Unusual Early Pregnancy Symptoms: A Checklist
Many pregnant women claim to have known they were with child way before a pregnancy test confirmed it. On the other hand, there are those who completely missed the early signs of pregnancy.
The fact of the matter is, the first signs of pregnancy aren’t as obvious as most women might think! I’m here to discuss precisely those weird symptoms of pregnancy you’re likely to shrug off, so stay tuned!
With my first pregnancy, I was none the wiser for almost the entire first trimester. Why? Because the symptoms I experienced were definitely not what you might call ”the norm”.
People tell you about the common early pregnancy signs; morning sickness, food cravings, increased hormone levels, breast tenderness, heartburn, constant urination, and of course – moodiness.
But what I went through was on a whole other level of weird!
So for those who are still uncertain and anxious about taking a home pregnancy test – this is for you. I’ll cover the good, the bad, and the ugly so that you’re fully prepared.
These unusual early pregnancy symptoms are one step away from a positive pregnancy test, so pay close attention.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms That No One Tells You About
When it comes to pregnancy, women experience a variety of symptoms – some of which are fairly obvious, and some that are anything but. I’m here to tell you about the latter.
Here are the weirdest signs you might just be an expectant mommy!
1. You will experience a weird discharge
Yup – weird stuff will definitely come out of you. Vaginal discharge is something that is commonly associated with pregnancy.
So be on the lookout for a white or yellowish mucus. This indicates you’re likely in your first trimester, so you might want to get that pregnancy test.
The discharge is the direct result of vaginal blood flow (don’t be alarmed by the blood volume) and hormonal changes that are occurring in your body.
A missed period might be the most common tell-tale sign, but this is not to be ignored.
If your vaginal discharge starts causing any of the following though, be sure to give your doctor a call as they might indicate an infection:
- Itching
- Smelling
- Burning
- It becomes either very watery or too thick
- It turns into a yellow-green mix
When it comes to your pregnancy, don’t leave anything to chance. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
2. Your basal body temperature will be off the charts
The morning after ovulation, your body temperature is likely to be heightened until your next period. But when it stays that high two or three weeks in, it’s a sign you’re preggo!
Most women use their basal body temperature as a way to ensure they get pregnant.
It actually helps speed up the process by allowing you to count your fertile days and put your enhanced sex drive to work.
So if you notice an extremely high body temperature – even after your gyno told you when it should drop – you’re probably pregnant!
But just to be on the safe side, get a pregnancy test and then you can share your happy news with your partner.
RELATED: What Causes Hot Flashes In Pregnancy And How To Deal With Them
3. Incessant cramping, peeing, and never ending headaches
Throughout a healthy pregnancy, there are so many things you’ll experience that might worry you but are just part of the journey.
For example, the hormone changes might lead to headaches (yikes).
For some women, there is almost unbearable cramping (similar to menstrual period cramps), and you won’t be able to get away from the restroom for too long.
Constant peeing is one of the most common pregnancy symptoms, but trust me, it’s more extreme than you may have heard. I’m only sharing this so you’re not surprised once it happens.
I only wish somebody had told me how much a fetus can kick you in the lower abdomen.
I would’ve moved somewhere closer to the restroom until my second trimester (just kidding).
It’s all just a phase, though, that will eventually end and give you your most precious angel. The best is definitely yet to come.
4. You might experience severe dizziness
Sometimes you’ll feel like the room is literally spinning.
Don’t worry though, most women experience some type of dizziness during the first trimester and it’s nothing to be alarmed about if it’s a lone symptom.
Dizziness is also sometimes caused by blood pressure changes, low blood sugar levels, and an increase in your hormones.
You might occasionally get lightheaded, and that’s your sign to purchase a pregnancy test and be careful what you eat (to keep your blood sugar levels normal).
But if the dizziness is coupled with abdominal pain and excessive vaginal bleeding, this might indicate that you’re experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.
If you haven’t heard of this before, it is a pregnancy complication during which the embryo attaches outside of the uterus.
