Feeling full pregnancy
Heartburn, gas, tender breasts, and more
Think you might be pregnant? Here are the most common pregnancy signs in the first month.
When you’re hoping to be pregnant and you haven’t missed your period yet—or it’s a day or two late—it’s pretty easy to interpret nearly any physical symptom as a sign of pregnancy. It’s not uncommon to feel symptoms in the first week or two of your pregnancy—or even earlier. “Some women experience pregnancy symptoms from the moment of conception,” says Karen Nordahl, a general practitioner and obstetrician in Vancouver and co-author of Fit to Deliver. “Usually, this is second- or third-time moms who remember a particular sensation, such as increased gas.” But many first-time moms miss these early pregnancy signs because the very first symptoms aren’t necessarily the ones we associate with having a baby on the way. So, yes, while some women experience nausea or hypersensitivity to smells, these seven symptoms are among the most common during the first few weeks of pregnancy.
Digestive changes are one of the most common early pregnancy signs, says Nordahl. If you feel a burning sensation in your chest after scarfing down your usual black coffee and egg-salad sandwich from the deli near your office, it might not be that the deli changed the recipe to include green onions or switched coffee brands; it could actually be pregnancy-related heartburn. One telltale sign of heartburn is that the burning sensation can feel worse when you bend over or lie down. It’s safe to reach for an antacid to relieve the burning, but also try to avoid certain foods, such as citrus fruits.
2. Pregnancy sign: Sore breastsBefore you start cursing your bra for suddenly feeling more like a contraption from the hardware store than the lacy lingerie that took a serious chunk out of your paycheque, consider that your newly sore boobs could be a sign that you’re pregnant.
Breast tenderness is another common early pregnancy sign, according to Nordahl. For many women, what can make this symptom particularly confusing is that breast soreness is also a very common sign of your period. But early on in your pregnancy, your breasts may hurt because they’re expanding in preparation for producing milk.
Being gassy—or, less eloquently, “farty”—is no problem when you’re chillaxing alone in your threadbare sweatpants, but it’s next-level horrifying when you’re out and about anywhere else. Unfortunately, it’s one of the more common early pregnancy signs. Expect flatulence during not only the first few weeks of pregnancy but also the next nine months. Inevitably, your unruly gas will strike right in the middle of a work meeting or during a cool-down in your silent yoga class.
Can’t zip up those light-wash jeans that fit like a glove a few weeks ago? It could be that extra-large soda and popcorn you inhaled while transfixed on the onscreen hunk at the cinema last night, but it could also be a sign that you’re expecting. Like breast tenderness, abdominal bloating is a symptom that’s common before your period, making it hard to tell apart from monthly premenstrual symptoms. The usual tactic to fight extra bloating and constipation is to ease up on excess salt and stay hydrated with water, both of which are good habits, whether you’re pregnant or not. But you might also want to buy a pregnancy test.
5. Pregnancy sign: Lower pelvic crampingPelvic cramping as an early pregnancy sign? Yep, it can be, according to Nordahl. That might seem counterintuitive, as cramps are super-typical symptoms of Aunt Flow. You were probably hoping that being pregnant meant you could kiss cramps goodbye, but sadly that’s not the case.
Light cramps can be caused by early pregnancy hormonal shifts and implantation of the fertilized egg on your uterine lining.
The unusual sensation of feeling “full” is yet another early symptom of pregnancy. “Fullness can be experienced before a period is missed, but a first-time mom may miss it,” says Nordahl. “A second- or third-time mom may pick up on it right away, especially if she is actively trying to conceive.” If you’re getting a feeling of déjà vu from previous pregnancies that you’re experiencing at the gut level (literally), congrats, you could be preggo!
7. Pregnancy sign: A missed periodWell, duh, of course a missed period is the most common of early pregnancy signs. For many women who haven’t been pregnant before, this is usually the first symptom they notice, explains Nordahl. But hindsight is often 20/20. “A first-time mom usually thinks back and realizes that a few things were different but wasn’t sure what they meant,” she says.
Read more:
Due date calculator
Pregnancy by week: Follow along as your baby grows
Pregnancy food guide
See more on Getting Pregnant
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Feeling Full Really Quickly During Pregnancy
It’s common to say a pregnant woman is ‘eating for two’.
In other words, she can eat twice as much as usual, because she’s eating for herself and the baby.
This can be a misconception as many pregnant women report feeling full really quickly during pregnancy.
Women often can’t eat as much food during pregnancy as they usually would.
Why do many pregnant women feel so full after eating?
Read on to find out more about this phenomenon and what to do about it.
Feeling full really quickly during pregnancy – first trimester
Feeling full really quickly during pregnancy can start as early as the first trimester.
There are a few reasons why this happens:
- Increase in progesterone
- Gastrointestinal slowing
- Increased gas
Research shows progesterone levels increase when a woman is pregnant.
The problem seems to be associated with this hormone. As the pregnancy progresses, the progesterone level rises.
A side effect of rising levels of progesterone is slowing of the gastrointestinal tract.
