The Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters we will go through them all here.
The first trimester is described by many as being one of the hardest. Even though you will still be at the beginning of your pregnancy, and there is hardly any sign on your body to show others that you are pregnant, there are various changes taking place.
Besides the various side effects, which we shall be discussing in more detail hereunder, there will also be the whole notion that you are going to be a mum!
There is a tiny baby growing within you! Within a few months, you will have so much more to do as a newborn baby certainly puts a considerable demand on your time. Your life is going to change, and if this is your first time, you probably feel overwhelmed with thoughts, considerations and a lot of emotions.
It is important to embrace all this and to encourage yourself to live the moment. It could well be a once in a lifetime experience, and you cannot have yourself worrying too much or feeling down as a result of the side effects which you might start to experience.
Rather, you should feel overjoyed as there is no experience as fulfilling as becoming a mother! I am sure that all the mums out there will agree with this! It certainly helps to start your check-ups and to keep an eye on what you eat immediately. Vitamins will most likely be prescribed, and your gynecologist will be able to give you any tips and rules which you will need to follow.
The first trimester is the first part of your pregnancy journey, and your body will start to adapt itself to the fetus. Therefore, your body will start to react in certain ways. Although these effects are not experienced by all pregnant women, there is a tendency that you may experience one or more of these symptoms, and they may make your life a bit more difficult while they last.
- The need to urinate more often – the urge to visit the bathroom more often is a common symptom. The reason for this is that due to the considerable hormonal changes taking place within you, there will be an increase in the blood flow to the kidneys and as this happens more quickly than it usually did, your bladder will fill up more easily, leading to the need to urinate much more often. The uterus will also start growing bigger, and this will exert more pressure on the bladder. This symptom affects pregnant women who feel the discomfort of a full bladder, and there will be times when you cannot find a bathroom readily. It is important to still drink plenty of water, even if you may be inclined not to do so. You might run the risk of dehydration and urinary tract infections otherwise. The best remedies to this symptom include, not drinking coffee or drinks that contain caffeine, and to lean forward while peeing so as to help to empty the bladder better.
- Constipation – this is another problem which may make your pregnancy more uncomfortable. This occurs as a result of the higher level of progesterone and iron. As you may know, you will need more iron in your diet when you are pregnant. This is often included in prenatal vitamins and any supplements which your doctor may have asked you to start taking. You have to take these of course, but you should try to make up for their effects relating to constipation by increasing the fiber that you take from the food you eat. If the constipation is severe and making you really uncomfortable, your doctor can prescribe a suitable laxative to help alleviate the problem.
- Morning sickness and nausea – possibly the worst symptom many pregnant women get to experience during the first trimester! The dilemma is that you would like to eat properly so as to retain your strength and have a healthy diet, but you just cannot seem to smell or touch food without having to go to the bathroom. Nausea and vomiting are dreadful symptoms, and they do end up making your life difficult. Some women do not experience this symptom, whereas others only feel mild nausea. But then there are those who vomit throughout the day, and not only in the morning. This symptom results from the hormonal changes and the only way to make it slightly better is to get into the habit of eating little snacks or meals often and trying to stick to high protein foods. Some of the best foods include crackers, pretzels, toast, fruit, and cereals. Make sure to stay away from fatty or spicy foods. Ginger tea or peppermint tea are said to help in alleviating nausea. Anti-nausea medications may need to be prescribed as a last resort, so make sure to discuss this with your doctor.
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Heartburn – smaller meals and snacks throughout the day are already advised to reduce morning sickness, and they also help those pregnant women who may start to experience heartburn. This is a relatively common symptom and it can be quite uncomfortable. Foods that are spicy, fatty or greasy need to be avoided. A glass of milk is said to help and avoid lying down soon after eating. Your doctor may decide to prescribe certain medications if the heartburn problem is too hard to deal with.
- Feeling tired and sleepy – you may not have gotten used to the fact that you are pregnant, but your body will start to react immediately as it needs to support the baby as well as prepare for the upcoming labor. All of this may easily lead to more fatigue, and the urge to sleep. This may conflict with your routine, and make you feel irritated and stressed out. Try to remember that now your priority should be this tiny baby within you, and even though it may totally change your routine, you just have to adapt accordingly so as to make your life easier. Try doing away with certain tasks which may be too tiresome, and make it a point to get one or more naps during the day, or more sleep at night, so as to cope and feel less tired. Proper sleeping will affect your mood and this will, in turn, affect how you feel. You need to make your pregnancy less stressful and more comfortable. So do make it a point to get enough rest.
- Discharge – you might notice that you will have some whitish discharge during the first trimester. This is quite common, and to make your life easier it is best to wear panty liners. In case there is any substantial bleeding, or if the discharge seems to be yellowish or slightly foul smelling, it is recommended to consult the doctor.
- Breasts feel sore and tenderer – your breasts will start to change early in the first trimester so as to prepare for breastfeeding. You may feel rather uncomfortable in this area, and some women experience some pain too. It is a good idea to invest immediately in maternity bras which will fit you better and offer you more support.
Experiencing these symptoms may make your life more difficult. However, you need to understand and bear in mind that they are mostly normal symptoms which cannot be avoided as your body is experiencing hormonal and other changes. These are natural changes that have to take place to continue your pregnancy. However, you can control these symptoms to a certain extent, or learn to cope with them or alleviate them, as we discussed above. Nowadays there are also various products which are intended to help you have a more comfortable pregnancy, such as bras and underwear for improved comfort and support, body pillows for better and more comfortable sleeping, and certain medications which are safe and, most importantly, prescribed by a doctor to alleviate certain symptoms. The key is to ensure that you embrace your pregnancy and whatever it brings your way and this can be done by learning to accept and adapt to certain symptoms with the help of your doctor’s advice and any safe products which you could buy. Besides, once the first thirteen weeks pass, most of the symptoms will simply diminish or stop.
We hope that these tips have helped you a bit in getting used to the idea of being pregnant, coping with body changes, and making your life easier.
Please comment under I would love to hear about your experiences so far during your pregnancy and if you have other information to add that can help others.
Here you can read what to expect in the 2nd trimester, and here in the 3rd trimester
Other interesting readings How to have a comfortable pregnancy