Symptoms To Expect During The First Trimester

Symptoms To Expect During The First Trimester

& Tips To Help Make This Trimester More Comfortable

FATIGUE

During your first two and a half to three months you'll slowly start feeling warn out just by doing the simplest thing like sorting laundry. This is normal and is caused mainly by your body getting use to the concept of taking care of both you and your baby's needs. By the end of the third month your body should be getting use to the concept of taking care of two and your energy should be coming back again.

Personal Tip For Comfort

Until your energy does come back the best thing to do is take it easy. Do what you feel you can handle and when you start wearing out take a break or ask hubby to take over. If possible, and your husband is willing, start taking your husband through your daily home routine. Show him were things go, how you do your laundry and other things that might let him help out around the house. Pregnancy should be a time were you take it easy and have others help but only when they offer or you really need the help. Learning from experience, asking for help too much and too often when you don't need it may leave you with little to no help when you really need it in the future.

Another tip for when you start feeling warn out is don't turn to caffeine or sugar to get that energy burst. When I use to get warn out, needed to get something done and didn't feel like I had enough energy to do it, I'd drink a soda. I ended up learning that was the worse thing to do because even though not too long after you drink the soda you feel more energized, that energy only lasts for a short while and leaves you more warn out than when you first started. Putting your project on hold, asking for help or just taking it easy for a while can be a lot more effective for getting the job done.:)

BREAST CHANGES

Everyone woman is different and every pregnancy is different when it comes to bodily changes and progressions in pregnancy. Some women may notice breast changes the first week of pregnancy and some may not notice breast changes until the second month of pregnancy. Usually with second or more pregnancies you can detect breast changes and many more symptoms earlier because you know what to look for. During the first trimester of pregnancy, if this is your first pregnancy, your breasts are just starting to prepare itself growth wise for when your baby is born. In the first three months, depending on your cup size now, your breasts may grow very little or they may go up a few cup sizes. With my first pregnancy, before I got pregnant I had a small chest and could fit into a size 32b but after I got pregnant I went up to a 34c. As I said before each women are different so you may go up a few cup sizes but don't feel discouraged if you don't grow much at all, you may have the adequate room to store milk already.

If this is your second or more pregnancy, I have found that because your breasts grew enough during the first pregnancy to provide and store milk, may mean that you won't grow much during a second or third pregnancy. As I am writing this I am in my 24th week and my breasts haven't grown much at all, my breasts have just gotten firm. I have found that just because you don't grow doesn't mean you will provide less milk than the first pregnancy, it just means that your breasts are already physically ready to store and provide milk when baby is born.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

Breast tenderness is caused by the growth and/or firming of your breasts. If you find the tenderness to be uncomfortable the best way to cut down the tenderness is to find a breastfeeding bra that feels comfortable to you and gives some room, cup wise, so your breasts don't feel smushed down. If you can't find a breastfeeding bra or they are too pricey, I have heard that sports bras are very comfortable to use during pregnancy and do wonders for the tenderness. Wearing loose fitting shirts also help a lot too.

FREQUENT URINATION

If you didn't have a problem with frequent urination the first month, it should have started the middle of the second. At this time frequent urination is caused by pregnancy hormones in your system and will later in the second trimester be caused by baby laying on your bladder.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

The best way to keep frequent urination from causing a problem with going out of the house is to make absolutely sure you go before you leave or you know exactly were the bathroom is in the place you are going. Also try your best not to drink diuretics while outside of the house such as tea, coffee, and lemonade. Diuretics are basically fluids that seem to go right through your system and make you want to go within a hour after drinking them. Personally I find the first month of pregnancy the best time to remember were the bathroom is in places I go to often. Trust me when you hit the 6th month, baby is laying on your bladder and you feel like you really have to go, being familiar with where the bathroom is in the place that you are at is pretty much a blessing.

Frequent Urination can also be a big problem while you sleep. There is nothing like waking up in the middle of the night with your bladder hurting so bad because it is full and you have to go. The best way to keep your rest from being disrupted many times from full bladder is to drink very little before bedtime. That seems to help a lot:).

VAGINAL DISCHARGE

A few women may notice a light white vaginal discharge that smells a little strange. This is called leukorrhea and quit normal through out pregnancy. As your pregnancy grows the amount of leukorrhea discharged also grows. If you have not experienced this discharge yet, don't worry. Each woman and pregnancy is different. Some women get discharge early and others may not get it until the third or fourth month.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

I've found the best way to live with leukorrhea is keeping the vaginal area clean, wear cotton underwear and to stay away from tight fitting clothes. I find using feminine soaps work best. Some women also prefer to use panty liners as well. Do not use douches or tampons!

