The first week of pregnancy is such that you don’t really feel pregnant apart from experiencing a few natural symptoms. Gynecologists usually start counting the pregnancy dates from the first day when you menstruated last time. As the gynecologist will explain to you, during week 1 of pregnancy, you are still on your period and not really pregnant. You generally conceive after a couple of weeks. During this week, you will get to see the very early signs of pregnancy. Pregnancy signs in week 1 are rather mild, and they gradually start increasing in intensity and changing their forms as the weeks progress.

1st Week Pregnant Symptoms:

During the 1st week, the very early signs of pregnancy that you start experiencing are:

Vaginal Bleeding: 

As already mentioned, you are probably still bleeding during week 1 of pregnancy. This is mainly because your body is preparing itself for the final stage before actual conception. The uterine lining that contains the last month’s egg that is not fertilised, has started shedding, and hence the bleeding. The bleeding should, however, be moderate just or just like the way you bleed during menstruation. If you notice an unnaturally large amount of blood oozing out of your vagina, then it might mean that something is wrong. Visit the doctor immediately, for a timely diagnosis.

Lower Back Pain:

Due to the shedding of your uterine lining, your entire pelvic area encounters lots of contractions on a regular basis. This leads to pains in the lower back. This is a normal occurrence until such time when it becomes unbearable. In such a situation, call the doctor without any delay.

Abdominal Cramps:

Similarly, you will also tend to experience abdominal cramps due to the regular contractions in your uterus while shedding its lining. This is very much similar to the cramps that you experience when you menstruate. If you think that the cramps during this period are unnaturally more painful, consult your gynecologist immediately.

Headache:

Starting from this point, your hormonal structure starts changing, giving rise to menstrual or pregnancy migraine. Doctors suggest using ice packs and OTC pain relievers to ease the situation. During week 1, these mechanisms are of great relief, but as time progresses, the pain outgrows the ability of these relievers. The best thing to do is to consult your doctor and ask for appropriate medication.

Bloating:

Week 1 pregnancy is the time from when you start bloating, much to your dislike! Just as it happens during normal menstruation, your hormones fluctuate and give rise to a bloated belly right before you start bleeding. This is accompanied by those pesky cramps. Visit the doctor if you feel that something is not quite right. There is no harm in getting things cleared by the expert(s).

Mood Swings:

The change in the flow of your hormones can make you an emotional wreck! Along with this, thanks to those cramps and aches that get you even more cranky. The best way to deal with this is to take some warm showers, eat your favorite foods, and listen to good music.

Pregnant Belly:

At just week 1, you definitely cannot expect to ‘feel pregnant’ and hence your belly does not show any signs of pregnancy. However, there is mild bloating that is unnoticeable. Inside your stomach, at this point, not only is the egg from last month is being released along with the shedding of the uterine lining, but also a new uterine lining is being formed. This is your body’s way of preparing to hold the egg that will mature in the next 28 days. At this moment, you will only feel the very early signs of pregnancy. The doctor will be explaining all of this to you, on your first visit to the clinic after conceiving.

Pregnancy Ultrasound:

At week 1 of pregnancy, you will most likely not have an ultrasound test. In some situations, however, your gynecologist might recommend an ultrasound if they detect some complication or if you have been trying to conceive for a long time. In this test, the doctor will check the fibroids inside your body, to understand the number of follicles are present in your ovary and how thick your uterine lining is. If the doctor perceives that there is some complication, or problem, they might tell you to undergo a fertility treatment and then try to conceive again.

Dos and Don’ts during Week 1 of Pregnancy:

Dos –

Eat a balanced diet:

Right from the beginning, you are required to adhere to a balanced diet chart that will provide you with all the nutrition for both the mother and the baby. Make sure that you include lots of fruits, vegetables, juices, dairy products, and juices in your regular diet. A healthy diet leads to good supportive system for the foetus to develop well.

Drink lots of water:

Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the key factors to a well developed foetus. Water and its minerals are an integral part of the nutrition provided to the baby. Drinking at least 2 liters of water is recommended by doctors to make sure that gestational diabetes and constipation are best avoided.

Exercise:

From the moment you are impregnated, make sure to exercise regularly. Exercising helps you relax the muscles and train them for handling future labour pains. Apart from that, regular exercise helps your hormones flow better as well as reduce constipation in the later stages of pregnancy.

Visit the doctor for more guidance:

Since at week 1 you are pretty new to the ongoing situation inside you body, especially if this is your first pregnancy, visit the doctor whenever you come across something unusual. Regular visits to the doctor is recommended in order to reduce your doubts, fears, and complications.

Don’ts –

Smoke:

Smoking not only negatively affects your lungs, but also destroys your abdominal walls. Make sure that you quit smoking right from the time you conceive, or even before that, so that the foetus doesn’t contract any terminal illness or is not deformed.

Drink alcohol:

Drinking a limited quantity of alcohol otherwise in not harmful, but during pregnancy it might affect the baby’s growth. Different foetuses have different rates of tolerance. Hence, you must never even think of taking the risk of doing something that might potentially damage the baby inside.

Eat too many packaged foods:

Packaged foods contains lots of preservatives and chemicals. Eating such foods during pregnancy is harmful for your baby, as the chemicals interfere with its growth process. Try to restrict your intake of these processed foods and stick to home cooked cuisines.

Stay for long hours in polluted areas:

Pollution affects the baby and its brain cells. Try to steer clear of polluted places as much as possible, right from the beginning of your pregnancy. If you are outdoors, choose places with greenery to relax your mind and body.

Conception takes a long period of patience and good health. Make sure that you follow your doctor’s and the sonographer’s advice, and maintain a health lifestyle. Motherhood is a challenging yet exciting path. Coordinate with your loved ones and get useful tips from them before hitting the road of full-time parenting! Till then, at week 1, all you need to do is sit back and relax for a few more weeks!

Hope this article was of help for all our parents!! Please share your comments/queries/tips with us and help us create a world full of Happy and Healthy Babies!!