| Whether you are trying to get pregnant,
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| | early on in pregnancy and throughout the
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| or think you may already be pregnant, it
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| | first trimester. This is a result of
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| can be extremely frustrating waiting to
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| | rapidly rising HCG levels, very high
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| find out one way or the other! Lots of
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| | progesterone levels and a higher than
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| women cannot bear the wait between
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| | normal body temperature. Combine all that
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| ovulation and menstruation and want to
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| | with frequent toilet trips and nausea and
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| find out if they are pregnant sooner
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| | trying to hold down a job and it is no
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| rather than later.
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| | wonder pregnant women feel exhausted!
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| Fortunately many over-the-counter
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| | ·Missed Period/ Cramping/ Backache/
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| pregnancy tests can be taken on or after
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| | Headaches
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| the day that your period was due - and
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| | For most women this can be the first
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| some newer generation tests can even be
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| | indication that they are pregnant but for
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| taken a few days before menstruation.
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| | the first few weeks of pregnancy you may
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| But, if you are really impatient to get
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| | experience cramping and have a feeling
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| results, you may be surprised to know
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| | your period will arrive at any moment.
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| that your body can be an excellent
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| | Often the cramping is accompanied by back
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| indicator if you monitor yourself
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| | pain.
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| carefully!
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| | Obviously, any cramping and bleeding,
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| Many women experience some signs of
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| | even if it is light, should be reported
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| pregnancy in the week before their period
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| | to your doctor. Pregnant women also often
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| is due. Although these symptoms can mimic
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| | experience more headaches than normal and
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| pre-menstrual symptoms, sometimes they
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| | again this can be a result of massive
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| are a little more severe. So you may feel
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| | hormonal changes.
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| you have a particularly bad dose of PMT
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| | ·Light Bleeding/ Spotting
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| and later realise that you were in fact
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| | About 8-10 days after ovulation some
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| pregnant!
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| | women experience some light bleeding
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| Some women experience pregnancy symptoms
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| | which coincides with the time a period
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| within just a few days of conception;
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| | was due. Sometimes this can be mistaken
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| others experience nothing at all until a
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| | for a light period. This bleeding is
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| few weeks into the pregnancy.
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| | often implantation bleeding which is a
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| Conception usually occurs within 8-10
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| | result of the egg implanting in the
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| days of ovulation and at this point your
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| | uterus.
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| body starts to react to HCG (Human
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| | ·Dizziness/ Fainting
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| Chorionic Gonadotropin), the pregnancy
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| | Because pregnancy affects the sense of
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| hormone. This is the hormone that
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| | taste and smell lots of pregnant women
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| pregnancy tests detect in a positive
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| | unintentionally avoid food and skip
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| test. And it is the rapidly rising levels
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| | meals. This causes low blood sugar levels
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| of HCG which cause the symptoms of
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| | which can lead to dizzy spells and
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| pregnancy.
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| | fainting.
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| If you do suspect that you may be
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| | If you are standing for a long period of
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| pregnant and are suffering from some or
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| | time the increased pressure of the uterus
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| all of the symptoms outlined below, see
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| | pressing on major arteries in your legs
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| your GP as soon as possible. It is
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| | can lead to a fall in blood pressure
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| important to receive medical care and to
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| | which can also make you feel dizzy or
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| get a booking in appointment at hospital
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| | faint.
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| so that you can receive appropriate
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| | ·Constipation
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| ante-natal care.
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| | In order to absorb all the nutrients that
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| So what are the early signs of pregnancy?
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| | your developing baby requires, pregnancy
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| ·Nausea/ Vomiting
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| | hormones slow down your metabolism and
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| Otherwise known as "Morning Sickness",
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| | this can lead to constipation. Try eating
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| this can occur very early on in
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| | plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and
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| pregnancy, even before you realise that
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| | drinking lots of water to help avoid
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| you are pregnant. Many women think they
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| | constipation.
