“Am I pregnant?” Maybe! We all know a missed period is the most obvious sign of pregnancy, but what other some other early signs can you look out for?

Here are 11 early signs of pregnancy before a missed period.

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1. Darker Nipples

You may notice that your areolas darken and get a bit bigger in the weeks following conception. You may also spot tiny goosebump-like bumps on your areolas (glands that will eventually lubricate your nursing nipples). It’s believed that darker and bigger nipples are nature’s way of helping that baby find the nipple easier for breastfeeding. They basically become a bigger target, harder to miss. Don’t worry – darker nipples in pregnancy are temporary and will eventually go back to normal.

2. Tender Breasts

Breasts are usually the first body part to noticeably change due to the influx of pregnancy hormones. Some women’s breasts may feel tingly, sore, full and even painful to the touch within days of conception as estrogen levels start to rise. Tender breasts may be an indicator of pregnancy, but they may also just be a normal PMS symptom – so don’t rely on this alone to determine whether you’re pregnant or not.

3. Nausea

Wait, what?! This dreaded morning sickness can happen before your missed period?? YES. Although it is not extremely common, it definitely does happen. Just days after conception, you might start to get the queazies (aka morning sickness) due to a rush of new pregnancy hormones. Even though morning sickness usually shows up four weeks later, around 6 weeks pregnant, it is known to rear its ugly head earlier on in some women.

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Check this out! Here are The BEST Plant-Based Prenatal Vitamins for Pregnant Women

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4. Fatigue

With all that work that goes into baby-making, plus higher levels of pregnancy hormones, the first four months of pregnancy can leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy. The first trimester seems to be the worst for most women, and it’s even more difficult to mask if you haven’t shared the good news yet to your boss, coworkers, or friends. Even though this usually goes away after the first trimester, it is not uncommon to feel fatigue all throughout pregnancy. Fatigue is your body telling you what you need, so listen to it. Get PLENTY of rest, mama! And don’t feel bad about canceling plans to get catch some extra Zzz’s.

5. Implantation Bleeding or Cramping

Those two weeks between ovulation and waiting for your next period can seem to drag on forever as you become keenly aware of your body’s every ache and twinge – wondering if it’s a pregnancy sign. In most normal pregnancies, women may feel some cramping and notice a bit of spotting. This is called implantation bleeding, and implantation happens when the embryo lodges itself into the uterus. This blood can be light pink, red or even brown and is usually thinner than period blood. Implantation occurs between 7-10 days after conception, so it would usually appear a bit earlier than your period.

6. Food Aversions

When asking my followers on The Natural Mama Podcast’s Instagram account, lots of women reported being super grossed out by foods they normally loved. This is a common sign of early pregnancy, and it tends to go hand-in-hand with with nausea. High levels of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), are to blame for these bothersome symptoms.

7. Heightened Sense of Smell

Here’s another peculiar reaction to the burst of pregnancy hormones. With excessive estrogen, your sense of smell may become very keen. Too keen in fact. So keen that you may feel nauseas from your partner’s cologne, candles, or even certain food smells. A friend of mine once told me she KNEW she was pregnant before her missed period because she could smell the graphite in her pencil as she was taking an exam. She thought it was so strange, and for it to smell so incredibly strong she must have been pregnant. Side note: a keen sense of smell can also be a PMS symptom, for the same reason – higher levels of estrogen.

PRO TIP!

Swap out your scented skincare products fragrance-free alternatives. Also, the fragrance in skincare products is a known toxic to be avoided during pregnancy. Read more about that here: 5 Toxic Skincare Ingredients That Are Unsafe During Pregnancy

8. Creamy Discharge

If you aren’t already paying attention to your cervical mucus, you should. The consistency of your vaginal discharge changes throughout the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy. Discharge during pregnancy is usually thin, creamy, milky-white or colorless. In the beginning of pregnancy, the amount of discharge may increase, and this is for a good reason. According to verywellfamily.com, having lots of vaginal discharge is your body’s way of removing dead cells and bacteria from the uterus and vagina to help prevent infections. So, if your cervical mucus becomes creamy and remains so after ovulation, it could be a pretty good sign you’ll have a positive pregnancy test.

9. Constipation or Bloating

These early signs of pregnancy are commonly mistaken for PMS signs. When you become pregnant, your levels of progesterone increase. Progesterone slows down digestion (constipation) which can also trap gas within the intestines (bloating). The good news: a slower digestion gives more time for nutrients in your food to enter the bloodstream and reach your baby. The bad news is: these symptoms may last throughout the entire pregnancy. At least you know there’s a good purpose behind it! Anything for your baby, right?

10. Psychic Visions or Dreams

Ooo! I love this early sign of pregnancy. On a recent Instagram poll, I asked my followers how they knew they were pregnant before having a missed period. Countless women responded that they either had a dream of their baby, or of them being pregnant, or experienced a psychic vision of their child. I can’t find any scientific studies backing this up, but I do know many women who swear this is how they knew they were pregnant. I, myself, can admit that I saw a “flash” of a little baby in my arms the MOMENT of conception. I always thought I was just weird and different, but apparently women all over the world have experienced the same thing.

11. You Just “Know”

Another non-scientific sign of pregnancy. Many women claim to just “know” they’re pregnant with no real physical evidence. They just feel that something different is going on within their bodies. They may not have psychic visions or dreams, but they have an intuition that is undeniable.

Conclusion

When you’re trying to conceive, or if you just really want to know if you’re pregnant, waiting around for a missed period can make you anxious. So, keep an eye out for any of these early signs of pregnancy. Keep in mind that many of these signs may be confused with PMS symptoms, so if you really want to know whether you’re pregnant or not, you’ll just have to wait to take a proper pregnancy test.

Share Your Experience

How did you know you were pregnant before having a missed period? Comment below!