Wondering if you might be pregnant?
Early signs of pregnancy vary, but there
are a few that most women experience —
usually before the pregnancy test is
positive. We rounded up the eight most
common signs to help you answer the
question.
1. Sore brsts
Are the girls feeling swollen and sore?
Are they getting more attention than
usual? Better bust out the pee stick —
you may be pregnant.
Sore brsts are often one of the first
signs of pregnancy. Hormonal changes
cause an increase in blood flow as the
chest tissue changes and prepares for
breastfeeding. As early as four to six
weeks into your pregnancy, your brsts
may begin to feel tingly and tender.
Make sure you get a comfy and
supportive bra because over the next few
months — those bad boys may just grow
a size or two. You will most likely feel less
tender after the first trimester passes,
as your body adjusts to the wave of
hormones.
2. Morning sickness
Anyone who has experienced “morning
sickness” knows that it is not restricted
to the morning at all, but can strike at
any time of the day (or night). It is not
uncommon to suddenly be nauseated by
certain smells or tastes, especially when
you are newly pregnant. Morning
sickness is not a given, and a lucky few
never experience nausea at all while
pregnant.
Caused by the dramatic increase in
hormones during the first trimester of
pregnancy, some women stop feeling
nauseous around 12 weeks. Others,
however, continue to feel nauseated
throughout their entire pregnancy. If
this happens to you, consult with your
physician about medications to help
control the nausea so that you don’t
become dehydrated or lose too much
weight.
3. Fatigue
Have you been incredibly tired lately —
so tired you feel it in your bones?
Fatigue is a common first sign of
pregnancy. Many women describe early-
pregnancy fatigue as the most extremely
tired feeling they have ever
experienced. It isn’t known for certain
what causes the extreme fatigue, but it
could be related to increased
progesterone levels.
“Exhaustion is typically worst during the
first trimester of pregnancy.”
Exhaustion is typically worst during the
first trimester of pregnancy. You may
feel revived and more energetic during
your second trimester, but find your
fatigue returning as you near the end
of your third trimester. You will want to
nap as much as possible now because
after the baby arrives, you may never
nap again. Or at least not for the next
18 years.
4. Hunger
Strangely enough, nausea and hunger
often go hand-in-hand during
pregnancy. During the time when you
aren’t feeling nauseous over the smell
of certain foods, you are probably
eating your weight in some food item
that you’ve become obsessed with over
the last few weeks — like barbecue potato
chips, mint-chip ice cream or the
traditional pickles.
While it is OK to give in to some of your
pregnancy cravings, make sure that you
don’t go overboard and decide to live on
pita chips and grapes for the next nine
months just because they are the only
thing that doesn’t make your stomach
flip. Try to follow a balanced diet and
stay away from any foods that are
unsafe for pregnant women.
5. Frequent urination
Have you been spending more time in the
restroom than in any other room of your
house? When you are newly pregnant,
you may find yourself visiting a
restroom more often. Get used to it — as
your uterus expands and pushes on your
bladder, fluids in your body increase
and cause the kidneys to work overtime.
As your baby grows, expect some tiny
limbs to put a bit of pressure on your
bladder too, which doesn’t help.
6. Moodiness
Moody much? Did you just threaten to
divorce your husband because he wanted
to watch Deadliest Catch while you
wanted to watch The Bachelorette?
Don’t worry. Moodiness is completely
normal during pregnancy thanks to the
dramatic hormonal shifts your body is
undergoing. Each woman experiences
these hormonal changes differently. You
may feel extreme mood shifts in either
direction, or be more anxious or
depressed.
7. Missed period
A missed menstrual cycle is usually a
good indication that you might be
pregnant, but it can also be deceiving.
Some women do not menstruate
regularly, or may not keep accurate
track of when they last menstruated. If
your periods are irregular or vary
between spotting and heavy flow, you
may experience other early signs of
pregnancy well before you realize you
have missed a period.
Some women experience a bit of spotting
during implantation, which occurs very
close to the time that your regular
menstrual period would have occurred.
If you think you might be pregnant,
make sure to take a pregnancy test just
to be safe before engaging in any
activities that would be dangerous for
your baby.
8. Pregnancy test
Your tender brsts and nausea may
already have you convinced that you are
pregnant, but make sure to visit your
obstetrician or midwife for a pregnancy
test. Home pregnancy tests — despite
what they claim — are not always
accurately able to confirm pregnancy
before you have missed your period. If
you take an early home test and it comes
back negative, try again a week later. It
is always important to get your
pregnancy confirmed by a medical
professional and begin monitoring that
brand new bundle of joy.
