Are you trying to conceive or are y0u wondering if you are pregnant? You are probably facing the biggest challenge there is. That is your two-week wait. Let’s be honest with each other symptom spotting can’t be avoided. So, let’s focus on early pregnancy symptoms before missed period that may indicate you are pregnant. They are hard to spot and be differentiated from ovulation or premenstraul symptoms, but it is possible.
I remember during both my pregnancies, I had a few symptoms that encouraged me to take a pregnancy test. Then, I took a pregnancy test on 9dpo and it came back positive.
If you are looking for sensitive pregnancy tests, click here. They come in a pack and are cheap. You can take more than one a month. They even turned positive very early during my chemical cycle.
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The following topics will be discussed in this post.
- Early Pregnancy Symptoms Before Missed Period
- Early Signs of Pregnancy – Discharge
- How I knew I was pregnant before missed period?
- How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
- Reasons My period Is Late (Other Than Pregnancy)
- How late can a period be without being pregnant?
Here is everything you need to know about early pregnancy symptoms before missed period.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms Before Missed Period
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Implantation Cramping
This was my first symptom of all my pregnancies. I felt like something was pitching me for a few hours to a day. The feeling was mostly in my abdominal area in the middle of my uterus. At first, I thought I was ovulating, but when it kept hurting I started doubting that it was ovulation. After feeling it during my second pregnancy I was able to distinguish the difference and identify what exactly is implantation cramping. This feeling doesn’t really hurt that much. It feels like something pulling and pinching inside of me, or I could describe it as something trying to bury itself inside of me.
For more information about implantation cramping, check out my other article “Implantation Cramps VS Period Cramps”
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Implantation Bleeding
Implantation bleeding occurs in about one-third of pregnant women. So, it isn’t rare. But, this does not mean if you don’t spot you aren’t pregnant. Implantation bleeding is usually just spotting (pink or brown in color) and lasts from a few hours to a few days. It is also common 10-14 days after ovulation has occurred. It is sometimes accompanied by implantation cramping. I personally only felt cramping and had no spotting. You may not feel any.
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Nausea
Nausea can begin from week 3 especially if this is your first pregnancy. I remember waking up different a few days after ovulation. It felt like my stomach was not normal. I didn’t feel like eating anything. After four days of experiencing this, I ended up going to the doctor and complaining about my stomach. She asked me if I was pregnant. I said no, but she gave me a pregnancy test just in case. That’s how I found out I was pregnant.
If you would like to know about how I found out I was pregnant with baby number 1, click here.
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Vomiting
Nausea is sometimes accompanied by vomiting. This can also begin very early, week 4 of pregnancy. But, keep in mind not all women vomit during pregnancy.
If it does occur to you, it usually begins on week 6 but can start earlier. It peeks on week 9 and ends by week 18. This is also known as morning sickness, but that does not mean it only occurs in the morning. It could occur at any time of the day or all day.
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Increased Basal Body Temperature
Did you know that right before you ovulate, your basal body temperature, this is the temperature taken right before you get out of bed, drops then increases after ovulation has occurred. When pregnancy occurs, it will stay increased for at least 18 days after ovulation.
If you are trying to conceive, you can use this technique to know if you actually ovulate or not. If you see an obvious shift, you can confirm ovulation.
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Bloating
Bloating occurs during ovulation and right before you get your period. It can also occur if you are pregnant. When progesterone increases, it causes the food in the digestive system to slow down causing constipation and bloating. You may have gas too.
Check out my related post, Bloating During Ovulation.
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Breast Changes
Due to hormones, the areola can get darker and your breasts may become more sensitive. This can happen as early as four weeks of pregnancy and can last throughout your entire pregnancy. It is caused by hormonal changes.
I personally felt this symptom too. I felt pain on the sides of my breasts, but it started during week 5 and stopped in the middle of my pregnancy.
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Sensitivity to Smell
Yes, you can become a dog. You will be able to smell things from a mile away, and trust me you aren’t going to like all the smells, This symptom can make other symptoms like nausea and vomiting worse. You can try to chew on gum to help with this. I loved eating cinnamon gum, I kept it in the back of my mouth the entire day.