This can bring its own set of complications and your safest bet is to call your OB/GYN and find out for sure what is going on before panicking.
5. Slow digestive system (read: constipation)
For me, during one of my pregnancies, I felt bloated.
And as much I wanted to go number two, I just couldn’t. You can imagine how uncomfortable this can be, especially when you’re nowhere near your home.
But later I found out that this is actually caused by the hormonal changes in your body. And do you know what else?
Prenatal vitamins – yup, you heard right.
You wouldn’t believe that vitamins can cause bloating, but once you experience it first-hand, trust me, it won’t be too much fun.
So to say that pregnancy is a seamless journey is beyond far-fetched. Don’t get me wrong – I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
But experiencing constipation, implantation bleeding, mood swings, annoying food aversions, back pain, and sore breasts is definitely not an easy journey.
I cannot imagine a man going through this without constant complaining.
Pregnant women deserve a medal for what they go through!
6. There might be slight bleeding
You might think it’s your menstrual cycle creeping up on you, but in reality, it might mean you’re preggo.
It has been reported that 25-40% of women have experienced slight bleeding in the first trimester of their pregnancy.
This is exactly why I’ve decided to write this unusual early pregnancy symptoms checklist. Because most women will shrug this off not knowing what it actually means!
A false period is a sign of pregnancy, and it’s more commonly known as implantation bleeding. You can expect it to occur two weeks post-conception.
Cervical irritation is another possible factor causing the bleeding, but just to be sure, go see a doctor in case it gets out of hand.
When accompanied by backache, severe cramps, or sharp pains, it’s never a good sign.
7. Severe heartburn could be on the cards
Pregnancy hormones have the ability to completely throw your body out of whack. And heartburn is just one proof of that.
The valve between your stomach and esophagus becomes much more relaxed when you’re expecting, which often causes stomach acid to leak over into the esophagus, in turn, causing that pesky heartburn.
You can help yourself by opting for smaller but more frequent meals throughout the day. Also, no more fried or spicy foods, juices, fizzy drinks, or citrus fruits.
Help yourself any way that you can while your hormones are running amok and make your hormonal pregnancy weeks more bearable.
8. Your emotions will be all over the place
As if the weight gain, tender breasts, and a heightened sense of smell weren’t enough, now you have to deal with a whole array of out-of-place emotions!
As you may have already guessed, pregnancy hormones have a little something to do with that too.
So one day you’ll be feeling like a brand new woman, and the next, you’ll be inexplicably down.
Don’t even get me started on your libido. Hot, then cold, and everything in between. Your partner won’t know what’s hit him.
One common pregnancy symptom that you’ll also likely experience is – drum roll, please…. mood swings!
Then again, you’re not the one affected here, it’s mostly your partner (and if you ask me, even better – they deserve to take some of the heat too!)
9. Metallic taste (yup, you read that right)
One of the most unusual pregnancy symptoms that I’ve heard is the feeling of tasting metal. You can blame estrogen and progestogen for this.
The sudden increase will deeply affect the way you taste food, and it’s not going to be pleasant.
There’s a known condition called dysgeusia and it makes pregnant women feel like they’re eating metal.
You’ll be eating your lunch and suddenly start feeling as if you have pennies as a side dish (I’m not even joking – happened to me!)
How do you get rid of the metallic flavor in your mouth, you’re probably wondering? Simple. Purchase some saltines and be sure to chew sugarless gum.
Other things that helped me personally are cold beverages and spicy food!
10. Random insomnia
A lot of my girlfriends have shared that they experienced random sleep disruption just days and weeks before they found out they were expecting.
The weird thing is that the cause was usually an extremely vivid dream, or worse – a nightmare.
The dreams are extremely real and cause you to feel an array of emotions that constantly disrupt your sleep cycle.
You can usually expect these to go on throughout the entire first trimester.
Now, I don’t claim to be a licensed professional here, but I believe that the sudden chemical imbalance might be the reason behind these life-like dreams.
The hormonal changes could be affecting your neurological system, therefore changing the chemical process in your brain – it’s a definite possibility.
