Pregnancy brings a lot of big changes to your body. You can’t mistake what the “pregnant” feeling is like, but every woman recognizes it. Your body is now working hard to build a whole new separate person.
Some of these significant changes to your body begin in the first trimester. You may feel only minor changes or may have significant symptoms. Dr. Alan Patterson explains more about what to expect when you’re pregnant.
When you’re pregnant, your body is trying to accommodate the fact that you now have a separate person growing inside your uterus.
One of these changes is that your blood volume increases. As a result, you may have to urinate more often, even in the first trimester (even though the baby is still tiny at this point). Your kidneys have to filter out all the extra fluid in your body.
You may not look much different yet in the first trimester. In fact, many moms-to-be may wait until the end of the first trimester to announce their pregnancies. The first trimester lasts until the 13th week of pregnancy.
Even though you may not look different yet, you’ll almost definitely feel different. Some of the most common symptoms experienced in the first trimester include the following:
You may notice that your breasts feel swollen and tender. They likely “feel” bigger, even if they don’t look it yet. These changes are due to increased hormones and the tenderness should go away within a couple of weeks.
If you notice that several of your meals lately give you heartburn, it’s not necessarily because of what you ate (although certain foods, such as acidic or spicy, may worsen it). Eat small, frequent meals to minimize this discomfort.
If you’re frequently nauseous or are even vomiting, this is an unfortunately common problem for many women in their pregnancy. This is often called “morning sickness,” as it worsens in the morning. It generally goes away by the end of the first trimester. But there is no reason to suffer, as Dr Patterson can escribe SAFE meds to help make your nausea and vomiting less severe, or disappear.
You may notice that your moods easily change when you’re pregnant. You may cry at a sappy TV shot or feel easily irritated. This is also because of your hormones.
However, you can work to manage your moods and feelings. Try journaling, yoga, meditation, or prayer. Sometimes, you may need prescription medicine, if none or these non-medical things do not work.
You may also feel fatigue or frequent tiredness. There’s a good reason why your body feels that it needs more rest: it’s working hard right now! Dr Patterson checks the appropriate standard of care prenatal labs, but sometimes your fatigue can be from a low hemoglobin, or hypothyroidism, 2 labs that Dr Patterson checks in all of his pregnant patients, and will treat if necessary!
Allow yourself to take a brief nap in the afternoon if you’re feeling the need or go to bed early; it’s okay!
Maybe your favorite pre-pregnancy meal now sounds disgusting, or the smell of someone at work microwaving popcorn makes you feel nauseous. This is often a joke about pregnancy in our culture–the old “pickles and ice cream” stereotype exists for a reason — but it’s real.
Try to roll with it as best as you can. You may like the food once again when your pregnancy’s over, but some food aversions remain.
If you’re in the first trimester of pregnancy, it’s a good time to begin your prenatal care. Contact Dr. Alan Patterson in Coral Springs, Fl. by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.
