Ever get the feeling that the body is screaming that it wants to have a baby? That it's ready for a baby? Maybe even that it needs to have a baby? Sometimes this sensation or urge seems to be more than an emotional affiliation. For some, it can seem like it is completely out of our hands and that we have no control over the matter.

It has been widely debated whether or not humans are capable of having a biological urge to procreate. Many sources say no way, and that all of these desires come from a deeply engrained social influence. But, some women defend their stance, noticing a biological urge to get pregnant even though they previously felt that they emotionally or mentally did not want children. Quite a few women also report having a change of heart, sometimes associating it with the feeling that timing wasn’t right before.

Whatever it is, the science doesn’t lie, and if you pay close enough attention, you too, might see the ways that your body is trying to hint that it’s baby-time. Mostly, the associations are indeed biological and hormonal. They are often clues, hints, and signals from your body that happen near the time when you ovulate.

This is in actuality the time when a woman´s body physically preps for conception with the release of an egg and hopes of fertilization and then implantation. Your body is quite literally telling you, “The time is now!"

15 Increased Sense Of Smell

Being overly sensitive to even the most innocent smell, is widely known as a trait of early pregnancy. But, did you know that you are more in tune to scents when you are ovulating, too? And it’s not just manly, musky smells that get our attention. It’s everything we encounter. For example, scents that you encounter every day might suddenly seem much stronger than they were yesterday. Or, you might catch a wiff of something you never noticed before, but logically realize has been there all along. Theory has it, that this happens to help us better select the best mate as well as environment. It is as animalistic as it sounds, and it could be a way for women to see past a visually appealing man that doesn’t pass the scent test. If he doesn’t smell good to you, there could be some reason why he isn’t a great reproductive match. Same goes for home and hearth, cleanliness and nutrition. It could be true that you are repulsed by things that wouldn’t promote your fertility.

14 Healthy Discharge

There is no easy way to put it, but what is going on down there, can you give you some huge clues to what is happening in your body reproductively. If you are thinking about having a baby, many gynecologists will recommend that you start paying closer attention to your vaginal discharge. The body secretes varying kinds of mucus, which you may or may not have noticed previously. When your body is at the optimal time for pregnancy, this is best way to naturally find the evidence. As you near the perfect conception date, your body produces more estrogen and in turn, a different kind of discharge. It might make you squeamish at first, but you’ll just have to start inspecting it, if you are serious about timing your efforts right. Fertility experts say that your best chances of getting pregnant are when you notice clear, stretchy, egg-white type cervical mucus discharge. This is a tell-tale sign of ovulation.

13 Feeling Pretty 

The story goes, that women who are ovulating, or about to release an egg for hopeful fertilization, tend to experience a surge in confidence. Women subconsciously have a desire to dress up a little bit or to show more skin during the days prior to and during egg release. In the most animalistic of ways, it is a subliminal message from the brain…er..hormones, that it’s time to secure a mate. Apparently, it’s rather effective too, as research has shown that men are naturally more attracted to women who are indeed ovulating. While men can’t exactly explain their reasoning, they tend to say that women who are ovulation just look prettier. So, whether you are feeling a little extra sexy, or suddenly get a little extra attention from your honey, there is more to it than you think. This could be at time when your body is giving you biological and social clues that are worth noting if you are thinking of starting a family.

12 Changes In Saliva

You might not really be in the habit of playing with your spit, but there is some really interesting science behind it. When our bodies are preparing for pregnancy, like during ovulation, there is a tiny window of time when our spit can develop something called a ferning pattern. Think of it like the patterns that frost makes on a smooth surface in the winter time. In the 24-48 hours prior to ovulation, our spit does something of a magic trick that isn’t seen at any other time. Lately, the concept has been picked up by the fertility world and is actually trending as a method of ovulation testing. The tests are cheaper than many other methods of ovulation screening, but many women report that they can’t notice the unique pattern or that they can’t attribute it to a narrow enough time period. Also, it can be difficult to find guidance from medical workers that are well versed in the method.

