100 Weird Early Signs Of Pregnancy (The Very Early And Unusual!)

Early signs of pregnancy are one of those things that make you wonder if you are imagining it.

Store bought pregnancy tests can’t normally show a concrete result until just a day or so before your period is due but for many women, the signs are present way before then.

Some early signs appear so quickly that you might “feel different” even before a test would register the change in your hormone levels.

Being able to recognize some of the clues that your body is giving you, can help you decide if you need to look further into the possibility that you could be pregnant.

Here are some signs to watch for that may indicate that you are indeed pregnant plus at the bottom of this page there is a free “unusual signs of early pregnancy checklist” that you can download and print.

If you are indeed pregnant, make sure to bookmark these 51 Pregnancy Movies To Watch When You’re Expecting.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure for more information.

When do Early Pregnancy Symptoms Start?

Some of the most common early signs of pregnancy can be noticed as early as the day of ovulation but most appear within the first few weeks of pregnancy.

The very first sign of pregnancy (implantation pain) occurs just a few days after ovulation.

For most of the other early pregnancy symptoms, however, you can expect to notice changes by around 4 weeks of pregnancy or two weeks after ovulation for a regular cycle.

Side Note: If you are indeed pregnant, make sure to check out my 25 Ways To Announce A Pregnancy To Family In Person and if your reveal will be during the fall, you will love these 33 Fall Pregnancy Announcements. (we have over 300 ways to announce your pregnancy here. )

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100 Weird Early Signs Of Pregnancy

1. Intense Implantation Pains

As I mentioned above, this is one symptom that can give you an indication that its your month! Sharp pain in one side of your body around the time of ovulation is a great sign.

Bear in mind that regular ovulation pain is common but if you have cramping just after ovulation – start looking for other symptoms!

2. Metallic taste in your mouth

Feeling like you have been sucking on a copper coin all day is one of the most common pregnancy symptoms, especially in the first few weeks.

3. Weird, Vivid Dreams

This was my first sign of pregnancy with both of my children. Crazy, weird dreams or nightmares are a common but weird pregnancy symptom.

4. Intuition

Sometimes you just “know” that you are pregnancy. Feeling different without pinpointing why is very common.

5. Itching

Itching in later pregnancy is a condition called PUPPs and is extremely annoying. However, some women report itching on their tummy and boobs right before a positive pregnancy test.

6. Diarrhea

Digestion issues are pretty common throughout pregnancy and many women report loose bowels as one of the first signs they were pregnant.

7. Hunger

If you find yourself starving all the time, you might just be starting to eat for two already!

8. Baby Brain

Forgetfulness and feeling spacey are really common in pregnancy. The bad news is that once your baby is born, this doesn’t go away. It just morphs into “mommy brain”.

9. Exhaustion

Extreme fatigue is one of the main signs of pregnancy at the start.

All of a sudden, you may feel like falling asleep during the day at times when you normally would not. For example, you may suddenly have to fight to stay awake during meetings at work.

10. Missed Period

Women who have regular periods know when they are “late.” Sometimes, lateness can be caused by increased stress in your life, but it can also be another telltale sign of pregnancy.

11. Morning Sickness

You may feel nauseous or may even be throwing up. Even though it is called morning sickness, you may be feeling sick any time of the day.

Morning sickness is most common in the first trimester of pregnancy, but can continue into the next two trimesters for some women.

Here are The Best Natural Morning Sickness Remedies To Ease The Nausea

12. Typical PMS Symptoms

Annoying as it may be, early pregnancy can feel exactly like your period is on its way. All your regular PMS symptoms are also typical very early pregnancy signs making it even harder to work out if you are expecting or not.

13. Tender Breasts

You have probably experienced uncomfortable breasts just prior to, or during, your menstrual cycle. This is what your breasts will feel like when you first get pregnant. In fact breast tenderness is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy.

14. Abdominal Cramping

You may not even notice the cramping, as it is not usually really bad cramping.

It may just feel like some pressure in your abdomen, similar to what you may feel at the start of a period.

You may even mistake it for the start of a period when, in fact, you are pregnant!

15. Heightened Sense of Smell

This sounds weird, but it is true. Your sense of smell becomes very sharp during pregnancy. Suddenly, you may notice the scent of someone’s tea from across the room.

Walking down the cleaning aisle of the grocery store, may prove too much for your senses. It may feel like the scents of everything have become stronger overnight!

