The first month of pregnancy is an exciting, yet nerve-racking time. At the beginning of your first trimester, you are starting to feel the physiological effects of growing another human life inside of you. You may be experiencing symptoms of early pregnancy, or you may not feel any changes at all- both are completely normal. You may have told your friends and family the exciting news, or prefer to wait a few more weeks just to make sure everything is fine. The most important thing is to remember that every women is different in her pregnancy and that you should not compare yourself to others.
Here are a few things that women who are 1 month pregnant may or may not be experiencing:
Breast tenderness and soreness
One of the first telltale signs (even before the dreaded morning sickness) is a noticeable sensitivity in your breasts that will make it uncomfortable to wear a bra. To ease this pain, replace your regular bra, (that usually has some type of underwire in it), for a sports bra with extra padding and strong support. It is important to make yourself as comfortable as possible as your body is beginning to adjust to the tremendous changes it will undertake during the next months of your pregnancy.
You may experience mood swings
This early on in your pregnancy you may experience feeling hormonal due to your changing body. It may be similar to what you feel when you are menstruating or are pre-menstrual, when you notice that you are a bit more sensitive than usual. If you are feeling no changes in your emotional state, do not feel like there is anything abnormal going on, since some women do not experience such changes during this stage in their pregnancy.
You may feel bloated and/or experience cramps
Again, similar to your period, you may feel physical symptoms like feeling extra bloated or pain in your abdomen during this stage. If you do experience these symptoms, make sure to take care of yourself and place a hot water bottle on the sensitive area to lessen the discomfort.
Sensitivity to certain smells
Being 1 month pregnant, your sense of smell will be a lot more sensitive during this time, and a strong odor can quickly make your stomach turn. Try to avoid being in situations where strong scents are likely to occur, especially situations involving food smells. This includes your office break room, restaurants, or wearing strong perfume. When you are at home, have your spouse be in charge of all meal preparation, especially strong-scented dishes that include seafood, eggs, or spaghetti sauce.
First signs of morning sickness
For most pregnant women, morning sickness does not happen until around the 6th week of pregnancy, but can happen as early as the 4th week. Feeling nauseous and vomiting are the main symptoms of morning sickness and should be treated with plenty of rest, bland foods, and liquids. The most important thing is not to be too hard on yourself during this time and make your health a top priority.
1 month pregnant means your baby is beginning to form
From a tiny ball of cells, your baby is starting to take shape in this first month inside the womb. Your baby will begin to develop a sheet of cells that forms the neural tube; this will form the central nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord.
You may experience a little spotting
Around 30 percent of the time, implantation bleeding occurs as the cells attach to the uterine wall. This is where the placenta will later develop, sending nutrients and oxygen to the fertilized egg as it continues growing into a baby. Implantation bleeding is usually very light red or brown and should not be mistaken for your period or a sign that something is wrong.
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