Have you been trying to get pregnant? And you think you might have conceived? Let’s hold on to that for a while!
Being pregnant is the most beautiful thing that can happen to a woman. But for many new parents, it can be daunting as so many of them do not understand how to be a mom or a dad.
Once the news hits that you are pregnant, it brings joy and worries at the same time. As you might think, you will be able to do this.
But we know that you will make great parents! Worried if you are pregnant or trying to conceive? Read to find out!
Are You Pregnant?
First of all, congratulations on your pregnancy journey, which is about to begin. Many women reported that they knew the exact moment when they got pregnant. Some felt minor changes in their body and experienced a few different symptoms.
But the truth is, you are not really pregnant in your first week of pregnancy. Well, Professionals calculate your weeks of pregnancy starting on the first day of your last period. Due to your body’s normal preparation for ovulation (the release of an egg from one of your ovaries), you are not pregnant during the first two weeks.
Your body starts preparing for ovulation and fertilization in weeks 1 and 2 of pregnancy, which takes place in week 3.
Conception and menstrual are closely related, as every month your menstrual cycle makes it possible for pregnancy each month. When you are in your menstrual cycle, your body starts the ovulation process.
Ovulation is how you make a baby!
Ovulation varies from person to person, although a woman ovulates between 11-16 days after their period.
One week after getting pregnant or conceiving a baby is usually too early to feel symptoms.
So it’s best to just wait to see if you start your period, and if your period doesn’t start, then take a pregnancy test, if it’s positive, then congratulations!
How to Calculate Pregnancy at Week 1?
As mentioned above, the pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last menstruation/period.
Doctors use this pregnancy calculation because it is not easy to accurately measure the exact date of conception, which means that you were not actually pregnant at week one, but your body was preparing for pregnancy.
Pregnancy is calculated in this way because it is difficult to know exactly on which day you conceived because most women do not know the exact day they are ovulating.
Conception occurs approximately in week two later, during ovulation.
During ovulation, the egg survives for about 24 hours before it dies. While the sperm survives in the female uterine tract for up to 5 days.
Therefore, there is a high possibility of fertilization if you have sex 4-5 days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation. This is known as the fertile window, and it varies from woman to woman.
If you know the exact date when you ovulated, congratulations, but most women don’t know when they ovulate. So, if you miss your period and discover you’re pregnant, you’re probably already four weeks along.
You were, in fact, having your period week one into the pregnancy. As a result, it is not estimated to start counting from the day you conceive.
When do You Start Feeling Pregnant?
The amount of time it takes to “feel” pregnant varies. Some people may have pregnancy symptoms soon after conception, while others may not experience any pregnancy signs for weeks after a positive test.
Typical pregnancy indicators include:
- A missed period.
- Frequent urination.
- Headaches.
- Mood swings.
- Feeling tired.
- Nausea.
- Sore or swollen breasts.
- Spotting (light vaginal bleeding).
Take a home pregnancy test if you experience any of the aforementioned signs and suspect you are pregnant. A blood test to confirm pregnancy might be ordered by your doctor.
The first real symptoms of pregnancy come around week four when you miss your period. Thereby you will experience menstrual symptoms during your week one of pregnancy. Some of the most common menstrual symptoms include:
- Uterine cramps
- Breast tenderness
- Bloating
- Raised basal body temperature
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Mood swings
- Headcahe
- Backpain
- Acne or pimples
- Constipation
Timeline of Getting Pregnant
Your menstrual cycle is determined by dividing the start day of your monthly period by the first day of your period the following month.
Most menstrual periods last about 28 days. The precise moment you ovulate depends on the length of your menstrual cycle.
In a 28-day menstrual cycle, getting pregnant involves the following steps:
- Day one: First day of your period.
- Around 14-16th day: Ovulation begins.
- Within 24 hours of ovulation: Sperm fertilizes an egg within 24 hours of ovulation (conception occurs).
