14 Early Signs of Pregnancy and How Your Stomach Feels

One of the special (and sometimes frustrating) things about pregnancy is that no two women experience it in the same way. One woman doesn't stop vomiting for weeks in the first trimester, and another might never even feel nauseous (lucky!)

There are several early signs of pregnancy. Some of them are subtle and you may not notice them right away, or you may mistake them for PMS since they can be similar. In fact, 29% of women report that missing their period was their first clue that they were pregnant.

You'll probably want to know if you're pregnant sooner rather than later since it's important to receive appropriate prenatal care and discontinue any unhealthy habits you may have. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, and if you've missed a period, you should definitely take a pregnancy test.

How to Tell if You're Pregnant Right Away

Unfortunately, the only way to tell if you’re pregnant right away is by taking a home pregnancy test according to its instructions. Waiting can be difficult, but you can usually take a test three to four days before a missed period though you’re more likely to get a false negative if you test too soon. If it’s negative, wait a couple more days and test again if Aunt Flo doesn’t come to visit.

Be sure to test first thing in the morning, when your urine and the hormone that the test is measuring (hCG) is most concentrated. If you see a line indicating a pregnancy, you’re almost certainly pregnant (even if it’s very faint). Pregnancy tests with false positives are rare.

You should also know that you probably won't experience significant symptoms before your missed period. Most classic pregnancy symptoms don’t start until one or two weeks after conception at the very earliest. Many women don’t notice anything until one or two weeks after their missed period (three or four weeks after conceiving).

This can be an exciting (and stressful time) and I’ve put some links at the bottom of the article to help you find more detailed information and explore a variety of styles of pregnancy advice and resources.

Most Commonly Reported First Signs of Pregnancy

Symptom	% of Women
Missed Period	29%
Nausea	25%
Changing or Tender Breasts	17%
Fatigue	8%
Implantation Bleeding	3%
Food-Related	2%
Headaches, Increased Urination, and Cramps	1.5%

Data based on a study conducted by the American Pregnancy Association, "First Signs of Pregnancy." 2014

Does Your Stomach Hurt When You're Pregnant?

It depends on what you mean by hurt. In general, the kinds of pain you’ll experience in your belly or lower abdomen are related to:

• Nausea
• Cramping
• Bloating and abdominal discomfort
• Random stomach pains that are short-lived and mild

Below I talk a little more about nausea, which is common in early pregnancy (usually starting about the sixth week of pregnancy, or four weeks after conception). In the sense of feeling nauseous, yes your stomach can hurt. Some women also feel some light cramping at the very beginning of their pregnancy, which may or may not be accompanied by spotting (more on this below). This usually occurs around the predicted time of the period, or a couple of days before.

Feeling hardness in your belly or pain in your stomach that’s not related to queasiness or light cramping, however, is not a documented sign of pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. It could be due to a number of other issues, or possibly caused by stress.

If you're feeling extreme pain in your abdomen, you should see a doctor right away. It could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy or something else that's serious.

Quick note on counting weeks in pregnancy:

It might seem strange, but pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period, so even before you have conceived, you are said to be two weeks pregnant. Crazy!

So, two weeks after conception is counted as the fourth week of pregnancy (since in a normal 28-day cycle, a woman ovulates about 14 days before her period).

An OBGYM on Early Pregnancy Signs

14 Common Signs of Pregnancy and When They Can Start

Symptom	When it can start happening	Can it occur before missed period?
Tender Chest	1 - 2 weeks after conception	Yes
Spotting	6 - 12 days after conception	Yes
Elevated Basal Temp	1 - 2 weeks after conception	Yes
Dizziness	1 - 2 weeks after conception	Yes
Missed Period	2 weeks after conception (or whenever you were supposed to get your period)	n/a
Fatigue	1 - 2 weeks after conception	Yes
Emotional Upheaval	2 - 3 weeks after conception	unlikely
Backache and Headache	2 - 3 weeks after conception	unlikely
Digestive symptoms (Bloating, constipation)	2 - 3 weeks after conception	unlikely
Need to Pee	2 - 3 weeks after conception	unlikely
Morning Sickness and Nausea	2 - 8 weeks after conception	unlikely
Smell and Taste Sensitivity	3 - 4 weeks after conception	unlikely

Early Pregnancy Symptoms: One Woman's Experience

14 Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

1. Hello, Nausea! Morning Sickness Is Real

When It Happens:

Though queasiness can start around two weeks after conception (right around the time of your missed period), full-blown morning sickness and vomiting doesn’t usually roll around until the sixth week or so of pregnancy (four weeks after conception). Usually, the symptoms taper off after the first trimester.

