How to Tell If You Are Pregnant Without Buying a Test
If you have been trying to get pregnant, you may be eager to know whether you have been successful before you can take a pregnancy test.
If you have been trying to get pregnant, you may be eager to know whether you have been successful before you can take a pregnancy test. A pregnancy test is one of the best ways to get an official answer to your desire to know if you are carrying a baby, but you can begin to detect small clues that you may indeed be expecting even before you are able to take a pregnancy test. Keep an eye out for any changes in your body that may indicate that you are pregnant.
Step 1
Pay close attention to changes in your breasts. Your breast tissue may be tender and a bit painful if you have successfully conceived a baby, report Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel and Charles J. Lockwood, authors of What to Expect When You're Expecting. Look at your breasts in the mirror to gather additional clues that you may be expecting. Your breasts may appear slightly larger and fuller and the areolas may be darker than normal. Examine the nipples closely because you may notice tiny bumps that can signal that you are pregnant.
Step 2
Watch for spotting. Keep an eye out for a small amount of blood prior to when you would normally begin your period. According to Murkoff, Mazel and Lockwood, you may notice slight spotting if an embryo has successfully implanted into your uterus.
Step 3
Monitor how often you go to the bathroom. Your trips to the restroom will likely increase just a few days after conception, a clue that you may be pregnant without having to take a test, reports Ann Douglas, author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books.
Step 4
Notice how many things you can smell. An increased sense of smell is a common early pregnancy symptom that could clue you in that you are carrying a baby even before a test could confirm it. You may notice that you dislike smells you previously did not notice before or that you found pleasant before conceiving, such as coffee, perfume or foods with strong smells, Douglas reports.
Step 5
Take note of how your stomach feels. Nausea, or morning sickness, is one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms that may clue you in to a pregnancy without taking a test. If you are heading to the bathroom more often because you feel sick to your stomach, it may be because your hormone levels are increasing because of your newly conceived baby.
Step 6
Clock how much time you spend sleeping or napping. Fatigue is a signal that you could be pregnant because your body is responding to the hormonal changes of growing a baby, which can sap your energy and cause you to need more sleep.
Step 7
Watch for a missed period. Missing a period is one of the best ways to determine whether you are pregnant without taking a test.
warning
If you suspect you are pregnant, make an appointment with an obstetrician to confirm it. You will need to get prenatal care to ensure the health of you and your baby. Remember that none of these methods can confirm a pregnancy. They are only symptoms and not concrete proof that you are pregnant.