Signs of Pregnancy
Most women don't suspect they're pregnant until they've missed a period, but there may be other signs that include:
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Sickness and/or nausea
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A strange, 'metallic' taste in your mouth
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Enlarged breasts and breast tenderness and tingling
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The small bumps - 'Montgomery' stubercules' - on your nipples becoming more obvious
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Stomachpains – light cramps not severe pain.
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Tiredness
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Constipation
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Needing to urinate more often
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Loss of appetite for certain foods
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Increased vaginal discharge
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Some women experience very light bleeding (called 'spotting') that they mistake for their period
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Morning Sickness
Around 90% of pregnant women suffer from morning sickness and it doesn’t always just occur in the mornings – for some the nausea and vomiting can happen throughout the day and night!
Here are our top 5 tips for reducing the symptoms of morning sickness:
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Stay hydrated - Take little sips of water often to keep your body hydrated. Your body will lose fluid if you are vomiting so you will need to replace those lost fluids.
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Eat foods richin B vitamins such as chicken, fish, liver and avocados.
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Snack often throughout the day as the feeling of hunger can bring on nausea. If you are working try to be prepared by taking in lots of things to snack on. Try to eat carbohydrates like bread, pasta and rice as this will help keep hunger at bay.
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Avoid strong smelling foods and places with strong smells as this can bring on a queasy feeling.
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Go herbal - visit your local herbal specialist with advice on nausea as traditional organic supplements such as ginger can help some women.
Your changing body
You may notice several changes in your body throughout your pregnancy –this is completely normal. Here are some of the common body changes you may experience:
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Hair – you may notice the hair on your head (and indeed other parts ofyour body) becomes thicker during pregnancy.
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Pregnancy Glow – your face may appear to be slightly redder in colour -this is because your blood circulation has increased.
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Skin – You may get dark blotches appearing on your face which is commonly known as ‘the mask of pregnancy’. Make sure you use a high factor sun screen to protect your skin during this stage.
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Acne - Many women experience increased pimples during pregnancy and if you suffer from acne it is likely to get worse so make sure you wash your face thoroughly and read the labels thoroughly on any medicated creams you may betaking for acne.
Feel your Baby Kicking
Feeling your baby kick for the first time is such an exciting moment. You may experience this feeling from around 16 weeks of pregnancy. At first the feeling may be gentle but as your baby grows you will certainly feel a real kick or two.
You baby will move inside you to get comfortable and will not stay in one position throughout your pregnancy. Your baby will move more and more towards the end of your pregnancy and eventually you may be able to feel his/her feet kicking your ribs as the head turns to face downwards.
Worrying Pregnancy Symptoms
The most import mat advice is to trust you own judgment. If you justdon’t feel right then don’t be afraid to get the option of a medical professional.
Vaginal Bleeding – light bleeding or spotting is common during the veryearly stages of pregnancy but heavy bleeding and associated pain can be a sign of ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage so contact your doctor immediately.
Belly pains – sharp pains or persistent pains in your belly can be asign of preclampsia or could be associated with anything from ectopic pregnancy to food poisoning so its best to get it checked out straight away. Light crampsand pains should be nothing to worry about but anything that gets your attention should be checked out.
Burning when you wee – urinary infections are common during pregnancy so if you experience symptoms such as burning when you pass water then go see your doctor.
Antenatal Tests
There are tests you can ask for during pregnancy. Sometimes these tests can be stressful but they also provide you with reassurance about the health of your baby.
Group B Strep (GBS) – Around one third of all women will carry this bacteria without knowing it and it is the most common cause of life-threatening illness in newborn babies. If this infection is transferred to your baby during labour it can cause blood poisoning, pneumonia, meningitis and can lead to death. You can request this test and if you are found to be carrying the infection you will be given antibiotics during labour to reduce the risk for your child.
Rhesus Negative– If your blood group is rhesus negative, as around 15% of the population are then there could be problems if your baby’s blood group is rhesus positive as your body will produce antibodies because it sees the baby as an invader. If this happens it will cause anaemia and jaundice. There is a simple injection available to prevent this happening so make sure your blood is tested prior to or during pregnancy.
Nuchal Translucency (NT) Scan– This is the test commonly sued to assess if you baby may have Downs Syndrome. Nuchal translucency is a collection of fluid under the skin at the back of your baby’s neck. You can ask for a scan at around 13 week’s pregnancy with which the fluid can be measured. Babies who have down syndrome may have increased levels of this fluid. This test givesonly an indication however if fluid levels are found to be above average then a diagnostic test can be performed to confirm the outcome. Tests can include a Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) or an amniocentesis test.
12 week scan – During this scan basic measurements of your baby will be taken in order to calculate how many weeks old your baby is. You can ask for a print out of your baby scan to show your family.
22 week scan – This is a detailed scan during which various measurements will be taken to ensure that your baby is developing correctly. It is possible during this scan to work out the sex of the baby so you will need to decide if you want to know or not.
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