by Nicolette Montano

Created on: June 11, 2008

Having just given birth to my almost two-month old daughter, Allison, I can tell you firsthand what it's like to be pregnant in the first week or two. The telltale sign for me was stopping my birth control pills and being five days late for my period that next month (yes, it only took a month). Out came the EPT test! I was happy to call my husband and tell him that I was positively pregnant. Then, that's when the symptoms began....

I couldn't help but notice my breasts feeling extremely tender to the touch. If you've never been pregnant before and HAVE had tender breasts, take that and times it by two. They will be so tender that when your husband wants to play nookie in bed, you'll be wanting a lock on your bra (that's if you can bare to wear one). But don't fear. This symptom only lasted about two months for me.

Feeling a little icky? That could be another sign that you're pregnant. Thankfully, I was fine all nine months considering what my cousin went through. We were both pregnant at the same time and don't think that you'll only be sick in the morning. You might be sick in the evening or any other time of the day. Some women get sick all nine months and others might just be sick for three months. Like said previously, every women is different. I didn't vomit breakfast, lunch or dinner at all so hopefully you'll be in that tiny minority!

Now, a little bit of spotting here and there between 6 and 12 weeks after conception might be another sign. Woman might think they're in the clear of being pregnant mistaking this for their period. Well, sorry ladies..or congrats. This is what is called implantation bleeding and not all women get it. Just like missing that morning sickness symptom, I missed this one as well. Gosh I had a great pregnancy. According to the pregnancy website www.americanpregnancy.org, this happens when "the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall".

If you think running a 26-mile marathon is tiring, try being pregnant...and raising a baby but we'll save that fun for another article. This symptom hit me like a brick. I'd have to drag myself out of bed like a slug getting ready for work. I would always spring up out of bed and get myself ready at six in the morning. This doesn't help either when you're hormonally imbalanced might I add!

The gynecologist will tell you to drink at least 64 ounces of water and this doesn't help the next symptom. I'm sure you all know where I'm going with this-the dreadful frequent urination symptom. This doesn't help with the previously discussed fatigue symptom. Imagine being tired AND sleeping but begin to wake up because your bladder feels like a balloon. Not to mention it's almost painful enough to work those pelvic muscles in getting you up out of bed. This, however, occurred later on in the pregnancy-anywhere between one and two months after conception. Unfortunately, this doesn't go away until a month after your pregnant. That's right. After you pop that baby out, your body has a lot of emptying out to do....but it's well worth it.

Well, that's a brief rundown of pregnancy symptoms I've encountered ten and a half months ago, and some I haven't. When you go through the worst of it all just remember the one very special reason for it. Once you see that little bundle of joy in your arms, you'll forget about the worst of pregnancy and won't think twice about doing it all over again...that's if you can go past the puking, sore boobs, hormonal spills, fatigue and frequent urination. Did I mention you have nine months of no period?

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