Due to the increase of progesterone in the bloodstream following ovulation, and its further increase following fertilisation and implantation, the first noticeable physical symptoms of pregnancy are failure to menstruate, breast tenderness and / or swelling, nausea, unexplain-able tiredness, a bloated feeling in the abdomen, and increased urination.
   It is also possible for every woman to know intuitively whether she is pregnant. Such signs may manifest as dreams, meditative visions, sudden desires to have a baby, another person saying “so when are you going to have that baby you’ve always wanted” or “you look a bit different”, suddenly noticing all the pregnant women in the community, or through any means whereby the unconscious mind is awakened into conscious awareness. These are the sorts of mental indicators which can arise from the physical changes. But there is even another level at which we can know the progress of our conceptions without need for medical testing.
   Several of my pregnancies have been con-firmed for me right at the time of lovemaking. Although this may seem like a biological impossibility, it is nonetheless a very real experience for many women. It is also possible for the man to know that he has “delivered” a child to the woman. Such events are actually premonitions of destiny unfolding and subsequent physical confirmation comes as no surprise.
   Many spiritual texts describe how the arrival of new life into a woman is often revealed by the visitation of what some call an angel. It may also be confirmed through an omen in nature, particularly if the woman had invoked a fertility Goddess’s blessings. I believe these stories show us how to listen to our intuition and trust in our faith. For example, the Bible tells of Jesus’ conception being revealed to his mother Mary by an angel and when, in confusion, she went to visit her older sister-in-law Elizabeth, it was the older woman who spontaneously responded – “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”.
   Almost immediately after conception has occurred a woman's whole being begins to change. Not only is there tremendous physical change going on in her body, but soon after the pregnancy is consciously realised, there is also a lot of head and heart change as well. Regardless of whether a pregnancy was planned or unplanned, the first few weeks of pregnancy can feel a bit trance-like. It is natural to feel a mixture of elation and sadness, empowerment and surrender, anxiety and calmness, anticipation,
 

disbelieve and acceptance, along with the mindfulness each time you touch your belly and think “Yes, I really am pregnant”. For some, the mixture of these feelings is quite manageable. For others it can be upsetting, and the best way of managing that is with the yoga practices of Nadi Shodhan, Full Yogic Breathing and Yoga Nidra.

Morning Sickness
   It is frequently quipped that this particular symptom of pregnancy should be renamed “All Day Sickness” since the first trimester can be marred by intermittent or constant nausea and / or vomiting at any time of the day. Nausea during pregnancy is thought to be caused by the increase in progesterone. It is therefore more likely to occur in the morning when the stomach is empty. Usually, after the body has become active for an hour or two, and the body chemistry has been normalised by eating some light easily digestible food and drink, the nausea settles down. For others it can occur later in the day, and for some it starts in the morning and continues all day. Nausea can begin as early as 1 week pregnant and usually settles down by 12 weeks, although some women find it lasts longer and some get little or none at all. Rather than just grinning and bearing it as another case of “just the way pregnancy is” I urge all pregnant women to look at anything and everything they are doing which might be increasing their nausea.
   Part of the solution to morning sickness can be found in improving one’s diet, and this topic is discussed in general in Chapter 8 – “Food and Health” as well as more specifically in the forthcoming section in this chapter – “Diet During Pregnancy”.
   Stress and emotional elements can contribute to nausea. At any time of stress, adrenal hormones are released into the bloodstream and so, along with the increase in progesterone levels when pregnant, a cocktail of these in the stomach is bound to cause discomfort. In all my 6 pregnancies the worst ones for nausea were my first – when very young and very stressed about it – and my fourth – when I was very busy, very stressed and somewhat distracted from the pregnancy.
   As well as managing food and stress, the single, most effective practise for the manage-ment of nausea is Kunjal Kriya, the saline stomach wash. (See Chapter 10, Cleansing Techniques – “Kunjal Kriya” ). As strange as it may seem to induce vomiting to cure nausea, the stomach wash gives immediate relief to the frustration of nausea. Further, by regularly performing Kunjal first thing each morning, many people have found that their appetite is stronger throughout