Finding out I Was Pregnant

Finding out I was Pregnant. Early symptoms of pregnancy, how I knew I was pregnant before my big fat positive, and how I surprised my partner.

Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

So, here’s my story of how I started getting suspicious that I might be pregnant. I think personal stories like this are helpful when you are trying to figure out why you might be feeling a bit off yourself. Are you curious if you might be pregnant? I was starting to be. Here are the symptoms that tipped me off that something was amiss with my hormones the month of August 2022.

Fatigue

I was so fatigued! Barely get through my workday without daydreaming about a nap, kind of fatigued. I think it can be common to get a bit of a hormonal imbalance when you are ovulating. Since at that time, I should have been ovulating, it could have potentially made me a bit tired. However, I’m not a napper usually, so that was the first big change that piqued my curiosity.

Twinges

I can sometimes feel light pelvic discomfort when ovulating. Yet, something about that month felt a little extra; a little more than the light cramping I was used to. Although, hormones do shift, and so again, I chalked it up to just some strong ovulation symptoms. I just kept a note in my head of the changes I was experiencing.

Lemonade

Now maybe this was a sign and maybe it wasn’t. I am a lemonade loving lady. However, my craving for lemonade at this time could not be matched with any lemonade craving I ever had before. For future reference, the craving for lemonade did not end throughout my entire pregnancy.

Ovulation Symptoms Persisted

The first symptoms I started to feel were during ovulation and things had been feeling more intense than usual. Although peculiar, hormones can fluctuate. So maybe things were just a bit off? Not a big deal, right? Except time had started to pass. A couple weeks later and I was still feeling a bit off. Obviously, I could not still be ovulating. I thought, “if things don’t ease up maybe I’d need a checkup with my doctor.” I was just waiting to see how my period went.

Intense Cramping!

My periods are horrible! Roll on the ground bawling my eyes out from severe pain, super debilitating menstrual cramping, types of periods. I had always had periods like that. It’s just been a part of my life that I’ve had to bear the best I could. Everyone’s menstrual cycle is different. For me, my period always starts out with intense pelvic pressure that grows and grows until it turns into intense debilitating cramps. The pressure usually begins a few hours before the actual cramping and by the time the cramps get debilitating my period will have officially started.

Friday at work, just a couple days before my period was expected, the pressure began to build. Noticing that my ovulation and symptoms the last two weeks had been a bit strange, my period coming a couple days early didn’t seem unlikely. It was almost the end of my workday and I had finished my work priorities a bit early, so I headed home in anticipation of my cramps becoming debilitating as they always do.

The pressure continued to build, and by Friday evening, as anticipated, intense cramps had set in. Not quite as debilitating as usual but still awful! I was sure my cycle would start that night. Then Saturday had come and gone. Still was Intensely cramping but my period hadn’t reared its ugly head. “Man, my hormones are so off this month!” I thought to myself. “Surely my period will start Sunday.” I didn’t usually cramp that far in advance to my actual cycle starting, but Sunday was the expected day for it to start, so I Just shrugged it off and took some pain medicine for the cramps.

How I knew I was Pregnant Before my Big Fat Positive

Sunday had come, every time I used the bathroom that day, I was positive I’d look down to see aunt flow finally had come for her monthly visit. But she hadn’t. “Okay, where the hell is she?” I’d been cramping for three days by then. What gives? The answer to all my questions had started to stare me in the face. “Could I be pregnant? I think I might be pregnant!” My partner and I headed to the grocery store that evening to pick up a few groceries before the new work week. I mentioned to him that maybe I should pick up a pregnancy test. My period hadn’t come, and I had started to get a real inkling. He was sure I didn’t need to do that. I hadn’t actually missed my period yet. “It will probably still come,” he told me in a sure voice.

No Period and Feeling Queasy

Monday Morning, I woke up feeling queasy. I sat down for my morning pee and looked down to what I was no longer so shocked to see – no period! On top of no period, I wasn’t feeling well and so I called my boss to let him know I was feeling sick and wouldn’t make it into work. I then text my Partner who was already at work for the day to let him know I stayed home. He told me to feel better but obviously didn’t think anything of it besides it being a possible stomach bug.

Ordering a Pregnancy Test

At home from work, not feeling well, with a plan. I decided to order a pregnancy test using the Door Dash app. I needed to know at that point. Either I was pregnant, which I was pretty sure I was at that point, or something was very wrong with my cycle, and I needed to use the day off of work to see my doctor.

