It only takes thirteen short weeks for a baby to transform from a cluster of cells into a tiny human being with organs and body systems in place. Even so, by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, your baby is only about the size of a peach. Your little one's growth will take off from there, and your body needs to prepare for the massive changes to come.
Do you know what to expect as your body takes on this exciting new responsibility?
Because early pregnancy is a time of such rapid change and development, many women consider the first trimester the most challenging. You'll begin to experience uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms. Each physical shift is easier to manage when you know what to expect during the first few weeks.
We've created this guide to help moms-to-be prepare for that turbulent first trimester. We'll share everything we know about the pregnancy symptoms you can expect to experience shortly after you spot the two lines on the pregnancy test.
Read on to prepare for the wild ride to come.
When Is the First Trimester?
"Tri" means three, so each trimester is one-third of your pregnancy. The average pregnancy lasts for forty weeks. Assuming you carry to term, each trimester lasts approximately thirteen weeks.
Your first trimester is the first thirteen weeks (or the first third) of your pregnancy. When you begin seeing an OB-GYN for prenatal care, you'll find that a week is the most common unit of time used to describe symptoms and development. A lot can happen in a week of pregnancy, which is why you'll feel like a different person by the time you've survived thirteen of them!
Your doctor will begin counting the weeks starting from your last menstrual period. Many women are already several weeks into their first trimester by the time they learn they're pregnant.
With that in mind, most physical symptoms do not begin until gestational week six.
The Early Pregnancy Roller Coaster
The first change many women notice is not physical at all. As hormones flood your body, your brain will try its hardest to keep up. This whiplash can cause emotions to strike you at odd times, sometimes for no reason at all.
The most significant hormone boost involves estrogen. While women produce estrogen throughout their lives, production goes into overdrive once they become pregnant. When you have a lot of the hormone in your system, your body may take the reins and begin doing small but significant things to protect you and the baby.
For example, estrogen can cause a change in your sense of smell. You might find mild sense unbearable. Once-familiar scents might trigger nausea or even lead to vomiting.
This heightened sensitivity is frustrating, but it may be your body's way of keeping you safe.
Physical Symptoms in the First Trimester
The majority of changes will be physical in nature. Your body is preparing to stretch, grow, and support your sweet baby. Thus, parts of this transition will be uncomfortable.
The following are the most common symptoms during early pregnancy.
Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is most common during weeks six through ten of your pregnancy. You may feel nauseous or even vomit during this period. This is due to an influx of hormones, including hCG and estrogen, and may be more severe if you're carrying multiples.
Morning sickness doesn't always happen in the morning. Many women experience nausea upon waking because they have fasted during sleep and their blood sugar is low. It can be helpful to begin eating frequent, small meals so your blood sugar won't drop and your stomach won't remain empty.
Breast Tenderness
Your uterus isn't the only organ that needs to take on a new task during your pregnancy. Whether or not you choose to breastfeed, your breasts will prepare to produce breastmilk.
You might notice a change in breast color during the first trimester, and your veins may become more prominent as blood flow increases. Many women experience swelling and need to wear a larger bra size during pregnancy.
Fatigue
You probably don't remember going through childhood growth spurts because you were still young enough to need afternoon naps. The same phenomenon will happen during your first trimester.
When your body goes through significant changes, it craves more sleep. Sleep is when most physical changes occur, so it makes sense that you'd feel tired during this transition.
Frequent Urination
As your uterus swells and grows larger, your other organs must shift to compensate. Your poor bladder will take the brunt of the shifting weight. You may experience a more pronounced urge to urinate as a result.
Adult Acne
The last time you experienced acne, your body was full of puberty hormones. Unfortunately, pregnancy hormones can have the same effect. All hormones cause your skin to secrete oil, which can clog pores, leading to acne during pregnancy.
Breathing Changes
Many women notice breathing changes during the first trimester, and, once again, hormones are the culprit. Progesterone can cause shortness of breath. People rarely discuss this common side effect, so it surprises many pregnant women.
Tackling the First Trimester of Pregnancy
After that, you have so many exciting milestones ahead of you. Prepare to document every brilliant moment with the crystal-clear Pixsee smart baby monitor.
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