YEAST INFECTION

Yeast infections are very common through pregnancy. If you haven't had a yeast infection before, a yeast infection is basically your body over producing yeast in your system. Yeast infections are common with women who aren't pregnant as well. The symptoms are itchy vaginal area including the vaginal lips (the two sides of your vaginal area that grow pubic hair), vaginal burning sensation, soreness, and smelly discharge that kind of resembles cottage cheese.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

If you have any of those symptoms call your doctor and he/she will be able to advise you about how to treat it. Even though over the counter medications such as Monistat are safe to use, its best to call your doctor first.

NAUSEA A.K.A. MORNING SICKNESS

If you haven't experienced nausea during the first three months than consider yourself very lucky. Nausea, a.k.a. morning sickness, is caused by the release of pregnancy hormones into the stomach which causes excess stomach acid, which can often lead to the feeling of wanting to throw up. Morning sickness can also start with the unsettling of nerves (anxiety) with the thought of being pregnant and what is really going on with your body and other stressful thoughts towards pregnancy and the future of being a mother. I have had morning sickness with both my pregnancies and trust me it's the worst part of pregnancy. Usually morning sickness goes away the end of the third to the middle of the fourth month of pregnancy. Believe it or not morning sickness is also something that doesn't just occur in the morning. To be honest I have no idea were the term morning sickness came from. Morning sickness can hit some women in the morning, some in the afternoon and some all day. It can also fluxuate during the week for you.

With my first pregnancy I had severe morning sickness called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Personally I think my morning sickness was started by unsettled nerves and took its course from that. The night I found out I was pregnant I tossed and turned because I couldn't stop thinking about the future and what was going on with my body. I have always had a weak stomach and even after seeing the Miracle Of Birth about four times in high school. Each time I saw it I almost passed out because it was, at the time, a hard concept to grasp. The morning after I found out I was pregnant was when I couldn't even get out of bed without throwing up. The concept that I was pregnant, my fience was still in college a state away and I was going to be a mom scared me. The scientific explanation of what was going in my body grossed me out and both factors are what started my morning sickness along with pregnancy hormones. Unfortunately even after I got use to the idea of being pregnant and what was going on with my body and I felt more comfortable with the idea, my morning sickness was not going away. Sitting up in bed made me throw up and even the thought or smell of food made me throw up. I could hardly even hold down food. Having four months of this is what made is severe especially since I wasn't gaining any weight but from what I was told and what I have read that having to throw up often during morning sickness won't harm your baby's health. The way it works is your baby is feeding off of the nutrients that is already in your body. The food and nutrients that you are taking in is to maintain your body and your health and also replenish only some of the baby's nutrition. Unfortunately going a very long time without the nutrition you need can cause health problems for you and if all your nutrition is gone the baby may not have anything to replenish his/her's. That is why if you find you do have severe morning sickness which is not being able to keep anything down, then you need to notify your doctor. He/she will be able to get you on the right track.

Luckily with my second pregnancy I had a mild form of morning sickness which did make me lose my appetite and feel sick but I didn't throw up which was lucky. It slowly went away day by day until mid third month.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

There are different levels to morning sickness. Some women may have just a mild stomach ache, some may have the constant sensation of wanting to throw up and may not want to eat at all while others can do nothing but throw up. What ever level you may have the best thing to do is relax and take it easy. Stress and doing too much can just make it worse.

There are also so many ways to calm or get ride of the feeling of morning sickness. Some may work for you while others may not. The best thing to do is test and try each method to find what works best for you.

1. Eat saltines, graham crackers maybe with peanut butter, or any other type of bland cracker before sitting up in bed or with the onset of nausea.

2.Eat a piece of plain wheat toast before sitting up in bed.

2. Drink 7up,Sprite, Ginger Ale or some sort of lemon lime soda before sitting up in bed or when you start feeling sick. The lemon lime soda usually helps with acidic and upset stomachs. (worked wonders for me)
3. Drink a hot cup of chamomile, peppermint, or mint tea either before sitting up in bed or when you start feeling sick (worked wonders for me)
4. Take your mornings slow and don't rush. Rushing and feeling stressed makes it worse. After you've eating, take 20 minutes before sitting up in bed so it gives the food time to digest a little.
5. Eat bland foods. Fatty, greasy and spicy foods are big no no's because they can cause a increase in stomach acid which can make morning sickness worse.
6. Take two TUMS (no other antacid because they can be harmful) when you start feeling sick. TUMS cuts down the stomach acid and is highly recommended by OB's. Every time I started feeling sick to my stomach I'd take two and within 20 minutes I'd feel great. I'd highly recommend trying this over all.
7. Eat 6 small meals a day and make sure you eat often. I learned with my first pregnancy that keeping something in my stomach keeps away acid build up and having a empty stomach causes twice as much nausea.
8. Eat more carbohydrates such as plain baked potato, white rice, pasta, cereals and fruits. White rice boiled with chicken broth instead of water tastes great and helps with morning sickness.
9. If you feel you can't keep solids down then try broths, jello or popsicles.

