Would you believe that some women don’t even get a positive pregnancy test until they’re 8 weeks along?

Sometimes pregnancy is downright confusing, especially when you’re losing your mind trying to figure out where all of your sudden, weird afflictions are coming from.

In this post, we’re going over the most common and weird very early pregnancy symptoms that could appear before a missed period. Just to give you a little extra insight, we’re also including some epic, strange early pregnancy stories by our favorite mom bloggers.

Are you ready? Let’s dive into the crazy world of pregnancy symptoms!

20 Common and Weird Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Need to Know About

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Common Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Implantation Bleeding and Cramps

Just in case you weren’t already second-guessing things, you might experience some period-like spotting and cramps right before you get a positive pregnancy test.

Implantation occurs a few days before your menstrual cycle begins. Your fertilized egg will travel down your fallopian tube and burrow into your uterus. The bleeding and cramps are a side-effect from the drop in progesterone caused by the event.

I’ve always had irregular periods due to my PCOS so our baby was definitely a surprise! Looking back at it now, I had ALL the symptoms but simply confused them with pms. I had sore breasts, fatigue, cramping etc. It wasn’t until after my first doctors appointment, after finding out that I was pregnant, that the nausea kicked in. I had nausea every day at various times, not just in the morning. It was tough! I had to quit my job because it was so bad. Certain perfumes from my pregnancy days still make me nauseous when I smell them.

Melissa M. | The Dulcet Mama

Nausea

Feeling nauseous for no good reason? This is another clue that you could be carrying a little one!

While the exact correlation between pregnancy and nausea still hasn’t been confirmed, many researchers believe the culprit is a rise in HCG levels (or the pregnancy hormones). Most moms don’t experience nausea until about 6 weeks into gestation, however, many of the mamas on this list report it as one of their first symptoms!

When I found out I was pregnant I was thrilled but morning sickness soon kicked in at six weeks. I constantly felt like I was on a boat! It slowly got worse and I developed migraines and dizzy spells. At our 8 week scan we found out why… we were having twins! I had double the hormones floating around in there. Later on in the pregnancy I developed pre-eclampsia and SPD! The twins ended up being delivered at 36 weeks, still pretty good for twins after everything!

Rebecca | Living with Peas

Fatigue and Exhaustion

From the moment of conception, your body will produce progesterone like crazy. One of the most common side-effects of this hormone is exhaustion.

During my pregnancy, this was a dead-giveaway. The day before I tested positive, I slept a good 14 hours!

“I remember I started falling asleep on the couch in the middle of the day, even while watching my 3 year old. I was so tired I couldn’t help it! I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. It wasn’t until another 5 days of pure exhaustion that my pregnancy test came back positive. I was about 4 weeks along when I got the positive test.”

Samantha | Journey to SAHM

Bloating and Weight Gain

Your baby might be the size of a mustard seed right now, but that doesn’t stop your body from announcing your pregnancy to the world!

No joke, I gained 5lbs the first week I was pregnant and grew a baby bump basically the first month of pregnancy! If you’re in the same spot, try a warm (not hot) Epsom salt bath and drink plenty of liquids.

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Early Signs of Pregnancy Before Missed Period

Breast Changes

Your pre-teen growing pains ain’t got nothing on this. Breast tenderness is a wildly common sign of pregnancy. If you’re used to breast pain during your regular cycle and having trouble differentiating, keep an eye out for these other changes:

Immediate breast-size increase (due to water retention)
Darkening nipples and areolas
Feeling of heaviness
Leaking

I knew that something was up around 2-3 weeks. My boobs were larger and more sore than they ever were during my pregnancy. The areolas were also much darker and larger than before. I just knew had this feeling and I just knew that I was pregnant. I took a test the day after I missed my period, and sure enough, it came back positive. I believe I was only 4, maybe 5 weeks along at that point.

Mallory Herrera | Mama on Parade

My very first symptom in pregnancy, the one that scream’d “I think I’m Pregnant!” was tender breast! I had never experienced anything like that, even on my period. It happened within days of conception and I’m pretty sure it was the very first symptom I had with each of my pregnancies.

Stormy Stevenson | Pregnant Mama Baby Life

Unusual or Weird Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms

So, let’s say that you’re not experiencing the common stuff yet, but your gut is still telling you that something is just off.

