Symptoms of Early Pregnancy

You’re in bed by 6 pm, the thought of eggs benedict makes you queasy, and suddenly the toilet (not your new leopard-print chaise lounge) is your most-used household furnishing…is this an early pregnancy symptom?

A constellation of early pregnancy symptoms commonly arrives alongside pregnancy, though only a handful tend to arise ultra-early in the first trimester (eggs-induced nausea included!).

Whether you already know you’re expecting or you’re trying to beat your positive pregnancy test to the punch, let’s run down the top 5 symptoms of early pregnancy you might experience at the start of your parenthood journey.

Symptom #1: Swollen Breasts

For many women, seeing or sensing changes in their breasts is one of the first tip-offs they could be pregnant. Early-pregnancy breasts may be characterized by:

• Increase in size
• A feeling of heaviness
• Enhanced sensitivity (especially around the areolas)
• Larger- or darker-looking nipples
• A veinier appearance

How Long It Lasts

Most women experience areola and breast changes during pregnancy which continue as they begin breastfeeding their new baby.

Here’s a quick glimpse at the timeline of breast changes in a typical pregnancy:

• First trimester (1st to 13th week) – Swelling, sensitivity, larger nipples, and a fuller cup size.
• Second trimester (14th to 27th week) – Larger cup size, the appearance of “bumps” (Montgomery’s tubercles) on areolas, and decline in sensitivity. Some women also observe discharge coming from their breasts. This fluid is colostrum, and it is an early sign that indicates your milk glands are preparing for nursing.
• Third trimester (28th to delivery day) – A larger cup size, sense of heaviness, dry skin, and enlarged, protruding nipples. Many women also notice stretch marks on their skin as they approach their due date.

Most women see changes in their breasts sustained in the postnatal stages and as they continue to nurse. After breastfeeding, some women’s breasts return to their pre-pregnancy form, while others observe more permanent changes.

What Causes It

Changes in the breasts in early pregnancy are largely due to an increase in blood volume, which usually sets in around the 5th week of pregnancy. Producing more blood is one of the primary ways the body supports the growing metabolic needs of mama and baby.

Throughout pregnancy, the body augments its blood volume by a staggering 50%, so it’s no surprise that your boobs will get a major boost, too!

How to Cope

Chest discomfort is highly common as the body prepares to nurse—even if you’re not planning to breastfeed yourself. Fortunately, these methods may help you and the girls feel more comfortable:

• Moisturize your breasts daily to lower your likelihood of skin rashes or chaffing.
• Invest in a few maternity bras with supportive straps. Many women find sports bra styles ideal for support, structure, and comfort.
• Try giving yourself a self-massage to relieve muscle tension. Learning this prenatal massage technique while you’re pregnant may help you with any discomfort you experience when you start to nurse.

Symptom #2: Feeling Exhausted

If a mind reader scanned the thoughts of a newly pregnant woman, they’d probably hear one complaint outrank all others: Why am I so tired?

Fatigue is one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms, and it’s often accompanied by disturbances like:

• Diminished ability to focus
• Insomnia or inconsistent sleep patterns
• Dysregulated or erratic mood
• Sluggish digestion

How Long It Lasts

Fortunately, fatigue is most pronounced in the first trimester as both body and mind adjust to a woman’s new hormonal normal. Most women see their energy return (sometimes with even more to spare than usual) in the second trimester, with fatigue reappearing in the third trimester.

What Causes It

Any time our bodies go through major changes, fatigue is bound to be a part of the equation. Beyond that, two other specific changes are said to cause exhaustion:

• Lowered blood sugar and blood pressure – Your heart is beating for two, you’re breathing for two, and you’re gearing up to start eating for two, and this can put a substantial burden on the body. In the earliest stages of pregnancy, the body is just beginning to find its metabolic equilibrium for supporting two lives. This can cause lower blood pressure and blood glucose levels, which can lead to fatigue.
• Natural properties of progesterone – Coupled with estrogen and other pregnancy hormone types, elevated progesterone levels and hormonal changes are known to cause fatigue. Consider it your body’s way of saying it wants you to rest and recover from these hormonal changes!

Likewise, mood regulation in itself can be physically taxing. Just as changes to emotions can have physical consequences, physical changes can bear on your mood. Wherever you’re experiencing the brunt of these changes, remember to be gentle with yourself and take care of the whole you as you adapt.

How to Cope

If you’re struggling with fatigue as an early pregnancy symptom, try these supportive habits:

• Let yourself rest, whether that’s by sleeping more at night or taking naps during the day.
• Go easy on caffeine, which can artificially inflate energy levels.
• Focus on prenatal nutrition, with an emphasis on balancing blood sugar levels and finding a prenatal vitamin that complements your diet and lifestyle.
• Practice daily movement to promote healthy pregnancy weight gain and help regulate mood.

Symptom #3: Constantly Having to Pee

Mamas, it may be time to up the frequency of your toilet paper auto-orders (and maybe choose that “Subscribe & Save” option). Frequent urination is one of the hallmark signs of early pregnancy; some pregnant women start to hear nature call (or ring off the hook) as early as 2 weeks along!