10. If you think of a type of food that really appeals to you, don't think about whether you want to eat it, just eat what appeals to you. I've found that thinking about it too much makes you lose that appeal.

11. Avoid foods with a strong smell if it bothers you.

12. Sucking on hard candy may help some.

13. Some books recommend wearing what are called Sea Bond wrist bands. They are basically elastic bands that go around your wrist. Most use them for sea sickness. You should be able to find them in your local drug store or Walgreens.

14. Minimize stress in your life.

STRONG SMELL & TASTE

Oddly enough a stronger sense of smell and taste are a common part of pregnancy. I have yet to do research to find out why this happens but I can tell you that sometimes having these senses stronger can be a curse during pregnancy.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

If you do end up getting morning sickness. Having a heightened sense of smell and taste can lead to disaster. It's bad enough that the trash has to smell or some food has to smell strong or have a strong taste when you aren't pregnant. When you are pregnant things that normally would have a strong smell or taste may now have a overwhelming smell or taste which may cause nausea if you have morning sickness. The best way to over come this is just to stay away from things you know have a strong smell or overwhelming taste.

EXESSIVE SALIVA

I didn't even notice a problem of excessive saliva during my first pregnancy. With my second, I started noticing during the middle of my second month that I was waking up with a awful taste in my mouth every morning and I'd have drool all over my pillow. The unfortunate thing is this lasts through pregnancy.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

Basically the best thing you can do is drink plenty of water. Keep plenty of water by your bed and if the morning breath gets too bad, brush your teeth as soon as you start getting that awful taste in your mouth.

CONSTIPATION

Constipation can be one of the downsides of pregnancy that can last all through pregnancy. Many women are lucky enough not to have the problem but its normal if you do and not something you should be embarrassed about. At this stage in pregnancy, constipation is usually caused by pregnancy hormones.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

The best way to conquer constipation is to eat plenty of fruit such as prunes, peaches, cherries, raisins, green veggies and high fiber foods. Drink plenty of water and fruit juices and try taking up walking or safe exercising with your doctor's permission. Avoid using laxatives because they can be harmful to your baby.

HEMORROIDS

Hemorrhoids are basically swollen veins around the rectum that are usually caused by constipation. This too can be a downside of pregnancy and last all through pregnancy.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

One of the best ways to prevent hemorrhoids is to prevent constipation. If constipation can not be prevented then the best way to get ride of hemorrhoids is to use Tucks Medicated pads. The witch hazel in the pads helps to sooth, comfort and eventually get ride of the hemorrhoids.

HEARTBURN & INDIGESTION

At this stage in pregnancy its very common to get heartburn and indigestion.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

Stay away from greasy and spicy foods, eat slowly and don't over eat. If it still persists try taking Tums or drink a glass of milk which will help coat your stomach. Do not take any type of medication without calling your doctor first!

FLATULENCE

Flatulence is also another unfortunate side effect of pregnancy. Because baby isn't big enough to press against your stomach or digestive system yet, you may not experience this problem.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

Only helpful tip I can provide is to try and stay away from foods you know cause gas.

HEADACHES

At this stage in pregnancy headaches can be caused by many things. Feeling stressed about the new life ahead of you, sensitivity to temperature change, pregnancy hormones, and even high blood pressure.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

The best way to calm a headache during pregnancy is to take two Tylenol and relax for a while. Never take any other type of pain medication without consulting your doctor.

ACNE

Many of you may or may not experience acne during pregnancy. With my first pregnancy I was lucky and never had the problem but in the first few months of my second pregnancy I experienced a mild form of acne. Acne during pregnancy is also caused by pregnancy hormones and progesterone.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

During pregnancy there really isn't much you can do to get ride of or prevent acne. The best way to prevent or fight it is to keep your face washed with regular soap and water, and to stay away from very oily foods. Never use acne medication or pads to clear this up. Certain chemicals in acne medication have been known to cause miscarriage.

TROUBLE SLEEPING

Usually the first few months of pregnancy a few women may encounter trouble sleeping or insomnia. This is mainly due to nerves, stress, and worrying about what is going on with your body and what is in store for the future.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

If you find you have problems sleeping try drinking a glass of milk before you go to bed, drinking a cup of hot sleepy time tea, taking a relaxing shower, or reading a relaxing book. Never take any type of sleep aid medication!

VIVID DREAMS

Soon after finding out they are pregnant, it is common for most women to experience vivid dreams, especially dreams about the baby and future life. This will most likely continue until the baby is born.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

I have personally found the vivid dreaming to be a plus. I read some were that dreaming about your baby is basically your mind's way of getting you prepared for your new arrival. If you end up having not so pleasant dreams, talk them out with your partner. I've found talking about them usually helps make you feel better and they may end up going away for a long time.

