# How Did You Know You Were Pregnant? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808 "2006-05-07T21:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/21 "2006-05-08T15:44:59Z")
I’m another one that “just knew”, both times. The first was a definite “OH SHIT!” just knew, and the second was an excited, happy just knew. With my second, I was also FAMing and it was on purpose. We decided to try for a girl, and since it was the first month, there was no pressure. We timed intercourse WAY before ovulation (6 days, longer than sperm usually live.) and got our girl! I had a week of uncertainty, then felt that “shift” on day 6 when the conception happened. Of course, my temps stayed high, so that just confirmed what I felt. My husband couldn’t quite believe it, though. So at 7 weeks I got a test just to have a blue line to show him! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/22 "2006-05-08T15:48:38Z")
Okay, quick question: I’ve never been pregnant, and quite frankly the experience sounds horrid. Did your breasts ache the entire time? Were you vomiting constantly? My god, why does anyone do this? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/23 "2006-05-08T15:53:10Z")
I was a freak. I literally _knew_ the morning after we conceived. It was weird, just a complete and total awareness of being pregnant. It was almost two weeks before a test would test positive. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/24 "2006-05-08T15:55:40Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > (Snip)Did your breasts ache the entire time? Were you vomiting constantly? My god, why does anyone do this? No, mine didn’t hurt the entire time. No, the vomiting stopped after about the first three months or so. The fantastic clothing options. 😃 Seriously, Renee, I’m not trying to make light of your questions - I can’t TELL you why I did. I know HOW it happened of course, but it certainly wasn’t planned. It HAPPENED. And when I think of my son, I’m so very glad it did. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/25 "2006-05-08T16:19:30Z")
I had no idea (but was hoping!) until I was late. I had done one test before my period was due, and it was negative, so I forced myself to wait until I was late to test again. The day after my period was due, I got my positive. My early symptoms were the boobs so sore that wearing a shirt hurt, very slight nausea when I was hungry that lasted maybe three weeks, utter exhaustion, and skin and hair that couldn’t decide whether to be ultra-dry or ultra-greasy. To answer Renee, the sore boobs thing lasted only about a month for me, and the nausea even less. The exhaustion went away after the first trimester, though has returned with a vengeance the last few weeks (I am 33 weeks right now). There are definite moments of discomfort (sleeping is pretty hard, and I am SO absolutely bored to death of peeing) but there are also those incredibly cool moments too – feeling and seeing my stomach wiggle and move is pretty amazing. Getting a seat on the bus is nice too. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/26 "2006-05-08T16:48:35Z")
With my first, it was the tiredness. After a lifetime of insomnia, I started falling asleep watching TV after dinner and sleeping through the night. Also, I was so emotional—PMS to the 100th degree. And hungry. Like, me who usually skipped breakfast and sometimes even lunch, eating 2 sandwiches at 10:30am. But the most unusual symptom I developed was really strong smelling urine. Totally disgusting, TMI, I know. But when I developed that fun symptom a few years ago, I knew I was pregnant again. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/27 "2006-05-08T19:20:42Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Okay, quick question: I’ve never been pregnant, and quite frankly the experience sounds horrid. Did your breasts ache the entire time? Were you vomiting constantly? My god, why does anyone do this? I’m a little over 25 weeks, and my boobs are still sore every once in awhile. Nothing like the first 12 weeks or so, though. And I never vomited - I had a little nausea every once in awhile, but no ‘real’ morning sickness compared to a lot of other people. I was asking myself why we did this just this morning when he decided to do jumping jacks on my bladder and send me to the bathroom every five minutes. But then he starts kicking me when I’m talking or when I play something from “Kiss Me Kate” or “RENT” in the car for him (those seem to be his favorites), and I’m realizing it’s definitely worth doing:). E. ---
**Author:** ![MrsMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@MrsMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsMonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/28 "2006-05-08T20:54:31Z")
> [@DoperChic](#): > > I’ve done two of the Clear Blue Easy Digital Tests and one store brand test. All negative so far. FYI - The Digital tests are far less sensitive than some of the others (only test positive at 50 HcG and above). Early on you want to try the most sensitive you can (20 HcG is the least amount I’ve seen). Also, I’ve heard of some people that drink a lot of water daily have trouble getting the tests to show up because the urine is diluted. If you think this could be the case try taking it easy the night before and test again first thing in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Iris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a5b964/32.png) [@Iris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iris)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808/29 "2006-05-08T21:57:15Z")
I woke up one morning with terrible menstrual-like cramps. They were so bad that I could hardly get out of bed. I called my OB/Gyn and she suggested taking a pregnancy test. I was surprisingly pregnant and the cramps were caused by the egg attaching to the uterus. Other than that and painful boobs, I didn’t really have any other early signs of pregnancy. It wasn’t long though until I became increasingly sensitive to smells - especially the smell of alcohol. I could smell it a mile away and it made me nauseas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-you-know-you-were-pregnant/355808.md?page=1)