Here are some of the top 10 signs early on in pregnancy
Missed period:
Some of those who experience irregular periods might decide to wait 1 to 3 weeks until they take a test (it can take 5-14 until a fertilized egg fully attaches to the lining of the uterus).
Implantation bleeding:
Slight bleeding or abdominal cramping can occur but it’s typically a few days before your expected period. Can consist of pink or brownish spotting and can last about 1 to 3 days.
Nausea:
Due to suspected increase in the hormone estrogen.
Food aversions:
Are there certain foods or smells bothering you lately? Some people experience morning sickness and some may just have heightened sensitivities. Also, even though it’s labeled as morning sickness, this feeling can unfortunately occur for some people throughout the entire day.
Bloating.
Frequent urination:
As the uterus expands, pressure is placed on the bladder. Early on, hormone changes are also responsible. The increased blood flow to the urinary system and more fluid going through the kidneys, can speed up the filling process in the bladder.
Change in breasts:
There are many hormone changes happening which can cause the breast to feel firm, larger, or just more tender in general. Even early in pregnancy, some people may notice other changes in breast appearance like lines or darker veins.
Constipation:
Due to the levels of the hormone progesterone, muscles of the digestive tract can be more relaxed causing food to move slower through your system. Also if you take iron or prenatal vitamin, those could also contribute.
Mood swings:
Feeling more emotional, weepy, or extra irritated? This can occur given the amount of hormone changes experienced in early pregnancy. This cam improve once your body adjusts to the higher levels of hormones. Of course on top of that, if a person has sickness, metabolism changes, changes in sleep, stress, and fatigue, emotions can certainly be running high anyway.
Fatigue:
In the first trimester, an increase in your progesterone hormones can cause you to feel unusually tired. Also the increased blood volume Blood vessel dilation, can also result in mild headaches, dizziness, lower blood sugar or lower blood pressure.
Lastly:
*Keep in mind that (like many things), Everybody is different. Some may experience symptoms prior to getting sick or prior to their menstrual period, but other pregnant people may not have many symptoms at all.
*Which test should I take andWhere should I buy it from?
-Blood test with your doctor, nurse, community clinic, local Planned Parenthood Center, grocery store, dollar store, drugstore, local pharmacy, even ordering one offline.
*Home tests:
There are a lot of brand names to choose from with home tests. Many home tests claim to be about 97-99% accurate if used correctly, and
keeping the following in mind:
make sure you actually read the directions. It’s important to not read the test too early or too late for unreliable results.
Some tests could get false positives if the person was taking birth control, antibiotics, fertility meds, etc.
Check the expiration dates to make sure the test is not expired.
Typically accuracy is increased of taken in the morning when your urine is less diluted.
*Is there really one brand that is more reliable than the others?
-Ask your pharmacist or provider.
-Another resource is the website: www.verywellfamily.com/Best-pregnancy-tests, where you can read about some tests that could be more sensitive to reading early levels of hCG.
*Your hCG levels double every 48 -72 hours. Therefore, some people may choose a 2-3 pack of tests to repeat a few days after they’ve actually missed their period.
My name is Becky. I’ve worked in healthcare for over a decade, graduated from occupational therapy school in 2009.
I am a certified labor and postpartum Doula, level I Reiki certified, a certified Childbirth Educator and taken trainings for continuing education in VBAC, Infant Feeding, Mental health, infant loss, cultural competence, continuing education on other topics such as spinning babies and more.
I love keeping up with the latest trainings.
I also offer c-section education in planned cesareans or for unplanned csections.
I love doing post surgical education with people to learn how to prevent injury after their surgery in my cesarean home visits,
where I teach best ways to move around in your daily routine after this type of abdominal surgery. I customize all of my therapist recovery tips and tricks based on you & your home set up.
Besides my Master's in OT, my minor is psychology. As an OT I focused 11 years of my career in rehab and acute care. I worked with multi-diagnoses, intensive care units, burn survivors, amputees, orthopedic injuries, knee/hip replacement surgeries, back pain, post spinal surgeries, multi-trauma patients, patients, heart disease, genetic disorders, stroke and much more. My approach to working with clients is from not only an evidence based background but also taking into account holistically that whole person, taking into account their beliefs, their parent style and what their goals are ultimately, and helping them find a good balance as they navigate new parenthood or adding to their family. I place strong emphasis on keeping a calm presence in the room which puts a lot of emphasis on considering the role of everyone in the room, and sticking to a “team work” approach.
I pride myself in providing non-judgemental care and having great for communication skills with you, your loved one, or your provider to make you have the best experience.
My husband and I live in melrose, Ma. We like the outdoors, dogs, We have two sons, love going out, spending time with family and friends.
I’m 38 years old. Since I was 15 years old, I’ve always been volunteering which is another passion of mine. I love helping families in my community and giving people the best resources to help them succeed in having a positive labor + postpartum experience!
When you hire me, you learn from a hands on technique approach and learn various coping skills, and practical skills that we practice 1:1.
My skill set is unique and valuable to families across my whole community due to my background in the medical field working along side the medical team. Working on teams helped me to gain great customer service skills and helped me always value continuous growth and life long learning.
I also have completed doula trainings for labor, postpartum, and CBE all through ProDoula which has been accepted also by work insurance companies (such as carrot).
Having doula support can be the difference between people feeling overwhelmed vs. feeling confident, educated, well rested, and feeling fully supported throughout your entire experience.
My favorite part of labor support is that through our prenatal preparation as it can take the fear out of the birth experience and leaves you feeling educated on all topics, prepared and ready for anything.
Lastly, if you’ve had any health conditions or complex medical issues, I'm specially equipped to support you. For labor I will help you get into the mental state you need to be in, physically be more comfortable with massage, help suggest the best positions and comfort measures to cope with pain whether in or out of bed, with or without epidural.
If you have a support person involved, having a labor doula can also make them feel more at ease, not only to show them how they can be more effective with hands on techniques but also more familiar with ways to give you emotional support, and recognize when you enter various stages of labor. Some labors can be very long even 1-2 days and it is very helpful for partners /spouses to know someone is there supporting their needs too alongside the Doula and team as everyone has their special roles. Your partner knows you best and your doula knows birth best so together we make a great team to help you through the labor process.
As your doula, I’m here to support you + your partner, from start to finish.
I’m also available for some postpartum work, evening or overnight shifts, and offer 1:1 private classes at your home (and on request sometimes provide couples or small group classes).
Call or email today for a consult on how I can best serve you and your family!
View more posts
Capstone Doula Services 