Early Signs of Pregnancy
“Am I pregnant?”
Before being far along enough to take a pregnancy test, signs and symptoms of pregnancy can become present. As this question races through your mind you probably first head to google to figure out if what you’re experiencing is a clue or not if you could be expecting!
No need to stress—We’ve gathered all the info on the signs of early pregnancy & some resources for you in today’s blog post!
What could my body be experiencing?
Every body and pregnancy is different! Which, is so incredible but it also makes it a little difficult to pin point sure-fire signs of early pregnancy. What you may or may not be experiencing could be a shared experience with someone else who has come before you! To go ahead and ease your mind- you could not experience all of these signs so there is no need to worry!
Breast/nipple tenderness- Sensitivity, tender and swollen breasts/nipples are a very common physical symptom of early pregnancy and can be one of the first signs of a pregnancy. These changes to the breasts are due to hormonal changes taking place in your body and increased blood blow. You may feel a little achey and sore. The nipple can also darken due to these hormonal changes. These changes can take place in the first week up to the first 6 weeks.
Nausea- This is the sign that most of us are familiar with from movies or TV shows and what we typically think of when someone first thinks they could be pregnant. Your stomach could feel uneasy, maybe a smell or brushing your teeth or a certain food triggers a gag reflex. You could also be actively vomiting or just have a “gaggy” feeling. Nausea may hit first thing in the morning, at night or all throughout your day. For some, this nausea may subside after the first couple weeks or it could last through the entire first trimester. Like we said, everyone experiences this differently and some may be more sensitive to the hormonal changes causing nausea! You could not be struggling with nausea and that is perfectly normal too!
Aches & pains- Headaches, backaches, aches in your joints or lower abdomen- sounds sooo fun right?! You could experience migraines due to hormonal changes and extra blood being pumped through the body which can put a little bit of added pressure to your brain. Backache or abdomen pain could be due to the uterus changing in size so quickly.
Food aversions/cravings- Just like all these symptoms, blame the hormones (& changes in your senses!). Foods you used to love you may sound absolutely disgusting or you may be craving very specific things you never thought of! “What are you craving?!?!” more than likely will be one of the first questions people ask you when you spill the beans that you’re pregnant. ;)
Frequent urination &/or constipation- A uterus growing by the minute, more blood circulation to the pelvis and increased progesterone and other hormonal changes are to thank for this! Frequent trips to the bathroom or not being on your regular bowel schedule can be what you are experiencing - of course like any of these other symptoms if they are interfering drastically with you being able to function in your day-to-day life- please reach out to your doctor!
Fatigue- A given-Your body is working extra hard right now to grow a brand new little one & take care of it! You could be restless at night as well which can contribute to fatigue during the day or being completely tapped out at the end of the day. Take this time now to care for yourself by resting—No need to feel guilty about it at all! This rest is crucial for your body and it is important to start listening as much as you can to what it needs now.
A missed period - The most obvious physical sign of pregnancy. Did you know, periods can come late due to other factors in our life like stress & some people experience irregular periods? Typically, if your period is over a week late it may be a good idea to take a pregnancy test.
Spotting- Many can confuse this for their period! Also, if you are unaware that spotting or “implantation bleeding” can occur as an early sign of pregnancy— this could be scary for some as well! The embryo that is quickly growing burrows or “implants” itself into the lining of the uterine wall which can cause some light bleeding. This is typically harmless and usually happens about the same time your period would come so it can definitely be mistaken for a period if you are unaware that you could be pregnant.
These are the basic signs & symptoms of early pregnancy but there are a variety of other signs you could experience like a metallic taste in your mouth, changes or sensitivity to smell, mood changes, discharge changes, dizziness and even nasal congestion!
Which pregnancy test should I take?
There are a million different pregnancy tests out there. Before you get overwhelmed scrolling your options in your Target app or down the wall (sometimes behind glass even) at your local drugstore…it may be a good idea to learn about the different tests that you could take to find ones that best suit your needs.
“I’m TTC! ” (trying to conceive): Your best bet is Easy@Home 40 Pregnancy Test Strips with 40 Large Urine Cups - Accurate and Clear Detection for Early Pregnancy from Amazon!
“I want to find out ASAP! ”: Not ready to wait until after your missed period? First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test is probably your best bet as you are able to test 6 days before your missed period.
“How do I read these things again?": Pregnancy tests can be tricky to read sometimes, especially if this is your first time taking one! If you are looking for the easiest test to read…we reccomend Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test with Smart Countdown that clearly reads “pregnant” or “not pregnant”.
“I’d like to find an eco-friendly test!”: A newer line of ovulation and pregnancy tests on the market is Natalist: The Test Pack for those looking for an environmentally friendly option!
“I need an affordable option.”: This Clinical Guard HCG Bulk Pregnancy Pack comes with 20 individually sealed pregnancy tests!
