Early Pregnancy Signs: When Will I Feel Pregnant?

When will those first signs of pregnancy you’ve heard so much about start making themselves known? Here are some early pregnancy symptoms and when to expect them

by Teresa Pitman

The test says you’re pregnant, but your body feels just like it always did. When will those pregnancy symptoms you’ve heard so much about start making themselves known?

First Signs of Pregnancy

First symptom is usually a missed period (although some pregnant women have spotting at the time when their menstrual period would normally be expected)

A week or two after the missed period, you may experience some nausea in the morning or after not eating for a while, as well as some breast tenderness or change in breast size.

Between three and 10 weeks after the missed period you may notice you are feeling much more tired than usual.

Between one and two months after your missed period you will usually start noticing more frequent urination, as your growing uterus presses on your bladder.

At around two or three months, you may see the areolas around your nipples become darker. This is believed to help the baby find and latch on to the nipple after she is born. You may also notice changes in your vaginal mucous; it becomes thicker and is often white rather than clear.

By 16 to 20 weeks, you feel the baby moving. (Of course, he’s been moving all along, but now he’s big enough that you really notice it.)

Keep in mind that all of these are averages: some women will be aware of symptoms earlier or later, and some women never experience some or all of these (that’s why they have that TV show called “I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant”).

For the complete lowdown on your pregnancy, check out our week-by-week Pregnancy Guide