Calling My Mom

Having ordered my Pregnancy test and just waiting for the dasher to drop it off at my door, I decided to call my mom. I gave her the rundown on how I had been feeling and told her “I think I might be pregnant.” She chuckled loudly and told me she really didn’t think so. “I should just wait to see If my period is more than just one day late.” Almost as she said that I got a knock on the door. My Dasher had dropped off my pregnancy test. I told my mom, “Well I’m not waiting to see if my period becomes even later. I already ordered a test, and it was just dropped off.” She laughed in kind of disbelief and thought I was just being silly. I grabbed my test from the doorstep and stayed on the phone with my mom. I told her I would take my test while she’s on the phone with me.

Took a Pregnancy Test

My mom, now on speaker, and my phone sitting on the bathroom counter, I started peeing on the stick. I looked down to aim and the second my pee hit the stick two lines immediately appeared. “It’s positive!” I tell my mom, “Oh my god, It’s positive! There’s two lines already!” She perked up in shock and excitement. I also got excited and, even though at that point I had been pretty sure I was pregnant, I was in shock. The moment was so surreal, and I started to think about my life and the opportunity of being a mother. I filled up with joy. Then the feeling of, is this real? Back to feeling more joy! Then guilt set in, I took a test without my partner present. I wanted to make telling him special.

How I Surprised My Partner

Still feeling queasy, I decided to order some more things using Door Dash from the local buybuy BABY: Strollers, Car Seats, Nursery Furniture & Décor store. I ordered a drinking mug with the words #dadlife printed on the front and a pack of baby swaddle blankets. I then added an order for a gift bag with tissue paper from Walgreens. Once the items were delivered, I strategically placed the positive pregnancy test at the bottom of the bag. The swaddles were placed on top of the test, and then the mug above the swaddles. I added the tissue paper nicely fluffed up on the very top and set the gift bag on the side table next to the bed. I then waited for my partner to arrive home from work.

Telling My Partner I’m Pregnant

I heard the door lock click open. My heart started to beat a little faster. He had returned from work. I was resting in bed when he popped his head into the room and asked me if I was feeling any better and made a joke about me being pregnant. He said, “How’s the baby?” I responded, “Um, good.” and we both kind of laughed as he walked into the bathroom to take a shower. My heartbeat increased as I waited for him to finish his shower. I was still lying in bed when I heard the shower water turn off and he re-entered the room. I told him that I had gotten a present for him and pointed at the gift bag. He took a seat on the bed and grabbed the gift bag.

My Partner Opens The Gift Bag

He pulled back the tissue paper and saw the mug that says #dadlife first. He just had a little chuckle and put the mug to the side. I wondered to myself, “wait, what does he think that’s supposed to mean?” Then making it very clear to me he still had no clue what this gift was supposed to mean, he pulled out the swaddles and said with a very confused look on his face, “why did you get me a bunch of baby stuff?” I told him there’s something else in the bag. He reached into the bag and felt around at the bottom. He finally pulled out the pregnancy test.

My Partners Reaction

He stared at the test for a moment. I watched as the look on his face changed. His face became more serious, and his eyes sweetened. He asked me what it meant. I told him it meant that I’m pregnant. Still looking down at the test I see his eyes well up with tears. He looked up at me with tears running down his face and hugged me tightly. He asked me if this is what I wanted because it’s what he wanted. I told him it’s what I wanted too. We continued to embrace, and I felt my own Eyes welling up a bit. More words were said between us, but I can’t remember exactly what they were because I was overjoyed by the moment. It was one of the happiest moments in my life and I knew that he felt the same. I felt so close to my partner. Then I pulled back and asked, “Wait, what did you think the mug was supposed to mean?” He told me he thought I was making a joke about him being a cat dad to our two cats, and I laughed. I could not have asked for a better reaction to telling my partner I was pregnant. The moment was so uniquely us.

If you liked reading my pregnancy story and how I found out I was pregnant, check out some of my other maternity posts on my blogsite Well-Rounded Woman PNW – Various experiences that can inspire, educate, and be a fun read. I post a lot of tips and personal experiences regarding Pregnancy and maternity if you are trying to conceive, are currently pregnant, or are just interested. More posts about motherhood are coming soon as well! Leave a comment below if you liked this post or enjoy my content.

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