I grew up thinking that a missed period was the first sign of pregnancy. I mean, it’s one of them, of course, but for many mamas, me included, there is so much more to the “I think I might be pregnant” story.
With my first pregnancy, I greeted my husband at the door and just started crying. Big, sloppy tears and a broken sentence that ended in a wailing “ … preeeegnaaaaaant!” I wanted to be excited, but we weren’t planning a baby just yet so I was mega emotional. Looking back, I now know I was overflowing with pregnancy hormones. Three tests the next day confirmed all that.
Baby No. 2 caught me most by surprise.
My daughter had suddenly weaned, and I was pumping a few times a day to slow my milk supply rather than going cold turkey and risking plugged ducts. One day, as I attached my pump’s flanges I literally gasped, the suction on my nipples took my breath away. It was so painful! I had been pumping for over a year with no real discomfort, so this out-of-the-blue change tipped me off.
There is only one reason nipples relocate to sensitive city and sure enough, two pink lines appeared on a pregnancy test. A dating ultrasound the following week confirmed I was already 9 weeks pregnant!
I knew I was pregnant when...
I was tipped off to my third pregnancy when I started gagging while brushing my teeth, hating coffee (which I normally love) and almost dying over the thought of scrambled eggs or any form of chicken.
These 29 mamas have all had unique pre-pregnancy test experiences, too! Peeing on a stick confirms the reality that we all seem to already know. I love that our bodies all react to early pregnancy differently, but then miraculously align and progress to give us all sweet little bundles of joy!
How did you first know you were pregnant? Is one of these mamas your pregnancy twin?
1. "The smell of coffee all of a sudden became horrendous. In non-pregnant life, coffee is my jam." -Tasha B.
2."I used to sleep through the night EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. But all of a sudden I was waking up because I had to pee so badly. And my boobs. They were 'heavy.' Nothing I'd ever felt." -Naomi N.
3."Voracious 2 a.m. hunger." -Leslie A.
4."Crazy, crazy dreams!! Every time." -Traci V.
5. "Having to pee all the time and having a huge appetite were definitely my first two symptoms. Then complete exhaustion came next with me falling asleep on the couch at 8 p.m." -Erika T.
6."Gagging when I brushed my teeth." -Jennifer H.
7."Ridiculously sore boobs. Like they would ache after I took my bra off!" -Kristin L.
8."All I wanted was Mexican food. Preferably pinto beans and rice with cheese. I thought about it constantly. Which means I ate it every chance I got until the morning sickness started and I couldn't enjoy my food for months." -Laura B.
9."So tired and bloated. I took naps. I never take naps." -Rebekah H.
10."I got sore and very voluptuous breasts, like, right away. When I thought I might be pregnant with our second, I kept asking my husband to 'feel my boobs' to try to confirm. He always obliged." -Amy W.
11."My boobs itched like no other! Like I had scratches on them from scratching so hard. 🙁 Also my legs and neck itched too! Same with all three pregnancies!" -Tamara M.
12."Tender breasts and EVERYTHING made me cry." -Breanna L.
13."I couldn't tolerate a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks on their opening day! I drove straight to the pharmacy to pick up a pregnancy test." -Blair R.
14."For all three pregnancies chicken aversion was my first clue." -Mary S.
15."Heartburn and gas were how I knew I was pregnant each time." -Rachel W.
16."I felt like I was coming down with something and went in the bathroom to take my temp and decided to randomly take a test while I waited. It was April Fool's Day and I really did find out I was pregnant!" -Leila C.
17. "So so so so tired. And veins appeared in my growing boobs." – Alicia F.
18. "Huge boobs!" -Jamie S.
19. "Rage!!!!" -Christie T.
20. "The dizziness. Oooooh, the dizziness." -Brittany M.
21. "With my first I had no clue, but looking back I remember that I suddenly had a weird obsession for apples—apple cider beers, apple juice, apple pie. When my first was five months old, my apple craving returned and I just knew. It was like the words came out of my mouth 'I really want some apple juice' and I went 'Oh S–T!!' Here we go again!" -Katiedawn V.
22."Round ligament pain. The day before I tested positive, I sneezed and had the sharpest pain like I pulled a tiny muscle in my uterus. Man it hurt! And I knew right then I was going to get a positive test the next day!" -Rachel K.
23."Getting period cramps first several days with no period with both pregnancies." -Shelby S.
24."My taste buds were soooooo off. I made some pretty funky tasting meals and I only wanted to drink orange juice." -Samantha H.
25."People kept telling me that my skin was glowing." -Crystal B
26."Holy moly, sore nipples! Like when I put on a shirt and it brushed over my nipples, I was in agony." -Oonagh M.
27."I had a feeling… from conception. Just a strong feeling. Then I puked my guts out." -Heather L.
28."Bacon! I never, ever ate breakfast, and one day (a few months after we started trying) I woke up and had to have bacon! And eggs! It was more than a craving, it was survival! I knew right away, I was pregnant!" -Alyssa F.
29."I can smell EVERYTHING from like, a mile away when I'm prego. Always my first symptom." -Stephant S.
