Seven symptoms you should know about pregnancy! What i experienced!

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I am a teen mom, i got pregnant with my son when i was 17 years old. So finding out for me was a huge surprise. After i found out i was pregnant, a lot of girls would ask me questions or advice. Not knowing what the symptoms of pregnancy are, or how they could even get pregnant. So i want to list a couple!

I found out i was pregnant either Christmas eve or Christmas, I woke up and took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. I was in complete shock, because i wasn’t expecting it. The only reason i was able to know when to test, or if i should even test is because i tracked my period. I wasn’t on birth control, i hated how it made me feel. So because of that i wanted to pay more attention to when my periods were supposed to come.

So my first “symptom” was a missed period. Now i know that for most women/girls, they are worried and wanting to know way before their period is even supposed to come. But because i had never been pregnant, i wasn’t really aware of what signs to even be looking out for. This should be the biggest red flag, if you aren’t sure of anything else!

After my missed period is when the real symptoms followed. A huge sign of pregnancy is morning sickness. Now most people think morning sickness is only in the morning, hence the name. No. Morning sickness can last all day, it can be all night. It’s different for everyone, but most of the time if you have morning sickness it’s all day. It was so awful for me, had i not been tracking my period the morning sickness i had would have defiantly been a big indicator for pregnancy.

What followed the morning sickness was food aversions, nothing sounded good. And if it did, the second it was put in front of my face i was on the verge of throwing up. I lost so much weight in the first trimester because of these two. Now keep in mind, for some women morning sickness and food aversions may never happen. But these two symptoms are very common, especially in the first trimester.

Now another symptom some women may or may not have is tender breast. I defiantly did. But i was also an athlete and thought maybe my sports bras were to tight or it was just my period coming. Which is a common mistake women make. A lot of pregnancy symptoms are nearly identical to period symptoms, that’s why some women don’t notice them at all. If you do have tender breast, make sure you’re aware of how long it last. If it last for more than a couple days to a week, it’s better safe than sorry that you take that pregnancy test.

These were the first four were big ones in my first pregnancy, and if you have read my other blogs, you may know i am pregnant with my second baby! And i was even on birth control this time, haha. And i had NONE of the symptoms i previously listed. But i knew something was off, when i had a lot of gas. Now this one might be gross but it’s true. One day i had crazy gas, i knew something was off because that is not a problem i normally have. I thought maybe it was something i ate, but after some research i found out it is or can be a sign of pregnancy. Your uterus expanding for the baby, causing you to have gas. But even then i still didn’t think i was pregnant. I took a few pregnancy tests, more than one over a course of a few days and they were all negative.

I still kept an eye out for things until i was supposed to get my period, but after a couple days to a week i started having awful hot flashes followed by small cramps. I still thought it was just something i ate, or maybe i was just having a bad day. They lasted all day long, until i decided to go get a pregnancy test and take one. Surely enough, it was positive. I was very early, but the test somehow picked up the hormones. My second pregnancy has been completely different from the first, so if you don’t have the same symptoms as i did or as the internet says that doesn’t mean you’re not pregnant. Everyones body reacts differently! So make sure you are keeping up with yourself and your sex life!

And remember if you are trying to get pregnant or think you might be, make sure you wait the recommended time before you take a test because if you take it to early it will be negative even if you are pregnant. And even then, sometimes you have to go to the Doctors and get a blood test done for them to be able to see if you are pregnant or not. Like i said everyone has different symptoms and everyone will have a different experience, so make sure you pay attention to your body! I hoped this helped and i hope everyone out there is being safe and smart!

Re-find Yourself! Have you taken a break lately?

Do you ever have such a huge event happen in your life, and you find yourself taking a break from everything just so you can enjoy that “thing”? Haha, well that’s what i did. Oops.

I found out a little bit ago, that i am pregnant, again. I know, it’s always great to get news like that and you want to share and tell everyone and post about it. But i wanted to enjoy this. It was such a surprise that i didn’t even know how to react but when it finally started to become a reality for me, the only thing i knew for sure was i wanted me and my Husband and our son to enjoy it as a family. When i got pregnant the first time, there was no excitement. I was 18 and still in high school. It was nothing but fear and worry. So i wanted to really enjoy this news this time. We haven’t even announced it yet, but i’m not worried anyone will find it on my blog. Haha, but don’t tell anyone.