In basic terms, this means you’re more likely to be constipated.
Constipation can also lead to a buildup of unreleased gas. The end result can be a feeling of fullness in the first trimester.
If you experience this fullness, and then eat something, you’ll feel full really quickly. This is because the intestines are already backed up with food and gas.
Hungry but feeling full really quickly during pregnancy
Many women feel very hungry during the first trimester.
Your body needs lots of energy to support your rapidly growing baby.
You need extra calories to grow this new life, which leads to a heightened feeling of hunger.
Many women feel extremely hungry in the first trimester but can’t eat much, due to feeling full really quickly.
This can be frustrating, especially when cravings are added to the mix.
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Feeling full really quickly during pregnancy – second trimester
The study that shows progesterone rising during the first trimester of pregnancy also shows it continuing to rise in the second trimester.
At this stage, the progesterone level can be around 40 times higher than that of a woman who isn’t pregnant.
Unfortunately, this means an increase in the feeling of fullness.
Starving then feeling full in pregnancy
It’s normal during the first and second trimesters to feel very hungry but feel full really quickly.
As the baby grows, the mother needs higher levels of nutrition to support this growth.
The frustration comes in when you can’t eat much due to the feeling of fullness.
It’s important for you to continue to take your prenatal vitamins so you and your baby get the nutrition you both need.
Is it normal to feel full during early pregnancy?
As frustrating as this feeling can be, it’s totally normal.
When our bodies are pregnant, they change in so many ways that everything feels different.
Although the baby is still fairly small during the first and second trimesters, there are other factors that can cause this feeling of fullness.
If you’re concerned that your feeling of fullness during pregnancy is excessive, talk to your doctor so you can be checked out.
Why do I feel so full after eating while pregnant?
During the third trimester of pregnancy, while progesterone is still rising, there’s the added problem of the baby taking up more space.
By the end of the second trimester, your baby is likely to be 3-4 kgs (6-9lbs) and 50cms (20 inches) long.
This leads to difficulties, such as:
- Less space in the bowel
- Less space in the bladder
- Your diaphragm being pushed or kicked.
The size of the baby means there’s less space in your body for food. This can lead to you feeling full really quickly when you eat.
Is it normal to get full fast?
This feeling is totally normal during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester.
The hormone levels and size of the baby mean your body feels full very quickly.
Your healthcare provider will recommend:
- Appropriate weight gain
- Balanced diet
- Regular exercise
- Taking vitamins.
If you’re not able to eat enough and are losing weight, it’s important to speak to your care provider to make sure you and baby are getting adequate nutrition.
How many times a day should a pregnant woman eat?
Some things that might help with feeling full really quickly during pregnancy include:
- More frequent but smaller meals
- Eating high protein foods
- Staying hydrated
- Taking vitamins.
If you can’t eat much in one sitting, try eating smaller meals throughout the day.
Since your digestive system has slowed down, this gives your body a chance to work on the last meal before starting the next.
It also reduces the feeling of discomfort, which is especially important during the third trimester.
As your baby gets bigger and shifts your organs around, you might experience reflux and indigestion more frequently.
Staying hydrated is also very important. Even if you don’t feel like it, drink plenty of water; your body needs it.
Taking small sips throughout the day might be easier than drinking a full glass with a meal.
Can being too full hurt the baby?
This article sums up two important things to consider when looking at your diet while you’re pregnant:
- You only need to eat approximately 300 calories extra per day
- Your diet can affect your baby’s health.
It’s unlikely you’re eating too much. The feeling of fullness usually prevents a pregnant woman from eating a lot of food.
Watch your diet, but don’t worry too much about getting enough calories for the baby. 300 calories isn’t much to add and, already mentioned, is equal to about one extra avocado a day.
It’s more important to focus on the quality of the food you’re eating.
Healthy ways to eat when feeling full really quickly during pregnancy
These healthy foods are great to include in your diet during pregnancy:
- Leafy greens
- Eggs
- Fish
- Beans
- Asparagus
- Sunflower seeds
- Avocado
- Brussels sprouts.
Check out this article for more information about nutrition during pregnancy.
This article stresses the lower chance of health problems for your baby if you stick to healthy choices with your pregnancy diet.
During pregnancy, it’s important to take care of your body.
It’s working extra hard to grow a new life and experiencing higher levels of hormones.
Feeling full really quickly during pregnancy is normal.
The main things to remember are:
- Eat healthy whole foods
- Take quality prenatal vitamins
- Exercise if possible (even just short walks if you can)
- Stay hydrated.
Ultimately, you know your body best.
If anything feels wrong, make sure to contact your healthcare provider to check that everything is okay.
"False pregnancy" in women. What's this?
Home/About clinic/Useful/ "False pregnancy" in women. What's this?
July 25, 2019
False (imaginary) pregnancy has been described by doctors since the time of Hippocarat. In Latin, this phenomenon is called pseudocyesis. In this case, a woman can feel all the signs of pregnancy, but in fact there is no developing fetus in the uterus. Most often, this condition appears in women who are suspicious and susceptible, with a mobile psyche, an overly excitable central nervous system, who have experienced stress or shock.