Why It Happens:

Doctors still don’t know what causes morning sickness. Current thinking is that morning sickness is the body’s reaction to the hCG hormone, which is at its highest levels in the first trimester. This is just one of those lovely pregnancy mysteries that we get to experience!

How Common Is It:

80-90% of women experience some form of morning sickness, from nausea to vomiting. You’re not alone.

What It’s Like:

Nausea can occur with or without vomiting and is often worse on an empty stomach. It's called morning sickness because the discomfort is often the worst in the morning. However, it can happen at any time of day. If you find yourself sick for no apparent reason, you may be pregnant. This is often the sign movies and television shows use to indicate that a character is pregnant. It's cliché for a reason: it's common!

How to Deal With It:

You can manage morning sickness by eating small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. Morning sickness tends to be worse on an empty stomach, so eat a couple crackers before bedtime. Also, keep track of what sets off your nausea and what soothes it. When you know what makes you hurl, you can try to avoid it.

For some women, ginger ale and saltines work wonders. For others, it’s something else. Many women find that bland, carb-rich foods are safe, like pretzels and crackers. Cold treats like popsicles and watermelon also help. Common wisdom dictates avoiding spicy and fatty foods (which do enough to cause trouble even without a baby on the way), but sometimes these are the only foods that spell relief for some women.

2. Sensitivity Around the Waist: Bloat

When It Happens:

Bloat (and other digestive symptoms) can start happening two to three weeks after conception.

Why It Happens:

The body has started to produce the hormone progesterone, which helps slow down digestion and allow nutrients from foods you eat more time to enter your bloodstream and reach your baby.

How Common Is It:

Almost every woman experiences some bloating during their pregnancy, though not everyone experiences it in the first few weeks.

What It’s Like:

If your stomach or lower abdomen hurts or is uncomfortable when you're pregnant, it might not be nausea. Many women find their pants feel snug early into pregnancy (two or three weeks after conception) because the waistline can expand quickly with bloating. It's common to feel uncomfortable with anything tight around the waist.

Of course there are a lot of reasons you may feel bloated, and this is one of those symptoms that you are likely to notice in conjunction with another sign. However, this waist sensitivity seems to have a very particular feeling during pregnancy that is difficult to describe, but recognizable once you have experienced it. It’s almost as if you want to be sick if anything gets near your waistline.

Gassiness might also be a common theme throughout your pregnancy as hormones slow down the digestive tract and wreak havoc on your body in general.

How to Deal With It:

Keep a food diary of the foods you eat and your levels of gas discomfort, then, make some changes if you need to. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill to make all the gas go away.

in general

3. Breast Tenderness

When It Happens:

Breast tenderness can start as early as two weeks after conception. In fact, this is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. Tenderness really starts to kick in around four weeks after conception.

Why It Happens:

Increased blood flow to your breasts makes your boobs swollen and painful to touch. Over the course of your pregnancy, you could gain up to two cup sizes with the extra bulk coming from milk, extra fatty tissue, and blood.

How Common Is It:

Every woman will experience breast tenderness though the degree and timeline might differ. For some, it might only last a week and for others, it might last the whole first trimester.

What It’s Like:

Some women notice changes in their breasts as soon as a day or two after conception, though this is not common. Many women will recall in hindsight that they indeed had sore breasts shortly after conception though they didn't take note of it at the time. Changes in size or shape, heaviness, tingling, or soreness are all typical sensations.

A distinguishing point from regular PMS tenderness is that the areolas also begin to darken (as early as one or two weeks after conception, but especially around the fourth week), and you might start seeing blue veins in your breasts as well. Prickling and tingling are other words that have been used to describe the changes in your breasts.

How to Deal With It:

You’ll probably want to invest in some different kinds of bras, which could be larger, made out of cotton, and underwire-free. Wearing a bra to bed might help ease the pain as well. Though your larger twins might look enticing to your partner, make sure you let them know that they can look but that touching should be kept to a minimum.

4. Late Period or Missed Period

When It Happens:

Normally, two weeks after conception, or whenever you were supposed to be getting your period.

Why It Happens:

You get your period every month since an egg wasn’t fertilized, and your body is shedding the uterine lining it created to support a baby. When an egg is fertilized, however, the body keeps the lining and adds to it! This means there’s no Aunt Flo for you.