Some women even report a complete dislike of their partner’s scent that they normally love. It’s a really strange symptom of pregnancy, for sure!

16. Food Aversions

You may have always enjoyed a particular food, but now it tastes bad or you can’t even stand to look at it. Raw chicken seems to be a popular food aversion.

17. Lightheaded

This can be very subtle, but you may suddenly feel like the room is spinning, or you may feel faint. Make sure to eat during these times, as your blood sugar is probably a bit low.

18. Bloat

No, you are not already growing a baby bump at 2 weeks! Unfortunately pregnancy bloat is really common and can make you want to get into those stretchy maternity pants even earlier!

19. Emotional Wreck

Crying at every TV show and sappy commercial is a very common early pregnancy sign for many women. See also – crying at the news reports, at sad songs or anything regarding children or babies.

20. Cigarette Aversion

This one really only applies to smokers but many women find that they just can’t stomach the smell of cigarettes in very early pregnancy. It could be your body’s way of helping you quit!

21. Burping

Excess gas is one of those pregnancy symptoms that no one wants. If you find yourself burping a lot more than normal, you may have a bun in the oven!

22. Hair loss

Postpartum hair loss is one of the worst things about having a baby but some women even experience hair loss in the first trimester. The good news is that this often goes away by around 12-15 weeks.

23. Headaches

Headaches caused by hormonal changes are a clue that you might be pregnant.

24. Changes in Mood

Moodiness, grumpiness and all-round unpleasant moods are a sure sign that something is going on with your hormones.

25. Constipation

If you were lucky enough to escape the diarrhea, you might find you end up with constipation instead!

This is one of the most uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms that hits early on but normally ends by the second trimester. Make sure to stock up on prunes and bran!

26. Frequent Peeing

You might as well get used to this one as it only gets worse as your pregnancy progresses. If you find yourself heading to the restroom more often than normal, it could definitely be a sign that you are expecting.

27. Loss of focus

Trouble concentrating is widely reported as a very early pregnancy sign along with the dreaded baby brain.

28. Change in Libido

This is a weird pregnancy symptom as biologically it doesn’t really make sense but many women find their sex drive goes through the roof during pregnancy.

29. Bleeding gums

My dentist knew I was pregnant before I told him because of how much my gums bleed at my regular cleaning appointment.

30. Cravings

You may find that you develop unusual cravings for foods that never interested you much before. You might also find you specifically crave foods that you are not allowed to eat in pregnancy such as undercooked eggs or “street meat”.

31. Acne

Sudden breakouts are a result of the havoc your hormones are creating in your body. Some people think that acne means you are having a girl but there is no evidence to support this.

32. Lack of hair growth

Now this is one pregnancy symptom that I can get behind. During pregnancy, you might find you need to shave your legs much less than normal, if at all.

I found that the hair on my legs didn’t grow for the entire 9 months of my pregnancy. It was amazing!

33. Thrush/Yeast Infection

Another symptom cause by the hormone craziness that is going on in your body. If you notice cottage cheese discharge or itchiness, you might have a yeast infection and should pay a visit to the pharmacy.

34. Darker Areola

Darkening areolas are very common in pregnancy and may be noticeable as early as 4 weeks.

35. Insatiable Thirst

If you find yourself thirsty all the time, you may be experiencing a common sign that you are expecting. Your body needs a lot more fluid during pregnancy so make sure to always have a bottle of water handy.

36. Hot flashes

Higher than normal body temperature is one of the first pregnancy signs you can track for yourself. If you use a Basal thermometer, you can predict your BFP before a test does!

37. Sleeplessness

Trouble sleeping is on of those early signs of pregnancy that you probably won’t notice until it is coupled with other symptoms like nausea or food aversions.

38. Shiny hair

Shiny hair is one of the best things about second trimester of pregnancy but some lucky women notice their hair is stronger and shiner right from the get-go.

39. Color Sensitivity

Similar to the smell aversions, some moms-to-be experience intense color aversions to the point of nausea.

40. Dizziness

If you feel dizzy upon standard or when walking about, make sure to rest and eat a snack. Low blood sugar is common in pregnancy.

41. Horrible gas

Along with the increase in burping, trapped gas and an uncomfortable tummy are a huge early pregnancy sign.

