Yes, what they say is true, you can start experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms before your missed period.
Way before!
In fact, some women are super sensitive and start noticing things are different within just days of conception, about two weeks shy of their missed period.
I was one of those women!
It was immediately apparent to me that something was off, there were little things here and there that, on their own, didn’t really mean anything. But, combined with the rest of the early pregnancy symptoms, it was very clear that my body was giving me an obvious sign!
Looking back now, I have some advice for you, mama! Track everything that feels off!
Keeping track of your early symptoms of pregnancy is essential because each individual symptom can be confused with something else, but the combination of it all has a very clear meaning!
So, how can you tell that you’re pregnant before your first missed period?
Let’s check the signs!
10 Early Pregnancy Symptoms Before Your Missed Period
1. Cramping
This one is very tricky because it can be easily confused with menstrual cramps, but I did experience mild cramping in my lower stomach.
It’s a sign that your uterus is expanding, or it could also be a sign of implantation cramps. They will feel very much like your menstrual cramps, but lighter and more consistent.
2. Changes in Your Breasts
It’s a super common pregnancy sign, and it can start really early.
You’ll feel that your breasts are bigger. Your bra will seem a little fuller, but you’ll also feel soreness in your breasts.
Additionally, your nipples can also get bigger, and itchier!
Since your skin is stretching, your breasts will be itching mildly.
3. Bloating and Gas
You’ll probably also feel bloated.
This bloating may be inconsistent and not necessarily uncomfortable, just another one of the small early pregnancy symptoms before your missed period.
The increase of progesterone in pregnant women will make digestion more difficult, trapping gas in your intestines.
Bloating is usually mild, but if it’s uncomfortable, you could eat smaller portions and food that’s easy to digest to keep the discomfor under control!
4. Constipation
Again, those hormones!
If you are unable to poop like you used to before, it may be a symptom of early pregnancy!
This is, in fact, very common, and changes in your bowels are going to be an ongoing sign of pregnancy as well!
5. Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
This is a lesser-known early pregnancy sign, although it is very common, and happens mostly during the first trimester.
It goes away quickly, but it’s also one of the first symptoms to appear!
It was, as a matter of fact, one of my earliest symptoms, and I thought I was going crazy. I didn’t think I could be pregnant, so my self-diagnosis was “imagining things”.
Oh, how very wong I was!
6. Changes in Your Skin
You can blame it on the hormones, again.
But common early pregnancy symptoms before your missed period are related to your skin, such as eczema, spots, acne, or general itchiness al over.
I got acne and eczema all throughout my pregnancy. It was really unexpected, and no cream would do the trick!
Things were back to normal a few months after I had my baby, though, so no harm, no foul!
7. Thicker Vaginal Discharge
Things down there will also begin to change rapidly. You’ll see that your vaginal discharge will be thicker and whiter.
It can also feel itchy, sore, or it can even sting when you pee. I know it sounds awful but the discomfort is very mild, and you might not even notice unless you’re really paying attention to this.
Although the thick discharge will subside during the first trimester, you need to stay alert to any other change in your discharge during the course of your pregnancy.
8. Headaches and Dizziness
During the early days of pregnancy, your blood sugar will be lower than usual since your body is now working towards building a whole new baby!
This will cause some headaches, and light dizziness.
9. Mood Swings
I hate to say that mood swings are a pregnancy symptom that won’t go away early.
It comes with the hormonal deal. And I can attest that they are real and super strange, you’ll find yourself crying at the most ridiculous things. And you’ll know they are ridiculous, which will make you cry even more.
In my case, for instance, I once wept for hours because I really wanted my parents to go to Bora Bora.
My parents didn’t even want to go. In fact, they didn’t know exactly where Bora Bora was. And were very confused when they heard me crying on the phone ranting on and on about Bora Bora.
So, yes, there are mood swings.
10. You’ll Need to Go Pee Much More Often
Since your body will produce more blood, your kidneys will work extra hard to filter it and will cause you the uncomfortable need to pee all the time.
Pee is usually associated to the later stages of pregnancy, when you have a full grown baby pressing into your bladder, so most women won’t expect this symptom as early as it appears.
This is very, very common, and extremely unsettling.
It’s one of the easiest symptoms to detect, you don’t need to know how many times you used to pee, you’ll notice when it starts becoming “more than usual” because it will interrupt your normal routines.
When Should You Take a Home Pregnancy Test?
Keep track of all your symptoms, I can’t stress this enough.
Early pregnancy symptoms can be confusing, especially if they come before your missed period. They will be mild, but for the most part, noticeable.
However, to make sure you are, in fact, pregnant, you need to take a pregnancy test.
Home pregnancy tests are based on your hCG hormone levels, which, before your missed period will be very low, and almost undetectable.
It’s considered a good time to take a home pregnancy test one week after you notice your period is missing, and always with the first-morning urine since it will have higher levels of hCG!
I took my pregnancy test one week after my missed period, and the two lines were very faint, but they were there.
A few days later I went to take a vaginal ultrasound and was shocked to find that the doctors couldn’t detect I was pregnant at all! My doctor explained to me at the time that we had detected the pregnancy very early, and we just needed to wait until my hCG levels were higher, which meant the new baby was settling in his new home.
And higher they went. A week after that I got a second ultrasound that would become the very first picture of my baby boy!
That’s a Wrap!
Early pregnany hormones don’t usually get by unnoticed!
If you want to know more about Early Pregnancy Symptoms, here’s an article about the weirdest early pregnancy symptoms women ever expect!
If you are pregnant, or you suspect you may be, schedule an appointment with your OBGYN as early as possible.
And good luck, mama!!
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