How Long It Lasts

Having to pee all the time is just one of those symptoms that tends to stick around for the whole of your pregnancy journey. In fact, frequent urination typically persists well into the postpartum phase as the body readjusts to its pre-pregnancy shape.

Most women start to see urination patterns normalize around 12 weeks after giving birth.

What Causes It

With more blood flowing, your body amasses more fluids, and the kidneys have to work faster and harder to filter out waste. All this results in more trips to the toilet.

At the same time, hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is partly responsible for boosting blood flow in early pregnancy—and straight to the uterus. This can put added pressure on the area around your bladder, making the urge to pee all the more (how to put it?) pressing.

How to Cope

If your need to pee is interfering with daily life, try these tips for minimizing its impact:

• Avoid diuretics – Avoiding the following common diuretics can help limit your trips to the bathroom:
  • Caffeine-containing sodas
  • Coffee
  • Caffeinated teas
  • Foods like watermelon, celery, bell peppers, onions, and garlic
• Stay hydrated – It may seem counterintuitive, but be sure to drink plenty of fluids around this time. Not only will this help replenish hydration lost in the urine, but it may also help reduce your risk of UTIs.

Finally, if nocturnal trips to the bathroom are preventing you from getting some very-necessary nightly shut-eye, nap during the daytime when you’re tired. You and your growing little one deserve it!

Symptom #4: Nausea

An estimated 70% of pregnant women deal with morning sickness in their first trimester. Contrary to its name, morning sickness can crop up at any time of day, though it usually only lasts several hours. Some women experience vomiting alongside nausea, while others experience nausea alone.

How Long It Lasts

Morning sickness typically sets in around the 6th week of pregnancy (dating back from day 1 of the last menstrual cycle) and dissipates in the second trimester. While rare, some women experience morning sickness for the duration of their entire pregnancy.

What Causes It

Experts aren’t sure what causes morning sickness, but they suspect a combination of heightened hormone levels and low blood sugar is to blame. Food aversions can also contribute to nausea (more on that later).

How to Cope

If you’re dealing with morning sickness, these simple tweaks to your routine may offer some relief:

• Eating a small snack (e.g. dry toast) as soon as you wake up to assuage stomach acids
• Eating small meals or snacks frequently
• Drinking plenty of water
• Steering clear of overly sugary, fatty, or spicy foods
• Drinking stomach-soothing herbal teas like ginger and chamomile
• Avoiding overly warm environments, which can aggravate nausea
• Taking note of your triggers (riding in cars, certain odors, etc.) and minimizing your exposure for at least the first trimester

Symptom #5: Food Aversions

If you spent months perfecting your French omelet routine only to find that even the idea of the delicacy has you running to the restroom, it could be time to take a pregnancy test. Around half of pregnant women experience food aversions (and, on the flip side, cravings) which tend to kick in within the first 3 months.

How Long It Lasts

Food aversions and cravings are often a package deal and can stick around for the full length of pregnancy (though this can vary from woman to woman).

Interestingly, many women observe their food preferences oscillate throughout their 9-month journey: So, in your first trimester, “appetizing” may be the last word you’d use to describe a T-Bone steak—but come the second? The idea of a rare, buttery sirloin could be absolutely swoon-worthy.

What Causes It

Experts aren’t sure about the specific biological and psychological mechanics behind food preferences in pregnancy, but there are three main theories in play:

1. Food aversions are a coded way that the body guards the growing fetus from potentially dangerous foods, the same way certain toxic substances cause disgust in non-pregnant individuals.
2. Elevated progesterone leads to a more sensitive palate, easily triggering disgust in response to certain smells, tastes, and textures.
3. Foods frequently cited as aversion-inducing (including eggs, meat, milk, and garlic) carry certain cultural and psychological associations that make pregnant women more inclined to avoid them.

How to Cope

If you’re struggling to stay nourished in early pregnancy due to food aversions, logging your food aversions and cravings may help. Not only will it assist with tracking patterns and food triggers, but it’ll also give you a resource to share with an OBGYN or nutritionist should you need help keeping up with your prenatal nutritional needs.

Stay Tuned In to Your Pregnancy with SneakPeek

Every woman, and every pregnancy, is unique—and it’s not always easy to read the signals our bodies send, even in those earliest phases of the parenthood journey. SneakPeek Test was founded to help decode what your pregnancy is keeping under wraps, starting with your baby’s gender through our gender blood test.

With SneakPeek’s Early Gender DNA test, you can learn your baby’s gender as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy—well before your first ultrasound and even before some of the first pregnancy symptoms start to kick in! Simply send your sample to SneakPeek’s CLIA-certified labs, and you can receive physician-reviewed results as soon as the same day we receive your sample.

With total data protection and over 99% accurate¹ results, more than 1 million parents trust SneakPeek gender blood test. Not to mention, it’s OBGYN’s #1 recommended early gender prediction test. Start your pregnancy journey surefooted by exploring SneakPeek’s full at-home prenatal test range today.

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