42. Shortness of breath

Blame the hormone progesterone for this one. It expands your lung capacity in early pregnancy which can make you feel short of breath. If you can normally bound up the stairs but find yourself a bit short of breath, you might want to take a pregnancy test. This is an unusual pregnancy sign so if your symptoms continue, make sure to see a doctor.

43. Gagging at random things

The smell of peanut butter, someone’s lunch cooking in the microwave or even the thought of something can all turn your stomach when you are pregnant.

44. Heartburn

Pregnancy heartburn is very common and sucks. You can think those lovely hormones for slowing down your digestion and causing your heartburn.

Here are some natural ways to relieve heartburn during pregnancy.

45. Difficulty brushing teeth

You might find yourself gagging when you brush your teeth. Along with the aforementioned bleeding gums, you might find it brushing a little bit painful so go gently.

46. Fainting

Low blood sugar is the number one cause of dizziness and fainting in pregnancy. If you actually faint or black out, make sure to see your doctor for bloodwork.

47. Veiny boobs

Due to increase blood flow, the veins in your boobs will look more prominent and blue.

48. Tingling Boobs

Tingling, sensitive breasts are very common, even before your period was due.

49. Coffee Aversion

This is the very first sign of pregnancy for lots of women. They reach for their daily cup of coffee just as normal and it tastes weird. Before you check the expiry date on the box, make sure to take a pregnancy test!

Again, this may be nature’s way of telling you to ease up on the caffeine.

50. Charlie horse in legs at night

Leg cramps are really common in early pregnancy. Research has shown that increased Vitamin B can completely eliminate this symptom.

51. Increased Allergies to Pollen

Even if you don’t normally suffer from allergies, you may find yourself sneezing with itchy eyes during pregnancy. Make sure to check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter allergy meds.

52. Darkening of the skin

Dark patches on your skin (called Melasma) is also sometimes referred to as the mask of pregnancy. The patches typically appear on your face – upper lip, nose, cheekbones, and forehead in the shape of a mask.

53. Feel under the weather

You may be pregnant if you feel like you are coming down with a cold or flu.

54. Strong smelling urine

My friend’s husband always says he can tell when she s pregnant when he can smell her pee from across the room. If your pee smells like ammonia and you haven’t eaten anything like asparagus recently, you may be pregnant.

55. Bitter taste in mouth

Along with the metallic taste, a bitter, sour taste in your mouth is a very early pregnancy sign.

56. Excess sweating

The rise in your body temperature can make you feel a bit more sweaty than usual in early pregnancy.

57. Backache

Lower backache is really common throughout pregnancy as the weight of your baby pulls on your spine. However, lower back pain is also an early pregnancy symptom that mimics your PMS cramps.

58. Congestion

A stuffy nose out of nowhere is reported by many women to be the first sign they knew something was “up”.

59. Spotting

Spotting in early pregnancy is common and not necessarily something to worry about. It can be caused by implantation bleeding or just irritation of the cervix.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, between 25-30% of women experience some bleeding in early pregnancy.

60.Vaginal Discharge

Brown or pinkish vaginal discharge may occur during early pregnancy. This discharge may be a sign of implantation bleeding.

Around 8 weeks of pregnancy, a thin, milky discharge called leukorrhea will make an appearance. You might be shocked by how much of it your body produces.

61. Brittle Nails

If you usually strong nails start breaking easily, you might be “enjoying” one of the more negative pregnancy symptoms. rest assured that your nails will likely get strong and healthy by your second trimester.

62. Drooling

Yes, increased saliva really is one of the weirdest early signs of pregnancy! Luckily, this is one symptom that won’t last for long.

63. Butterflies in your stomach

Twinges and tingles in your stomach aren’t caused by your baby moving just yet but they are a good sign that something is happening in there!

64. UTI

Bladder infections are very common in the first weeks of pregnancy so if you suspect you might be pregnant and have all the symptoms of a UTI, make sure to take a test, stat.

65. Heavy feeling in your stomach

A tight or heavy feeling in your stomach during early pregnancy is often a sign of your uterus stretching and growing in preparation for your growing baby.

66. Dry Mouth

While some women suffer from excess saliva, others notice their mouth is dryer than normal in early pregnancy.

67. Nose Bleeds

Nose bleeds are caused by your fluctuating hormone levels and are generally nothing to worry about.

68. Hemorrhoids

Unfortunately many women suffer from hemorrhoids in pregnancy, sometimes as a result of constipation and other times just because.

