How did you first know you were pregnant?  Were you regularly checking several home pregnancy tests?  Was it a missed period that first tipped you off?  Or something different?

For our cheerful Wiser Pregnancy mom-to-be blogger, surging hormones in the early stages of pregnancy meant lots of uncharacteristic burping.  A home pregnancy test confirmed that a new baby was indeed on the way.

However, for many women, physical pregnancy symptoms aren’t the first clue.  According to a Wiser Pregnancy survey of more than 1,500 women, almost half (48.3%) of women first know they’re pregnant when they miss a period.  Another 28.9% of women first know they are pregnant when they take a home pregnancy test. Interestingly, a doctor’s visit alerts only about 5% of women that they are pregnant.

On the other hand, nearly 20% of women first know they’re pregnant based on physical pregnancy symptoms.  Potential clues include:

• Morning sickness (6.8%)
• Other pregnancy symptoms, such as burping (5.2%)
• Swollen, tender breasts (4.2%)
• Weight gain (1.3%)
• Frequent urination (0.7%)

How did you first know you were pregnant?  Did you experience any tell-tale physical symptoms?

We’re well into December, a month full of rich food, festive parties and holiday cheer. Skip the homemade eggnog, enjoy the treats (with moderation) and don’t forget to stay active.

If you’re like most women, you probably aren’t increasing the amount you exercise during pregnancy. According to a WiserPregnancy survey, about two-thirds of pregnant women regularly exercise. Only 11% of women get more exercise during pregnancy than before, and the primary motivation is to control weight gain.

However, if you’re consuming calorie-laden holiday treats—and if your doctor gives you the okay to exercise—December is not the month to slack off exercising or eating a healthy diet. Of women who increase the amount they exercise during pregnancy, 61% do so to control weight gain.

Why is weight control during pregnancy important? For one, fit women who gain the recommended amount of weight (25 pounds on average) suffer fewer pregnancy discomforts. Delivery and postpartum recovery tend to be easier for new moms who did not gain excessive weight during pregnancy. Also, gaining too much pregnancy weight can lead to long-term health problems for you and your baby—you’ll be at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Exercise also has other benefits. Half of women (49%) stick to the exercise routine to keep their baby healthy. About 1/3 of women (31%) increase exercise to try to fight fatigue and other common pregnancy ailments.

What are you doing to stay healthy during the holiday season?