MOODYNESS

Basically when I look at the moodiness of pregnancy, I think of PMS doubled. Mood swings are a side effect of pregnancy hormone levels switching and they can pop up at any time. A lot of women have noticed that when they watch a sentimental commercial they would burst into tears when before pregnancy they wouldn't. I personally can't stand to watch Lifetime's Birth Stories because I burst into tears because I can't wait to see my baby. My husband has also noticed that I get cranky more often and I tend to "bite his head off" when I feel he isn't doing something right. If you find you are crying over things you normally wouldn't cry over or you get aggravated or moody more often than usual or a lot. All I can say is Don't Worry About it, that's just the joys of being pregnant.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

Having mood swings during pregnancy can be a challenge to deal with. Its perfectly normal to all of a sudden feel like bursting into tears over a thought or something you see around you or on t.v. Don't fight it or worry about what others around you may think. You are pregnant and being sensitive is one of the many joys of pregnancy. Trust me after that good cry, you'll feel a lot better:) Keep in mind that you should still treat others the way you wish to be treated. Its ok to have the feeling of wanting to bite your husband's head off for doing something that aggravates you but its not ok to take your anger out on others.

For example: Before I got pregnant I visited some chat rooms and message boards both on yahoo and ivillage.com that pertained to pregnancy. I figured asking a few pregnant women for advice on getting pregnant and kindly asking how they got pregnant would be the best source of information. Basically I would kindly let others know that my husband and I were planning on getting pregnant and would love any advice that would be of some help. You would not believe how quickly I got attacked just for being there and not being pregnant. Being pregnant now, I still can not believe the behavior. The yahoo pregnancy chat room was the worst. Many women had gotten the same idea as I and joined the room to ask any advice on conception and just because we weren't pregnant we were discriminated against, cursed at and they made it a point to get those who weren't pregnant to leave. One poor girl came in because she was scared she was pregnant and needed help. The whole room of 26 pregnant women told her she was a slut and cursed at her in order to get her to leave. Basically what I am saying is even though you have mood swings due to pregnancy, its no excuse to behave like the women in that chat room or message board. If you do feel like your anger is getting the best of you and you need to find some way to let off the steam, try making a cake or cleaning. I've found that beating a cake mix helps relieve a lot of anger as well as cleaning plus you'd be releasing your anger on something constructive which feels good when all the anger is released and you've got something done. :)

The first few months of pregnancy are usually the most confusing and full of many different feelings, some may not be happy. Many women feel overwhelming joy when they find out they are pregnant. It is also common and normal to feel afraid or uncertain about being pregnant and what the future holds.

FEELINGS OF JOY FEAL OR UNCERTAINTY

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

Don't be concerned or worried if you don't feel like
welcoming being pregnant with open arms. Finding out you are pregnant is a big life change and its nothing to rush feeling happy about. Take your feelings one day at a time. Try talking your feelings out with your partner, a close friend or relative.It may take a while but usually by the end of the third month you feel more comfortable with what is going on and gradually you'll feel more and more comfortable as the months go on.

My first pregnancy was not planned and a complete shock to both my husband and I. My husband was still in college a state away and even though we were not married yet we had planned on getting married way before I had gotten pregnant but we hadn't made solid plans at that time. Needless to say I was a nervous wreck for the first four months which caused problems with my morning sickness and my husband was failing school and was getting a ulcer all because he was so worried. As the months went by things got better and better the more we felt comfortable with the situation and by the third trimester we couldn't wait for the baby to be born. With my second pregnancy, even though I am married and things are well.Until I started to show and realize I was really pregnant and wasn't dreaming, I started to get terrified of being pregnant and having another baby. I worried about how my daughter was going to react to a new baby, how I'd take care of a toddler and a new born and many other worries but as my pregnancy has progressed, the worries just seem to melt away the more I felt confident about things.

As I said before, its normal not to feel joy when you find out you are pregnant. Take things one step at a time and one month at a time and I'm sure by the end of the third month you'll be feeling more confident of your pregnancy.

FRUSTRATION BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU AREN'T PREGNANT

I know from experience that there is nothing like being two months to three months into a pregnancy and not even feel like I'm pregnant. Even with my second pregnancy I cried a lot because I was so frustrated being pregnant but not looking or feeling like I was. There is just something special about looking in the mirror and seeing your stomach growing and knowing you have a baby growing inside. Looking pregnant also gives a sense of feeling special.

PERSONAL TIPS FOR COMFORT

The thing that helped me the most with my frustration about not looking or feeling pregnant is reading about pregnancy. I found that reading about what my body was going through made me feel a little bit more pregnant then my mind was telling me.

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