The signals your body sends when you're in the early stages of pregnancy.

The movies may make the signs look painfully obvious (a day count of your diary, a moody outburst at your boss), but in reality, there are lots of ways to know whether or not you’re in the early stages of pregnancy, and they’re rarely that cliched.

If you’re trying for a baby or concerned you might be pregnant, these are six signs to look out for.

Tender breasts

Tender, swollen breasts, like the days before a period, can often be a sign of pregnancy. At around two weeks after conception, hormones can make the breasts swollen, tingly or even sore. They also might feel fuller and heavier, and an early sign that there’s now a baby on board.

Fatigue

There are lots of elements that might contribute to feelings of fatigue during the earliest stages of pregnancy. Low blood pressure; high levels of the hormone progesterone; low blood sugar; and increased blood production might all contribute to feelings of tiredness.

These symptoms can also lead to an increased risk of fainting, so take extra care if you're feeling this way.

Morning sickness

Nausea, sometimes vomiting-inducing, can occur as soon as two weeks after conception. It's thought to be due to rapidly rising levels of reproductive hormones, which cause the stomach to empty more slowly.

Some doctors consider nausea in the early stages to be a positive sign, as it suggests the placenta is developing well. Most people, though, find it pretty bloody awful, and who can blame them?

Listen: Bec Judd talks about her pregnancies on Mamamia's new podcast, Hello, Bump. Post continues... 

Food aversion

Pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell, which means the smell of coffee or cooking or cigarette smoke might become unbearable. This also affects taste, and it's common when pregnant to find certain foods repulsive in the early stages of pregnancy.

So if the smell of that first coffee of the morning no longer gets you out of bed, it might be time to take a test.

Constipation

As mentioned previously, food moves more slowly through the digestive system when a woman is pregnant. And while it's due to the very important hormone changes currently underway, it can also lead to to constipation. (Post continues after gallery.)

Spotting and cramping

For some women, a phenomenon known as "implantation bleeding" can occur when the fertilised egg attaches to the wall of the uterus.

This is commonly 12-14 days after conception, and the blood is lighter in colour and consistency than period blood, usually similar to spotting. It doesn't last as long as a regular period, but cramping is also common in the early stages of pregnancy, particularly if you are experiencing implantation bleeding.

These more-subtle early signs of pregnancy are also followed by the most obvious indicator: a missed period and a positive at-home test. And while all of these indicators can also relate to other changes in the body, they are a good indicator that something is happening, so keep an eye out and see your doctor.