Often waiting to find out you're pregnant can be a very anxious time; but there some signs you can look out for that might give you an indication you are expecting.
Feeling sick. Unfortunately morning sickness can begin almost immediately after you have conceived – how annoying!
Needing to wee a lot. You may find that visits to the bathroom go up considerably.
Darker and/or tender nipples. If you’re pregnant the skin around your nipples may get darker and become sore.
Feeling tired. Feeling exhausted by early evening is a pregnancy symptom that can start as early as the first week after conception.
A metal-like taste in the mouth. This is an odd one but some women in early pregnancy report a strange taste in their mouth, often described as being metallic.
Lower back ache. Back pain is generally associated with later pregnancy, however it is not uncommon to experience a dull ache in your lower back throughout your entire pregnancy.
Implantation bleeding. Implantation bleeding can be one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms. About 6-12 days after conception, the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. Some women will experience a pinky-brown spotting as well as some cramping.
Feeling dizzy or faint. As your blood pressure drops, you may feel light-headed or dizzy. Early in pregnancy, faintness may also be triggered by low blood sugar.
Food cravings. Strange but true – you may start to experience cravings or aversions to certain foods as soon as you have conceived.
Pregnancy tests
None of these signs are of course foolproof, and the best way of finding out you are going to become a mum is to do a pregnancy test.
You can buy a pregnancy test from your local supermarket, online (link to Direct) or at a pharmacy. You can also ask your GP for a test if you’d prefer. Basic pregnancy tests involve weeing on a stick to check if a hormone called HCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) is present.
After a short time either a colour will change or a ‘pregnant’ sign will slowly appear on the stick, indicating you’re carrying a baby. If no change occurs, or a ‘not pregnant’ sign appears, then the test is negative. Sometimes, especially if you’re testing on the day your period is due, you may just see a faint change. It could still be a positive test though, so you may want to do another test in a few days to be certain.
If the test is negative, but you still feel you might be pregnant, repeat the test again a few days later. If all else fails, your doctor can do a blood test to determine the correct result.
What next?
If the test is positive, congratulations! You’re going to have a baby. If you have a negative result then cheer yourself with the thought there is always next month and you’ll get to have fun practising with your partner for a while longer!
The first thing you should do if you get a positive result is make an appointment with your GP to confirm the pregnancy and get an indication of your due date. The average pregnancy lasts for 266 days from conception. As it can be difficult to know exactly when conception occurred, the delivery date is usually calculated from the first day of your last period.
Next, why not take a look at our fabulous pregnancy section – we’re here to help you with all the advice, facts and fun you need at this magical time in your life.
