YOU already know some of the obvious early signs of pregnancy.
A missed period, sore breasts, morning sickness.
Getting night sweats? It might indicate you’re pregnant, according to midwife Marie Louise
But there’s a few surprising ones you might not know about.
Marie Louise, midwife and author of the The Modern Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond, shared some interesting signs indicating you could have a baby on the way.
1. Carb cravings
A lot of us will associate food cravings with the second and third trimester of a pregnancy.
But Marie Louise told the Huffington Post that many women report cravings during early pregnancy, especially for carbs.
“Toast and chips are probably the most common foods women tell me they’ve been craving during early pregnancy or before they knew they were pregnant,” she said.
The NHS says cravings for food you don’t usually like might be a sign you’re pregnant.
2. Going off your coffee
One of the little known changes pregnancy can bring on is a change in taste, known as dysgeusia.
This is due to hormones and it can mean your favourite foods no longer seem that appealing to you, or you can experience a lingering metallic taste in your mouth.
According to the NHS, you might lose interest in coffee, tea, fatty food or even smoking.
Marie Louise recalled a patient who had consistently drunk four cups of coffee a day for 15 years.
“One morning she woke up and really did not fancy it – she had no other symptoms of pregnancy so dismissed it until she started to feel sick.
“It was only then that she considered she might in fact be pregnant.”
3. Night sweats
Feeling hot and sticky at night? Chances are you might be pregnant. ,
The symptom tends to strike in early pregnancy and it’s pretty common.
But Marie Louise said it’s not often discussed.
Night sweats is another one of those hormone induced changes. Make sure to drink plenty of water if you’re getting them.
4. Spotting
One of the classic signs of pregnancy is a missed period.
But did you know that some women – around 20 per cent – continue to bleed?
It’s called implantation bleeding.
“In the first few weeks of pregnancy you may have a bleed similar to a very light period, with some spotting or only losing a little blood,” the NHS explained.
Marie Louise said: “Although all bleeding during pregnancy does need to be investigated or discussed with a healthcare professional, it’s actually really common and doesn’t always indicate that there is anything wrong.
5. Tiredness
You might feel pretty exhausted at the start of your pregnancy, Marie Louise said.
She recalled how in her first trimester she would fall asleep on the tube.
Tiredness is especially common during the first 12 weeks, NHS guidance states.
“Hormonal changes in your body at this time can make you feel tired, sick, emotional and upset,” it added.
Giulia Guerrini, lead pharmacist at online pharmacy Medino, said: “This can be attributed to lower blood pressure than usual and lower levels of blood sugar, as well as an increase in production of a hormone called progesterone.”
She recommended foods high in iron and protein to combat fatigue, as well as taking a supplement.
6. Scent sensitivity
A heightened sense of smell is pretty common, according to Marie Louise.
It’s often grouped with morning sickness but they’re different symptoms.
Your sensitivity to certain odours could, however, trigger morning sickness, according to Marie Louise.
Scents that might set you off include the smell of your fridge or cooking, garlic and fish.
Other symptoms
Changes to your breasts is a pretty well known sign you might be expecting. Here’s what to look out for:
larger and tender breasts, like at the start of your periodvisible veins darker nipples
You might also need to pee more often than usual, the NHS says.
Giulia said: “Your body increases the amount of blood it produces while pregnant, leading to your kidneys producing more fluid.
“You might need to urinate more than usual during the night specifically.”
You might also be constipated or notice more vaginal discharge.
Another one is being suddenly overtaken by emotions and weepiness, particularly in the first trimester.