You’ve been trying to conceive and now your period is late, so it’s possible you could be pregnant, right? But even before a home test can detect your condition, your body may be sending out a few hints that you’re a new mom-to-be. If you pay close attention, you’ll pick up on a few of these early signs of pregnancy.

Tender breasts. Breast soreness is a very common early pregnancy clue. Hormones help to increase your blood volume, leaving you with heavier-than-usual breasts.

Nausea. Morning sickness usually starts in the first month and can last through the third or fourth month. And this queasy feeling doesn’t always, or only, occur when you first wake up; a few new moms-to-be feel green morning, noon, and night.

Constipation and bloating. Feeling a little bloated and uncomfortable is normal. The digestive track tends to slow down during pregnancy, leaving you a little, well, backed up.

Moodiness. One minute you’re laughing, and the next, you’re in tears, thanks to your changing hormones. A few new moms-to-be may even feel depressed or anxious, too.

Cravings or food aversions. Some women can’t stop eating peaches, while others find that the sight of chicken turns their stomach into knots. If you fall into either camp, it could be an early pregnancy clue.

Fatigue. It’s hard work growing a new baby! Increasing hormones are contributing to that sluggish feeling. Take heart: Most women get a surge of energy in their second trimester.

Backaches. Hormones released during pregnancy allow pelvic ligaments to soften in preparation for the birth. This change may affect the usual positioning of your spine and cause some pain. You’ll likely be dealing with back strain quite a bit as your belly swells. If your back is giving you grief, try a heating pad set at the lowest temperature, or a warm water bottle, or a cold compress for relief.

Heightened sense of smell. An extra-sensitive nose is another early pregnancy sign, so don’t be surprised if you can smell the dirty dishes in the sink from the other side of the room.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and your period isn’t on time, head to the drugstore for a home pregnancy kit to confirm your suspicion, or have your doctor give you a pregnancy test. You may find out that you’ll soon be welcoming a new baby!

Photo by Rowan Chestnut on Unsplash

I remember being eight, watching an episode of my favorite television show, where the wife tells her husband she’s pregnant, and thinking, “I’m totally going to do something even cuter when I tell my husband I’m having a baby.”  Flash forward to 2011, soon after I started my pinning obsession, I started a hidden “Baby” board where I pinned unbelievably clever ways to make a future pregnancy announcement. 

The time finally came in January 2012 when I could surprise my partner, Jay, by making an “I’m going to be a big sister” dog t-shirt for our pooch. But using a darling method takes time, and I’m terrible at keeping happy secrets; really terrible -- I gave Jay his Christmas gift in November, because I was too excited!

I had to ignore those brilliant ideas swirling around my head and find a way to make my pregnancy announcement to Jay as quickly as possible.  My frantic newly-pregnant mind thought of a number of not-so-great ways to surprise the love of my life with the news that he was now a dad-to-be.  Here are a few of those ideas:

1.    Text him “You’re going to be a Dad!” while he was working.

2.    Leave the pregnancy tests casually out on the bathroom counter.

3.    Play a round of charades in which I badly act out the news

I’m thankful I didn’t do any of those. I did text him to come home right after work, and I spent the rest of the night skirting his questions. As he walked through the door, I awkwardly cut him off just before he reached the bathroom. A twitchy and smiling ball of nerves, I proceeded to stand in front of him as he raised an eyebrow and asked me, “What is going on?” I unintelligibly blurted, “I’m pregnant.” And when he furrowed his brow in confusion, I gestured a round belly and said it a little more clearly.  “You’re what…” he asked, “pregnant?”  Then he gave me one of his fantastic, warm, long, loving hugs.  We sat for a few minutes with silly smirks on our faces, letting the surprise sink in, and then, he said, “Maybe you’ll be able to do something cute with the next pregnancy announcement.”

Right before taking the third pregnancy test I called a girlfriend from high school. We hadn’t talked in years, but she was the only person I could think of who recently had a baby. She laughed while saying, “You only need one test to tell you that your life just changed forever.” She was right, but I didn’t believe the first one, the second one made me smile, and I wanted my partner, Jay, to be with me for the third.

