14 Signs You Might Be "Pregnant", You Should Never Ignore #6

My mom said she knew I was pregnant both times before I did. It was the little, subtle things that she swears were sure signs I was expecting. Developing a new dislike to certain foods and the way my hips looked.

Waiting to get your period is the most common way women find out if they are pregnant or not. The moment a woman conceives, her body begins to work hard to get the body ready for the baby to live in its mother's uterus for 40 weeks.

During all the changes going on internally, the body does give off hints of a pregnancy through changes that are sometimes mistaken for a flu or just plain tired. Here are 14 signs that will let you know you are pregnant before you miss your period.

#1. A woman's hormone levels increase while pregnant. Particularly estrogen and progesterone levels increase.
The increase of these two hormones will decrease or stop fully menstrual bleedings. The common spotting before your period will disappear for most women during pregnancy.

#2. Vomiting while pregnant does not only happen in the mornings.
This may be the reason most people confuse morning sickness with food poisoning or a stomach bug. Pregnancy causes the hormone levels to slow down digestion.

#3. Your vagina feels swollen and sensitive.
You produce more cervical mucus. The milky white discharge will also be thicker than usual. This is due to an increase in progesterone levels.

#4. Most women feel their breasts are tender while menstruating, this is nothing compared to what it feels like while pregnant.
Hormones level not only make breasts bigger but they are also sensitive to touch. Nipples also darken in preparation for nursing. Be prepared for the breasts to continue growing throughout the pregnancy.

#5. You feel like you are getting menstrual cramps but it's not your period dates.
When the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus lining, implantation bleeding occurs. This is light spotting accompanied with cramps. This should only lasts a couple of days.

#6. You will be going to the bathroom a lot!
Whether it's at night, during the day, the bathroom will be the most visited room in the house. The body is producing more blood, making the kidneys work diligently to filter the blood. Consequently, the bladder is filling up constantly.

#7. You can fall asleep just about anywhere and at anytime.
Your body is working overtime making your womb the perfect place for your baby to grow. It is only normal to want to get in more naps than usual.

#8. You are constipated and your diet has not changed much.
The increase in progesterone levels slow down food digestion. This makes going to the bathroom really uncomfortable and sometimes painful for some women. Adding more fiber to your diet can help.

#9. You are hungry in the middle of the night.
You certainly develop a ravenous appetite for certain types of food like desserts or sour things.

#10. That delicious pasta that made your mouth water last week all the sudden makes you ill.
Although doctors are not 100% sure what causes an aversion to certain smells, it is believed it's due to high progesterone levels. Most women feel better by the second trimester. For others, the aversion to certain smells lasts throughout the pregnancy.

#11. A commercial, note or even a conversation will have you weeping like a child, don't worry it's totally normal.
Mood swings are completely common when pregnant. The increase in hormone levels and changes is reason enough for your family and friends to give you a break.

#12. Feeling dizzy but you are standing on a flat floor.
In the first trimester, dizziness is caused by low blood pressure. Progesterone causes the blood vessels to widen and relax, therefore the flow of blood is slower.

#13. A thin dark line appears from the belly down to the pubic area.
Linea nigra has always been there but it darkens with high hormone levels during pregnancy. Don't shave it, it usually goes away after birth. Old wives' tale says that this line is the route babies use to find their mom's breast to nurse.

#14. The hormone progesterone relaxes the muscles during pregnancy.
This included the valve in the stomach that keeps acid away from the esophagus. As the baby grows, it is pushing itself onto the stomach, making the acid to travel to the esophagus. Contrary to popular belief it has nothing to do with a having a baby with a full set of hair.