. Though this doesn’t seem to be very pleasant news for you, it happens but not in all women. Some women are so thin throughout their pregnancy, that you also dream to be like them during your pregnancy too. But remember that everybody is different and everybody reacts differently to the changes going inside.

Treatment:- It’s ok if your hips become larger or you have gained more weight in your first trimester itself. You are going to shed it down once you start breastfeeding your baby. Increasing too much weight is also not good for pregnancy, so keep a regular check on your weight. If you have increased more, your doctor may suggest a diet plan to follow and keep your weight normal. Whenever you feel hungry have some healthy snacks like fruits and nuts. During pregnancy, you may have cravings for chips, chocolates, juices, cakes, oily foods, and other fast food items. There is no harm in eating outside food but you have to limit the intake of outside food. You can have it once or twice a week in a limited quantity. We always feel hungry throughout pregnancy as our body is utilizing so much energy. What I used to do whenever I felt hungry is to have 2 slices of bread with peanut butter. This makes me feel full and of course, it’s very delicious too.

14. Mood changes:- Suddenly feeling low, getting angry at kids or partners for small things, suddenly thinking that you are not good enough or the whole world around you is not good enough, are all called mood swings which are very common during menstruation and pregnancy in most of the women. This is also due to an increase in the pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy and mensuration. Mood swings cause no harm to your developing baby but they can definitely affect your mental health. You have to stay strong at this time and stay positive. This is more common in the first trimester.

Treatment:- Whenever your feel low, talk to your best friend, your parents, your partner, or any other family member you love the most. If this is not possible, you can also sit alone in a room and read a good fantasy storybook, watch a movie, or listen to some of your favorite songs. What I love to do whenever I’m feeling low, is to order my favorite food online and have it all by myself sitting alone and enjoying the flavors of it.

15. Food cravings:- This is the most exciting part of pregnancy. I am a big foodie and I always love eating outside food and snacks. During pregnancy, you shouldn’t worry much about your weight gain because you are going to be normal again or thinner than before after your delivery by breastfeeding your baby. During pregnancy, you may suddenly want to eat a certain food, something sweet, sour, or oily. And you may not feel satisfied until you eat that food.  You may tell your partner to bring certain food or take you outside to a restaurant. Sometimes your partners may feel that you are eating too much or making more expenses but still, it’s okay. You are pregnant and you know what’s going on inside you. Nowadays you can order food online and happily enjoy it in the comfort of your home.

16. Light bleeding or spotting:- This may seem alarming to many women. Seeing even a drop of blood on your underwear can make you feel that it is a miscarriage. But the good news is that this is very normal in pregnancy. Light spotting can occur in the initial weeks of pregnancy when the implantation occurs. This may not happen to all women as I told you that everybody is different and they react differently to the changes going on inside. Some may have normal bleeding and this is not good but this doesn’t mean a miscarriage. You have to take complete bed rest after visiting your doctor and telling her about your bleeding. Miscarriage occurs when you have severe abdominal pain with lots and lots of bleeding like you have on the first day of your periods.

17. Vaginal discharge:- White milky discharge from the vagina is a healthy way of removing all the bacteria from your vagina. This can be throughout pregnancy in many women and in some women it may just come and go at regular intervals. At times, you may have increased discharge when you had a tiring day or did more work. This may also be a symptom of urinary tract infection if you have frequent urination, a burning sensation while passing urine, or seeing blood in your urine along with vaginal discharge. Vaginal discharge is very normal during pregnancy but still, if it irritates you, you can use a sanitary pad or good cotton underwear and change it after every few hours.

18. Backpain:-  This is the worst enemy of pregnancy. It hurts so bad throughout pregnancy that you don’t understand how to reduce it.  I’m sorry to tell you that this is not treatable, but you can get some relief if you follow some simple steps in your daily routine. You are going to have this back pain for the whole 9 months and this is going to get severe and severe every month. You may not be able to stand long, sit in one place for long hours, sleep in one position, or even walk continuously.

Treatment:- To get some relief from back pain, you can do some simple stretching after waking up, before going to bed, in between your working hours, and after every meal. When your back pain gets severe lie down on the bed straight for some time. You can also use a pregnancy pillow while sleeping. This will give you more relaxation.  You can also take a full-body massage during pregnancy. Have a warm bath once or twice a day to get some relief from all the stress and body pains.