Early signs of pregnancy vary, but there
are a few that most women experience —
usually before the pregnancy test is
positive. We rounded up the eight most
common signs to help you answer the
question.
1. Sore brsts
Are the girls feeling swollen and sore?
Are they getting more attention than
usual? Better bust out the pee stick —
you may be pregnant.
Sore brsts are often one of the first
signs of pregnancy. Hormonal changes
cause an increase in blood flow as the
chest tissue changes and prepares for
breastfeeding. As early as four to six
weeks into your pregnancy, your brsts
may begin to feel tingly and tender.
Make sure you get a comfy and
supportive bra because over the next few
months — those bad boys may just grow
a size or two. You will most likely feel less
tender after the first trimester passes,
as your body adjusts to the wave of
hormones.
2. Morning sickness
Anyone who has experienced “morning
sickness” knows that it is not restricted
to the morning at all, but can strike at
any time of the day (or night). It is not
uncommon to suddenly be nauseated by
certain smells or tastes, especially when
you are newly pregnant. Morning
sickness is not a given, and a lucky few
never experience nausea at all while
pregnant.
Caused by the dramatic increase in
hormones during the first trimester of
pregnancy, some women stop feeling
nauseous around 12 weeks. Others,
however, continue to feel nauseated
throughout their entire pregnancy. If
this happens to you, consult with your
physician about medications to help
control the nausea so that you don’t
become dehydrated or lose too much
weight.
3. Fatigue
Have you been incredibly tired lately —
so tired you feel it in your bones?
Fatigue is a common first sign of
pregnancy. Many women describe early-
pregnancy fatigue as the most extremely
tired feeling they have ever
experienced. It isn’t known for certain
what causes the extreme fatigue, but it
could be related to increased
progesterone levels.
“Exhaustion is typically worst during the
first trimester of pregnancy.”
Exhaustion is typically worst during the
first trimester of pregnancy. You may
feel revived and more energetic during
your second trimester, but find your
fatigue returning as you near the end
of your third trimester. You will want to
nap as much as possible now because
after the baby arrives, you may never
nap again. Or at least not for the next
18 years.
4. Hunger
Strangely enough, nausea and hunger
often go hand-in-hand during
pregnancy. During the time when you
aren’t feeling nauseous over the smell
of certain foods, you are probably
eating your weight in some food item
that you’ve become obsessed with over
the last few weeks — like barbecue potato
chips, mint-chip ice cream or the
traditional pickles.
While it is OK to give in to some of your
pregnancy cravings, make sure that you
don’t go overboard and decide to live on
pita chips and grapes for the next nine
months just because they are the only
thing that doesn’t make your stomach
flip. Try to follow a balanced diet and
stay away from any foods that are
unsafe for pregnant women.
5. Frequent urination
Have you been spending more time in the
restroom than in any other room of your
house? When you are newly pregnant,
you may find yourself visiting a
restroom more often. Get used to it — as
your uterus expands and pushes on your
bladder, fluids in your body increase
and cause the kidneys to work overtime.
As your baby grows, expect some tiny
limbs to put a bit of pressure on your
bladder too, which doesn’t help.
6. Moodiness
Moody much? Did you just threaten to
divorce your husband because he wanted
to watch Deadliest Catch while you
wanted to watch The Bachelorette?
Don’t worry. Moodiness is completely
normal during pregnancy thanks to the
dramatic hormonal shifts your body is
undergoing. Each woman experiences
these hormonal changes differently. You
may feel extreme mood shifts in either
direction, or be more anxious or
depressed.
7. Missed period
A missed menstrual cycle is usually a
good indication that you might be
pregnant, but it can also be deceiving.
Some women do not menstruate
regularly, or may not keep accurate
track of when they last menstruated. If
your periods are irregular or vary
between spotting and heavy flow, you
may experience other early signs of
pregnancy well before you realize you
have missed a period.
Some women experience a bit of spotting
during implantation, which occurs very
close to the time that your regular
menstrual period would have occurred.
If you think you might be pregnant,
make sure to take a pregnancy test just
to be safe before engaging in any
activities that would be dangerous for
your baby.
8. Pregnancy test
Your tender brsts and nausea may
already have you convinced that you are
pregnant, but make sure to visit your
obstetrician or midwife for a pregnancy
test. Home pregnancy tests — despite
what they claim — are not always
accurately able to confirm pregnancy
before you have missed your period. If
you take an early home test and it comes
back negative, try again a week later. It
is always important to get your
pregnancy confirmed by a medical
professional and begin monitoring that
brand new bundle of joy.
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