How Common Is It:

This is another (almost) universal sign of pregnancy. Most women skip their period, but occasionally (rarely), women do have a period early in their pregnancy. Continued bleeding, however, is not normal and should be brought up with a doctor.

What It’s Like:

There are many reasons for missing a period, including stress, illness, extreme weight gain, anorexia, or discontinuing use of hormone contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, etc.). However, missing your period is also one of the surest signs that you may be pregnant. Tracking your menstrual cycle is a good way to know when to expect your period.

Home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate when you follow the instructions. If you test negative, but your period still doesn’t come after a few days, take one again just to double-check.

So you missed your period, but you keep testing negative. What’s happening? This chart of menstrual cycle disturbances has a list of all the reasons of why Aunt Flo might have skipped you this month. You may be under stress, ill, or taking a birth control pill with too little estrogen. This article goes into detail on various reasons for changes in the menstrual cycles in an easy-to-read chart format.

5. Fatigue

When It Happens:

Fatigue can start as early as one week after conception, though most women really start feeling it after about two weeks.

Why It Happens:

Fatigue is likely caused by the extra work a woman’s body puts into creating another human, which is an energy-consuming endeavor! Changes in hormone levels can also cause fatigue.

How Common Is It:

This is one of the most common symptoms of being pregnant, and coincidentally, also one of the most common symptoms of being a parent!

What It’s Like:

Many women feel very tired during pregnancy, especially the first few months. This is your body's normal response to its new state of transition. Although energy levels typically rise during the second trimester, it's common at the start of pregnancy to feel extremely and inexplicably worn out, like you’ve just run a marathon even though you only commuted to work. Fatigue can be a symptom of many other things, but if you feel ungodly tired combined with any other signs listed here, you should take a pregnancy test.

How to Deal With It:

Don’t let feeling exhausted get you down. Even though you’re not showing yet, your body is still in the process of creating another person. It’s hard work! Rest when you can. Take naps if your body calls for them, and sleep for as long as you need to. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your partner or family.

6. Frequent Urination

When It Happens:

The constant need to pee usually starts two to three weeks after conception.

Why It Happens:

HCG, the hormone that produces the estrogen and progesterone your body needs to sustain your pregnancy, also increases blood flow to the pelvic area. This helps your waste-disposal system to be more efficient, which unfortunately means more trips to the bathroom.

How Common Is It:

Most women will experience an increased need to go to the bathroom throughout their entire pregnancy, though (like everything) the scale of the change will depend on the woman. Typically, the need is worse in the first and third trimesters.

What It’s Like:

Long before you start to show, or perhaps even before you know that you are pregnant, your uterus is getting larger. Fluids begin to increase in your body as the womb gets ready to make a comfortable home for the baby. This added burden puts physical pressure on the bladder, plus the extra fluids in the body all have to be processed through the kidneys and bladder. This combination makes you need to use the bathroom a lot!

If you find that you seem to need to run to the bathroom more frequently than usual, it could be a sign that you are pregnant.

How to Deal With It:

It can be annoying to have to go to the bathroom so much, but don’t let this keep you from staying hydrated. Instead, try cutting out drinks with caffeine in them since it’s a mild diuretic. You have enough trouble as it is! Some women find that double-voiding is helpful, where you go to the bathroom and empty your bladder, then wait a second, and do it again. This way you can ensure that you’ve really emptied out everything in there so you don't find yourself needing to pee again in five minutes.

HCG, the hormone that produces the estrogen and progesterone your body needs to sustain your pregnancy, also increases blood flow to the pelvic area

HCG, the hormone that produces the estrogen and progesterone your body needs to sustain your pregnancy, also increases blood flow to the pelvic area

7. Smell and Taste Sensitivity

When It Happens:

Increased smell and taste sensitivity typically starts three or four weeks after conception. At first, however, you could just have an increased appetite. This could also easily be a decreased appetite depending on your level of nausea.

Why It Happens:

This is another one of those things that scientists just don’t understand yet. Yay pregnancy mysteries!

How Common Is It:

At least 85% of women experience some kind of food aversion and most women experience cravings of some kind. Luckily, these can be your body’s way of steering you away from the bad stuff (like coffee and alcohol), and towards nutrient-rich foods, like extreme moose tracks ice cream.