You’re not alone! In fact, below are some strange early pregnancy symptoms stories and other unusual early pregnancy symptoms you should probably be familiar with.

Mood Swings

Pregnancy mood swings are odd. During my own pregnancy, I was incredibly giddy some days and overly whiney others. If you’re starting to notice odd mood changes that don’t typically correlate with your usual cycle, it might be time to whip out the pregnancy test.

My symptom was unnecessary rage that came out of no where. My husband bought the wrong cottage cheese and I literally saw red. I couldn’t believe he could have made such a mistake! I was so angry I had to leave the room so I wouldn’t just berate him. Once I calmed down and realized how stupid it was to be mad over cottage cheese it dawned on me that just maybe I was pregnant. Yep, I was expecting my twins.

Kim | Team Cartwright

Headaches and Migraines

Do you have a strange headache that won’t go away? This can actually be an unusual pregnancy symptom as well. Typically, early pregnancy headaches are caused by the sudden increase in blood flow, dehydration, or progesterone.

Heightened Smell

Are you ready for your new superpower? Some moms report a heightened sense of smell as one of their first pregnancy symptoms. Be careful though, this can be a blessing and a curse, especially if you develop food aversions!

I woke up, rolled over and asked my husband who was having a bonfire at 7am. He asked me what I was talking about. “I smell wood… like a bonfire… like camping..” I sniffed around the room and realized it was large my antique dresser I was smelling. I knew immediately and went to take a pregnancy test. I can smell EVERYTHING when I’m pregnant.

Megan | Going Crunchy Not Crazy

Bleeding Gums

Many pregnant mamas fight sore and bleeding gums throughout their pregnancy. Once again, hormones and increased blood flow are the cause of this ailment, making the gums more susceptible to gingivitis.

Most women don’t experience pregnancy gingivitis until the second trimester, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll notice it the first week of pregnancy!

Cold and Flu Symptoms

A rite of motherhood is the endless cycle of seasonal bugs. In that aspect, pregnancy is the perfect trial by fire.When you’re pregnant, your immune system takes a nosedive, making you much more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections (which is why it’s absolutely essential that you start taking a prenatal multivitamin now).

For some moms, getting sick is actually a weird very early pregnancy symptom.

I suddenly came down with horrible diarrhea. I got so dehydrated I ended up in the ER. I got a negative pregnancy the week before so when they asked if I could be pregnant I said, “probably not, but I guess it’s possible.” They did some tests including a pregnancy test. Pregnancy test came back positive and so did the parasite cryptosporidium. Apparently when I got pregnant my immune system tanked and allowed the dormant parasite to activate. Therefore, the parasite was my sign of pregnancy!

Siraya Gloudemans | Stay at Home ZooKeeper

Change in Body Temperature

If you’ve been trying to conceive, you’re probably already familiar with basal temperature. A high basal temperature, or resting temperature, earlier in your cycle indicates ovulation. As your cycle progresses and you pass the ovulation phase, your basal temperature lowers.

That is, unless you’re pregnant.

If you’re waking in the middle of the night feeling a little hot or if your basal temperature hasn’t lowered, pregnancy might be the cause.

Digestive Issues – Diarrhea, Constipation, and Gas

Your bowels and bladder might take a hit during pregnancy, even at this stage. Some moms experience constipation, while others have the worst case of upset stomach and diarrhea ever.

My earliest pregnancy symptom was an upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and once or twice I even vomited! My husband and I were on our honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, and I just chalked it up to a travel bug, without really digging much deeper into it. On the tour bus though I had to actually stop the bus, and get off to vomit on the side of the road. Everyone at our hotel, and even the bus driver kept saying “It must be a baby!” We laughed it off at the time…but they were all right. I guess after the second person said something I should have started to believe it.

Simone Clement | Simone Clement

Heartburn

Are certain foods haunting you at night? Do you feel a burning sensation behind your breastbone after a big meal?

If you’re all of a sudden having heartburn issues, you might be experiencing another weird very early pregnancy symptom. Once again, progesterone is the villain in this scenario. Progesterone relaxes your uterus, allowing your baby to grow over time. However, many other muscles begin to relax as well, namely the valve separating your stomach acid from your esophagus.