69. Shivering

The opposite of the hot flashes in early pregnancy that are more common, some women say that shivering uncontrollable was one of the first early signs of pregnancy that they experienced.

70. BFP

A Big Fat Positive Pregnancy test is by far the best pregnancy sign you will experience. You can typically expect to see results at around 12-15dpo (days post ovulation).

71. Mood Swings

A common symptom when you are dealing with pregnancy hormones are mood swings. Obviously, moodiness is also a sign that your period is coming so it can be hard to really know what’s going on, especially if this is your first symptom.

72. Pregnancy Brain

Even in the early weeks of pregnancy, you may notice that you are more forgetful or confused than normal. Many pregnant women experience this symptom and although it typically begins at the end of the first trimester, it can start earlier.

73. Food Cravings

Although in the early stages of pregnancy, you are more likely to experience aversions to food, those crazy cravings are possible too. If you start to notice you fancy a food that you barely ever eat, it could be your body’s way of telling you what it needs.

74. Runny Nose

One of the most unusual early pregnancy signs is a runny nose that comes with no other symptoms of a cold or allergies.

75. Digestive Issues

Along with menstrual cramps, your stomach feeling not quite “normal” can often be an early sign of pregnancy.

76. Weight Gain

Although it is too early to gain baby weight quite yet, one of the first signs of pregnancy is a little weight gain due to bloating.

77. High Basal Body Temperature

If you have been taking your temperature as a way to track your ovulation, you will notice an increase in temperature due to the increased blood flow in your body.

78. Abdominal Pain

Stomach cramps are pretty common in early pregnancy but if you feel sharp pains in the area of your fallopian tubes or ovaries, it may be a ruptured cyst or late ovulation. However, this can also be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy so make sure to see your healthcare provider ASAP.

79. False Negatives

You can’t get pregnant and then test positive the next day. Many people get false negative tests if they test too early even if they have tons of symptoms of pregnancy. A blood test may be able to detect pregnancy where a home pregnancy test cannot.

80. Burst Blood Vessels

As your blood volume increases, you may notice more prominent veins throughout your body and even small burst blood vessels. These normally start to appear around the tenth week of pregnancy but may show up earlier.

81. Acne

I know you don’t want to hear this but hormonal changes in your body can have you breaking out like a teenager again. Luckily it should calm dow as your pregnancy progresses. Be careful with what you use on your skin to treat your pregnancy acne. Many medications are not allowed so the best way to clear up your skin is to speak to a doctor first.

82. Blood Pressure

If you know what your blood pressure is normally, you may notice that it is lower in your first weeks of pregnancy due to the way your body is growing.

83. Belly Button Changes

As early as the first trimester, you may notice your belly button starts to flatten and spread out a bit. It won’t be until later in pregnancy that your innie may become an outtie though!

84. Your Favorite Foods Taste bad

If you suddenly find that your usual meals have a strange taste and are not as appealing as they normally are, you may be experience one of the early symptoms that you are expecting.

85. Breast Changes

In addition to sore breasts and more veins, you may notices they change shape, get more lumpy (this is due the surge of hormones) or start to grow.

86. Feeling like you look different

You know sometimes you go to the store and it feels like everyone is staring at you? If you start feeling like this and you may be pregnant, it might be time to take a test. You might not be able to pinpoint exactly why you feel different but if you get that weird sensation that you are suddenly the centre of attention, it may be for a very good reason.

87. Sudden urge to drink water

If you suddenly feel the need to constantly be drinking plenty of water, it could be your body’s way of telling you that there is a fertilized egg growing that needs hydration. A sudden increase in your need for water as opposed to other beverages is a common sign of pregnancy.

88. Strange Smelling Cervical Mucus

One of the many weird pregnancy symptoms is that you have an increased sense of smell and this may cause you to notice that you start to smell a bit different “down there”.

89. Extreme Nausea

Beyond regular morning sickness, if you notice that you are throwing up non-stop, you may be suffering from a medical condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. This can start very early into pregnancy and should be treated by a professional.

90. Being tired All. The .Time

Even if you are sleeping well at night, you may start to notice that you are much more tired than normal. If you feel the urge to take a nap midday, then remember, your body might be working very hard to grow another person inside you.

91. Feeling Full

Many women report feeling full during early pregnancy, even if they haven’t eaten recently.

