Of course one of the surest signs of pregnancy is a blood test, but most women know before that if they are pregnant or not. Here are some of the most common signs of pregnancy a woman might experience.

Classic Symptoms of Pregnancy

Missed Period or Menstrual Cycle – This is the obvious sign of pregnancy that can sometimes be the first clue for women. Most pregnancy tests will register a pregnancy by the time a woman realizes her period is late.

Sore or Tender Breasts – This can often be one of the first symptoms of pregnancy that a woman notices. The breasts become tender as a result of the pregnancy hormones which begin even before a missed period.

Feeling Tired and Fatigued – Another classic sign of pregnancy, strong fatigue can surprise women. Sometimes it’s a bone-deep, wrenching fatigue, but it usually passes fairly quickly.

Unusual Signs of Pregnancy

Sometimes the symptoms of pregnancy are unusual or catch us off guard.

Food Cravings or Aversions – These changes I taste can happen almost immediately. In fact one of my pregnancies I knew when cooking hamburgers turned my stomach even though I wasn’t even late yet.

Stomach Upsets, Nausea and Morning Sickness – It’s common in early pregnancy for women to feel sick to their stomach. For some this can begin as early as week 2 – much sooner than many women realize.

Back Aches and Pains – Another surprising symptom that appears I early pregnancy sometimes is low back or hip pain. As the uterus begins to grow it can put a strain on the lower back. Later this can ease a bit as the uterus is big enough to be supported by the pelvic bones but for now it’s easy for the back to be strained.

Spotting from Implantation Bleeding – Sometimes women feel some cramping, and have some slight spotting and bleeding when the embryo implants into the wall of the uterus. Since this often happens around the time of a missed period, it can fool some women!

Mood Swings – Sometimes the hormone rush can begin sooner than women realize. One little known symptom of pregnancy is mood swings – something that is often passed off as PMS until a missed cycle.

While none of these symptoms individually are conclusive for a pregnancy, however taken together several of these at the same time, can be very strong indicators of pregnancy.

These numbers are rough averages for when weight gain takes place during your pregnancy and will help you have an idea what your health care provider is looking at when you stand on that scale during prenatal check-ups. First Trimester – 4 pounds total Second Trimester – 1 pound per week Third Trimester – 1…

What is an Ectopic or Tubal Pregnancy? An ectopic pregnancy literally means “out of place” and is when the fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy usually occurs when the eggs implants in the Fallopian tube giving rise to the common term “tubal pregnancy”. Risk Factors and Causes of Ectopic Pregnancies…

It seems that during pregnancy some women obsess about their weight gain. While it is more important to focus on what you are eating, rather than how much you gain, it is still helpful to know where the weight gain comes from. How Much Weight Will I Gain During My Pregnancy? The average pregnant woman…

A woman with an ectopic pregnancy may experience one or all of these symptoms; it can be a unique experience for each mother. If you have any of these symptoms you should check with your health care provider. Women who have one or more risk factors should pay close attention to how they feel during…

Some babies come naturally at 40 weeks. Some need longer in the womb. Image via Wikipedia

How Your Baby Grows During the Fortieth Week

Your baby is now 20 to 21 inches long and the presenting part, hopefully the top of the head, is likely pressing firmly against the cervix. Your practitioner will probably check to see whether the baby is posterior or anterior, which refers to which direction the baby is facing.

A posterior baby has his face forwards which means that the hard back of the skull is against the mother’s tail bone. This position can make for a longer, more painful labor. An anterior baby, the normal position, is when the baby’s face is back towards the mother’s spine.

Your baby’s sucking reflex is also growing stronger, preparing him for nursing after birth. His eyes see contrast in color well and many scientists believe this ability is part of the reason for pigment changes in women. The darkened areola on the breasts, help the baby nurse after he is born.

What the Mother Feels During the Fortieth Week

You may be feeling anxious and impatient now as you wait for true labor to begin. Many mothers feel discouraged and restless, especially if they have experienced “false labor” and are waiting for true labor to begin. Experienced mothers are more likely to give birth this week but most first time moms will not begin labor naturally until the 41st week.

Many expectant mothers have trouble sleeping. You may feel cranky and moody. These feelings can be even worse if the people around you are making stupid comments about your pregnancy. “You haven’t had that baby yet?” “Does it look like I’ve had the baby yet!?”

Take heart, dear Momma, your baby will arrive soon.

How Your Baby Grows During the Thirty-Ninth Week The crown to rump length is still just a bit over 14 inches, but your baby’s total length is probably closer to 20-21 inches now. He is about seven pounds and nearly ready for birth. As he nears full term, the vernix that covered and protected his…

‘The Pregnancy Book: A Month by Month Guide‘ is published by Little Brown and Company and written by Dr. William Sears, and Martha Sears with Dr. Linda Holt. The Pregnancy Book has an ISBN 0-316-77914-8 and lists for $13.95 in America, $19.95 in Canada.

Month by Month Pregnancy Information

One of my favorite features of this book is the way the information is broken down into easy-to-read chapters. There is no need to for pregnant women to try to read the entire book at one sitting, the month-by-month structure encourages you to read through the book in small bits and pieces. The Pregnancy Book begins with month one of pregnancy and finishes up with “month ten” – the first four weeks after your baby is born – to discuss postpartum issues.

Pregnancy Information Provided Every Month

Each chapter of The Pregnancy Book covers some important developmental information for both the mother and the growing baby.

• “How You May Feel Emotionally” talks about the emotional changes you might expect to see during your pregnancy.
• “How You May Feel Physically” talks about the physical changes to be expected during those weeks of your pregnancy.
• “How Your Baby is Growing” will discuss the fetal development and the growth of the baby in the womb.

Additionally, each month’s chapter discusses things you might be concerned about that month, special considerations or other information necessary at that time in your pregnancy.

Special areas of concern or knowledge that are discussed include: diet and nutrition; prenatal testing and screenings; exercising during pregnancy; pregnancy complications and childbirth options.

While many women are familiar with the book “What to Expect While You’re Expecting”, I prefer this book for several different reasons.

First, I appreciate that The Pregnancy Book treats pregnant women as adults, presenting the information in a calm, intelligent way without unnecessary scare-tactic drama. I also appreciate that sensitive issues like natural birth and medical interventions are discussed fully, with the pros and cons laid out for parents to make their own choices. The other thing I also enjoy are the personal comments from other pregnant women sprinkled throughout the book.

The one downside to the information presentation is the month by month formatting. I would recommend taking advantage of the index in the back, and the table of contents in the front of the book to find the information about any of the questions you might have. You don’t have to go through the book strictly in the month-by-month order the Sears’ have formatted it in.

After all, one of the things you’ll learn when you read