If you’re experiencing this early sign of pregnancy, there’s good news: there are several natural remedies you can use to relieve symptoms. I especially love the apple cider vinegar tip from Mama Natural.

On that note, when you’re ready to take a childbirth class, I highly recommend the Mama Natural Birth Course. It’s hands-down, the best pregnancy resource for natural-minded mamas!

RELATED POST: The Mama Natural Birth Course Review

Weird Food Cravings and Aversions

Food cravings and aversions are definitely staples of pregnancy, but did you know that it can actually be one of the first indicators?

That was certainly the case for me. Right away, I had the insatiable need for red meat! This need continued for a good two weeks, until it changed to Mexican food.

My first pregnancy I didn’t find out I was pregnant until I was just after six weeks. I have longer cycles so for me this was about a week late. I really didn’t think I was pregnant when I took the test, but in hindsight there were a few early pregnancy symptoms. The most obvious was that my eating habits changed. One day I really wanted sweet potatoes fries for lunch at work, another day I couldn’t bring myself to eat anything for lunch except carrots covered in ranch…and usually I don’t like ranch.

McKinzie Bean | Today Mommy

Frequent Urination

Frequent urination is sort of an unheard early pregnancy symptom, but it’s actually pretty common. It’s caused by a couple factors, but mostly the HCG hormone increasing blood flow to your pelvis.

Acne

Just like PMSing, the dramatic change in hormones can cause skin ailments. Even if you weren’t prone to acne prior to pregnancy, you might experience it now. Often times, that “glowing” look pregnant women have is actually sweat and excess oil. (#sadbuttrue)

There were two that stood out to me: all day sneezing, and sudden acne all over my scalp and the back of my neck. I remember washing my hair with medicated dog shampoo to try and get rid of the acne! (Clearly desperate!)

Jamie @ Growing Into Momhood

Strange or White Discharge

White discharge in early pregnancy is actually pretty common, but most moms still think of it as an unusual early pregnancy symptom. Probably because it is never talked about.

The technical term for white discharge is leukorrhea. Typically, it’s a little milky with a mild odor. You’ve probably seen it during the ovulation phase of your cycle, but sometimes women notice a dramatic increase in it during the early days of pregnancy.

Pregnancy Brain

The news is out! Pregnancy brain is real and it’s here to stay. For some moms, the brain fog descends almost immediately, once their bodies start to produce the pregnancy hormones. So, don’t worry. You’re not going crazy, but you might be pregnant. 😉

Breastmilk Changes

If you’re a breastfeeding mom and your baby is suddenly rejecting your milk, it could be more than just teething. Some breastfeeding moms notice a distinct change in the taste of their milk as well as their production.

Insomnia

Fatigue tends to get the spotlight, but many women experience insomnia as well.

Hormonal changes can cause insomnia directly, but more than likely it’s a result of your other pregnancy symptoms, such as discomfort, hot flashes, or increased need to pee.

For me, the insomnia seemed to stem from my sudden heartburn symptoms and bloating. If your insomnia continues, do yourself a favor and get yourself a pregnancy pillow. A pregnancy pillow is worth its weight in gold. It’ll your improve comfort, posture, and digestive processes (by helping you sleep on your left side).

Back to You: What Are Your Weird Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms?

So, what do you think? Are you experiencing common or weird very early pregnancy symptoms? What about the strange early pregnancy stories? Anything hit close to home?

The good news is, most of these symptoms occur right before or while pregnancy is detectable. So, if you haven’t taken a pregnancy test yet, now is the time.

I hope this post gave you a little affirmation that you’re not going crazy. Pregnancy is a total rollercoaster and a completely individualized experience. If it turns out that you’re pregnant, I hope you’ll come back and visit me. I have tons of resources I’d like to share with you to help you with your journey through early motherhood.

Just remember, if you learn that you’re pregnant, don’t feel bad about taking some time to think about it. This is a huge change. You deserve a minute or two before you need to announce your pregnancy to the world!

Good luck, beautiful lady!

20 Common & Weird Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Need to Know About

20 Common and Weird Very Early Pregnancy Symptoms You Need to Know About