Pregnancy usually makes women both extremely happy and totally terrified. When you are expecting a boy, a girl or twins, you should be prepared about all the changes that your female body is going to face month by month. This is a good idea to track these changes in your own Due Date Calculator.

Through the months of pregnancy, you might notice some disturbing symptoms but do not rush to worry. You cannot be sure that there is a problem with the development of your baby before you consult your doctor. Many changes will occur in your body while a little human being is growing inside, so try to react to them without too much stress.

Track Your Pregnancy and Know What to Expect

If you have normal fertility and ovulation your pregnancy will start after the sperm fertilizes your egg. Your pregnancy is supposed to continue 40 weeks through which you might have some of the following symptoms:

Bleeding

Bleeding during pregnancy seems pretty scary, but it is not unusual, especially in the first trimester. Around 25 percent of the pregnant women notice spotting or more significant bleeding during the first 12 weeks. This bleeding does not change the normal course of pregnancy.  Pay attention, however, that a bleeding, accompanied by cramps is often a sign of miscarriage. If you have such concerns, consult your doctor immediately.

Cramps

In the first weeks of pregnancy cramps may appear like the ones you have before a menstrual period. This feeling is caused by the increased blood flow to the uterus and other pelvic organs, and it is normal. However, if bleeding appears together with the cramping, consult a health specialist as soon as possible.

Depressive Moments

 

Pregnancy is connected with rapidly changing hormone levels an this significantly affects mood. Still, depression is as frequent among pregnant women as among non-pregnant. Untreated depression could later turn to postpartum depression which might have quite sad consequences. We advise you to consult a psychologist, if you experience disturbing symptoms such as extreme fatigue; changes in appetite or sleep; lack of interest in normal activities you liked before; feelings of despair, inferiority, hopelessness or guilt; or excessive crying. Safe treatment therapies are available for future moms.

Contractions

There are different types of contraction, so having them is not always a sign that you are going to give birth soon. The Braxton-Hicks contractions which often appear after week 24 are random uterine contractions. Since they are irregular and sporadic, they differ from real labor contractions.

If you are experiencing contraction at regular intervals which increase in frequency and intensity, then you are expected to give birth soon. Time your contractions to see how often they appear and give your doctor this information.

Swelling

Swelling is caused by accumulation of fluid in tissues and hormonal changes. You cannot control swelling by changing the daily intake of water and salt.

Pay extreme attention if swelling is accompanied by a strong headache. After week 28 a dangerous condition, called preeclampsia could occur. Immediate medical care is required.

Vaginal Discharge

Unusual vaginal discharge is often a sign of infection which should be treated. However, such discharge might be quite normal during pregnancy. Because of the multiple changes that your cervix will undergo, the result can be excessive vaginal discharge.

This should not bother you unless this discharge appears with the sensation of itching, burning or with a bad odor. In these cases, you probably have an infection which should be treated on time before it endangers your health or the one of your baby.

Vaginal Dampness

Seeing a wet spot on your bed sheets or on your underwear is usually caused by urine leaks. Your growing uterus puts extreme pressure on the bladder and this is the common reason for the dampness.

However, if you’ve noticed the changes in consistency or amount of dischsrge you should visit your GP or ob-gyn. After week 37 this is a quite possible and dangerous case because it can cause trigger labor or infection.

Stay Informed

You do not really know for sure what to expect before you get pregnant. Still, if you have more information what to expect, you will feel much more confident. If you have a look at a pregnancy calendar week by week, you will see what can be expected through the 40 weeks of pregnancy.

Have in mind that there is a lot of individuality how pregnancy will flow for you, so pay special attention to what happens with your body. Also, keep regular contact with your doctor even in the first months of pregnancy. This is the way to prevent problems which might be avoided with the help of a medical specialist.

A Free Pregnancy Calendar

We advise you to keep pregnancy calendar and fill inside daily all the details that you have noticed about your pregnancy – symptoms, any changes in your body and so on. Your doctor will be able to determine according the pregnancy calendar the due date and the conception date. Do not forget to fill in the calendar your last menstrual period.

After the conception you will start to feel the weekly changes in your baby’s body and in your own. Fill your pregnancy calendar day by day and make regular monthly consultations with your doctor to be sure that your pregnancy is progressing normally.

Remember that this is a truly wonderful period of your life, although it will not be easy and peaceful at all. Your pregnancy journal will remind you one day of this unique experience.