I was 26, living in Brooklyn NY, in a tiny apartment with Jay (and two other roommates, because that’s what we could afford). We lived the lives people in their late 20’s lived -- not particularly kid-friendly. However, having been together three years, we had talked about children and decided that in another three years, we would move to Cape Cod, where he grew up, and start growing a family. Only three years turned into three months, since all three pregnancy tests came up positive.

Even though it was a surprise when I found out I was going to be a new mom, I wasn’t shocked to be expecting. I was never the type to mark my calendar; I just knew my period would start at some point. I had a regular visit to my doctor scheduled for February 13^th, but a feeling struck me on January 10^th, and I couldn’t wait. I had this feeling before, but it usually calmed with a test, and then often, tampon purchases the next day. Only this time, I used all three pregnancy tests, and my happiness grew with each positive sign.

Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash

It was a few days before my period, and I was searching the internet for “early pregnancy symptoms” and “how early can I take a pregnancy test.” My breasts did seem a little sore, I had a slight headache, and my basal body temp was still high -- so those seemed like good signs. I told myself I had to wait until Halloween morning to take a pregnancy test, which would be five days before my period -- still very early.  

On Halloween eve, we had a massive storm as part of the Hurricane Sandy fallout. Trees were coming down all over town, including the 60-foot pine in our back yard! Most of the houses in our area lost power, and our house was no exception. However, all I could think about was taking a pregnancy test in the morning.

In the middle of the night, my husband and I were startled out of sleep by the sound of chainsaws. The city sent in emergency crews to saw our pine tree that was now lying across the street behind our house blocking traffic. I laid in bed listening to the sounds of the wind, the rain, and the chainsaws, and I kept wondering if I was pregnant or not; I wanted to be a new mom so badly. I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning waiting for the hours to tick by until it’s time to open the presents.

When my alarm went off at around 5:30 a.m., I jumped out of bed to take the test. The only problem was that the power was still out! Determined to get my results, I grabbed a flashlight and headed into the bathroom. I took the test and then stared at it waiting for the second line to appear -- which it did fairly quickly! I was both stunned and excited! With flashlight and test strip in hand, I triumphantly headed into the bedroom to wake up my husband and tell him the results. He was still half asleep, grabbing his glasses from the bedside table, and squinting at the test results in the dim light provided by the flashlight. Finally, with a smile, he confirmed the good news of our growing family!

Photo by Viviana Rishe on Unsplash

I’m a Type-A planner. When my husband and I decided to start trying for our first child, I read every book I could get my hands on. I scheduled all the dates on a calendar. I was ready to be a new mom.

So when I took an early pregnancy test on the day I had mapped out, I was almost certain it would come back positive. We had done everything we were supposed to do! But that second line never appeared. Even though it was a letdown, we knew we were still early in the process, and we were ready to keep trying.

A week later, I realized the period I had been expecting had never occurred. Without much hope, I took another pregnancy test -- and this time, the double lines were clear as crystal. It just goes to show that tests aren’t always correct!

By the time we started trying for our second child, I had gotten back into running and was training for my first half marathon since my son Noah’s birth. I couldn’t wait for this comeback race. I’ve been a runner since college and was looking forward to commemorating my official return. 

The marathon was great: My husband ran it, too, ahead of me. And Noah and his grandparents surprised me at the halfway point with cheers and encouragement. I came home feeling tired but empowered and proud of everything I had accomplished.

Of course, even in the midst of marathon training, I had planned this second pregnancy just like the first. I was armed with calendars and schedules to help build our growing family. It just so happened that the date of my marathon was also the date I could take an early pregnancy test.

If I learned anything from my first pregnancy, it was that tests aren’t always accurate, and planning can only take you so far. But I couldn’t help myself: I snuck off to the bathroom, hopeful, and just a little skeptical.

A big grin spread across my face as the double lines appeared. Even when you’ve planned it all out, it’s still a wonderful surprise to see that positive result!

Photo by Viviana Rishe on Unsplash