mama's intuition

[astromom10]

I've been reading a lot of responses to the question of "did you know you were pregnant right away (as in within a couple days of conception)?" I read a lot of responses saying "it happened to me" and a lot saying "it's impossible because implantation hasn't happened yet and your body has no way of knowing you're pregnant". First off, my background is in science, and so I know two things: 1) there is no scientifically known way a woman could know she was pregnant before implantation; 2) science doesn't know everything.

That said . . . when we conceived our daughter (now 13 months old), we were actively trying, We had sex every day for the four days leading up to and including my expected ovulation, and I had been tracking my BBT for months and was very regular. I think I was so focused on the science of all of it that I wasn't at all in tune with my body and didn't have a clue until I woke up the morning of my predicted period to find my BBT was still up. I took a test immediately and it was positive, and I was so shocked that I screamed and dropped the test in the sink.

Fast forward to yesterday. A week or so ago my DH and I had decided to stop using any birth control (we had been using a combo of rhythm and condoms), but not TTC just yet. We wanted to "go with the flow" for a while. I vowed to try to not pay attention to my cycle too much so that we wouldn't be thinking about it in deciding when to have sex. The stress of feeling obligated to have sex with our last TTC was not pleasant. But, I had been keeping track of my cycle for the rhythm method, and knew yesterday that I should be ovulating soon. That afternoon I got a little discharge (clear) which is rare for me since having my daughter, and I immediately thought of the changes in cervical mucous that happen at ovulation. Later that evening I got a little cramping on my lower right side. I also just felt "ripe". I truly believed that if we had sex that night, I would get pregnant. But I didn't want to have sex just because of that, so I said nothing to DH about any of this and didn't initiate anything. As it turned out, the mood struck him, and I went along with it happily, without a word spoken. This is not a usual occurrence. My husband doesn't have a very strong libido so we don't have sex that often, and I'm usually nervous about sex after we go to bed because our daughter's crib is in the same room and I'm afraid we'll wake her. But it happened. It made me think about pheromones and how men can be aroused by the scent of women when they're fertile, and I immediately felt something special and inexplicable. I woke up a few hours later and felt it even stronger. And all day today, just stronger and stronger. I also feel like it's a boy. Haven't said anything to DH about any of this, but he'll be home any minute and I'm going to tell him.

Now, I know that forums like this can get lots of women saying "I knew and I turned out to be right", but most that think they know and turn out to be wrong won't post, so there is bias. So, for my contribution, I promise to update this thread with what happens in the next couple weeks (and, if I am pregnant, in the next few months to report on the gender).

Stay tuned . . .

[amberskyfire]

Good luck! I think you are right. :) With my first two pregnancies (there have been 5) I just *knew* before the next day and I was totally right. After the first one, I realized that I'm a bit abnormal in that I can actually physically feel my pregnancies as soon as they begin to implant. Every doctor/midwife I've talked to says that you don't have nerves in your uterus, so you can't feel it, but I must be some kind of mutant creature, because I totally can. :) It's weird, but some mamas have their special way of knowing sometimes.

I hope your gut feeling is right!

[cameragirl]

I knew all three times several days before I missed a period. I felt like I had indigestion/heartburn, I got gassy, my boobs felt tender, etc.

[Vermillion]

I "knew" I was pregnant before testing with all 3 of my pregnancies. Never really had any early physical symptoms but just felt different somehow.

With my son, I was having a lot of irregular bleeding from coming off of depo. I ended up in the hospital for severe pain and the bleeding, they did pregnancy test (negative) and u/s and told me I had a cyst... I followed up with my doctor right away for the bleeding, and they were talking about testing me for endometriosis, fibroids, etc but I told them I thought I was pregnant and wanted to make sure of that before I did anything. They tested my urine, said it was negative and wanted to move ahead with tests. I just "knew" I was pregnant though so I asked them to test my blood! They said they very much doubted I was pregnant because of the negatives at the hospital and with them, but I insisted, and they called me back the very next day to tell me my blood test was positive!

With my last pregnancy, we were trying and before af was due, again I just felt different... + at like 9dpo!

With this current baby, we dealt with nfertility for 2+ years and I began getting treatment for that (meds for high prolaction) I didn't really think it was going to do much of anything... We were actually TTA at that time, waiting until after summer to actively try again... and well, we had 1 single oops moment one night. I was in denial about the possibility of being pregnant... though cautiously hopeful because I felt like something might be going on, just didn't want to get my hopes up because of our history. I had  summer plans that weren't pregnancy friendly so I kept joking "watch, that one oops probably got me pregnant!" Well, I was right! Best surprise ever!

Anyway, sorry for the novel! But I totally believe women "just know" sometimes. I think it could be wishful thinking in some cases, but lots of times it's for real!

Good luck!!!

[erigeron]

Subbing... I want to see how this one turns out!

I had no intuition whatsoever. I had implantation bleeding that I mistook for a period, and was over a week into what I thought was a new cycle before I started thinking, hmm, my BBT sure has been wonky, I wonder if something is up? Sure enough, I was pregnant. And I was so sure the baby would be a boy, to the point where I wasn't going to 100% believe the u/s until she was born, but nope, she's a girl. My mom also thought this baby would be a boy--so much for two generations of mama's intuition.

My mom said she did "have a feeling" the night I was conceived.

[Mulvah]

I will watch this thread to see if you get your BFP. 

Edited by Mulvah - 10/16/11 at 5:51pm

[erigeron]

OP, any news?

[1love4ever]

I knew within a week of conception.  It was not a strong I KNOW IT thing, but just a sort of feeling I guess, like "I bet I am pregnant", and I would smile and think that to myself.  After awhile I told DH "I bet you I am pregnant"   He asked what made me think that because I had not missed my period and was I having any other symptoms.  I was not, and I told him I didnt know why I felt that way, but I just think I am.  He just laughed and said he doubted it!  Lol.  Each day the feeling got stronger, and around the time my next period was due, I took a test and it was positive.  I was not shocked as I had been thinking I was pregnant the whole time, but it was great to have that confirmation:)

With my first pregnancy I did not know til I missed my period, but I was not near as in tune with my body as I am now:)