When you are trying to conceive, the 2 weeks between a positive pregnancy test (in case fertilization did not happen then a menstrual cycle) and ovulation may seem much longer. In case you are like the majority of females, you will spend this time being hyper-aware of every twinge, yawn, ache and craving of your body, wondering it to be a sign of pregnancy. You may be looking for one of the most obvious signs of pregnancy that is implantation bleeding. If you do get some light bleeding, does it imply anything? While it is difficult to tell for sure, many females who have healthy and normal pregnancies have implantation bleeding approximately at the time that the embryo attaches itself to the uterine lining, mostly around the type your period is due.
What Does Implantation Feel Like?
Unfortunately, during the time implantation takes place, it is too early for a pregnancy test to be taken; hence, there’s no way to know what exactly is happening at the cellular level. For some females it is just slight cramping that they feel, while some females may experience pain in lower back or cramping similar to cramps during menses-both of these are completely normal.
When you are around 4 weeks pregnant, the egg that is newly fertilized burrows into the endometrium or the uterine wall and the blastocyst that will ultimately form your baby begins to form. Apart from cramping, around 30% of females experience slight bleeding at implantation. Usually implantation bleeding is very scanty and either light red, light pink or brown in color.
After a sperm fertilizes an egg, the embryo begins growing and dividing, sending signals to a female’s body so it can prepare for the upcoming pregnancy. Thereby, the lining of the uterus, referred to as the endometrium begin to change. Though the endometrium has already thickened during the menstrual cycle, still it needs to mature and grow even more so as to nourish and protect an embryo for 9 months.
Between 6 and 12 days after fertilization, the growing embryo moves through the fallopian tubes towards the uterus. During this time, the embryo is attached to the endometrium and it now relies on the body of the mother for oxygen and nutrients.
At what time does implantation bleeding happen?
When the implantation of embryo happens in the uterine wall, tiny blood vessels may be disrupted at the spot that it is attached. This implantation bleeding will happen earlier than your regular monthly period, usually about 5-10 days before your normal period.
What other symptoms you may experience during implantation?
Apart from the light spotting or bleeding and cramping you may also experience headaches, mood swings, bloating, and fatigue similar to premenstrual syndrome. However, some women may not have any symptoms at all.
What Does Implantation Feel Like-Experiences of Other Females
I never believed that implantation could be felt until I was pregnant for the second time. At that time I was snorkeling in the water and very aware of my body. I felt a very sharp pain localized in my lower abdomen or the region of pubic bone. The pain lasted for 10 seconds. I knew straightaway what the pain was about and when I got back home 5 days later from the holiday, I got a positive pregnancy test. Sadly I could not keep the pregnancy, but I would always treasure the feeling and remember it.
I was also in the water. I felt sharp period like pain, my stomach became tight as if my shorts were very tight. I thought it to be my periods but currently I am pregnant.
I felt like kisses of butterfly on my right uterine side. It lasted for around 5 minutes. After 2 days I had a positive pregnancy test. Around 4 days after my pregnancy test I experienced an awful pain at the same region. It felt like a hot knife was stabbing me and woke me up from my sleep. My doctor thought that this was embryo burrowing deeper.
What does implantation feel like? I had pain in lower back with twinges on my right side and sharp short pains that are strong but last only for a couple of seconds. It is very strange and not like anything I have felt before.
How Do You Know It’s Implantation Bleeding and Not Your Period?
Since bleeding due to implantation often happens before your pregnancy test comes positive, it can be difficult to know whether the light bleeding you are having is just normal spotting related to your period or an early symptom of pregnancy. And unfortunately, no conclusive symptom or test exists to tell you that. The best way is to wait for a few more days and do a pregnancy test. The time when you last had sexual intercourse may also help you find out-if you had your last intercourse more than 2 weeks ago, then it is not likely that any bleeding you are having is due to implantation.
Most females who report having implantation bleeding say that it is different from their usual menstrual bleeding-according to some females the blood is darker in comparison to blood during normal period and of course the amount of bleeding is less. Others report having mild cramping during the time of spotting.
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