- About six days after fertilization: The fertilized egg enters your uterine lining and implants.
- Around day 21: You are pregnant if implantation and fertilization both took place during this cycle. It could take another five to seven days to receive a positive pregnancy test, though.
Can You Feel Nauseous at 1 Week Pregnant?
Feeling nausea is a common symptom in early pregnancy. This is commonly known as morning sickness. However, despite the name, this symptom can occur at any time of the day, noon or night, or you may feel sick all day long.
Morning sickness is unpleasant, and it clears up by weeks 16 to 20 of your pregnancy. Not every pregnant woman experiences the same level of nausea. Some may feel nauseous but never vomit.
As you know by now, there is no baby during your first week of pregnancy. Hence, feeling nauseous at one week of pregnancy is highly unlikely. Women generally experience nausea around six weeks of pregnancy.
Your Baby’s Development at Week One (1)
During week one of pregnancy, your ovary will release only one mature egg and occasionally two eggs in the fallopian tubes each month/cycle, where it survives for about 24 hours and probably gets fertilized if sexual intercourse happens.
This process is called the ovarian cycle, in which the egg begins to mature and waits for ovulation to be released in the fallopian tube, where it will get fertilized upon encountering a sperm.
By this time, a hormone called estrogen is secreted, which aids/stimulates the thickening of your uterine lining and prepares the uterus for pregnancy.
Although there is no baby yet, creating healthy lifestyle choices, eating good nutrition, and taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy can increase your chances of conceiving a healthy baby.
Positive Conception
A positive pregnancy test might come between 11 and 14 days after conception. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone secreted by the placenta, is tested for during at-home pregnancy tests.
For a pregnancy test to be positive, your pee needs to contain enough hCG. However, approximately 10 days after conception, your doctor can perform a blood test to see if you have hCG in your system.
Suggestions For Mothers Who Are Trying to Conceive
If you are 1 week pregnant or trying to get pregnant, then these are some great suggestions during your first week of pregnancy.
- Abstain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
- Speak with your doctor about existing medications and their risks during pregnancy
- Continue exercising at a moderate level at least three times per week
- Switch from a regular multivitamin to a prenatal multivitamin formulated with extra iron, folic acid, and calcium for a healthy mommy and baby
- Eat a varied diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, lean meats and dairy products to give your baby the best start possible
Relax, mama! No one likes to live with a stressed-out roommate, and your soon-to-be baby is no different. Rest and take care of yourself!
Why Do I Feel Pregnant, But The Test is Negative?
We have all been there. You know, when you have been tracking our ovulation cycle. You had sex at just the right time, and now feeling all the symptoms of being pregnant. So, you race to the store to grab a pregnancy test that you are sure will be positive.
You take the test, and it’s a Negative.
How can this be? When your breast is tender to touch, and you feel bloated.You are disappointed and sad. How could it be? You were feeling all the feels of being pregnant.
You might be pregnant, but your body doesn’t have enough hCG to show up on a pregnancy test yet.
Your body is just starting to make the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which your body only makes when you are pregnant. Traces of this hormone can only be found 3 to 4 days after conception. The further along you are, the higher your count.
Each day your HCG levels increase. The more days after conception and implantation, the higher this hormone level is. Therefore, you might have just taken a pregnancy test too soon!
The best time to take a pregnancy test is early morning (first pee) and after 10-12 days when you have missed your period.
Final Thoughts
So don’t be discouraged if you have been tracking ovulation and have pregnancy symptoms. You could just be testing too early. Your body is prepping for you to become pregnant.
You got this, mama! Listen to your body, don’t stress, and enjoy the ride!
Did you know when you were 1 week pregnant? How did you know? Share with us in the comments!
Our pregnancy calendar is researched & written by our Pregnancy Editor, Dara Duff-Bergeron. Although she rocks, she is not a health care professional. It’s just for entertainment purposes and any recommendations or information provided should not be used as a substitute for the real deal – a trained medical professional.