So I just took a test last night at 7pm after not having peed for four hours, and it was positive. 😊I know I always wondered what women's symptoms were before I got pregnant, so in case anyone is interested I'll share mine. But first I have to say, I really didn't feel any different than any other month up until the night before my expected period. Then I suddenly had horrible insomnia and gas pain. I couldn't fall asleep until midnight, and then I literally only slept for four hours.

Actually, I just remembered, the biggest pregnancy symptom was increased heart rate on the day of my expected period. My normal heart rate is about 63 bpm, but it suddenly jumped to 83+bpm. So I recommend a fitness tracker to watch your heart rate.

1. Acne (but that's typical PMS for me)

2. Sore boobs (again, typical PMS). The thing I noticed, though, the morning of my expected period was that they seemed wider on the sides, not just fuller like during normal PMS. The areolas didn't darken, and I didn't get bumps on them.

3. Lack of appetite for a few days before. I also felt constipated, but the morning of my expected period I got the normal big clear (you know what I'm talking about 💩), so I thought for sure my period would start.

4. At 12 DPO I woke up because I had a dream where I was spinning, which made me feel a little dizzy and nauseated when I awoke. But once I got up and brushed my teeth, I felt fine.

5. I didn't have any PMS cramps. I also didn't have cramping after sex for the couple days before my expected period, like I usually do. That was a little interesting to me.

6. I actually didn't have much discharge, which was unusual for me because I usually have a lot of creamy or watery discharge before my period. It was sticky and dry this month.

7. I kept checking my cervix a few days before, because usually it is really easy to reach and hard. At first I was sure my period was coming because it was low and hard. But it changed a lot (between hard and soft), although overall I think it was harder to reach. I don't think checking the cervix is very useful though.

So, in conclusion, it's really frustrating but it really is true: the only reliable pregnancy symptom is a missed period. I felt less "pregnant" this cycle than I did during so many other cycles when I wasn't pregnant.