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Week Four
Published 02.22.2008 | Permanent Link | Comments (25)
Your baby is:
- Implanted snugly in the rich lining of your delicious uterus.
- Still less than a millimeter long.
- Seriously, a MILLIMETER. Go pull out a ruler and wrap your mind around that.
- I will wait.
- Okay, that little millimeter is growing three different cell layers already -- the ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm.
- In case you FOR SOME REASON don't remember high school biology class (shame!), those are the earliest beginning of your baby's nervous system, hair, skin, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver, thyroid, skeleton, blood system, connective tissue, urogenital system and muscles. Oh, IS THAT ALL?
You are:
- Probably wondering where your period is.
- Beating the hell out of your boobs to see if they're sore.
- Peeing on sticks, possibly cursing out sticks.
Sometime around the end of week four, you will officially miss your period, if you're the sort of gal who pays attention to that sort of thing. (I know before I ever entering the trying-to-conceive game I was definitely the type who could not remember my LMP for the life of me.) And if you're the sort of gal who enjoys peeing on your dollars, you will probably run right out and buy some of those "test FIVE DAYS before you miss your period!" pregnancy tests.
Ignore what the tests say on the box: very very very very few women will get a positive result a day before they miss a period, let alone FIVE DAYS before they miss it. I'm sure it happens, although I must admit that it has never happened to a single pregnant woman I've known. And I've known a lot of pregnant women. We all reported clear-cut positive results about a day to five days after we missed our periods, but a lot of negatives before.
For my current pregnancy I tested on day 28 in the midst of terrible, terrible nausea but got a negative. (My cycle is about 30 days, usually.) This negative convinced me that I had the stomach flu instead of the knocked-up flu, and only after six more days of heartburn and nausea did I finally break down and buy more sticks. And boom! A resounding positive result in about five seconds.
The point is: if you MUST test early, re-test once you really and truly have missed your period.
Now. Onto the most popular topic ever...
The earliest signs of pregnancy.
For a lot of women, sore boobs are the first sign that Something Is Up. But sore boobs are also a pretty common symptom of regular ol' PMS. So...argh! Useless! A lot of women (myself included) report that pregnant sore boobs ARE different than PMS sore boobs, but in a way that's hard to describe. Mine are more...burny and stabby and heavy, whereas PMS boobs just kind of...ache. Wearing a bra hurts, going without a bra hurts. Wrapping a towel around your chest after a shower hurts. That moment when you take your bra off at the end of the day hurrrrrrrts, like YOW YOW YOW THAT HURTS. Except when it doesn't hurt, because the soreness can and does vary from day to day. (So if you're pregnant and your boobs hurt yesterday but don't hurt today, don't panic, and don't mash them into lumpy potatoes while trying to get reassurance that you're still pregnant.)
Personally, I like to shake things up a little bit and get the morning sickness going as soon as humanly possible. The books say most women get nauseous around week six or seven. (Those women who aren't among the lucky 25% who never suffer from it at all.) (I HATE YOU.) My gastrointestinal tract is the first thing to go all kablooey in pregnancy, with dry heaving, sensitivity to odors, acid reflux, constipation and bloating to the point of needing maternity clothes showing up right away. (I am wicked sexy.) I've managed to steer clear of actual puking so far, but we'll see what happens around week seven, when my general digestive discomfort turned into full-on vomitous misery in Pregnancy #1. (I really do think I had a 24-hour stomach bug the week before I tested, but the pregnancy hormones kept everything churning for a few extra days.)
All my research sources mention "implantation bleeding" as an early sign of pregnancy. This would happen sometime between the end of week three and the beginning of week four and result in a light and one-time spotting on your underwear. Nobody I know has ever reported this actually happening to them, but dozens of women I know have tried to convince themselves that no, that's NOT their period starting, that's implantation bleeding, I better pee on a stick! (Full disclosure: I may be including my own dumb hopeful self here.)
And then there's the fatigue, the headaches and backaches and uterine cramping and changes in appetite and the frequent dashes to the bathroom to pee. All this and those pesky peesticks may STILL be giving you the Big Fat Negative.