11 Breast Tenderness

Another clue to biological pregnancy readiness may be the sudden discomfort of your bra. Women commonly report breast discomfort, tenderness, and heaviness during the best times for preconception. Although less common, some women even say that their nipples can become overly sensitive and easily irritated as well. This happens as a result of hormonal fluctuations that are surging through the body. These symptoms can be pretty confusing, as similar complaints are noted with PMS and early pregnancy, too. Experts say that even though the feelings might seem the same, each phase has subtle differences. During ovulation, the breasts will be the most sensitive on the sides in combination with a sensation of extra heaviness and will not undergo any color changes. Ovulation related breast tenderness usually occurs close to the halfway point of your cycle, between the end of your last period and before the onset of your next.

10 Slightly Elevated Body Temperature

It’s pretty unlikely that you would even notice the slight rise in temperature that your body goes through during the phase of your reproductive cycle that releases an egg. But, if you happen to check your temperature because you aren’t feeling well, for a routine checkup, or even in an effort to monitor your fertility, you would notice an increase in basal body temperature at the time of ovulation. There is a small rise that occurs for just 3 days during your cycle. It is pretty hard to intentionally identify from a single measurement, but if compared to your body temperatures variances over a few months, it could be effective in predicting ovulation. The change will be small, just .4 -1.0 degree higher and must be noted first thing in the morning, when you are not experiencing a fever related to illness or infection. And it might not count if you just get one higher than average reading. Ovulation temperatures rise and stay elevated for three days in most women.

9 Feeling Frisky

When your body is at the optimal time in your cycle to conceive; you may very well be “in the mood” if you know what we mean. Some women might actually feel the sensation of being wet, on the vagina or through discharge noted on the underwear. But, it does go a little beyond that. Apparently, women who are prepped for pregnancy, will not only feel a little extra frisky, but they will have subliminal incentive to do something about it. There are hormones that are actually responsible for this, called LH levels that are related to ovulation. While humans are the only mammal known to have intercourse for pleasure outside of the need to procreate, studies show that women are most likely to have sex when they are ovulating. It just goes to show that the body gives off clues, relatively out of our control, to promote the occurrence of a confirmed pregnancy.

8 Period Is Very Regular

If you can predict almost to the date, when your period should arrive, and it actually does so every month, this is very good news for you! It a great sign of the reliable release of your egg occurring on a specific and accurate cycle. This makes it much easier to predict the ideal time for conception. Plus, if it just so happens that you get a little queasy right before your period starts, this time of nausea indicates that you are extra fertile. The hormones that cause this tummy trouble are the same ones responsible for morning sickness in pregnant women. So, it’s true that if you have a very regular period initiated by stomach upset; your body might be very ready for a baby. Once you become familiar with your period and cycle length, you can also learn to estimate your ovulation days from there.

7 At A Healthy Weight

While it is true that women of any weight can get pregnant, it is proven that those who fall into the healthy weight category usually have a much easier time of it. Not being either over or underweight means that you probably have a healthy starting point for conception. By medical standards, being a healthy weight means falling into a certain BMI range, rather than a specific number on the scale. The most ideal BMI for pregnancy is one that is the normal range of 18.5-24.9. Even being slightly overweight can have an impact on your menstrual cycle and hormone fluctuations. Sometimes this can make planning for a pregnancy more difficult. Experts say that if you are overweight, losing some pounds can better prepare your body to conceive. The same goes for being underweight, and gaining a few pounds towards health goals can prove beneficial, too.

6 Mid-Cycle Spotting

Many of us associate any type of spotting at times other than our period, as a bad thing. We tend to see it as an irregularity or a sign that something is wrong. But, those assumptions are not necessarily true at all. It might be surprising to learn that seeing a little blood half way between your periods can be a good thing. A very good thing, in fact, for some women it can be a sign of high fertility and a clue that you are ovulating RIGHT NOW! You might even feel bloating and some cramp-like pains on one side that could be confirmation of an egg being released. The way it goes, is that for some women and possibly even for extra-fertile women, it is normal for a bit of spotting to occur when the egg is released and bursts through the follicle. If this sounds like you, nature could be offering the upper hand in dishing out pre-conception clues.