When I was pregnant with my first baby, I was working at a child care center. There was a teacher that brought in beans and rice for lunch for a whole week. I literally stayed in my car for every lunch break that week. I hated the smell, and I didn’t want to tell her it bothers me. She has to eat.
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Fatigue
Your body is beginning to change. Your hormones are all over the place. You will feel exhausted especially if morning sickness begins early.
I used these herbal supplements to help with my nausea and morning sickness. It worked like a charm. You can try other things like cinnamon gum, but I felt those herbal supplements worked best.
Early Signs of Pregnancy Discharge – Early Pregnancy Symptom Before Missed Period
I separated this one from the other early pregnancy symptoms before missed period because it is a weird one. If you begin secreting discharge that is green or causes a burning sensation or itchiness, you most likely have an infection. This does not indicate pregnancy, and you should see a doctor right away.
Some women reported that during the early weeks of pregnancy there cervical discharge increased and appeared sticky and yellow sometimes. This is secreted in order to protect the uterus from infection. You may see an abnormal abundance of it. Your mucus plug, which is secreted by the cervix, will also begin to form to help separate the vagina from the uterus and protect the baby.
How I knew I was pregnant before missed period?
I knew I was pregnant with both my babies when the embryo implanted. I felt implantation cramping, a very common early pregnancy symptom before a missed period, for a few hours. It kept coming and going through the day. For my chemical pregnancy and my second baby, I took a pregnancy test on 9dpo, and it came out positive both times.
How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
Ideally, you should take a pregnancy test one week after a missed period in order to allow enough time for HCG to show in urine. But, who can wait that long? I didn’t. I probably took ten pregnancy tests for every cycle when I began trying to conceive.
Personally, I took these pregnancy tests at 9dpo and they came out positive when I was pregnant. I took them at 7dpo and it came out negative for both pregnancies. DPO stands for days past ovulation.
How late can a period be without being pregnant?
Think about it like this. If you do not have any health condition affecting the menstrual cycle, then the time between each menstrual cycle should not be more than 35 days.
But, keep in mind, many factors can affect the menstrual cycle like stress. If nothing has changed in your life, then you should take a pregnancy test to make sure that you are not pregnant. If you want like to know why your period is late besides pregnancy, keep reading because hormones have a major effect on the menstrual cycle. Hormones can be affected very easily.
Reasons My period Is Late (Other Than Pregnancy)
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Stress
Stress can get your hormones out of control. Hormones control your menstrual cycle. Find techniques like meditation or excersizing to calm yourself down and see if that helps regulate your menstraul cycle. If it doesn’t, see a doctor.
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Obesity or Underweight
Weight can have a major affect on the menstraul cycle. Losing too much weight can stop your menstraul cycle for every long time. Also, working out for long periods of time can do that too.
Obesity can also have a similar affect. You will have to begin excersizing and eating healthier to get it to return.
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Diseases
Any diseases that have to do with abnormal sugar levels can cause a change in the menstraul cycle.
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Premenapause
Once you approach menapause, your hormones begin to change leading to an abnormal cycle. It may begin to come or go, or you might get your period twice the same month.
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Beginning of Menstraution
When a female first gets her period, her hormones are still not stable. You may get it one month and skip three months with nothing. Try to enjoy it, because the menstraul cycle comes with many horrible symptoms.
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Hormonal Issues
Any hormonal change can affect the menstraul cycle. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can be a reason for late or frequent periods. It is caused by an increase of a specific male hormone. It is treatable.
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Thyroid Issues
The thyroid controls many hormones. So, any issue can cause a problem with the menstraul cycle.
Have you read these before? Check them out!
How Not To Gain Weight Durign Pregnancy
Implantation Cramps VS Period Cramps
How To Relieve Constipation During Pregnancy
Tips and Tricks to Get pregnant Quickly
Leave a comment below. How did you find out you were pregnant before taking a pregnancy test?
