Wondering if you may be pregnant? Here are some early signs of pregnancy to look out for!
Did you know that many women know they are pregnant before their missed period? Keep reading to learn these early signs of pregnancy.
What are the First Signs of Pregnancy?
A pregnancy test confirmed I was pregnant with my son at about 5 weeks, but when I stopped and thought about it, there were signs up to 2 weeks prior. Keep reading to see if you might need to take a trip to the gynecologist or if it’s all in your head…
Mood swings
You may experience heavy mood swings during the early stages of pregnancy. Things that you would typically brush off may send you over the deep end. This, like most pregnancy symptoms, is due to hormonal changes.
Does that mean that since you cried after your partner ate lunch without you, you’re pregnant? No, but if you are unusually emotional and some of these other symptoms are also present, it might be time for a test.
Sore/swollen breasts
Sore and/or swollen breasts are very common signs that push many women to take a pregnancy test. Hormones start encouraging milk production from the very beginning of pregnancy, which is why the breasts become noticeably larger and have more sensitive nipples.
Hint: If you notice a darkening of your areolas, it’s definitely worth taking a test.
Nausea
Nausea is the sign that everyone knows happens to pregnant women. I took a train from D.C. to NYC, and I remember thinking I had gotten motion sickness – which was super weird for me, a city kid who took public transportation all the time. I hadn’t connected the dots until about two weeks later, walking back from the pharmacy with a pregnancy test in hand.
Changes in taste buds
Foods that you loved pre-pregnancy might taste awful! You may even crave foods you used to hate. Outside of pregnancy, I absolutely love corn beef and rice. During pregnancy, whew, I could not even stand the smell of them without feeling sick to my stomach.
During the entirety of my pregnancy, I could only drink Nestle water. Literally, every other water tasted… dirty? My mom could only drink Dasani during one of her pregnancies. I have no explanation for this, except pregnancy is bizarre as hell.
Fatigue
Pregnancy causes an increase in blood flow, which makes the heart work harder, resulting in fatigue. During the first trimester of my pregnancy, I put myself on bedrest because moving around for anything more than a bathroom run just felt so overwhelming.
Granted, I was exhausted from the hyperemesis, so I’m sure your experience will at least be more pleasant than mine.
Cramping
At the very beginning of my pregnancy, I felt pretty intense cramping. I have always had serious menstrual cramps, so I just chalked it down to ovulation. Eventually, I was able to connect that with something called “implantation pain.”
Bloating
Your body releases a hormone called progesterone when it realizes you’re pregnant. This causes swelling and softness around the belly, giving off the bloated feeling. I want to say the feeling will pass, but I’d be lying. You’ll be feeling it for roughly nine months 🙂
Heartburn
Many women do not experience morning sickness in the first trimester but experience massive heartburn in its place! This is because the stomach muscles are tightening, which, long story short, causes acid reflux.
Always needing to pee
Your kidneys have to work extra hard to filter out all of the extra fluids in your body, resulting in running to the bathroom every hour on the hour. This is more tedious than anything else. It may subside at about 12 weeks, then make its way right on back somewhere in the third trimester when your little one starts packing on the pounds.
All in all
If you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, I think you should go the safe route and take a test or visit a healthcare provider. It doesn’t hurt to check, right?
You should also check out these 9 Things to Know for Your First Trimester of Pregnancy to better prepare yourself for what’s to come.