11. Diarrhea accompanied by gastroenteritis symptoms
This is definitely one of the most unexpected symptoms, but trust me – it happened to me!
My bowel movements weren’t exactly working the way they were supposed to, and I was really struggling in that department.
But the last thing I thought was that I was preggo!
So I went to see my doctor, and what do you know – after she ran some tests she told me the awesome news – I was indeed pregnant with my little bambino!
Diarrhea and gastroenteritis symptoms are in fact pretty solid signs of pregnancy that most women have no idea about – including me a few years back.
So if you’re struggling with severe stomach cramps and diarrhea – go see your doc! Especially if you’ve been trying to get pregnant. Chances are it worked!
12. You’ll be constantly hungry (even though you’re eating nonstop)
Here’s something coming from experience.
If you’re the type of person who’s really disciplined about what they eat but lately, you’ve been out of control food-wise – go get that pregnancy test.
This was one of my unusual early pregnancy symptoms. I was always so careful to eat healthily, but at one point, I could no longer resist the urge to eat junk food!
That (along with some other symptoms I mentioned here) was my tell-tale sign that I definitely didn’t ignore the second time around.
Constant hunger is associated with pregnancy.
Do you know how much your appetite changes when you’re about to get your period? It’s like that – times ten!
13. Your boobs will be SO sore
Other than the usual morning sickness, do you know what else is a clear sign you’re pregnant?
Sore boobs! Mine hurt like hell!
The boobs, nipples, areola, the whole thing will be so sore that you won’t let your partner touch you.
Maybe that’s not the case with all expectant moms, but it definitely was for me.
The only thing is – this can also be connected with your menstrual cycle.
So if you don’t get your period, but your breasts remain as sore as ever – congrats. You’re now eating for two!
14. Uncontrollable flatulence (somebody’s gotta say it!)
I’ve previously mentioned how much bloating you’re likely to experience.
But I haven’t told you about the severe case of flatulence that will be even more uncomfortable.
Listen, I’m only writing this unusual early pregnancy symptoms checklist so that all my fellow expectant moms out there are fully equipped to deal with the unexpected!
I only wish I was privy to all of this info I’ve come across before each of my pregnancies. But hey, I lived and am here to tell my tale!
All jokes aside, your upcoming weeks of pregnancy might be a real challenge, but you’ll live.
You’re resourceful and I’m sure you’ll be able to find a secluded place to do your thing and carry on with your life.
We all go through it, only not many discuss it. So here it is out in the open. Just another ”perk” of pregnancy the male species will never be able to comprehend.
15. You will experience tiredness at the most random moments
It’s so weird to reminisce about this, as I distinctly remember each of my pregnancies. With the first one, I could literally fall asleep anywhere, anytime.
My husband was really annoyed because I would literally doze off mid date night lol! Little did we know our little bambino was the real cause of that.
Shortly after I started experiencing this inexplicable tiredness, I went to see my doctor, and we found out that our family was getting bigger!
And my hubby could no longer stay mad knowing what he knew. So my advice is – sleep all you can.
Nobody can tell you otherwise plus you’ll need it for the sleepless nights that are about to come!
16. Get ready for a severe case of ”baby brain”
I’m sure you’ve heard about this somewhere before, right? But yeah. Basically, at the very beginning of pregnancy, women experience sudden memory loss. It’s what’s known as ”baby brain.”
You’ll suddenly start forgetting the most random things that you should know at any time of the day. For me, it lasted even after the birth, but mostly it’s an early sign of pregnancy!
In the majority of cases, it’s the little things you’d never expect to forget.
You won’t believe me, but I would literally get out of my house, sit at the steering wheel, turn the ignition, and totally forget where I was going!
I’m not going to lie, sometimes it can cause feelings of anxiety, distress, and sadness.
It’s very overwhelming as it makes you feel incapable, but mostly it’s just funny so try to take it easy.
17. Swollen or bleeding gums and nose bleeds
If these aren’t unusual early pregnancy symptoms, nothing is, right? So check this out.
