Pregnant, Are You?

Giving birth to a child is one of the most amazing things nature has done to mankind. The human body especially that of a woman has the most complex and most advanced design ever known to human race.
 
From the very first day of conception when a woman, though, not totally aware that she is carrying a life inside her womb her body is already giving her signals to prepare her for the task it is about to perform. It is already doing its functions to adapt to the changes and to protect the growing life form inside of it.
 
Some of the signals, however, could be false alarms.  They could be a sign of some ailments that need to be treated with urgency or just a monthly routine of your body like PMS.
 
Before you jump into further speculations that might scare the hell out of you or otherwise, bring joy to you and your family, here are the clues that you should be looking for.
 
Breast Tenderness. Your breast maybe extra tender as early as a week or two after conception. According to some researches, during early pregnancy the body is making much estrogen and progesterone that makes the glands located in the breasts growing. The hormone surge causes the breasts to retain more fluids, feel heavy, sore or more sensitive than the normal PMS tenderness.
 
Implantation Bleeding. Spotting or light vaginal bleeding may occur. This is due to the implantation of fertilized egg into the plush lining of the uterus about 6 to 12 days after conception.
 
Headaches. Some women could experience headaches more often during the early pregnancy. Again, this has something to do with the increase in progesterone levels. Sometimes, it is more aggravated if a pregnant woman doesn’t drink enough fluids or is anemic.
 
Dizziness and Fainting. Some pregnant women, if not all faint even before they become aware they are pregnant.  The progesterone can contribute to lightheadedness by making the body “run hotter” and causing blood vessels to dilate, which lowers blood pressure. Plus, it takes a little longer than normal that has been diverted into the uterus to travel its way back to the brain when standing up. Dizziness can also be associated to low blood sugar. 
 
Mood Swings. Crying over soap on TV? Getting mad without a cause? Feeling the surge of mix emotions in such a short intervals doesn’t mean you are getting insane.  The reason for this is the changes in the hormones.  
 
Food Aversions and nausea. You hate the smell of your favorite perfume, you despise your husband’s look and you poke from the taste of your choice desserts… It is a normal thing. Progesterone causes a lot of things to slow down, and that includes the digestive process. This is why sometimes a pregnant woman experienced constipation or indigestion. Since the stomach doesn’t empty as quickly as it normally does, it thinks there’s too much going on there and it tries to purge somehow either out through your mouth or into your gut. Nausea is also related to human  chrionic gonadotropin or HCG found in mother’s blood or urine even before a missed period. The higher the HCG level, the sicker you may feel.
 
Fatigue. You often fell tired during the first few weeks of pregnancy. Unknown to you, your body is working 24 hours a week to support the pregnancy. Normally, fatigue is the evident  reaction. The heart pumps faster,, as it has to deliver extra blood to the uterus to support the growing fetus. This can make you feel tuckered out. The rise of progesterone makes the body temperature rise which contributes to lack of energy.
 
Bloating, backaches and cramps. Commonly mistaken for PMS symptoms.  When you have experienced all the above clues then your case is not just a mere case of your monthly cycle. You could be pregnant!
 
Cravings for certain food. In addition, a pregnant woman, craves for a certain food. Contrary to food aversion, it is a strong desire to eat or taste a particular food especially those that are sour tasting that you thought you have  never enjoyed before. This could last all the way the whole course of pregnancy. It could be due to hormonal changes ,temporary nutritional deficiency or the lack of  nutrients needed by the body during pregnancy, emotional needs mostly associated with  comfort  food a pregnant woman likes to eat when she feels something emotionally deep, and to wade off pregnancy symptoms i.e. food that have baking soda are known for calming digestive discomfort. However, food such liquids such as alcohol and coffee can be harmful to the body and also to the growing fetus inside your womb.
 
However, these are only clues that may help you understand the changes your body is undergoing especially if you are a healthy person with a healthy relationship with your partner. Again, these could be  signs of something else. It is safer and wiser to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis of your condition. The earlier you seek for an experts advise, the better for you and the baby.
 
The moment you are told about the good news, start taking care of your body. Quit smoking, have a healthy balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. As much as you can, try to free yourself from negative energies that might give you stress. Read books or  articles on how you can properly take care of yourself and the baby inside you. Start listening to soothing music like  Mozart collections. They  are known to be responsible for helping babies develop a higher IQ. They are  also good for  the mother because of its calming effects.    
 
So, Enjoy your journey towards motherhood!!!