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Fertility

27th Feb 2021

Trying for a baby? 11 sneaky signs you might have already conceived

Is your body trying to tell you something?

Trine Jensen-Burke

sneaky signs you might be pregnant

Wondering if there might be a baby on board? Just pay extra close attention to your body, it might be trying to tell you something.

Apart from your period going MIA, there are many other subtle signs to look out for that might give you a hint that something is going on inside. This is due to the hormones that start being released as soon as you conceive, and that will create tiny little changes in your body, even way before a pregnancy test can confirm your suspicions.

Here are 11 sign to look out for:

1. Sore boobs

The tissue in our breasts is extremely sensitive to any hormonal changes (as we all know!). Which is why, when progesterone and hCG start flowing through our bodies when an egg is fertilized, most women will feel their boobs swell and feel heavier than they normally do.

2. Cramps

Many women suffer terrible cramping every month, but light cramps might also be a sign of a fertilized egg attaching to the wall of your uterus.

3. Fatigue

If you literally can’t drag yourself out of bed in the morning, or keep your eyes open until the 9 o’clock news have come and gone every evening, you might want to check if there is a particular reason for your tiredness. Even at just a couple of weeks old, babies can literally wipe you out.

4. Darker nipples

Pregnancy hormones can affect the cells in your nipples responsible for colour.

5. Feeling sick

Full-blown morning sickness doesn’t usually occur until a few more weeks in, but many women will feel some nausea even just days after conception.

6. Bloating

Increased levels of progesterone will slow down your whole digestive track, something that can make your midsection feel puffier and more bloated than normal.

7. Frequent peeing

To flush out fluids more effectively, your kidneys kick into overdrive in early pregnancy, something that will make most women run to the loo far more frequently than they normally would.

8. Feeling hungry

At this point you might just feel more hungry than you normally feel, mostly due to your tired body demanding that you keep energy levels topped up. Don’t worry, if this is the real deal, the crazy cravings will follow shortly.

9. Headaches

You have more blood than normally coursing through your body when you are pregnant, which to some women can cause light headaches.

10. Constipation

Just like many women feel bloated in this phase of pregnancy, many will also feel constipated and that their digestion is slower than usual. This is due to your digestive track slowing down.

11. Mood swings

Feeling tired, bloated and constipated can make anyone feel grumpy, and add to that all those hormones racing, and you have a recipe for some good old-fashion mood swings.

Note: it is important to keep in mind that many of these early symptoms ALSO occur just before your period arrives, so until you actually take a proper test, it is all just a bit of a guessing game.