What It’s Like:

Things that used to smell or taste good to you may make you feel nauseous. Some women even experience a metallic taste. The way you relate to smells and tastes can vary from being slightly altered, to being completely changed. If you find that your favorite hair gel suddenly makes you want to vomit, you may be pregnant. But foods are the most common triggers for a lot of women. If the corner hot dog you used to love now turns your stomach, take a trip to the drugstore.

How to Deal With It:

Try not to overindulge too much on some of your more sinful cravings. Instead of a whole candy bar, maybe go for a snack size, or for some fruit or dark chocolate instead. If you simply can’t get your mind off of something, try distracting yourself by taking a walk, doing another activity, or calling a friend. That said, you don’t have to deprive yourself of everything. Just indulge in moderation!

8. Emotional Upheaval

When It Happens:

The rollercoaster starts going up about two weeks after conception (around the time of your missed period).

Why It Happens:

Your body is being flooded with hormones that can make you feel unusually emotional or weepy.

How Common Is It:

Most women experience some sort of moodiness or mood swings during pregnancy, and about 10% experience depression. Mood swings are most noticeable in the first twelve weeks of being pregnant.

What It’s Like:

All throughout pregnancy, but especially at the start, hormone levels will be fluctuating. Pregnancy is a huge job that your body is beginning to undertake and it's going nuts trying to prepare for the new task. If you find yourself laughing, crying, and shouting all in the same breath, you may not be crazy. You may just be pregnant.

How to Deal With It:

Go easy on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up for being irrational or moody, or for feeling down when you feel like you should be excited that a baby is on the way. Recognize that 99.9% of other expecting mothers have felt the same way that you do. You might also experience the sense of a loss of control, over what’s happening with work, in your family, with your body, and in life in general. Your best bet is to let go of the issues that you can’t control. Try to get plenty of sleep and communicate your needs to your social network and your partner.

9. Backache

When It Happens:

Depends on the woman.

Why It Happens:

Many women have backaches as a part of PMS, and as pregnancy continues and the uterus grows, women can continue to experience them.

How Common Is It:

Backache, along with other abdominal pains like cramps, is relatively common.

While many women have a lower backache right before their period starts, this can also indicate pregnancy. A dull ache that won't go away, and is not accompanied by your period can be a sign of pregnancy.

How to Deal With It:

Make sure to keep exercising regularly to keep your back muscles strong. Ask your doctor about low-impact activities that will be safe, which could include walking, swimming, and biking. Notice your posture as well and make sure that you avoid standing for long periods of time. At night, sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees will take stress off your back.

If you sit at a desk job, place a rolled-up towel or cushion behind your back for support; rest your feet on a stack of books or stool and sit up straight, with your shoulders back. You can also take acetaminophen (Tylenol or generic) to help with the pain. If your pain is ever severe, you should see a doctor immediately.

10. Headache

When It Happens:

Varies according to the woman. We are all such special snowflakes!

Why It Happens:

Hormones are at it again! The increased blood flow in the body can also contribute to headache. Caffeine withdrawal can also cause headache.

How Common Is It:

Many women experience headaches as a part of the general dizziness, fatigue, and nausea that accompany early pregnancy. Obviously (as I’ve said a million times already in this article), every woman is different and some may never complain of headache.

Many women suffer minor to severe headaches as a result of the rapid hormone changes.

How to Deal With It:

You can do your best to prevent headaches by staying hydrated and keeping your blood sugar from getting too low. Keep some snacks on hand to ward off any hunger-related headaches. You should also get plenty of sleep. Making time for short naps throughout the day could be beneficial.

Keep a headache diary, recording everything that you eat and drink and how much sleep and exercise you’re getting to see if you can identify a trigger in your diet or other health habits. Hot or cold compresses could also help, as well as other stress-reduction techniques like acupuncture, massage, or hypnosis.

11. Raised Basal Body Temperature

When It Happens:

You would only notice this if you've been charting your basal body temperature in order to track ovulation (normal BBT for women is between 96 and 99 degrees; it’s your body temperature right when you wake up in the morning before you do anything). If your body temperature stays elevated about a half degree or so for two weeks after the increase that indicates ovulation, then you could be pregnant.

Why It Happens:

After the release of the egg during ovulation, BBT increases by about half a degree in almost all women. This is caused by progesterone, which is secreted by the ovary after ovulation. The hormone also causes the preparation of a uterine lining for a possible pregnancy. Body temp stays higher (about a half of a degree) until right before menstruation, when it returns to normal.

