11 Early Pregnancy Signs before You Miss Your Period

One of the worst waiting periods in the world is when you’re waiting to figure out if you’re pregnant.

You’re just counting down the days until you start your next period, hoping you don’t start!

There are a few early signs to help determine if you’re pregnant…you know…just to get your hopes up!

It’s hard though because when you’re waiting to find out, and you’re like… “I’m pretty sure I am this time”, you can almost make yourself feel the symptoms…even if you’re not pregnant.

It’s a tough game to play.

It’s best to just wait until you miss your period and take a pregnancy test, but who has the patience for that! (Although, sometimes you can tell early with a pregnancy test if you get a good one. I recommend this one. It told me 3 days early.)

You just want to hold onto any sign that you could be pregnant.

Why Do You Show Early Signs of Pregnancy

The reason you might show early signs of pregnancy are mostly due to the increased hormones in your body. These hormones almost always have different side effects.

However, everyone responds to the hormones differently, so these signs could affect you, but they may not at all. Some women don’t realize their pregnancy until 8 weeks in…or more (Have you seen the show I didn’t Know I was Pregnant?)

And, sometimes there is no real way to know if it’s pregnancy signs or just signs that you’re starting your period, getting food poisoning or coming down with a cold.

But, if you’re just dying to know whether or not you’re pregnant, (Me!) look for these early signs of pregnancy.

Early signs and symptoms of pregnancy

Painful or swollen breasts

This has shown to be one of my early signs of pregnancy. My boobs get really sore. They also get sore when I start my period, but not quite as much as when I’m pregnant.

So, basically, whenever I think I’m pregnant I’m walking around the house grabbing my boobs to see if their sore. Haha.

Nausea

My nausea doesn’t set in until about 5 weeks, but some women experience it sooner. You should try these lemon drops, they helped to relieve my nausea.

They say that HCG starts producing 6 days after conception and then slowly increases every 2-3 days after that.

Since HCG is the hormone that makes you nauseous, you could start to feel this early.

I guess it depends on the level that your body can handle before nausea sets in.

Related: 21 Ways to Relieve Morning Sickness

Fatigue

These hormones can also make you tired.

I feel tired all the time, so I don’t know that this would be any indication for me. Haha

Light Cramping

You can have some light cramping with implantation.

This is also a hard one because it could also mean you’re just starting your period.

Now, if you’re one of those lucky women who don’t get cramps during your period, maybe this will be outside your norm.

I cramp, so this doesn’t help me at all.

Frequent Urge to Pee

Do you have to pee a lot more than usual?

Or are you just drinking lots of diet soda?

That lovely hormone is at it again HCG increases the blood flow to your downwards, which means more blood flow to the kidneys, and more peeing!

This can start as early as 4 weeks. It usually last until about 20 weeks, but after that it’s your big belly pushing your bladder that makes you pee more!

And, you’re peeing for two!

Funny Taste in Your Mouth

I hate this!

I have a funny taste in my mouth for my WHOLE pregnancy, which just adds to my nausea.

It can taste metallic, or just different. It can also be the reason why you like certain foods during your pregnancy that you didn’t like before.

Mine taste like I’m sucking on a metal spoon!

This can start as early as 2 weeks into your pregnancy.

White discharge

You could get a white, cloudy discharge, which could mean you’re pregnant, but could also mean you are about to start your period.

Your vagina is constantly cleaning itself out, but it is a little thicker during these times.

Emotional

Hormones make you emotional. A sudden change in hormones can make you even more emotional!

If you’re crying over spilled milk, it could mean your preggo!

Increased Basal Body Temperature

When you ovulate your basal body temperature rises from 96 -98 to 97 – 99.

Ever so slightly!

If you’re pregnant, that temperature will stay high past ovulation.

You can buy a Basal Body Temperature Thermometer (this one is supposed to be specifically for conceiving because it can measure to the nearest 10th degree) to help you track your ovulation cycle to help you get pregnant, and then alter to find out if you are.

You could also buy an ovulation test to find out exactly when you’re ovulating.

Blood

You could bleed a little like you’re starting your period, but your actually not.

This one is a hard sign, cause you could just be starting your period, but you can get a little blood with implantation.

If you do bleed and are pregnant it’s usually very little. It’s more like spotting and the color can be brown, pink, or red.

Feeling Different

You might just get the inkling that you feel different.

I do. I don’t know why, but I just feel…different.

Sometimes you just got to go with your instinct.

Final Thoughts

Just remember not to get your hopes too high. These are never sure signs that you’re pregnant, but they can help if you’re feeling something different or irregular.

Good luck on your pregnancy and mom journey.

If you are preggo, Congrats! If you are having nausea, here are some ways to relieve morning sickness.

I would also recommend this book. It helped me to know things I didn’t know anything about pregnancy.

I secondly recommend a pregnancy planner to help you all along the way. Check out the Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner, made by moms for moms!

Related: What is Postpartum Depression and When do you get it?

Related: The Ultimate Postpartum Kit Guide

Related: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Pregnancy