6 Weird Signs You Should Take A Pregnancy Test

Missed periods, morning sickness, and breast soreness are the typical signs of pregnancy. But what if you don't have any of those and instead didn't notice some of the weird signs you should take a pregnancy test? It happens. Spotting or implantation bleeding could fool you into thinking you had your period. Not all women have morning sickness. And stress, period changes, and workouts could explain away exhaustion and breast tenderness.

Pregnancy takes your body hostage, and there's really no way to tell how you'll respond to the rapid and significant changes until they happen to you. I mean, there are a bunch of seasons of that show about women who didn't know they were pregnant until they sneezed out their babies in fast food bathrooms. And while that seems ridiculous, it's totally legit. I promise.

If you have any changes to your body's status quo, well... not to be the bearer of terrifying (or wonderful) news, but you may want to stop at the drug store just to make sure you're not crafting a tiny progeny under your leggings. Your pregnancy options decrease the longer you wait. And if you want to take on parenting, you and your baby will need proper nutrition and prenatal care.

As a Planned Parenthood clinic manager with a Responsible Sexuality Educator certificate, I've seen it all, and I'm here to talk you through everything. And don't freak out — I don't tell you these things to scare you, but to empower you to take charge of your body and your future.

1. None Of Your Heels Fit

Your body takes on massive amounts of fluid during pregnancy, and some of that fluid shifts into the tissues in your hands and feet. So even if you don't feel belly bloat, you could be wondering why you suddenly need crisco to get your rings and boots on.

2. You Have Really Strange Dreams

Not only are you dreaming about selling your parent's organs (every single night), but you're wearing an alien costume to your job as a elephant sweater knitter and you can't shake the dream all day because it was so real. It could be that your pregnancy is causing you to wake up at multiple times in the night at the critical point in your sleep cycles where dream recall is strongest.

3. You're Super Snotty

You're not sick, but you sneeze and blow your nose all the time, and it won't seem to go away. This is called rhinitis of pregnancy and as many of 30 percent of women have this pregnancy symptom.

4. Your Mouth Tastes Like Metal

Do you feel like you've been making out with a lamp post or sucking on a penny no matter how many times you brush your teeth or pop a mint? This is called dysgeusia and it happens when there's an abnormal shift in estrogen production.

5. You Hate Everything Green

Like, when you see your mom in that green sweater, you literally feel like you're going to vomit in the trash can. Or maybe the color orange makes you irrationally angry. This is something a lot of women experience in the early stages of pregnancy.

6. You Can't Stop Drooling

And I don't mean drooling at your dream shoes or super hunky mail carrier. I mean literally drooling, as in, your mouth will not stop making truckloads of saliva.

7. Your Pets Are Acting Weird

Pets, especially dogs, can sense things humans can't, so it's likely they know you're pregnant before you are, according to animal behaviorist Nikole Gipps in an article for Baby Center. If your pets are super protective, needy, or distant all of a sudden, they could be reacting to your growing womb. Or they could need veterinary care. Either way, it's not something you should ignore.

You don't really need to run to your closet and try on all your shoes or marathon cuddle your cat for fear that you might be pregnant. But if there's a chance, just take the test and get it over with. No matter what happens, you have options.

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