What Symptoms to Expect the First Trimester of Pregnancy
What the First Trimester of Pregnancy Feels Like
Congratulations on finding out you’re pregnant! Whether this is your first or 3rd pregnancy (some of us space our kids out quite a bit and you kind of forget) there’s a good chance you want to know what to expect these first 12 weeks, known as the first trimester of pregnancy.
There are a lot of wacky symptoms and changes that your body will begin going through immediately and you might not feel like yourself.
Learn what symptoms to expect to feel within the next few weeks now that you are pregnant.
Not Everyone Feels the Same in the First Trimester
While the huge shift in hormones that you experience from the moment you become pregnant for about the next year usually has the same general side effects, every single woman and every subsequent pregnancy is very different.
Personally, I’m on my third pregnancy now and not one has been like the other! For example, we all dread morning sickness. And while it is very common, approximately 90% of women suffer some morning sickness in the first trimester, you don’t have to feel sick at all!
So read through these symptoms to get a general idea of what you might be expecting in the next few weeks. But know that your individual pregnancy could be totally different. I’d love to hear more about your pregnancy journey and symptoms in the comments below.
What Symptoms to Expect in the First Trimester
1. You’ll Probably Feel Morning Sickness
Which is the most deceptive term there ever was. Morning sickness is not exclusive to the morning at all! I like to refer to it as “all-day any time it wants sickness.” Scientists speculate that the huge shift in hormonal changes that takes place at the onset of pregnancy is the culprit to why you might suffer from so much nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy.
Just know that you might feel queasy or you might feel horrible. Ever weird smell could have you running to the bathroom to vomit! Know that for every pregnancy this is different.
For some women morning sickness sets in pretty much immediately upon implantation and might even be their first sign that they are pregnant! For others, nausea and vomiting in pregnancy rear their ugly heads more around the 5-8 week of pregnancy.
Typically these symptoms dissipate right around 12 weeks. For some, they persist. But don’t worry there are lots of ways to handle morning sickness!
HOW TO BEAT MORNING SICKNESS: For all the best tips from mom bloggers all around the world about how they handled morning sickness read this!
2. In the First Trimester, You Will Probably Be Sensitive to Smells
The shift in hormones is to blame here but you will get a superpower sense of smell! Which can be both a blessing and a curse.
Let’s be real, it’s mostly a curse. Walking by a tree of orange blossoms in full bloom is absolutely amazing during that first trimester. But those times are few and far between.
More often you’ll be running from the meat section of the store. Or running out of your house in the middle of cooking dinner because you just can’t handle it any more!
The super sensitive sense of smell can also be a huge trigger for that nausea and vomiting we mentioned.
Like the time I decided to host for Easter and have a big meal planned of ham, turkey, and roasted root vegetables. Then I realize I can’t stand the smell of meat cooking. Let alone the horrendous smell of onions! And I could barely stand to be in my own house any longer. And I STILL had the turkey to cook after that! Just as an example.
HOW TO BEAT SENSITIVITY TO SMELL? To combat this and to sort of appear normal I always keep a bottle of either or in my purse. I also in my house to keep any weird smells at bay. I’ve read works wonders for nausea too but haven’t tried it personally yet.
3. When You Get Pregnant Your Boobs Will Change.
It’s amazing how almost immediately your breast change. They change in size, they change in texture (like more full and solid… not rough and bumpy or something weird), and they change in sensitivity.
Actually, for a lot of women changes in their breasts are their first sign of pregnancy! For me, it was all 3 times! Right about the day of my missed period my boobs get sensitive.
HOW TO HANDLE IT? Make sure to use some really good anti-stretch mark cream! You expect to be using it on your tummy but that won’t be growing until next trimester. But you know what starts growing NOW? Your boobs! So get that top rated in 2018 stretch mark cream now to prevent getting them on your ta-tas.
4. You’ll Most Likely Feel Dead Tired at the Beginning of Pregnancy
The first trimester is known to be a period of exhaustion. You will be amazed by how tired you might feel! Passing out well before your typical bedtime, taking naps during the day (or if this isn’t your first pregnancy you’ll wish you could be taking naps during the day), and just feeling overall exhausted.
