Just found out you’re pregnant? If so, you might be wondering about what to expect in your first trimester.
If it’s your first pregnancy, you probably have no idea what’s going to happen, especially if you’ve never been close to anyone and known about their pregnancy in the early stages before.
And as you’ll quickly find out, pregnancy isn’t always how it’s portrayed on TV.
Mums-to-be often report a wide range of reactions on finding out the news, from utter excitement through to feeling completely overwhelmed at this life-changing event, or a sense of disbelief that makes you take test after test. Rest assured, the news can take a while you get your head around and it’s all normal.
While these might take a while to develop, the first trimester is when early pregnancy symptoms kick in. These can range from extreme exhaustion to very sore boobs and pregnancy sickness. However, these pregnancy symptoms might not be what you’d expect and can be different for everyone, as well as differing from pregnancy to pregnancy. Remember to speak to your doctor or midwife if you’re worried.
As lots of mums-to-be find out, the name is misleading as this type of pregnancy sickness can happen at any time, unfortunately! Read our post on coping with morning sickness.
While most people don’t start to develop a bump until around the second trimester, it’s likely that you’ll experience the joys of uncomfortable pregnancy bloating early on. Pregnancy hormones are responsible for slowing down your digestive system and producing gas that will make you feel about 40 weeks pregnant, even if you're only around five. Drink plenty of water, eat small meals and make sure there’s lots of fibre in your diet.
Crying, even though you’re feeling on top of the world? Sounds about right. Pregnancy hormones can wreak havoc on your emotional state, and can make even the most hardened of parents-to-be weep at adverts. You might also experience pregnancy anxiety or worry. A lot of this is normal, but please speak to a doctor or midwife if your mental health is really suffering.
Everyone’s seen a pregnancy TV character munch on pickles and ice cream, but pregnancy cravings might not even be that spectacular. It might be a craving for carbs, or certain textures of food like crunchy apples. And aversions - where you can’t stomach certain types of food - are also common.
During the first trimester is when you’ll first speak to a doctor and book in with a midwife. Read our post on appointments in the first trimester.
For most people the first scan usually takes place between 8 -12 weeks (this will vary depending on if you’ve had fertility treatment, had previous miscarriages or have health factors).
The first trimester seems to take forever, especially in the build-up to the first scan. And if you’re choosing not to tell people, it can be agonising keeping the secret. Do you have any good tips for passing the time?
What were the things you didn't expect in the first trimester? Make sure you also read our post on how to keep your pregnancy secret
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