KNOWING YOUR ARE PREGNANT

KNOWING YOUR ARE PREGNANT

Some women seem to know they are pregnant almost immediately. Small changes in their body or how they fell, such as extreme tiredness or nausea from very early on, alert them to the fact that they have conceived. Other women experience no believes they are pregnant.

                Whether you just `know’ deep inside, or have to keep checking the results of a home pregnancy test to convince yourself, realizing you are pregnant can open the floodgates to a whole range of emotions. You may feel over the moon one day and quit low and worried the next. Even when the baby is much wanted, many ecstatic new parents-to-be find that concerns about the future momentarily cloud their happiness. Worries about how their relationship will be affected, how to manage financial changes and, of course, the health of the baby may crop up at some time. In the first few days and weeks of pregnancy they may seem overwhelming. However, most couples find a way to slow down and tackle these concerns one by one. Making time to talk things through now will stand you in good stead later.

FIRST SIGNS

What you may notice

·        Breasts my become tender and increase is size and the nipple area may become more pronounced.

·         Some women suffer from morning sickness, others have feelings of nausea which last all day. This can begin very early on, but usually starts around six weeks and improves after about twelve to fourteen weeks of pregnancy.

·         A missed period is the most obvious sign of pregnancy but occasionally a very light and scanty period may occur, which can be confusing. This happens because the normal female hormonal cycle continues despite being swamped by pregnancy hormones. If pregnancy hormones are on the low side, a small amount of bleeding can occur.

·         The need to urinate frequently is caused by pressure from the developing baby, because the uterus sits just above the bladder. You may need to get up during the night to go to the bathroom, or find yourself going frequently during the day. This usually abates as the baby grows and
the uterus moves off the bladder.

How you may fell

·         Many women say their sense of taste changes; foods may taste very strong, or favorite foods may test bad

·         Some women find they have a metallic taste in their mouth

·         You may go off specific foods completely: coffee, tea and alcohol are common aversions in pregnancy and this may be nature’s way of making sure you avoid things which could be detrimental to you and your baby.

·         You may feel very tired; to the point of needing to sleep during the day as well as in the evening and at night.

·         You may crave certain foods; perhaps sharp fruity tastes or bland carbohydrates like potatoes and bread.

CONFIRMING THE PREGNANCY

The surest sign of pregnancy is missing a period, and many women are content to wait for this signal. It is not the only reason for periods to be absent, but if you are trying for a baby it is the most likely.

If, however, you want to find out as testing kits are quick and easy to use. Many can give a result from the day you would have expected your next period. Most tests measure the level of pregnancy hormone in your urine, and are carried out first thing in the morning when urine is most concentrate. In ideal conditions they are very reliable but, because they have been known to give false results, some are supplied in sets of two, so that you can repeat the test later. Once the pregnancy test has confirmed the pregnancy or you have missed a period you can visit your doctor to discuss maternity care.

        Knowing very early that you are pregnant enables you to eat and drink wisely and generally look after your health right from the word go.

CALCULATING YOUR DUE DATE

Pregnancy usually lasts 280 days or forty weeks; slightly longer than the nine months we usually refer to. For a rough calculation of the due date go forward and one week from the first day of your last period.