How I Knew I was Pregnant Before the Positive Test

Surprise! We are having another baby. Baby #2 is coming in May 2024 and we couldn’t be more excited.

Second time around, you are far more aware of your body, how it responds to becoming pregnant and are more in tune with what is happening before receiving a confirmation. I basically knew I was pregnant before I took the pregnancy test. Some things were more minor than others, some were more obvious, but rather than just straight up instinct, there are some tall tale signs that you are pregnant, even before you can test to be sure.

Here are some of the symptoms and signs I felt early on, approximately 2 weeks before I was eligible to take a test for accuracy.

Moody and Emotional

While I am an emotional person by nature, I became short tempered and lacked patience. Simple things that I would normally just roll my eyes at or let slide off my back, really ticked me off. Not to an extreme where people needed to tiptoe around me for their own safety, but it was certainly noticeable. I became hyper sensitive (and still am 16 weeks in) but remained aware of myself and my reactions. If I started to cry from anything, especially due to anger, I couldn’t stop. My hormones were running rapid and more so than they would approaching my time of the month, this was more intense internally.

Nausea

During my first pregnancy, I was one of the lucky ones who could count on one hand how many times I felt very nauseous or was sick in my first trimester. This pregnancy has been far different. While I have still held it together and hid it from most people pretty well, I have experienced a lot more nausea. Especially after too much sugar or heavy meals, it would hit me pretty hard. That full on watery mouth, need to breath heavier to help make it pass – type of nausea.

Exhausted

This time around, I am chasing after a one year old, so my energy is lacking in comparison to my first time at this. I have been far more sluggish, hitting a wall of exhaustion mid day most of the time, ready for bed after putting my son down for the night which is around 7pm. I am an early riser and have a morning routine I try to stick to, but I have had to listen to my body more and obey when I require that extra hour more of sleep versus accomplishing my normal schedule.

Extremely Vivid Dreams

I experienced this in my first pregnancy, but I don’t remember it coming on so strong so early. Dreams that feel so real, you question reality when you wake up. I’ve even questioned conversations I have had, to if they happened in real life or in a dream. This also contributes to the continued exhaustion, as after having such vivid dreams, you don’t wake up well rested.

Sensitive Nipples

This is a fairly normal early pregnancy symptom. Even wearing a bra gets to be too much at times when this happens. It is uncomfortable, constant and irritating.

Feeling Wide Awake at Bedtime

This usually happened for a brief time, but after being exhausted all day, falling asleep on the couch, and then finally putting myself to bed, I’d catch a second wind. Ready to read or watch a show, it was as if the constant state of my cloudy brain hadn’t occurred all day long. This wouldn’t last long, as I’d be able to fall asleep in as little as 10 minutes, but the surge of energy I would feel was confusing.

Cramping in the Stomach Area

As the uterus expands and prepares to grow a baby, it can cause some stretching cramps that are uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I wouldn’t classify mine as painful per say, but certainly noticeable and I’d sometimes have to stop whatever I was doing for a moment to catch my breathe. After discussions with both my doctor and midwives, this has been proven to be nothing concerning and simply the expansion of my uterus early on.

What were your early signs of pregnancy? While many of these listed above continue to happen to me, their presence in the early days prior to the positive test certainly had me thinking something was up. I continue to count my blessings with a healthy pregnancy. I am trying my best to stay active and make healthier choices for both myself and my growing baby, while remaining a good, positive mother and wife. Life doesn’t slow down, it only gets busier. We aren’t getting any younger and today is a gift, so we must keep on going and making the most out of our time.

Melanie xoxox