92. Heart Palpitations

This one may seem a bit scary but it is a pretty common symptom experienced by many pregnant people. It is caused by the hormonal changes and increase in blood supply in your body. It is a normal sign of pregnancy but make sure to get it checked out if it continues for more than a few days.

93. Back Pain

Back pain is one of those symptoms that most pregnant women experience at one time or another but it may start earlier than you think as things start to shift in your body.

94. Changes in your cervix

During early pregnancy, your cervix is high, soft, closed and wet (HSCW) and this can be a very early way to tell if you are pregnant. It works best if this is something that you have been tracking for a while as your cervix changes position through your cycle.

95. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

I’m a pregnant woman who had to deal with this and it was a big pain in the wrist!

Tingling and numbness in your hands and wrists is a pretty common pregnancy symptom that doesn’t seem to really make sense. An increase in the tissue fluids during pregnancy puts pressure on the median nerve, causing the pain. Luckily you can get wrist splints to wear during pregnancy that will get rid of the carpal tunnel syndrome almost right away.

96. Feeling hot all the time

Pregnancy leads to an increased metabolic rate, which may make you feel hot all the time, even in an air conditioned room.

97. Breast Milk Changes

If you are nursing an older child, you may notice that they start acting strange at the breast, maybe they start refusing to nurse anymore or don’t seem to want to as often. This might be a result of changes in the taste of your breast milk and can be a very early sign of pregnancy.

98. Kids and pets acting different around you

This one is definitely up there on the list of weird early pregnancy symptoms but hear me out. Many women report they pet being extra cuddly right before they got a positive pregnancy test or even their older child making comments about having a brother or sister without mom even knowing she was pregnant.

99. Feeling different

Many pregnant women report a feeling of increased mind-body awareness during pregnancy, Small changes inside your body may not be noticeable on the outside right now but you may “feel” different regardless.

100. Rib Pain

If you feel a weird burning sensation under your right breast, it may be caused by early pregnancy. Growing babies put pressure on all parts of your body which can cause a weird pain in your ribs.

Unusual Early Pregnancy Symptoms A Checklist

If you want to review the signs of pregnancy in this post to see if you are feeling them, you can download this unusual early pregnancy symptoms checklist for free.

Just click the link below to grab your printable copy:

Download my checklist now

Early Signs Of Pregnancy FAQs

What are the weirdest early signs of pregnancy?

There are a lot of weird symptoms that can come with early pregnancy, but here are six of the strangest:

1. You have a sudden and inexplicable urge to eat non-food items like chalk or dirt.

2. You start lactating, even if you’ve never been pregnant before.

3. You develop an extreme aversion to certain foods or smells that you used to love.

4. You start getting headaches and cramps for no reason.

5. Your body temperature rises inexplicably and stays high all the time.

6. You suddenly have a lot more energy (or conversely, you’re suddenly exhausted all the time).

Why do I feel so weird in early pregnancy?

Early pregnancy can be a strange and wonderful time, but it can also be confusing and uncomfortable. For some women, early pregnancy is marked by a constellation of symptoms including fatigue, morning sickness, and mood swings. For others, early pregnancy may be relatively symptom-free. But no matter what your experience is like, it’s normal to have questions about what’s happening in your body and why you’re feeling the way you are.

If anything feels extremely off, make sure to consult with a medical professional for guidance.

Does your stomach feel weird the first week pregnancy?

Even in the first weeks of pregnancy, your stomach may feel off or you may have menstrual-like cramps. Morning sickness may also rear its ugly head within the first week or so.

No one really knows what causes morning sickness, but it’s thought that the hormones that cause early pregnancy symptoms may also be responsible for these unpleasant feelings. For some women, morning sickness is just an occasional annoyance. But for others, it can be so severe that they can’t keep any food down. In fact, some women are hospitalized because of dehydration caused by severe nausea and vomiting.

How early can you test for pregnancy?

No one can say for certain exactly when a woman can begin testing for pregnancy and false negatives are posssible if you test too early.

The most common way to test for pregnancy is with a home pregnancy test, which can be taken as early as ten days after ovulation. However, these tests are not always accurate, especially early on.

There are also other methods of early testing, such as blood tests and ultrasound exams, which can be performed as early as six weeks into a woman’s pregnancy.

These tests are more accurate than home pregnancy tests, but they are also more expensive and may require a visit to the doctor’s office.