False pregnancy sometimes occurs in those women who strongly want to have a child. It may be the other way around - the fear of motherhood becomes the ground for its development. Patients who suffer from infertility for many years and undergo long-term treatment for this often feel falsely pregnant.
Reaching despair, they begin, through self-hypnosis, to look for symptoms in themselves that indicate pregnancy.
A false pregnancy can be caused by a hormonal imbalance. Regular stress causes the body to produce a lot of pituitary hormones, the increase in which is also observed during real pregnancy.
Women may lag behind in the development of the mammary glands or uterus ("baby uterus"). Under these conditions, doctors may prescribe a long course of taking hormonal drugs that lead to menstrual irregularities. The absence of menstruation is often taken by a woman as a sign of pregnancy.
False pregnancy manifests itself in the same way as a real one.
Main (doubtful) signs of false pregnancy:
- Morning sickness or vomiting
- Increases the perception of smells, changes in taste sensations and preferences
- Mood swings occur
- In rare cases, a woman even feels the movements of a non-existent fetus
The above signs are considered doubtful because the woman herself talks about them.
The situation becomes more convincing if there are likely signs. These include the following:
- Cessation of menses, long delays
- Enlargement and engorgement of the mammary glands, sometimes there is the appearance of characteristic pigmentation in the area of the halo and nipples
- There may be a discharge from the nipples similar to colostrum
- Belly increases in size
The condition of a false pregnancy is so similar to a real pregnancy that the woman is firmly convinced that she is expecting a child. Claiming her interesting position, she does not deceive anyone!
The most surprising thing is that a test for the presence of hCG in the urine can also show a positive result. This fact will further convince the woman of a real pregnancy. However, hCG can also increase if there is a cyst, a pelvic tumor, or some other pathology.
Women may sometimes see two lines on the test during a false pregnancy.
This is possible if they take a course of hormonal fertility drugs that contain hCG. It is also impossible to exclude the situation in which the test is damaged (marriage or improper storage).
Obstetrician-gynecologists of the IVF and reproductive health clinic "Genome-Don" recommend to confirm the presence of pregnancy with the help of transvaginal ultrasound, starting from the 1st week
menses delay.
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Why is it possible not to notice pregnancy until the birth?
Article author: Yudina Elena Alexandrovna , obstetrician-gynecologist
The first type of is a hidden pregnancy, when the body does not show signs of conception, or when its symptoms can be interpreted differently.
The second kind of is when a woman does not allow the thought that she will soon become a mother. Such pregnancies are more often associated with mental disorders or young age. There are not many such cases, but they do occur.
Consider the first type
As a rule, a woman with normal weight monitors her menstrual cycle and regularly visits a gynecologist. The probability of not noticing pregnancy is higher in overweight women. If the menstrual cycle is disturbed, toxicosis may not be noted, and the only sign of pregnancy is only the growth of the abdomen. At the same time, obese women with an irregular menstrual cycle due to hormonal failure believe that they are insured against pregnancy and, thereby, miss the fact of conception. In addition, it is quite possible not to notice pregnancy in the case of a small child and the fullness of the expectant mother. Also, polycystic ovary syndrome, combined with overweight and an increase in subcutaneous fat on the abdomen, can mislead the fair sex.
Along with this, there are anatomical reasons not to notice the “interesting position”. If the fetus is located too high and there is no growth of the abdomen (especially in overweight women with an irregular cycle), which should prompt a woman to think about pregnancy, then the state when the child begins to move is mistaken for flatulence, and poor health and toxicosis are associated with food poisoning. In athletic women, on the contrary, trained abdominal muscles can hide the child and his movements well. In addition, due to anatomical features, such as the bending of the uterus, the abdomen may grow very little.
There are women with false signs of pregnancy, in which all the clinical symptoms of a traditional pregnancy (weight gain, lactation, abdominal growth and toxicosis) appear, but there is no baby in the stomach.
There is a category of women (as a rule, they take pill forms of contraceptives, or have a diagnosis of infertility, or who have had a displacement of the intrauterine device), not noticing the fact of the onset of pregnancy due to the fact that in the early stages it is accompanied by signs of interruption (bleeding pain in the lower abdomen).
A woman perceives these symptoms as painful menstruation with a violation of the menstrual cycle. At the same time, they assure the doctor that menstruation was every month, but more abundant and painful.
Some women who have already conceived a child experience bleeding, which they may confuse with the so-called "menstruation". For example, in the case when the placenta is located in the lower part of the uterus and covers its internal pharynx (this should be interpreted as a threat of abortion). Such patients require closer attention and careful monitoring.
After childbirth, women forget that ovulation can occur before the first menstruation even in the presence of active lactation, therefore, fertilization is possible. In addition, if the fair sex did not start taking birth control pills in the first 5 days of the cycle, missed taking them, or had vomiting and diarrhea, then the pill could not be absorbed. As a result, follicle growth and ovulation are triggered. In such cases, additional contraception is needed.