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| may have a touch of food poisoning or are
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| | ·Irritability
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| coming down with a cold! Although called
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| | With lots of pregnancy hormones raging
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| morning sickness, it can occur at any
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| | through your body, as well as coping with
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| time and can come in bouts or last all
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| | sickness and tiredness, is it any wonder
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| day and night! Eating little and often
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| | pregnant women get easily irritated
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| can help relieve it and you might find
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| | during early pregnancy? If you find
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| that dry crackers are very effective. The
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| | yourself getting stressed and losing your
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| nausea often gets worse when you are
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| | temper try to take some gentle exercise,
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| hungry so it can be useful to keep some
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| | more rest and eat a healthy, balanced
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| snack food with you at all times. The gag
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| | diet - if you can face it!
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| reflex is often easily triggered and
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| | ·Heartburn/ Indigestion
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| simple acts like brushing your teeth can
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| | Although heartburn and indigestion are
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| leave you hanging over the toilet bowl!
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| | usually associated with the later stages
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| ·Enhanced Sense of Smell and Taste
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| | of pregnancy, they can also occur early
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| Lots of women become more sensitive to
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| | on for some women. HCG slows down
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| everyday smells and common foodstuffs,
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| | digestion meaning that your stomach
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| such as tea, coffee and toast, can
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| | remains full for longer. Stomach acid can
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| trigger nausea. Your sense of taste may
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| | then make its way into your oesophagus
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| change dramatically and you may find you
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| | and even to the back of your throat
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| can no longer bear to drink or eat foods
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| | causing discomfort and even nausea. It
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| that you would normally enjoy! You may
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| | can often be relieved with medication, so
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| also notice a metallic taste in your
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| | ask your doctor for some antacids
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| mouth.
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| | suitable during pregnancy. Avoid eating
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| ·Frequent Urination
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| | heavy or spicy meals late in the evening
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| This can happen as early as 1 week into
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| | as these can aggravate the problem!
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| the pregnancy. You may find you are
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| | ·Changes in Complexion
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| running to the toilet a lot more often
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| | You might notice your skin breaks out in
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| than normal and maybe even during the
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| | spots as a result of all the pregnancy
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| night. As the uterus rapidly enlarges
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| | hormones coursing through your body but
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| after implantation, it presses on your
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| | this often settles down by the second
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| bladder making you feel like you need to
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| | trimester! Any moles or liver spots may
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| urinate. Often you will rush to the
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| | also darken due to increased skin
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| toilet only to pass a tiny trickle of
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| | pigmentation.
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| urine!
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| | ·Increased Cervical Mucous
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| Urine may also darken and have a stronger
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| | Many pregnant women notice that they pass
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| smell than normal so you should try to
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| | more cervical mucous than normal and that
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| drink plenty of water. If you are
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| | it is thick and white. This is normal in
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| concerned or experiencing pain speak to
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| | pregnancy. But if you notice an unusual
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| your GP in case you have a urinary tract
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| | smell or itching alongside it, consult
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| infection.
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| | your GP as Thrush is also a common
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| ·Breast Tenderness
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| | pregnancy complaint!
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| It is very common for women to report
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| | ·Weight Loss
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| that their breasts enlarge and become
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| | Perhaps surprisingly you may lose weight
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| extremely tender very early on in
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| | during the first trimester of pregnancy.
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| pregnancy. Nipples also become very
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| | However, considering that most women try
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| sensitive and enlarged and will darken in
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| | to eat more healthily, cut out alcohol
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| colour. Breast veins also become more
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| | and eat less due to a decreased appetite,
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| noticeable - all in preparation for
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| | it is completely normal! Couple that with
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| breastfeeding! Little bumps, Montgomery's
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| | a bigger bosom than usual and you may be
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| tubercles, also appear on the areola (the
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| | complimented on how wonderful you are
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| area surrounding the nipple) that will
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| | looking - often by unsuspecting
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| help to lubricate the breast during
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| | individuals who are unaware of your
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| breastfeeding.
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| | pregnancy. Make the most of it while you
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| ·Tiredness
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| | can!
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| You may feel absolutely exhausted very
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| | Enjoy your precious nine months!
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