How Common Is It:

The rise in body temp is nearly universal. Tracking BBT, however, is a little difficult and is not fool-proof.

What It’s Like:

The rise in temperature is so small, you won’t be able to notice it without using a basal body temperature thermometer.

12. Spotting

When It Happens:

Some light spotting or cramping can occur 6 - 12 days after conception. This is usually termed “implantation bleeding.” This is one of those symptoms that is frustratingly similar to getting your period. So if you have a period that is early and much lighter than normal (sometimes implantation bleeding is described as just a few drops of blood), you could still be pregnant.

Why It Happens:

This is sometimes a sign that the egg has implanted itself into the uterine wall.

How Common Is It:

20 - 30% of women experience some spotting associated with early pregnancy, though this can be distinct from implantation bleeding, which is just a few drops of blood that can easily go unnoticed. About one in ten women have implantation bleeding. You should report any continued bleeding during pregnancy to your doctor, however, especially if it continues or is heavy. It could be a sign of something more serious.

What It’s Like:

Implantation is when the now-fertilized egg burrows into the uterine wall. It happens one or two days after the embryo gets to the uterus, which is typically about five to seven days after ovulation and fertilization. On average, implantation is nine days after ovulation and fertilization, with a range between six and twelve days. Some light cramping can accompany the bleeding.

13. Constipation

When It Happens:

The first trimester can be full of many unpleasant digestive-system related issues, like tons of gas, bloating, and yes, constipation.

Why It Happens:

Hormonal changes cause your digestive system to slow down, which can result in both constipation and bloating.

How Common Is It:

Garden-variety digestive problems seem to be part and parcel of pregnancy, especially during the first and third trimester. Chances are you’ll experience some changes in this area, though they vary significantly from woman to woman.

How to Deal With It:

The way to deal with constipation during pregnancy is fairly similar to how you can keep your bowels healthy in general. Here are some tips:

• You should eat a diet rich in fiber, but don’t overdo it too fast. Work your way up to a high fiber diet.
• Make sure you’re drinking eight glasses of water a day.
• Try eating six small meals a day instead of three large meals, which will help keep things moving through.
• Exercise regularly
• Schedule regular time to go to the bathroom after your mealtimes.
• Stay away from commercial laxatives, since many of these are not approved for use during pregnancy.

14. Dizziness

When It Happens:

This is another one of those classic movie symptoms. Dizziness can start as early as one or two weeks after conception.

Why It Happens:

Pregnancy causes your blood vessels to dilate and your blood pressure to drop, which could result in some unexpected swooning.

How Common Is It:

Many women experience dizziness during their pregnancy.

How to Deal With It:

If you find yourself getting dizzy, you should lie down right away, on your left side if you can. This will maximize blood flow to the heart and will keep you from fainting. If you’re in a place where you can’t lie down, sit and put your head between your knees. If you’re in a place where you could put you or yourself in danger, such as driving, be sure to pull over right away.

You should avoid:

• Standing up too quickly
• Getting low blood sugar
• Excessive exercise
• Becoming overheated while doing something like taking a hot shower or using a sauna

Remember: Take a Test

The most important thing you can do if you feel you may be pregnant is take a pregnancy test. These are inexpensive and widely available. You can even find them sometimes at the dollar stores! There are also community resources available such as Planned Parenthood where you can get a test for free if you cannot afford to pay. If you are too shy to buy one yourself, ask a friend to pick one up for you. For your health and your baby's health, it's best to know as soon as you can if you are indeed pregnant. Buck up and get one!

When taken properly, home pregnancy tests are 99% accurate. Though some say you can take them up for five days before your missed period, the earlier you test, the more likely you are to get a false negative. If the test is negative and your period still doesn’t come, try again.

Yoga Fights Pre-Natal Depression

According to a 2012 University of Michigan study, yoga may reduce depression in pregnant women. Yoga reduces stress and may mitigate the genetic predisposition for major depression.

Maria Muzik, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of psychiatry, said, “Our work provides promising first evidence that mindfulness yoga may be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical treatment for pregnant women showing signs of depression. This promotes both mother and baby well-being.”

During pregnancy, you'll want to clear just about everything with your doctor, but it's nice to know there is something we can do naturally, at home, for free, to help feel better.

Fun Pregnancy Myths

In this video, people are asked to describe pregnancy myths and wives tales they know. It's a fun watch, and you never know, some of those old wives may be smarter than you thought!

Cute Timelapse Pregnancy Video with Touching Song