It made me realize, everyone is so caught up in our day to day lives. Some of us follow such a schedule or are constantly going and doing, we never stop and take a minute to enjoy the beautiful and wonderful things in life. I needed a break, i needed to be able to enjoy this little secret of ours. I needed to be able to stop and take a minute to thank God for the little things in life we often take for granted. We wake up and go about our day as if there was no chance we could of woken up without a loved one, or without food/water, or whatever it is we think we are granted everyday. Maybe you don’t believe in God, maybe you do. But be thankful, just in general that you woke up today with all the things you went to bed with. I know that, that can be such a cheesy thing to think about, but it’s true. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, we aren’t guaranteed next week, so be thankful for everyday you wake up. Because as small as a thing that might seem, you never know when could be your last day or someone you love.

We wake up constantly thinking about our problems, all the things i have to get done, the bills, or at least i do. And i find myself very rarely stopping to just be thankful i woke up today, that i get to stay home with my son and bond with him and watch him grow. That i get to have constant food, and luxuries such as my phone and social media.

We as humans need time to ourselves, it’s so easy to get lost in this society and work, and routines.

So whatever you’re doing tomorrow, or even right now. Take that day to yourself, or maybe just a couple hours to yourself. Do some soul searching. Do what makes you truly happy. Spend time with your family and/or friends. While life is busy and our schedules are important, our mental health is as important as well. Our happiness is what makes our lives so much better. Our humbleness helps us to appreciate more. And our love is what keeps everyone together.

Take some day(s) off
Spend time with your family and friends
Have some ALONE time
Be appreciative for the things you have, even if it’s just to yourself
Humble yourself
Help someone
Help the Earth
And most importantly LOVE

Do whatever it is that makes you feel human again, that makes you love the life you live and all the amazing people in it. It’s so amazing to find that part of you again!

A Pregnant Forth of July!

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As the Fourth of July approaches, i hope everyone in this nation knows and appreciates what the fourth stands for. I hope you are all spending it with loved ones and enjoying the freedom we all have.

I would like to give some tips and tricks for some mommas for the fourth! I unfortunately, was eight months pregnant when the Fourth rolled around last year. We were at a little local festival, and i had my baby sister with me letting her enjoy the games and rides. It was a struggle, haha. It was very hot and i was walking all over the place. But i had fun, and even though it wasn’t completely comfortable the whole time i’m so glad i went! So to all my pregnant mommas, don’t count yourself out! Go and have fun! But make sure you are prepared for the many things that will try to make you uncomfortable.

Make sure you wear something comfortable and something that isn’t to hot. Because walking around super pregnant in the dead of the heat is no fun.
Make sure you have comfortable shoes, and even if you don’t plan to be walking around being pregnant and having comfortable shoes on anyway is a must.
Wear your hair up, or wear a hat! It’s so hot in July, and it’s better to be comfortable as possible.
Stay hydrated, this one is very important. Being pregnant, you must drink plenty water. Even if you’re not outside. So make sure you and baby are cool and hydrated!
Bring snacks or have money for food. You never wanna be stuck somewhere and pregnant hungry, it’s not good for anyone. Haha.
Bring chairs or make sure you have somewhere to sit!
And always be considerate of where you are, because the loud sounds of fireworks or music can damage babies ears even in the womb.

There’s probably plenty more tips or tricks, but these were just some i learned from my own experience. And either way it’s always good to be prepared when you go out. You can never be to prepared when pregnant or with babies. There’s nothing you won’t need, haha.

I hope everyone enjoys their 4th, and stays safe!

My Pregnancy Symptoms? How well do you know your body?

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So ever since i found out i was pregnant, girls have come to me asking me how i knew i was pregnant and what todo to find out if you are. I’ve had a lot of people message me, with their pregnancy scares and weird symptoms they’ve experienced wanting to know if it could be pregnancy or not. I even had one young lady message me and ask me how to get pregnant.. Yes. I know. Unfortunately she got no reply.

I’ve never been one to judge or spread rumors. So i think i was someone that people felt they could trust with questions like that, which was cool. But it really showed me how so many young women, know little to nothing about their bodies. Or how our cycles work. Now, given everyone is different and we won’t all experience the same things with our bodies but i think understanding the possibilities is something we should all do.

