First Trimester of Pregnancy – What to Expect

There are many wonderful joys to be had when you first find out that you’re pregnant. First, there’s the feeling of expectation and excitement as you begin to notice the signs – your period is late, your breasts are swelling and you’re more tired than usual. Maybe you even have a bit of morning sickness, but you don’t mind because you start to believe that you may be pregnant.

When you finally take that plunge and buy a pregnancy test, you know that you’re pregnant and the excitement takes over fully. The fact that you have to pee every five minutes or that you can’t keep any food down at all doesn’t dampen your mood one bit – at least most of the time! Many women will experience mood swings during this stage, so you might begin to have some downs, as well as ups.

All in all, the first trimester of pregnancy can be the most exciting and the most draining, although it isn’t always. Every pregnancy and every woman is different. You may experience one or all of the symptoms mentioned here, and possibly some that aren’t mentioned at all. The most important thing to remember is that if anything seems unusual, you can always contact your doctor to make sure all is well.

What to Expect

When you first discover you’re pregnant, you need to contact your doctor for an appointment. Your doctor will give you a general exam to make sure you’re healthy and ready for pregnancy. Your doctor will also determine your due date, which is typically based off of the date of your last period. If you don’t know this date or if you have irregular periods, a sonogram may be scheduled to determine the age of the fetus.

Your doctor will also provide you with prenatal vitamins. Some women complain that these vitamins add to symptoms of nausea and dizziness. However, it’s important that you get these nutrients, so if the prenatal vitamins simply won’t work for you, talk to your doctor to find out what foods and beverages can help you get these nutrients naturally. Your doctor may also be able to suggest some home remedies for nausea or prescribe medication to help with severe morning sickness.

Nausea, often called morning sickness, is common in the first trimester, although it may not always occur in the morning. You’ll likely feel very tired as well, and you could have some dizzy spells. As your pregnancy progresses, you’ll notice some tenderness in your breasts and possibly some swelling as well. Dizziness and frequent urination is also normal during your first trimester.

And while most weight gain occurs in the second and third trimesters, you’ll notice your abdomen begin to distend a bit, although it probably won’t be noticeable enough to cause you to change clothing sizes until your fourth month. This is the best time, however, to develop a diet and exercise plan that you can carry with you throughout your pregnancy. Just be sure to clear these with your doctor before starting in on them to be sure your plan is appropriate for you and your level of health and fitness.

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