My baby is four months old and I feel like this time has passed by in a flash. I was 5+ weeks by the time I took a pregnancy test. I couldn’t believe that my body had been building another baby inside me. For me, even after having two babies before (now aged eight and ten), it had been such a long time since I was last pregnant, I had almost forgotten what the early pregnancy symptoms I should have been looking for.

If you are reading this and you have just found out you are expecting, then firstly, congratulations. The female body continues to fascinate me. A lot of changes happen during the first trimester, so here are some sensations and symptoms you may experience during the early stages of your pregnancy.

If you are feeling emotional, overwhelmed or unsure about your body’s changes during the first trimester, don’t worry. It is quite a normal to feel this way. If you have irregular periods, sometimes, finding out you are expecting is not always noticeable straight away. However, there are some early signs, which I had that were the reasons that led me to pick up a test!

I have partnered with Emma’s Diary to share some of the early symptoms of pregnancy. They have asked me to share with you some of the signs that I had in my early stages of pregnancy. I hope that these might help you too. Equally, if you are in the process of trying to conceive and would like to learn about the early signs of pregnancy, you have come to the right place.

 

  1. Metallic Taste in Mouth

When my best friend told me, she thought she might be expecting her third child, it was the metallic taste in her mouth that gave it away. This may sound like a really odd early pregnancy sign, but I too had this with all of my pregnancies.

Some women say the taste in your mouth is much like how it would feel to suck on a ten pence piece. Not that you would want to do that! Drinks may also taste different and you may start to dislike some of your favourite drinks. This is completely normal and will go by the end of the first trimester. According to Emma’s Diary, the medical term for the weird taste in your mouth is ‘dysgeusia’, which typically describes a change of your taste senses. Pregnant women who have experienced this distortion describe it as tasting like they have metal coins in their mouth or are chewing on aluminium foil.

Additionally, many pregnant women find that the sensation can even be in your mouth when you’re not eating. To help alleviate the taste, try orange juice or a sugar free fizzy drink or alternatively, some say that eating foods such as pickles, chutneys and sauces can help!

Not only might you find that the metallic taste in your mouth is an odd sensation, I also found that my sense of smell was heightened. This is because our sense of smell and taste are closely linked. I was forever saying to my husband “can you smell that?” and he would say that he couldn’t smell anything at all. However, for me, normal smells from the house, garden or kitchen were really overpowering.

Along with the metallic taste in your mouth, you may also find your nose is not as it was either – that’s because your sense of smell and taste are closely linked.

2. Sore and Tender Breasts

In all three of my pregnancies, my earliest symptoms have all been boob-related. You may get tender or sore boobs before your period comes in, so it can feel like this. However, this was like a more extreme version of that. My boobs had become so sore and uncomfortable, that even lying on side in bed or going for a run was painful.

I read that the reason for this is related to a surge of progesterone and an important hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) which is responsible for the maintenance of your pregnancy – it’s the hormone that is detected in your pregnancy tests. But everyone is different, so if your boobs feel absolutely fine, then perhaps one of the other early signs might relate!

   3. Missed Period

This may sound like the most obvious one as a missed period in your monthly cycle can be one of the first clear signs of early pregnancy. On the other hand, if you are anything like me and have irregular periods, then this pregnancy sign can sometimes be overlooked.

About 10 to 14 days (week 4) after conception, the blastocyst will implant in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This can cause implantation bleeding, which may be mistaken for a light period.

If you have irregular period, I highly recommend tracking your period by using an app. This will help you to keep track of your period by marking the days in a calendar.

In summary, I hope my top three early signs of pregnancy are helpful. As a final note, no matter what stage your pregnancy you are at, you will probably be feeling additional fatigue. This may sound like an obvious one, as, for many busy women, we are often always tired! So how we would distinguish our normal fatigue to pregnancy fatigue? It’s a good question!

Overall, the body is working so hard, you’ll just feel like napping on the sofa at any moment! Your blood sugar levels, and blood pressure can lower as your metabolic rate increases to provide your baby with everything it needs to develop. Where possible, try to keep your energy levels up by eating little and often. This really helped me power through. Keeping healthy bars and nuts nearby when I needed a boost.

A surge in hormones, especially progesterone, is also responsible for tiredness, so, take it easy as much as you can – don’t forget your body has started to grow a human!

Most of all, take care of yourself and get as much rest as you can. As a final note from Guilty Mother, remember it is always good to speak to a midwife or healthcare professional is anything is worrying you about your pregnancy.

For more early signs of pregnancy – click here

Note: This is a paid collaboration but all views and opinions are honest and my own.