Women only: Ever know you were pregnant way before you could?

[Katy]

If so, how?

 

I've felt this way two times.  Both times I couldn't have been more than about 3 days after ovulation. Each time I did turn out to be pregnant, but had a miscarriage before 12 weeks.  Now I feel like that again.  I had a strange moment of intense breast pain that passed quickly, then an intense craving for beef liver, which I ate like half a pound of and enjoyed!  Now I'm wondering if I'm imagining this or if it is common.

 

Edited to fix an autocorrect error.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Katy

[The Governess]

I knew well before I could test. My sense of taste changed. Anything sweet tasted bitter. I kept making my husband taste things for me, I thought I was going crazy!

[The Girls' Mom]

Yes, with each of my pregnancies.  

 

I would have severe breast tenderness, and nausea...and somehow just know. Oh and the intensification of smell.  I knew within a week of conception usually.  Then the anxious wait to "prove" it with a test.  

 

Even though I never kept track of ovulation, I can pinpoint the exact day of conception for all my kiddos.  

Edited January 15, 2016 by The Girls' Mom

[Slache]

With all 3. I don't know how, I just knew. 2 are painting with Daddy and ones kicking me from the inside.

 

Eta: And I start throwing up from a week in. That's always nice.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Slache

[Rosie_0801]

Oh yeah, breast pain a girl couldn't ignore from the moment of conception, I think. Yeowchies!

Edited January 15, 2016 by Rosie_0801

[Joanne]

Yes, I knew each time I conceived. (Which was 4, btw, one miscarried)

[Guest]

Yes, I almost always know by the way I feel - usually CM consistency and quantity, feeling 'off' hormonally, and food aversions.  This is by 8-9 days past ovulation and I usually get a faint positive the next day.

[Slache]

Yes, I almost always know by the way I feel - usually CM consistency and quantity, feeling 'off' hormonally, and food aversions. This is by 8-9 days past ovulation and I usually get a faint positive the next day.

CM? Charlotte Mason? Chocolate Milk? Centimeter? Cow Moo?

[Guest]

CM? Charlotte Mason? Chocolate Milk? Centimeter? Cow Moo?

Cervical mucous.

 

You cannot imagine what a weird learning curve I had going from pregnancy boards to the WTM  :leaving:

[melbotoast]

CM? Charlotte Mason? Chocolate Milk? Centimeter? Cow Moo?

 

 Arctic Mama beat me to it, but  :lol:

[Slache]

Cervical mucous.

 

You cannot imagine what a weird learning curve I had going from pregnancy boards to the WTM :leaving:

Okay I'm confused. Is this the same thing as vaginal discharge or did you go spelunking? Because I like vaginal discharge better.

[Carrie12345]

Multiple times, but I have no real idea why.  

Once was when my first daughter was 4 months old and my period hadn't come back yet, so no obvious, non-post-partum signs.

Once was when I wanted to get an IUD.   I had to have an in-office pregnancy test for them to order it, and I was worried it would be positive.  It was negative. Days later, I decided to test at home before going to the insertion appointment.  It was positive.

Another time, I had a different IUD.  My period was about 5 minutes late, and I freaked out, even though my cycles have been out of whack all my life.  Took a test, it was positive.  Even my midwives were confused as to why I tested.  I just knew!

 

Maybe I just like to pee on sticks.

 

[Katy]

Okay I'm confused. Is this the same thing as vaginal discharge or did you go spelunking? Because I like vaginal discharge better.

 

It's the same thing.  Going by what shows on toilet paper or by "spelunking" as you called it, :lol:  depends on who you learned it from.  I first learned about tracking fertility signs from a Catholic woman who was adamantly against spelunking.  But since then I've read a couple other sources that recommend swiping a clean finger near your cervix to check.  It's one of the signs, like basal body temperature and cervix position, that can give you some clue as to where you are in your cycle.  Useful to know for either conception or natural family planning.

[Seeking Squirrels]

Yes, both times. With my first I knew the day after conception, but it was a sinking-feeling kind of knowing, so not the same as super early signs. We had unprotected fun the day before my period was due, but I had ovulated two weeks late. When it didn't show the next day I knew immediately that I had not noticed I hadn't ovulated on time and that I was pregnant.

