Please help I think I'm Pregnant!

My partner and I decided to have intercourse for the first time on April 6th- and although I did realize it at the time, it was the exact day of my ovulation. I wasn't on birth control and we used a condom after he had already penetrated at least once (sorry to be graphic.) Luckily, he would be a 100% supportive father and if I really am pregnant- I'm ready for this.

Within the past couple of days I've been getting sleepy by 7 pm and having trouble waking up in the mourning. My feet have been swelling, my legs are cramping, I've been having hot flashes, a little nausea and retaining water like crazy. (these random symptoms started to occur before I thought I was pregnant.) I also just have this strong intuition feeling that I really am.

Anyways I was wondering how many calories should a women eat when they are pregnant? I used to eat 1800 calories a day to maintain my weight of 108-109 lbs. at 5'3.

Please any insight would help?

I am not sure as to a number, but I would suggest eating at least your maintenance level of calories, if not a few hundred more. Now isn't the time to deprive yourself, thats for sure. Just eat healthy, and enjoy your pregnancy! I loved every minute of it...I'm one of the crazy ones, I suppose. Pick up a pregnancy book....like, 'What to expect when you are expecting" and maybe you can get more info through that.

I was thinking about going for the average 2000 calorie diet during this time and filling up on a variety of healthy foods. I called my clinic and the earliest I can take my test is this Sunday mourning. I guess I just have a strange intuitive feeling that I am- I even had a dream last week that someone close to me said I was gonna be a mother now. And the symptoms are getting a little worse. If I really am I will call my doctor or clinic on monday and go in for an exam, then I'll talk to them about prenatal care, my diet and pick up as many book as possible.

Any favourites that you suggest?

If you are pregnant congrats on the LIttle Boy.  Your chances of having a little boy are greatly increased the when you concieve right before and the day of ovulation. Boy sperm are lighter and faster than girl sperm.

I have lots of great book suggestions.

Dr Sears Birth Book, Dr Sears Baby Book, Dr. SEars Discipline Book

Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Thinking Womans Guide to Child Birth

Bradely Method of Child Birth

Movies you should see are: "Buisness of Being Born", and Birthing in America. 

Good pregnancy websites: Mothering.com, Kellymom.com, LLLI.org,

Awsome Magazines :Mothering, Compleat Mother. 

Somethings to Reasearch: Brewers Diet for pregnant women.  This diet has been shown to reduce the incidence of Pre-Ecclampsia during pregnancy.

 

Denise

 

 

Okay, there are a few things that I think you should be cautious about before you get your hopes up, or start to panic.

How do you know it was "the exact day of your ovulation", even though you didn't know it then? If you're counting days since the start of your cycle, not every cycle is the same, and not everyone ovulates on the 14th day - that's a myth.

Second, by my calendar, the intercourse you're concerned about was only about six or seven days ago. Most conception books and sources I've read say that it takes almost a week for the developing embryo to implant in your uterus and start interacting with your body, so that's why physical symptoms (common early pregnancy symptoms like frequent urination, sore breasts, nausea, dizziness, headaches, etc.) don't appear for a week or two after conception. Upshot - six or seven days after intercourse is pretty early for the host of physical symptoms you're describing.

Finally, I don't discount intuition. I know lots of people who swear they "just knew" they were pregnant. But that doesn't account for all the people who were worried they were pregnant, unplanned, and "knew" it was true, then it turned out not to be. I mean that intuition can be a funny thing, and can be linked to your expectations and fears.

You need to wait at least 14 days after intercourse to do a home pregnancy test, and your doctor probably won't be able to tell you anything much before that time either. Between now and then, because there's a possibility you're pregnant due to the unprotected penetration, don't consume alcohol, don't smoke, rest, eat well. Try to relax and not stress too much.

Yesterday I experienced what I think may have been implantation cramping. (Repeated crampy pain feeling in my abdomen.) It wasn't really bad but it was quite strange. It happened while I was reading at Barnes and Noble.

Original Post by finnsal:

Okay, there are a few things that I think you should be cautious about before you get your hopes up, or start to panic.

How do you know it was "the exact day of your ovulation", even though you didn't know it then? If you're counting days since the start of your cycle, not every cycle is the same, and not everyone ovulates on the 14th day - that's a myth.

Second, by my calendar, the intercourse you're concerned about was only about six or seven days ago. Most conception books and sources I've read say that it takes almost a week for the developing embryo to implant in your uterus and start interacting with your body, so that's why physical symptoms (common early pregnancy symptoms like frequent urination, sore breasts, nausea, dizziness, headaches, etc.) don't appear for a week or two after conception. Upshot - six or seven days after intercourse is pretty early for the host of physical symptoms you're describing.

Finally, I don't discount intuition. I know lots of people who swear they "just knew" they were pregnant. But that doesn't account for all the people who were worried they were pregnant, unplanned, and "knew" it was true, then it turned out not to be. I mean that intuition can be a funny thing, and can be linked to your expectations and fears.

