Signs of Pregnancy

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Each time I was pregnant, my body gave off signs that I didn’t always read. It is not the same for everyone but here were some of my first signs of pregnancy.

Thinking back to my first pregnancy, fatigue should have been my first indication that something was different about my body but I was working so much that I didn’t pay attention. By the end of the work day, I was exhausted but it never really caused any alarm.

Then one day, I experienced terrible cramping. It felt like severe menstrual cramps. I was no longer taking the birth control pill so I couldn’t quite remember when my period was due. I chalked the pain up to PMS.

Then, all of a sudden, I had a super sense of smell. And a lot of what I smelled was making me feel sick to my stomach.

All these things together and weeks that passed by without a period, prompted me to take a pregnancy test. I took a few. All positive.

That was when I knew nothing about the signs of pregnancy. I would be more observant next time. Or so I thought.

Before I knew that I was pregnant with my second child, some early signs were the same. I found myself taking afternoon naps WITH my 11 month old. I was tired on a whole new level but I had a baby so I barely had the time to analyze it.

The morning sickness was hitting me too. In the beginning, I wasn’t throwing up but I was nauseous, most mornings. It was like being car sick, every day.

Without great notice, the super smell was back. I breathed in the fragrant smell of flowers as I rode in the car on the way to lunch and gagged on the smell of fish and chicken once at the restaurant.

And once again, the home pregnancy test delivered the truth.

The pregnancy of our third son was a bit of a shock. I was taking the birth control pill so I wasn’t thinking pregnancy was even a possibility when I starting experiencing painful cramping. I believed I was having a problem with the pill that I was taking.

By the third pregnancy, my husband suspected that I was pregnant before I did. It started when I brought home the jumbo bag of sunflower seeds and Costco size container of gingersnaps. Once the food cravings hit, he said he knew.

Yes, every woman’s symptoms may be different but fatigue, cramping, bloating, nausea, a heightened sense of smell, a missed period, and food cravings can be a good indicator.

Edited by Jody Smith

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.