 

With my 2nd we were trying and my initial thought was that we had not been successful. Then I got *really* bad heartburn one night, I think 8 dpo, and knew.

[Guest]

Yes with nothing like sore boobs to point to. I kept getting negative pt's too, well after my period was due. It was infuriating! I KNEW IT but I couldn't tell even dh for sure/sure.

[Tsuga]

If so, how?

 

I've felt this way two times.  Both times I couldn't have been more than about 3 days after ovulation. Each time I did turn out to be pregnant, but had a miscarriage before 12 weeks.  Now I feel like that again.  I had a strange moment of intense breast pain that passed quickly, then and intense craving for beef liver, which I ate like half a pound of and enjoyed!  Now I'm wondering if I'm imagining this or if it is common.

 

Oh yes. Pregnant, I will dump a whole bottle of wine down the sink. Cannot drink. Cannot stand meat. From day 2 or 3. Science says it's impossible. It must be a miracle, then. This was with my second and a third pregnancy that I lost very early on.

 

Sore boobs, however, I now get with PMS.

[elegantlion]

I knew, which was weird because we weren't trying, I'm not generally a maternally tuned type of person, and I had no desire to be pregnant. We were out of town for the weekend and I just had this funny pain. My period was due, but I knew this wasn't cramps. I tested when we got home. 

[foxbridgeacademy]

Yep, all 5 times.  I start throwing up within a few, like 3-4, days but only when I first wake up. I also feel like crap but not like I have the flu.  

[Slache]

It's the same thing. Going by what shows on toilet paper or by "spelunking" as you called it, :lol: depends on who you learned it from. I first learned about tracking fertility signs from a Catholic woman who was adamantly against spelunking. But since then I've read a couple other sources that recommend swiping a clean finger near your cervix to check. It's one of the signs, like basal body temperature and cervix position, that can give you some clue as to where you are in your cycle. Useful to know for either conception or natural family planning.

Oh no, that's not what I meant! That's hilarious. I just thought she might go investigate her cervix to see if she felt pregnant. I'm so sorry Arctic Mama!

[StephanieZ]

PG #1, I knew at 4 days after conception. Severe hunger. Tender breasts. I was right. 

 

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

I knew really early with #4. I was driving somewhere and suddenly smelled the most wonderful, delicious smell. It dawned on me a second later that I was smelling a skunk. That was followed very quickly by the realization that I must be pregnant. My sense of smell was totally messed up at the beginning of that pregnancy.

[GailV]

Acute sense of smell and extremely tender breasts ... so tender that air touching them hurt.  

[Katy]

I knew really early with #4. I was driving somewhere and suddenly smelled the most wonderful, delicious smell. It dawned on me a second later that I was smelling a skunk. That was followed very quickly by the realization that I must be pregnant. My sense of smell was totally messed up at the beginning of that pregnancy.

Bwahaha, and I thought craving liver was weird!  I force myself to eat it when I get anemic, but I usually hate it, not enjoy it. Thanks for sharing!

 

Acute sense of smell and extremely tender breasts ... so tender that air touching them hurt.  

Yes, this happens to me too.  Also, all throughout my breasts and into my arm pits too, which doesn't happen when I'm not pregnant.

[Halftime Hope]

Lots of other posters have mentioned a reliable one for me, very tender breasts.  However, no one has mentioned feeling an urgent and very frequent need to pee, even with an empty bladder.  Both signs started within a day or two of conception for me with the third pregnancy/second child and the last one. 

 

My first pregnancy, a miscarriage, was a complete and total dud wrt any kind symptoms other than a missing period.

[Frances]

Yes, with my only pregnancy I knew within days. My face and neck broke out in very painful acne that lasted the entire first trimester. I never had that kind of acne before or since, thank goodness.

[Liz CA]

Why did you title your thread "Women Only"? It would be interesting to hear from men. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[abba12]

Definitely, though no one has mentioned the symptoms I know by!

 

I don't really get tender breasts at all (though I did get let down sensations within a week of two conceptions)

 

Generally I will wake up the next morning with a funny feeling in my nose. My NASAL mucus changes drastically within 24-48 hours, all 5 conceptions, and remains that way until birth. My cervical mucus seems as inconsistent as my cycles so I have never figured out how to check that, but the nasal mucus is a pretty sure bet unless I have a cold

 

I also get exceptionally vivid, and graphic, nightmares sporadically through the first 20 weeks, usually about horrid things happening to my children. This is apparently not unusual, but I usually get the first one within a week of conception.

