Earliest Possible Signs of Pregnancy

Sensing the Earliest Possible Signs of Pregnancy

The earliest signs of pregnancy do vary among women, but one thing is for certain: many women don’t need a positive pregnancy test to know when they’re expecting.

Some of the earliest signs of pregnancy happen before even physical pregnancy symptoms start. Dreams of pregnancy or simply a general feeling of something being different have been reported by women through the years. Many times these deep inner feelings are correct. Some of the earliest possible physical pregnancy signs include breast changes, nausea, and tiredness.

Following is a more in-depth look at the above signs of pregnancy.

Pregnancy Dreams

Pregnancy dreams very early in pregnancy, sometimes even before, are not unheard of. There are many reports of extra vivid dreams during early pregnancy that continue through the pregnancy. There have even been books written about the significance of pregnancy dreams like, Dreaming for Two: The Hidden Emotional Life of Expectant Mothers by Sindy Greenberg, Elyse Kroll, and Hillary Grill.

Many times, those early and later dreams are thought to be caused by the change in hormones. Although it’s never been scientifically explained, there are women who swear that they’ve had a dream they’re pregnant, or even dreamed of their baby’s gender, before actually finding out from the doctor that they’re expecting. See what other parents dream about while pregnant.

Some women have what you could call a general feeling. They just know that they’re pregnant. This is not quite the same as dreams. This “gut feeling” currently has no scientific explanation but many women report it.

Breast Changes

Breast changes are almost always the first physical sign women notice when they become pregnant. During the very first week of pregnancy, your breasts start becoming ready for milk production. This breast prep results in soreness, darker areola (area around the nipple), pronounced veins, and little bumps that may appear on the areola.

Because breast changes start so soon, this is one of the earliest possible signs of pregnancy. Breast changes are an especially significant sign if you’re not expecting your period or if you don’t normally have any breast changes.

Tiredness

Tiredness, like breast changes, can start early on in pregnancy. From the moment you conceive, your body begins a process of growth and support for the fetus that is really draining on your body energy-wise.

Metabolic changes of any kind can make you tired. In literature, pregnancy metabolic changes have been compared to the same effects your body may experience if you were constantly climbing a mountain - for nine months! That’s a lot of work.

Normally, the extreme tiredness of being pregnant will vanish around the 3 month mark. Some women are tired all the way though pregnancy, though, as well. Tiredness tends to be a good sign for women who have not been pregnant before, because it’s a tired they’re not used to.

Nausea

Another one of the earliest possible signs of pregnancy is nausea. Nausea is not the same as breast changes in that almost all women have pregnancy breast changes but not all women feel nausea.

Nausea is also caused by pregnancy hormonal changes and can start as soon as the first week of pregnancy. Pregnancy nausea is often called morning sickness, but can actually occur at any time of the day. Nausea during pregnancy can be triggered by foods, smells, activity, or, seemingly, nothing.

Many women experience distaste for unhealthy items during early pregnancy. Coffee or cigarettes may make a woman feel sick to their stomach before she officially knows she’s pregnant. There’s been some research about morning sickness in relation to unhealthy activities, but nothing conclusive. Many women do report that this is one reason they thought they might be pregnant.

If you have breast changes, extreme tiredness, or nausea and you aren’t sure why, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Any of these symptoms, ongoing, can be a sign of pregnancy but they can also be a sign that something else is wrong. If you ever think you’re pregnant, it’s wise to visit your health care provider. Early prenatal care is important for both your health, and the health of your baby.