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About this column
Zero to Forty is a week-by-week guide to the miracle of pregnancy and all the various indignities that come with it. New installments will be published on Wednesdays, with other pregnancy-related content and ramblings to be published whenever the columnist can stay awake long enough to type themzzzzzz.
The column is well-researched but not written by a health care professional. Consider it your internet BFF pregnancy guide. See our legal disclaimer below.
About the author
Amy Corbett Storch, aka Amalah, is a freelance writer and professional blogger from Washington, DC. She is currently knocked up with her second child, due in October. Her first child is still currently wearing diapers. Amy is currently wondering what she has gotten herself into now.
Amy also writes Alpha Mom's Advice Smackdown.
About the illustrations
The Zero to Forty masthead and illustrations were created by the artist Brenda Ponnay aka Secret Agent Josephine. Brenda is very talented and these images are copyright-protected. You should hire her!
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This column is only for entertainment purposes and is not written by a health care professional. Any recommendations or information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for advice by a trained professional. For a full statement of our site policies, please click here.
Comments (25):
Painterly said:
Goofy question - but how common is it to experience things like experience tiredness, sore boobs etc and not be pregnant? My DH & I have been trying for about 6 months now and I've had three cycles with the same symtoms... and then an extra heavy AF. It's definitely frustrating, but how common is that for other women?
Posted on February 27, 2008 14:06
Max'smomSarah said:
Painterly, I am no medical professional, but it sounds like to me that you may have been pregnant each of those times, and it may be that you lost them before you would technically be late? That type of situation is extremely common. If you've not been charting your cycles, I'd highly recommend getting the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and start charting to understand what is really going on with your body. It's an excellent book and details how to optimize your chances at getting pregnant. Good luck!
Posted on February 27, 2008 14:56
Summer said:
I had implantation bleeding with my first. I was scared to death I was miscarrying. I hadn't even had my first appointment with the ob. I ended up in the emergency room and thankfully everything was just fine.
Posted on February 27, 2008 15:07
Tricia Theis Rogalski said:
Hey. Congrats on the preggo-ness! I love reading your blog (lurker) and look forward to the next 40 weeks (+/-). I am 3w5d pregnant. Yep, I am one of those crazy people who got a BFP 5 days before AF is due. Happened with my 1st too! Although to be fair, the first stick was SOOOOOOOOO faint I thought I might be inventing the positive. So then of course I blew some more money on the digital test (highly recommend) to see that yes, indeed I am pregnant. Then--just to prove I am crazy--the battery ran out on the digital test and so it didn't have the neat-o lil' PREGNANT glimmering on it anymore so I had to pee on ANOTHER stick just to see the line...which, thankfully, was much brighter this time.
Oh. And queasiness and boob pain. Already have it too! Man. This is going to be a wild ride.
Posted on February 27, 2008 15:44
saj said:
As the illustrator of the crazy boob lady, I just want to give everyone permission to make fun of her and her funny dingle dangle star earrings. It's okay. I think she is funny looking too!
Posted on February 27, 2008 16:49
bethany actually said:
But SAJ, I like her dingle dangle star earrings!
Posted on February 27, 2008 21:06
Colleen said:
it helps to do the first pee of the day, even though those sticks say it doesn't matter. With my first baby, I kept peeing on sticks at all hours of the day EXCEPT first thing and kept getting negatives. Finally at what ended up being 6-1/2 weeks along, I just happened to pee on a stick first thing. I set it down, turned to flush, turned back to put the stick on the sink to wait and it was already positive. :)
With the second kid, I peed on one of tose early-response sticks first thing because something wasn't quite right...turns out I was about 3-1/2 week along. ;)
Posted on February 27, 2008 21:23
SprengBlingBling said:
I did actually get a positive three days before an expected period with my son and four days with my daughter. Used a First Response test with first morning urine!
Posted on February 27, 2008 22:06
Bethiclaus said:
I had implantation bleeding with both my pregnancies, and since I am the fortunate recipient of two miraculous surprises, I tried to convince myself I was just having a remarkably light period.
