How to tell if you are pregnant

Pregnancy affects every woman differently. This is especially true in the early days, when your body is adjusting to its new role. Whether you are trying for a baby or think that you might be pregnant, there are signs and symptoms that can help you tell if you are expecting.

The first signs

Missing a period is the most obvious sign but it is not a foolproof indication. Periods can stop for a whole lot of other reasons, including weight loss, stress, and illness. On the other hand, they may still appear in the early months. You may have to wait some months for a true indication from your periods, and by then, other symptoms will be appearing. Feeling sick is one of the most common complaints that pregnant women have. This can start very early on and is not always confined to early mornings. It can be linked to smell and taste. Your sense of smell may become quite strong and things you once thought smell nice may send you rushing for the bathroom. Cooking a meal can turn your stomach, and smelling strong odors like coffee and cigarette smoke may leave you feeling queasy.

Those pesky hormones

Breast tenderness can be an early sign that you are pregnant. As the hormone levels change inside your body, it can make them feel heavy and sore. They may be sensitive to touch and cause you some discomfort. Your skin in general starts to change and some women experience dry and itchy patches. Spots on the skin are common as hormone levels fluctuate but they should stop being a problem once your hormones settle down. Hormones can also be responsible for mood swings. You might feel weepy or emotional at the slightest thing. It’s all normal as your body reacts to the changes within it.

From fatigue to dizziness

Sudden feelings of fatigue have been reported by women in the early stages of pregnancy. It’s just your body’s way of slowing you down so it can adapt to being pregnant. A lack of energy and general exhaustion may make you feel like you need to sleep. Go ahead! Rest if you are tired to give your body a break. You may also feel like you need to pee often. As your uterus expands and a growing baby begins pressing on your bladder, it becomes a regular symptom of being pregnant, but it can occur in the early days too. Faintness and dizzy spells can be caused by changes taking place in your blood vessels that temporarily reduce the flow of blood to the brain. Sitting close to a window and taking deep breaths often alleviates this problem.

Some women experience some of these symptoms; others don’t. Every woman is different. To be absolutely sure that you are pregnant, take a test or visit your doctor for confirmation. All these signs are common in a healthy pregnancy, so you don’t need to worry.

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