The First Signs of Pregnancy Before Missed Period

If you’ve ever tried to conceive, you know how much the wait between ovulation and the start of your period can feel like torture. The dreaded “two week wait” is often spent analyzing every little tingle and sensation, wondering if it could be a sign that pregnancy has been achieved. I talked to real women to find out their first signs of pregnancy before missed period.

These are the 7 that came up again and again!

SENSE OF SMELL

Many people become hyper sensitive to smells when they’re pregnant, and this can start extremely early in the pregnancy.

Christina tells of how she knew she was pregnant with her first:

I went to the grocery store to buy a pregnancy test because it was around the time that I could start testing. While I was waiting in the checkout line, an older lady came up behind me in line. She wasn’t even that close to me, but I got a whiff of her perfume so strong it punched me in the face! I had never had super sonic smell like that before, so I immediately suspected I was about to see two lines on that pee stick!

Corinne was plagued with an unpleasant smell that seemed to be everywhere:

All I could smell was pee. Everywhere I went, pee. No one else could smell it.

Suffice it to say, if you notice anything odd with your sense of smell, that can be a big indicator that there’s a teeny weeny bun starting to cook in that oven. 

NAUSEA OR APPETITE CHANGES

Unfortunately, it’s very common for women to feel sick to their stomach during pregnancy (especially in the beginning). The hormone levels are rising rapidly, which many women can’t tolerate. 

These hormones affect people in different ways, so you could feel nausea (for me it felt very much like being hungover), loss of appetite or even increased appetite.

Molly says: “I had zero appetite. That tipped me off.”

Angel describes she felt:

Queasy and heartburn from day 1. Never experience it otherwise.

In contrast, Alexa says:

I wanted McDoubles from McDonalds all day every day… for like two weeks straight.

As you can see, appetite can be affected many different ways!

FAINT LINES ON HPT

OK, time to tell my own first pregnancy story!

When my husband and I decided to start trying, my doctor had warned me that it would likely take 6 months or more to get pregnant. I doubted it would take that long since both sides of our families are filled with extremely fertile people. So the first month of trying I was obsessing over whether or not I could be pregnant.

Everything I read said not to even bother testing until you miss your period. Earlier tests would be unreliable and blowing through pregnancy tests can quickly become an expensive habit.

I didn’t want to listen to what everything said.

My old pal Amazon hooked me up with a super cheap 25 pack of pregnancy tests, so I felt no shame about wasting them. I took my first one (actually that’s a lie, I simultaneously took two) at only 7 days after ovulation. Yup, a full week before my period was due.

And I saw this:

Don’t see any second line? Don’t feel bad. They are super, super faint because they were taken so early. I had to squint to see them in person! So, not reliable enough to declare myself officially pregnant, but definitely a huge good sign.

And sure enough, I got my “Yes, positive+” on a digital test a couple days later.

If you are already seeing lines on a HPT, get ready to celebrate because it is very likely that a bundle of joy is on the way for you! And as soon as you get that positive, you’ll want to grab the Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner to help make your entire pregnancy a breeze. This 50 page bundle includes all your trimester to-do lists, hospital tour questions, birth plan template, and much more- all to get you fully prepared for baby.

CUE THE FATIGUE

Anyone who’s been pregnant will tell you entire beginning of pregnancy feels like you’ve taken a 3 month sleeping pill. The fatigue is severe and almost impossible to combat. The onset of this symptoms varies from person to person (for me it was 6-7 weeks, and eased up a bit around 14), but for some it is the very first sign.

Ariana says:

I was constantly tired! I could literally fall asleep doing anything!

According to Christa,

The only symptom I had before I missed my period was exhaustion.

Of course if you don’t get enough sleep regularly or are stressed for any reason, you may feel exhausted without being pregnant. So while it’s not the most reliable sign, in conjunction with other symptoms it could be telling.

SORE BREASTS / PRICKLY NIPPLES

The ONLY physical sign I had that I was pregnant before the 6 week park was an odd sensation in my nipples. The best way to describe them would be tingly/prickly. It stood out to me because it was a strange sensation that I had never felt before.

Megan shares:

I had sore boobs, but not the kind of sore boobs I get when my period is coming.

Other people notice an overall breast soreness, fullness, or heaviness. Darkening of the nipples is another symptom that can start in the wee early days of pregnancy.

Nicole mentions her first sign of pregnancy was “veiny boobs”. So you should be on the lookout for all kinds of breast changes.

(Want to hear the real deal on “breast sensitivity” and other pregnancy symptoms? Check out my post about pregnancy symptoms- what the books don’t tell you).

HEADACHES

Nikki says that her earliest pregnancy sign was:

Headaches! I had headaches that wouldn’t go away no matter what I did!

You guessed it, this is another symptom that comes due to the hormone surge as well as increased blood volume, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

If you’re experiencing headaches and suspect you may be pregnant, remember that ibuprofen and aspirin are not recommended during pregnancy. Stick with Tylenol or natural remedies like a cold compress.

CRAZY/VIVID DREAMS

“I had a very vivid and scary dream”, answered Megan when asked how she first knew she was pregnant.

Vivid dreams are a strange but common pregnancy symptom that can happen anytime during the pregnancy. I remember the dreams I had during my pregnancies being unlike any other dreams I’ve ever had- almost like acting in a movie. And I could remember them well unlike normal dreams.

Arianna says she was tipped off about being pregnant because she had a:

Crazyyyy dream! I dreamt I took so many positive pregnancy tests it covered my bathroom floor.

Sounds more like a premonition to me!

Did you have any early signs of pregnancy before missed period? Share your story in the comments!