5 Baby Bliss

Some women can experience a sudden, uncontrollable urge to…well, love babies. For some women, the love for little ones begins in childhood. But, for others that is not really the case. It can sneak up on the most unsuspecting of independent, free thinking, career minded women…and on anyone for that matter. All of sudden, you can’t help but stop and coo at the baby in the checkout line. You want to inspect the tiny little shoes in the baby aisle. And then it begins, and to start to wonder What if? What if we had a baby?! There is great debate over whether there is a true biological urge, or if it is mostly a social one, but some women swear by it! They have no control over their brain and they suddenly feel a strong, overwhelming urge to make a baby. Whether by instinct or by inner craving, an affinity for all things baby might be a sign that are “ready” for baby #1….or 2, or 3, and so on!

4 A Love For Scruff

Women who are fertile, show a strong preference for extra manly traits. Studies have actually proven that it’s true, that when we want to conceive, many of us find a greater affection for strong jaw lines, facial hair, muscular bodies, alpha behaviors, and deep voices. Any or all of these traits could be subliminal signals to the overall health of a man, and even in his ability to reproduce, or simply of his likelihood to take care of his brood. Some studies have shown that men themselves can have social reactions to each other related to this stuff, during the time when their wives are ovulating. Apparently, men tend to feel more jealousy towards other men in the presence of their baby-prepping partners. Especially so when the man of choice feels threatened by another man with more prominent, masculine features. This comes back again to a nature type of thing, where the male side of the reproductive chain feels the need to keep his mate from being taken by another alpha

3 Rosy Cheeks

Did you know that when nearing ovulation, the skin of women tends to pink-en up a bit? It’s a tiny little signal that gives you a romantic glow, possible to entice your partner to come closer. Apparently, the human eye can’t actually identify it, but you might still gain some benefits for your rosy aura. The extra touch of pink can make you look more approachable, softer, more lovable, even happier. It is considered a romantic color after all. The cause is not definitively known, but could be due to a slight increase in body temperature that happens mid-cycle, before the egg is released for fertilization. Think of it as a “Look at ME!” type of gesture that lets the opposite sex know you are nearing the most fertile days of your cycle. So, if you noticed that you didn’t really need your favorite blush this morning, it just might be a subtle clue from your body that mating time is near.

2 Dogs Like You A LOT!

Well, this might sound a bit offbeat, but once you think about it, you just might recall a time or two when you were sniffed up by a dog. It’s not really surprising since we already know that dogs tend to catch and the follow the scent of almost anything. While it would seem obvious to assume they follow the scent of blood, it’s actually something else that they notice the most. Certain dogs have an uncanny ability to smell it when women are ovulating. In fact, dogs are so sensitive to us, that is has actually been proven that they can smell ovarian cancer very early in the stage. While, it can be rather embarrassing, if a certain dog seems to beeline right for your inner legs, they might be telling you something you didn’t already know! They are just passing on the message…”Hey! You are ovulating!

1 Emotional Surges

Some women become a little, or a lot extra sensitive at a time outside of the allotted days for PMS. After you become aware of it, you may notice it as well. Midway through the cycle, women get a rush of hormones as the body preps to release an egg and possibly accept fertilization. In the time period women can have an uncontrollable urge to stand out, rise to the top, and get noticed. It is not intentional, but it could be engrained. It is a physiological response of her body, to be chosen by the best possible mate. It’s not surprising that many women feel extra confident in themselves and their choices at this time, as they feel the need to push them self to the top and get noticed. This is a result of high levels of estrogen that surface near ovulation that can make a woman act even more out of character than she might with PMS.

Sources: The Bump, MotherAndBaby, Parents, JustMommies.com, LiveScience, Bustle, VeryWell.com, American Pregnancy, Baby Center, Daily Mail