 

Waiting a week or two to prove it is maddening! And early miscarriages, or the fear of it having happen again, make it worse.

Edited January 15, 2016 by abba12

[gardenmom5]

yes.

[Ausmumof3]

I've known each time because I found myself walking round the shops thinking how awesome pickled onions and burger rings would taste.

[LMD]

I get dreams too. Especially if I'm pregnant with a boy, I get very vivid, um, adult dreams... I have 3 sons lol.

 

Dh has always been able to tell within days due to my body temperature going up. He's been right, and beaten the test, every time.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Yes. My breasts felt huuuuuge. In three days. Not possible but it was. Also, suddenly enough saliva to float a boat. The 24/7 nausea at 3 weeks was always the clencher.

[abba12]

I get dreams too. Especially if I'm pregnant with a boy, I get very vivid, um, adult dreams... I have 3 sons lol.

 

Dh has always been able to tell within days due to my body temperature going up. He's been right, and beaten the test, every time.

 

Wow, I haven't had a boy! Adult dreams sound much more appealing than violent nightmares, I keep telling DH we need a boy :P

[Kelly on the prairie]

Acute sense of smell and extremely tender breasts ... so tender that air touching them hurt.

Acute sense of smell!! Like an animal. I could smell perfume from 30 ft. away.

[The Girls' Mom]

Lots of other posters have mentioned a reliable one for me, very tender breasts.  However, no one has mentioned feeling an urgent and very frequent need to pee, even with an empty bladder.  Both signs started within a day or two of conception for me with the third pregnancy/second child and the last one. 

 

My first pregnancy, a miscarriage, was a complete and total dud wrt any kind symptoms other than a missing period.

 

Oh I forgot about the peeing!  When I first became pregnant with the twins, we had to take a road trip from TN to MN and back for dh's job interview.  Apparently I conceived about 2 days before the trip.  I think we hit every rest stop on the 18 hour drive there and back.  Between the nausea and the peeing, that was one miserable car ride.  I took a test as soon as we got back home and it was negative.  Since I had a history of early miscarriage, I was supposed to call the doc the moment I knew I was pregnant, but they wouldn't believe me since I hadn't gotten a positive test yet and my period wasn't due..lol.  

[Wheres Toto]

Yep, with all three although I was more certain with the last two.  Probably because first one was an oops, last two were planned.

 

Tender boobs, nipples looked different (I know that one's weird), nausea starts pretty quick, sense of smell.  

[ErinE]

It was different with each child.

 

Number One - I just felt funny. I had cramps but they were mild and not painful.

 

Number Two - Smell. I made someone put away crackers because they smelled so strongly of garlic. She claimed they weren't garlic crackers, but at my insistence, she read aloud the ingredients. Garlic. She put the crackers away.

 

Number Three - I felt the pinch of ovulation and wondered if it was him, but otherwise, I didn't know.

 

Number Four - Nothing. She was much further along than expected when we went in for the ultrasound.

Edited January 15, 2016 by ErinE

[imagine.more]

Yep, usually within the first week. Once I knew the day after ovulation. I get vivid dreams only during pregnancy and so when I had one and woke up and saw my temp had risen (indicating ovulation...we use nfp when trying or avoiding pregnancy) I knew I must be pregnant. Also tender breasts and my cervical mucous will come back randomly after ovulation which doesn't usually happen. With my firstborn it was sore breasts, a need to pee more, and a vague sense that something was "off".

[UCF612]

With my first I felt like I was before testing could prove it. I was in denial though because he was a first try baby and I didn't think it would be that easy. My second I didn't know, we tried for 3-4 months and I just thought it wasn't going to happen that month either. With our 3rd (a miscarriage) I knew it but refused to test until I was definitely late. That pregnancy was a total surprise and we hadn't planned on having 3. I also feel like I can pinpoint the moment that baby stopped growing too but that could just be hindsight since at the time I didn't know/realize. But, I've also been SURE I was pregnant many other times and wasn't. In Oct my period was 2 weeks late, my boobs were so sore, I was terrified to test. Finally caved and it was negative. Period started 2 days later. We both think it was stress because we had just moved and were 99percent sure I couldn't be pregnant.

