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Early signs of pregnancy can be hard to detect. They're easy to confuse with symptoms of other things like fatigue or illness. It's best to recognize all of the early signs of pregnancy and understand that on their own they may not mean anything in particular but together there's a good chance they might mean a baby.

One of the most expected early signs of pregnancy is missing a period but beware that even that is not entirely reliable. You can bleed lightly during pregnancy and confuse this with the beginning of your period. It's possible to have bleeding during a normal pregnancy due to blood clots but if you're bleeding and get a positive pregnancy test result check with your doctor immediately to make sure everything's okay.

Another of the early signs of pregnancy is sensitive breasts. This can be puzzling because breasts get sensitive right before your period as well, but it's often stronger with pregnancy. If the water from the shower landing on your boobs actually stings, you might want to consider a pregnancy test.

One of the early signs of pregnancy that some people may not be aware of is a changed sense of smell. Unfortunately, this is mostly a negative reaction. Things that smelled good to you previously may suddenly be nauseating, and things that used to smell bad may be unbearable. If you walk into a grocery store and just going near the meat counter makes you want to faint, chances are good that you're pregnant.

Similarly, a changed sense of taste is one of the early signs of pregnancy as well. Something you formerly found delightful like your favorite cookie can suddenly taste metallic, bitter or just plain off. If food is tasting bizarre to you it may be worth a trip to the drugstore to get a pregnancy test.

Changes in appetite can be early signs of pregnancy, whether it's your appetite increasing or decreasing. Some people start feeling very hungry at the beginning of their first trimester while others lose their appetite entirely.

Another event that can be one of the early signs of pregnancy is being overly emotional. If Hallmark commercials are suddenly making you teary when you laughed at them before, or a sharp word from your spouse that normally you'd shrug off sends you into a tailspin, pregnancy may be the cause.

Other early signs of pregnancy include changes to your skin and hair. Pregnancy hormones may change your complexion for the better or the worse, and for some reason hair often appears shinier and thicker during pregnancy. Some people believe this is due to prenatal vitamins, but others think it's the pregnancy hormones again. At any rate, it's normal for your appearance to change slightly when you're pregnant.

Thanks to modern technology, early signs of pregnancy that lead you to wonder if you're having a baby can be confirmed almost immediately by over the counter pregnancy tests. Follow the directions carefully and good luck!