You need to wait at least 14 days after intercourse to do a home pregnancy test, and your doctor probably won't be able to tell you anything much before that time either. Between now and then, because there's a possibility you're pregnant due to the unprotected penetration, don't consume alcohol, don't smoke, rest, eat well. Try to relax and not stress too much.

 I'm gonna take the test this Sunday mourning. I called my clinic today and they said that they suspect that it is pregnancy and suggest I take the test on the 20th.

Also I was able to determine that that was my ovulation day by using an online ovulation calculator.

Actually, I have a feeling that it's gonna be a girl.

Don't panic.

If you ovulated on April 6th then your period must be due this weekend anyway, try not to stress as that can delay it too.

Good luck.

I can't help but chuckle at this post. I'm sorry but it's unlikely you are pregnant. He penetrated once, then put on a condom, so if you were exposed to anything it would be semen in the pre-ejaculate, which, can happen, but most of the time, the pre-ejaculate doesn't contain sperm because the act of urination kills the sperm that would be there. So if he had urinated even once since his last time of ejaculation, then there would be very few sperm in his pre-ejaculate.

And, on top of that, if you used an on line calculator, it's not likely you actually predicted your day of ovulation -- unless you are feeling your cervix on a regular basis or tracking certain things, like body temperature and discharge viscosity, it's unlikely you can actually know your ovulation days.

Also, it hasn't been nearly long enough for you to have missed your period if you really were ovulating on April 6th -- you should be expecting your period April 20th if that really was the middle of your cycle.

AND, you sound really hopeful for this to be happening, which I find odd because this was your "first time".

So....how old are you?

 

I'm gonna have to highly agree with Heather on this one.  Unless there are other details or this isnt the first and only time you guys have done it, I highly, highly doubt you are pregnant.  The odds are just way against that in the scenario you've laid out above.

Also, weddingmama, boy sperm and girl sperm?  I hope I'm just completely dense to the tone of what you said and that you meant to be funny, because sperm have both Xs and Ys....and are neither male or female......

Hgielrehtaeh - wow, that's a doozy of a nick name! I get it, backwards heather...

Anyway, what she said. Those were my thoughts, too.

alh7114 - I know that sounds goofy, but actually there are "boy" and "girl" sperm. Remember that two sets of chromosomes make up the final embryo - one from mom and one from dad. So the egg has one set to begin and the sperm has one set. All eggs have X chromosomes. Some sperm have a Y and some have an X - that's why they say it's actually the sperm that determine the gender of the baby. If the egg is fertilized by a Y-bearing sperm, that's an XY = boy. If it's fertilized by an X-bearing sperm, that's XX = girl.

The concept of boy and girl sperm is actually a much discussed topic in gender determination - i.e. how can you influence the success of one over the other, or increase the likelihood of having a boy or girl? Weddingmama's post is in reference to one theory around the timing of intercourse - that boy sperm (Y bearing) have been shown to be faster swimmers, but are not as hardy as slower girl sperm (X bearing). Therefore, intercourse timed right at ovulation is supposed to favour conception of a boy, as all of the fast Y-chromosome bearing sperm will get to that egg first. Don't ask why I know that...

edited for a typo...

Well you can stop chuckling now because my test came out positive. =) Guess my intuition was right... I'll be seeing the doctor next week too.

Nah, I'm still chuckling.

I feel sorry for your boyfriend. It's obvious that you wanted to get pregnant. And he used a condom (even if not correctly) to try to not get pregnant. I feel sorry that you two are only just now getting to know each other and now  you're going to bring a child into the world together.

Whatever, though... best of luck. You'll need it.

Have you told the father yet?

Yes I've told him and he's completely supportive. I'm not a teenager and I'm just about finished with college. Sure it was our first time doing it together and yes it was a bit unplanned, but we are both ready for the challenges to come. And we are each aware that we're responsible for our actions. Not to mention, we also have the finances needed for this change. And he's not just some guy I just randomly met, we've known eachother for years and our families have always been close. We've only told a few people so far (mostly older adults and people who are close to our parents, and they are all completely supportive.)

It's not necessary for you to supposedly feel sorry. But thank you for sympathy.

BTW I told him to use the condom.

i  knew i was pregnant based on intuition too since i was on the pill for 8 years.  it only takes one little swimmer if you know what i mean.  i'm glad you have your family's support on both sides.  just take one day at a time.

http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/post/880 90.html

LOL! You guys started dating less than a month ago! Wow.

hollyhills, congrats on your pregnancy!  I'm glad that your boyfriend and your families are supportive, and I wish you the best.  And no matter what, don't worry about what other people think of your situation.  You don't have to justify yourself to anyone, just focus on that sweet, little baby coming up.  :) 

Congrats, hollyhills - now is the time for hopes and celebration. As others have said, it's great to have your families' support, and it's great that the father is supportive as well. Best wishes.

Congrats Holly!!!! 

You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders and I hope only the best for you, your boyfriend, and your newest addition. 

As Cecily said, you do not have to justify yourself to anyone.  Take care of yourself.  :)