There are tiny blood vessels located inside your nose. You’re familiar with the concept of pregnancy hormones, I presume?
Well, they tend to cause the nosebleeds to be even heavier.
And as if that wasn’t enough – pregnancy affects your gums too! It makes them extra sensitive, so you could experience swollen, sore, and even bleeding gums.
Just be careful when brushing your teeth. You don’t want to cause further damage.
18. Weight gain
Your digestive system and metabolism are at the mercy of your newfound pregnancy hormones. Hence the sudden and annoying weight gain before entering your second trimester.
So it’s definitely not always you. Don’t be too hard on yourself as it’s not necessarily due to stuffing yourself with junk food and overeating.
Your body is currently in the process of some significant changes and it needs to do what it needs to do.
Your pregnancy body isn’t processing food the same way anymore and that is reflected in the sudden weight gain.
So if you’ve been really careful with food lately but the pounds keep piling on – you know what to do.
19. Your boobs will be dripping milk!
One of the unusual early pregnancy symptoms is lactation! You probably believed that this is something moms deal with post-baby.
But nope! It comes as early as the first weeks of pregnancy.
Basically, your pregnancy hormones are kick-starting the lactation process that will be even more abundant after giving birth.
Women possess the miraculous ability to produce milk both before and after their respective pregnancies!
As soon as the hormones are there, the lactation process is ready to commence.
This will definitely pose a slight inconvenience in your day-to-day life, but investing in a quality bra designed for this purpose should do the trick.
20. Tingling sensations
Believe it or not, some of the women in my life have had weird symptoms like itching and tingling all over their bodies.
The most common places where tingling occurs are your boobs and the lower abdomen area.
Unsurprisingly, this happens as a result of the increased blood flow and the sudden hormonal imbalance.
Though these are one of the unusual early pregnancy symptoms, I also advise you to seek medical help if the itching doesn’t stop.
It might mean other things too, so it’s best to be sure what you’re dealing with.
21. Dry nails, sudden breakouts, and hair problems
Many correlate pregnancy with the ”pregnancy glow”, which might be the case for some, but not for everyone!
In my experience, it was anything but (until the second trimester kicked in).
I dealt with terrible skin (breakouts everywhere), my hair was worse than ever, and don’t get me started on my nails.
The pregnancy hormones really took their toll on my skin and all I could think about was when on earth the glow was supposed to kick in!
How long was I supposed to deal with oily skin?
It was even worse when I just thought I was unlucky to break out late in my life for no actual reason. Finding out I was preggo made me feel a bit better.
So pay attention to your skin, hair, and nails. They will show you’re expecting even before the pregnancy test does.
22. Severe backache
Have you been experiencing throbbing pain in your lower back region lately?
Because lots of women have been known to struggle with back pain in the first months of pregnancy.
The weirdest thing about this is that backache is normally associated with the later stages of pregnancy – most commonly the third trimester.
But most people don’t know that backache can creep up on you as early as the first weeks of pregnancy.
So don’t turn a blind eye to this and shrug it off.
A few women I personally know actually struggled with lower back pain before they confirmed the pregnancy with their doctor.
Also, when the back pain is accompanied by implantation cramps, it’s all the more reason to get a pregnancy test.
At this point, it’s a safe bet to assume you’re one lucky expectant mommy!
Takeaways
I hope this unusual early pregnancy symptoms checklist has provided you with some much-needed insight on the changes currently occurring in your body.
Always keep in mind that these symptoms differ from woman to woman. While a missed period is a likely sign of pregnancy, all on its own it doesn’t necessarily mean much.
But when accompanied by cramping, a heightened basal body temperature, or a weird vaginal discharge, you can safely assume that you’re growing a little baby.
Most of the aforementioned symptoms might appear to indicate that you’re merely tired or run down. That is precisely why it’s important to pay attention to what your body is telling you.
If you’ve recognized any of these signs, my recommendation is to go get a pregnancy test ASAP.
I’m sensing a big fat plus coming your way!
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