When i found out i was pregnant, it wasn’t from me experiencing any symptoms or noticing anything different. It was because i knew that my period was a day late, and decided to take a test. A lot of my symptoms didn’t come a long until later. But like i said it’s different for everyone! So just knowing the simple early pregnancy symptoms could potentially help you or someone you know.

One of the biggest symptoms i experienced and is very common, is morning sickness. I was sick all day, every day. I lost so much weight and it couldn’t eat anything. It was honestly pretty awful. And then because i was so sick all the time, i was so tired. My body was so weak and tired. That’s where i would say fatigue, was my next noticeable symptom which is also a very common one. Followed by fatigue i got pretty bad headaches which can be another symptom, but i wear contacts and glasses so it could have been from those. I just remember having bad headaches all day. Another very common early pregnancy symptom, is sensitive breast and/or darkened areola. But, your breast can also become sore or sensitive when you are on your period. So keep that in mind.

A lot of people will say you won’t crave stuff until later on in the pregnancy but that isn’t always true. Right before i found out i was pregnant i was craving white rice and tomatoes. Which isn’t to weird for me because i love those foods, but it was pretty random. So random food cravings can be a symptom for pregnancy! Along side those weird food cravings, i had terrible heart burn. Now this only really occurred for me later on in my pregnancy but you can have heart burn in early pregnancy, so don’t count it out. And the symptom that will haunt you and irritate you for the next nine months and even after, is urinating more often. I know it’s silly, but it really is a symptom for early pregnancy!

Now there are so many more symptoms that women will experience, but i did not experience these during early pregnancy so i don’t have much to say about them. Like, spotting, constipation, bloating, etc. It really is an endless list, and it’s different for every woman. So if you feel off, and you think you may be having some of these symptoms as well as there being a chance you could be pregnant, don’t feel scared to take a pregnancy test or go to your doctor. Some woman experience symptoms right away and some don’t for weeks. And even if there’s no way you’re pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, it’s a least good to know the symptoms!

I know this wasn’t super detailed with information, so if you’re curious to know more definitely go check out some websites! “The Bump”, is a great pregnancy app/website i used through my whole pregnancy. Helping me keep track of how fast baby was growing as well as a place i could ask questions and look stuff up. Catching pregnancy early on is much better for you and baby, as well as catching anything such as a sickness, disease, etc. early. Be aware of your body and if something seems off don’t be afraid to check it out!

NO, I didn’t take birth control!

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You weren’t on birth control?? Why didn’t you just take the birth control? Not taking birth control was a stupid decision.

A lot of things i often heard when i first found out i was pregnant. Not everyone will understand the reasons behind why someone makes the decisions they do, but the beauty in that, is the fact i don’t really care what you think because what i do doesn’t affect you.

Birth control is an awesome thing, and i think it should always be an option for any woman that wants it. But just because women are recommended to use it, doesn’t mean every woman wants to. And yes your doctors opinions and suggestions are super important and you should always consider them but no one knows your own body like you do. So do what is ultimately the best for you.

I started taking birth control when i was 13, because other than preventing pregnancy birth control has a lot of other benefits and can be used for many different purposes. From 13 till only a couple months ago, i have been on and off it countless times. One thing i’ve always noticed about birth control is it made me feel sick, physically i felt heavy or just not 100%. It also kept me in a bad mood, and on top of that did nothing for my periods. I’ve tried all kinds of different brands of BC, but nothing ever matched me. Because it’s hard to match that hormone level your body puts out as well as allowing or hoping your body reacts positively to the extra hormones and estrogen being put into your body every day.

Now i know a lot of girls live by birth control and that is awesome, i’m so happy that is an option for us. But i’m just not one of those people. When i found out i was pregnant never once did i wish i had been on birth control, because even with taking birth control there is still that 1% of getting pregnant. And that does and has happened to a lot of women before. If you lay down to have intercourse you have to acknowledge the fact there will aways be a chance you could get pregnant. So to lay down and do that, and sit there and think that could never happen to you is ignorant birth control or not.