Posted on February 28, 2008 09:28
Andrea Y said:
I am a late arriver but have been reading amalah since the days of Clomid, way before the lovely Noah and have a question that I'm hoping someone here could help with.
I took a pregnancy test on Monday and it came out positive. Hurray! I was then sent to get some blood work which also confirmed the pregnancy...but they said it was still really early and they are sending me back for round two of blood work in a week to make sure everything is progressing and increasing normally...is this normal? Based on my calculations I should be between four and five weeks knocked up. But they said my progesterone levels were good...whatever that means.
Posted on March 26, 2008 14:40
ElisabethW said:
Congrats, Andrea Y!
The second round of bloodwork is totally normal. In a healthy pregnancy, HCG levels can vary a lot (so for example 17 days after ovulation, anywhere from 17-430 would be normal even for a singleton!), but should double every 2-3 days. They almost always want a second measurement if they are doing bloodwork at all, to check for that doubling (which is approximate, so don't worry if the HCG isn't exactly doubling or is more than doubling in that time frame).
Good luck!
Posted on March 31, 2008 01:26
Danielle said:
Ditto what Trica said about the digital tests. I got much more peace of mind from a "YES+" than a really pale line next to a really bright line.
Posted on April 15, 2008 09:56
Sarah said:
I don't know if what happened to me this month is normal, or call-the-shrink crazy. I'm hoping some of you can give me your opinion.
We're not even trying to get pregnant, and I'm taking the Pill, but last month I took it late a few times, and my husband half-joking said that he was sure we'd be having a baby. He said this at a dinner where a couple of friends, the same age as us, who got married last year just three months before we did, announced they were 3 months along.
Somehow, I "forgot" when my period was due. I thought it was due four days before it really is due (and I've always been very regular). So when Saturday came without my period, I was convinced I was pregnant. I was talking to my stomach, praying to my God, listening to music and swearing to remember the moment I JUST KNEW. We had dinner last night with friends, and I suddenly decided, on no other evidence than the lack of a period, that I should stop drinking (I'd had a glass of wine) and somehow accidently on purpose managed to let everybody know.
It's now Sunday, I've realised that my period is not due 'til Tuesday, and that I cannot possibly be pregnant, because duh, the Pill works. I'm really disappointed, and now I'm really wishing to get pregnant, even though my hiusband and I decided together to wait a couple of years.
Is this pure hormonal madness? Has anybody else convinced themselves they were pregnant when they weren't even trying? Is this the sudden arrival of my biological clock? (I just turned 26). Will every month be like this from now on, until I finally do have a baby?
Any, I finally think I understand what it was like for you going through fertility problems, and I'm sorry. It really sucks, mostly I think for the constant knocked hopes.
Posted on May 11, 2008 14:58
c metzger said:
I have a curious problem. My husband and I are trying to get pregnant and I thought I was pregnant last weekend. Then I started my period on Monday but it was sorta light. Then it stopped after only a day and a half. I have sore boobs and nipples, fatigue, nausea a few times and I feel like AF could come anytime now. It feels strange. I am exactly three weeks past ovulation today. I took a preg test and it came out negative two days ago. Could I still be pregnant? SHould I just wait a few more days and test again?
Posted on May 18, 2008 08:11
c metzger said:
To further confuse my warped, pregnancy-obsessed brain I have been having wierd pains on my right side (like where I would imagine my ovary is...). I already have been pregnant three times (one son who is almost 8 and two m/c) but it has been so long ago that I cannot remember many of my symptoms besides missed period. Has anyone experienced these twinges while pregnant? I know cramps are normal early in pregnancy and I have been having some dull ones off and on. I cannot think of anything else and am trying to resist the urge to test again. When I was preg before I took two hpt and both were negative, then went to doctor 10 days past due period and blood test barely showed a positive. So I am trying to keep my mind off the possibility of being pregnant and trying not to listen to the hpt calling my name from the bathroom cabinet...