Edited January 15, 2016 by UCF612

[MercyA]

Absolutely yes.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

With both of mine, I had flu-like symptoms and nausea immediately.  My first pregnancy was actually diagnosed as the flu (negative pregnancy test) and I was prescribed heavy medication to treat the nausea due to quick weight loss (about a pound a day).  I remember telling DH that I was not taking those meds because it didn't feel right and I would suffer through it for a few more days.  At the end of the week, I went to an OB and requested a blood serum test 'just in case'; it was positive.

 

Same thing five years later with my second, except this time we were trying to conceive so I knew right away that I was pregnant and went straight to an OB.

 

I think knowing so early makes for a really long pregnancy. 

[Saddlemomma]

Each time....my vision changes and I can't see right even with my glasses.  It only lasts about a day or so, but each and every time that happened, I was pregnant. (5 pregnancies - 2 live births)

[livetoread]

My cat knew. He was always affectionate with everyone, but he wouldn't leave my side after about day 6 or 7. He even jumped in my lap when I was sitting on the toilet. It was a very marked difference. After my belly got big and there was no lap, you'd think he would have switched back to my dh's lap, but instead he'd sleep with his paws curled around it.

 

He was that way through the entire pregnancy and then switched it to my son after he was born. He would sit next to him and when my son was in his grasping phase, he'd just hunker down as his hair got pulled out. Sadly, he died before I was pregnant with my daughter so I couldn't know if it was unique to my son.

[Katy]

Oh I forgot about the peeing!  When I first became pregnant with the twins, we had to take a road trip from TN to MN and back for dh's job interview.  Apparently I conceived about 2 days before the trip.  I think we hit every rest stop on the 18 hour drive there and back.  Between the nausea and the peeing, that was one miserable car ride.  I took a test as soon as we got back home and it was negative.  Since I had a history of early miscarriage, I was supposed to call the doc the moment I knew I was pregnant, but they wouldn't believe me since I hadn't gotten a positive test yet and my period wasn't due..lol.  

 

This is where I'm at...  I have a standing progesterone prescription to be taken the day I get a positive test, but I probably won't be able to get one for at least another week.  I could just take it now I suppose; but after multiple early miscarriages, I'm pretty numb to getting emotionally attached until I see a heartbeat, and even then nothing is sure.

[UncleEJ]

My pee immediately starts to smell weird. Like Cheerios lol. And the heightened sense of smell.

[OH_Homeschooler]

I believe so. DH thought I was nuts but then the pink strips showed up and I was vindicated. 

 

Mostly it was like extremely intense PMS for me. Extreme mood swings...crying for no reason, tantrums, salt cravings, migraines. I sometimes get some of these symptoms during PMS but never all of them and never so intense. I may comment on other drivers a lot more than usual, for example, but I don't have PMS tantrums. With PG I had TANTRUMS. 

 

I swear I had my nesting instinct kick in before I had confirmation with one kid. I had to get the living room painted and get new furniture. That was the one where I just got really stupid for a couple of days. I couldn't remember my mom's maiden name when I called the credit card company, for example. 

 

But in the interest of full disclosure, I did have at least instance where I convinced myself I was pregnant and I was mistaking all my PMS signs as PG signs. 

[Lawyer&Mom]

I knew exactly a week after ovulation. I had the strangest pressure across my lower back as if someone was pushing against me with a broom handle. That and I could smell a cigarette across the street!

[J-rap]

Wow, I just want to say that I never knew with any of mine!  I'm kind of envious of you all who knew right away.  But then again, my cycles were always all over the place, so I had unusual symptoms often and stopped paying attention to them.

[Lolly]

Only with #4. After many years of ttc naturally. After fertility treatments. After just knowing that we couldn't get pg without intervention. I knew immediately when ds was conceived even though making a baby was not on the  mind or the agenda.

[Janie Grace]

Just once (out of five). Extremely tender breasts, wine tasted terrible and the smell of coffee made me want to puke.

[SparklyUnicorn]

 

 I had a strange moment of intense breast pain that passed quickly

 

I had this too, but at the time I did not know what it meant.  And I'm not entirely sure if that is a related sign.