Birth control isn’t always going to prevent a pregnancy, and Plan B pills don’t always work either. So it’s not smart to completely rely on that. So before you jump on someone who got pregnant and blame it on the fact they weren’t taking birth control, enlighten yourself on how often women get pregnant while on BC. Or just in general how one time can do it for you and next thing you know you’re pregnant.

Moral of this is, i hated the fact people told me i should of used birth control because i got pregnant as a teen. I hated that people knew nothing about my history with birth control, yet told me i was dumb for not using it. We live in a generation where so many people want woman to feel accepted and be able to make their own decisions. When almost all i got in response to me not using birth control, was that i was “stupid” or “immature”. Birth control, CAN be bad for some women. Birth control CAN hurt some women.

So no, BC isn’t always an option for women or maybe they don’t want it to be and that is fine!

When I found out I was pregnant at 17!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT condone teen pregnancy in anyway! If you are having sex at a young age, be careful and safe. DO NOT, go intentionally get pregnant as a teen. I am only sharing my story.

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When I was 17, I was dating this guy, we had known each other since we were kids and had been dating for a while. We lived about 45 minutes apart, but we were constantly driving back and forth whenever we could. I think every young relationship is special or fun at that age, but there will always be at least one you will always hold close to your heart. And for me, it was this one.

We were careful, but I was not on birth control. I’ve never reacted good towards birth control, it always made me sick, or overly hormonal and I am just not a fan. I don’t always feel it is the woman’s responsibility to make sure they are on birth control. Now I got a lot of crap when people in my boyfriends family found out I was pregnant, an that I hadn’t been on birth control. But I’ve never really cared, because it is my body. And I knowingly take the responsibility of what could come of that (a baby), I’ve always felt that way. Call me old fashioned.

It was the day after Christmas, the day after my missed period. I took a pregnancy test because it seemed like a better idea than just waiting for a period that was never going to come. It was positive! I just started crying, which I feel is a normal reaction. I called my sons father and told him, he didn’t seem upset which you would think an 18 year old boy would be. He however, was not. He promised me that I would never have todo it a lone. And comforted me the best he could over the phone.

After that phone call, he came and got me so we could talk about it In person. And one of our main worries was how we would tell our parents. Since I was with him, we eventually decided to tell his parents first.

This night was already a bad night. Originally my sons father told me I could stay with him. So I didn’t have my car with me to drive home and it was almost midnight, I knew if I went home in the middle of the night I would not only worry my parents but wake everyone in the house up and they would be mad at me. So going home was never an option in my mind. Well, his parent’s wanted me to go home that night. My sons father was not okay with that, him knowing I was pregnant he didn’t want us to be so far away from each other for to long. There was a lot of arguing over the phone, eventually it came down to having to tell his dad over text, because he was declining all the calls. Now at some point before all this, he did tell his mom. But I really can’t remember that, that well, but she already knew prior to this day. And knew while all this was going on, but wanted us to wait to tell his father when he was in a better mood. So she was not happy he told his dad that night, and over the phone.

Eventually they said just come home, we did. She yelled at us for what seemed like hours. I just cried. Then I became scared, that I was putting to much stress on the baby. And yes, that is dangerous for baby! So I kinda told her, I was done listening. And that was that. They not shortly after fell in love with their grandson!

A day or two later, we went to tell my parents. I was so nervous, because my moms opinion means the world to me. And the last thing I wanted to do was disappoint her. We all sat down in my bedroom and told her, she was so calm. She pretty much just said “Okay, well what are you going todo?” I was so confused but relieved at the same time. She said, “It’s your life, these are your adult decisions.” Moral of this, my family was much easier to tell. And everyone accepted it with open arms.

I am now engaged to my sons father and we have our own house working on making our lives better everyday. I wanted to share my story because when I became pregnant the most comforting thing was being able to read and to watch teen moms on Youtube talk about their experience. Being a teen mom, doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Being a teen mom isn’t something to be ashamed of. It is not easy by any means, but if I had the opportunity to change anything, I wouldn’t. Now not every love story ends happily and its even harder for teen parents, so don’t read any story and think it’s all sunshine and rainbows because that’s far from the case. But don’t be scared, and don’t feel like your life is over. Enjoy your pregnancy and your child, because some women will never get to.

-Morgan