It is easy to miss the signs of pregnancy at the very start. The very first early signs of pregnancy can easily be interpreted as symptoms of PMS. However, if you experience any of the below-mentioned symptoms then there is a good chance that you might be pregnant.
Here are some first week signs of pregnancy.
• Fatigue: If you begin to feel unusually tired all of a sudden, it can be indicative of your pregnancy. Extreme exhaustion can become a norm during pregnancy. But as the body begins to experience changes during pregnancy, fatigue is one of the first symptoms to show up.
• Mood swings: Blame the hormones, but frequent or unusual mood changes can be first early signs of pregnancy. You could be happy one moment and angry the next. You might get upset over inconsequential things.
• Frequent urination: During the early weeks and throughout the pregnancy, women can feel the urge to constantly urinate. This can happen as the uterus grows and puts extra pressure on the intestines. During the early weeks, when your uterus is not getting any bigger, you could still feel the need to urinate more than usual as hormonal changes triggered by your pregnancy can affect the functioning of your kidneys and bladder.
• Tender breasts: If your breasts are tender or sore, this could be one of the first early signs of pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes in the body. Your breasts can be painful to touch and feel heavier than usual.
• Spotting: If your period is lighter than usual or early, this can be one of the first week signs of pregnancy. The tiny amount of bleeding can be due to the implantation process. This is when the embryo or the fertilized egg implants itself inside the uterus.
• Morning sickness: You could throw up frequently when your pregnancy begins and this can last for a few weeks.
• Constipation: Digestive problems like constipation, gas and bloating are common during early weeks of pregnancy. The initial hormonal changes like rise in progesterone levels can make women feel bloated.
• Nausea: Nausea and feelings of queasiness can begin very early into a pregnancy. This can differ as some women can feel nauseated all the time during the first trimester while others can have nausea as early as first week of pregnancy and then not have any in the later stages of their pregnancy.
• Headaches: Fatigue coupled with hormonal changes can trigger headaches.
• Food cravings: If you begin to have unusual cravings for food, consider it as one of very first early signs of pregnancy. You might also be hungry all the time and at unusual hours.
You might not have all the above symptoms during the early days of your pregnancy. But if you begin to feel any of the first week signs of pregnancy, it is a good idea to do a home pregnancy test or to see your doctor.
Getting an au pair for your baby is a major step. Unlike nannies, au pairs are like temporary family members who will be providing live-in childcare assistance. The most unnerving part of welcoming an au pair in your home is that you don’t know them well. Moreover, the biggest challenge is to make them comfortable to develop a harmonious relationship. Therefore, while seeking the services of an au pair childcare agency, ensure that you avoid the following mistakes:
Here are some popular au pair childcare agencies you can check.
Cost of the au pair exchange program
if you want to host an au pair, be mindful of the financial add-ons. These include non-refundable application and processing fees, program fees, a weekly stipend, language course fees and, an overall increase in your household expenses for a year. Usually, the program fees charged by the au pair childcare services come down to a minimum of $7,000 approximately. Furthermore, the minimum weekly stipend for an au pair is around $200 per week. Likewise, an English language course can cost $500 or above approximately.
An au pair is an adult or a young adult aged between 18 and 30 years, who belongs to a different country and provides live-in domestic childcare for approximately 10 to 12 months. An au pair can play a role of an elder sibling for your children. You can find these individuals via au pair childcare agencies that ensure protecting the rights and interests of the involved parties. By the means of this exchange program, parents get a lending hand and reliable companion for their kids. Moreover, the au pair gets an opportunity to experience the country’s culture and learn its language.
Au pairs are often compared to nannies. However, there are some major differences between the both such as:
The costs of au pair childcare services will vary across agencies. Typically, au pair childcare agencies charge a program fee, which can be between $7,000 and $9,000. These exclude the non-refundable application fees and minimum weekly stipend expenses.