Anyone else in as much agony is me ?????
Posted on May 18, 2008 14:35
AndreaP said:
I am on my 3rd late day after my period and FREAKING ouT! but also trying to tell myself this may not be it. I had an early miscarriage 2 cycles back and it was pretty devastating. This is our 7th month TTC and it can be a bit discouraging, especially since we're in our early 20's and everyone else around us is getting pregnant no problem. I got some pinkish color yesterday, but that was it! My last cycle was really irregular - I was 5 days late, but the cycle before that was when I miscarried so the doctor said it might throw things off. My boobs aren't sore really at all, and all the rest of the early signs...well, I try to convince myself I have them all, but I'm not so sure right now. Has any one else had an early miscarriage (I was 5 weeks) and had their next couple of periods thrown off?
Posted on May 21, 2008 13:41
c metzger said:
Andrea P- yes that happened to me quite a few years ago about the miscarriage. It threw my cycles off for about three months. I am freaking out as well because I didn't have hardly any period this month and have many signs of being pg. I am waiting to test beacause I feel like I will just waste it. Apparantly the preg hormone does not show up in me early. I always get false negatives so I am resisting the urge to test. I am almost 4 wks past ovulation.
Posted on May 22, 2008 06:57
KT said:
I am 34 days late for my period! And all I have had are big fat negatives! I went to my ob-gyn two weeks ago and he also did a urine test that was negative, and he said to test again in 4 wks. I haven't tested again since then because I am tired of the negatives :( I was headachy a lot a few weeks ago but that has gone away, and occasionally get nauseous. Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone tested negative and then turned out to be pregnant? Help!
Posted on May 22, 2008 16:59
juzcat said:
Kt I wouldn't be waiting 4 weeks to test again...maybe you could organise an ultra sound?
I'm in the same boat as everyone else here...in some sort of hormonal madness imagining maybe this time I could be pregnant! at 8 DPO I have had on/off nausea all day and bloated twingy belly...I think my boobs are sore but they could just be the lumpy potatoes I've made of them... I am definatley fatigued. Yesterday I had a distinctive headache and I never get headaches... I thought I might be getting the flue but that doesn't seem to have progressed.
Best of luck to everyone here! If I am pregnant I'll pop back and let you know :)
Posted on May 28, 2008 00:47
justice said:
I am only a few weeks pregnant. We used an ovulation kit. My problem is.....the other day I was itching all over and scratching like a mad woman. My scalp, the palms of my hand, my legs, my face.......everywhere. I've also had a lot of headaches. But I'm more concerned about the itching. I even have a couple of unsightly bumps on my face. Anyone have this experience very early in their first pregnancy? Thanks in advance!
Posted on June 7, 2008 11:23
Court said:
i got a positive 5 days before my missed period! all THREE times i tried...used a EPT stick...
Posted on June 18, 2008 12:44
Penelope said:
Hey i have a lil question, what about if i made like 3 pregnancy tests and the first one was negative, second one was 3 days after and it was not really positive cause it had a faint line and i went to make blood test and said the same, and today i made my 3rd test and is the same or a bit more faint than yesterday, did any of u had that???
Posted on June 24, 2008 09:32
mandy said:
i am 18 day late period i have no period for 18 day and i took 3 pregency test show i am not pregency and i cant rememeber when is last time i did have period i lost track of remember when is was last time i was period then what would i do?
Posted on June 29, 2008 23:05
nicoleZ said:
I'm stressin because last month I received my period early, now for about the past week and a half this month I've felt nausious but no boob pain but horrible headaches, I wasn't sure if my period is suppose to come at the early time it came last month or at regular time. I waited for the early time and it didn't come so two days later I took the test and within a couple of seconds it came up positive! But I have a hard time believeing I'm preggers... Any advise?!
Posted on July 18, 2008 12:28
Olivia said:
I'm re-reading these posts because I just found out I'm pregnant. Since I was charting my cycle I did take an early test and they were positive. Now my period is late so, yay!
Posted on July 21, 2008 16:34