Once again, hormonal changes are expected to be the culprit of this fatigue. Most women are exhausted for the first trimester and their energy peaks back up again during the second trimester, which is when you usually feel the best!
HOW TO CONQUER EXHAUSTION IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER. Rest. I’m serious. Sleep whenever you can. Get in a short workout during the day, it actually helps to boost your energy levels, and then rest when you need to.
I think the exhaustion during the first trimester is your body preparing you for the many sleepless nights to come. It’s really tough to get good sleep in the 3rd trimester, and virtually impossible once baby is born! So rest now because you have no idea how badly you need it!
5. You Will Probably Be Peeing Like a Racehorse the First Trimester.
You’re going to feel like you have to pee all the time! Sometimes you will relieve a ton! And other times it will be barely any and you’ll be amazed that you felt that you had to pee so badly!
Here are those hormones to blame yet again. Basically, all the symptoms that you suffer from in the first trimester are thought to be a side effect of those huge hormonal changes that you are going through. So I suppose I’ll stop repeating myself at this point and you can assume that it’s all coming from your hormones.
HOW TO HANDLE THE CONSTANT NEED TO PEE? For this symptom of early pregnancy, there’s not really too much you can do. Your need for water is very high right now. Your blood volume is almost doubling right now!
So if you have to work, or have an outing planned, drink accordingly. Drink a lot more than an hour before you will be leaving to adequately hydrate your body, drink a little less while you’re out to avoid running to the bathroom every 30 minutes, and be sure to fully rehydrate after.
6. You Might Break Out Like a Teenager.
Some people and some skin types are just more prone to breaking out. And some people are super susceptible to hormonal changes that can cause acne.
If you have been an acne sufferer in the past, there’s a good chance that it will resurface during the first trimester and may or may not continue throughout pregnancy.
Personally, I am ridiculously sensitive to hormones and it is my primary cause for breaking out. I ovulate, I break out. My period is coming tomorrow? I break out. So you can bet that when I get pregnant, I DEFINITELY break out!
HOW TO HANDLE PREGNANCY ACNE. Wash your face at least twice a day with a mild toxin free cleanser like this papaya and pineapple organic face cleanser. For something more specific to acne, you could also try neem & turmeric face wash for acne prone skin.
Also, become super aware of what you put on your skin. You should already be adjusting your beauty routine to eliminate toxins while pregnant. Learn about how to avoid most major toxins during pregnancy including “cleaning up” your skincare routine.
7. Those Crazy Pregnancy Cravings Can Start in the First Trimester.
We’ve all heard about it. Pickles and ice cream anyone? While that combination may be a bit extreme, you will most likely get food cravings and aversions. I’ve never experienced the pickles one myself, ice cream however? Yes, oh ice cream, how I love you so.
Be aware of the types of foods that you are craving, it could be your body telling you that you need certain nutrients at that time. Even if you are craving something like ice cream or chocolate cake.
No, there aren’t many nutrients that you need from ice cream or chocolate cake. But a craving for ice cream or chocolate may indicate that you may actually be deficient in magnesium! Or perhaps you need the calcium from the ice cream.
HOW TO DEAL WITH PREGNANCY CRAVINGS AND STILL EAT HEALTHY FOR BABY. Make wise choices and food replacements. Maybe you want ice cream, but try a small glass of milk with sorbet and see if that qualms the craving. Knowing junk food replacements is the secret key to managing those cravings and nourishing baby while also keeping you at a bump only pregnancy.
Wrapping up What Symptoms to Expect Your First Trimester of Pregnancy
Every day of pregnancy your body is changing rapidly inside and out. Though noone else can see it for quite some time you will notice your pants fitting differently, your shirts getting tight around the bust, AND many of the pregnancy symptoms we just discussed almost immediately.
Hang in there mama! There is an amazing thing going on inside your body right now. Show yourself grace and take it easy. Sometimes the first trimester is just about making it through.
What the First Trimester of Pregnancy Feels Like
