First Trimester

Welcome to parenthood!!

First and foremost congratulations! Pregnancy is an exciting adventure full of new beginnings. As you go through the first few months of your pregnancy you're going to be experiencing a variety of new things. Some good some bad but let's take them one by one.

Your body

Your anatomy is going through a whirlwind of changes to help accomodate for the new passenger or passengers on board. These are primarily caused by an influx of hormones which are surging through your body to help you get ready.

Breast sensitivity

You might start to notice the sensitivity of your breasts increase dramatically. The first few weeks are going to be the lions share of the sensitivity as your body adjusts so the first week or two is going to be the worst and then it should taper off.

Nausea and fatigue

The term morning sickness is used to describe this, however the sickness isn't exclusive to the mornings. Typically the nausea and sickness occurs around the second month (4-8 weeks in) and is another side effect of the hormones getting everything ready. Staying hydrated and having consistent smaller meals can help offset some of the sickness.

As for the fatigue, you'll want to ensure you get plenty of rest and allow your body the time it needs. Small intermitent naps as well as a healthy diet and mild exercise can help as well.

Smell sensitivity

Food aversion often stems from this. Certain seasonings or food types can make your stomach turn like it never had before. You'll learn which ones you like and which ones you don't as time goes on. As for any other smells which might bother you, ask a parent, friend, or partner to handle things which present a strong odor instead such as taking out the trash or cleaning a diaper pail.

Constipation

Hormones and a growing uterous make your bowels work harder to get everything processed. Ensure you're eating plenty of fiber to help mitigate these problems. Raw vegetables, dried fruits, and whole grain cereals all work to make your bowels run smoother during this time.

Emotional sensitivity

The hormones going through your body will elevate your emotions which you may already have. Make sure you have a support system to help walk you through times when things start to get overwhelming. For additional support, contact your local healthcare provider to provide you additional resources.

About the baby

The appoinments through the first trimester are going to validate for any pre-existing conditions or medical issues you or your baby might expect moving forward. Honesty is the key here as your medical provider can't help you to the fullest extent if they don't know your full medical history. Ask medical questions with your family and see if there are any family medical issues which might be of concern. Histories of cancer, pre-clampsia, or post pardom depression or psycosis could all be discovered and properly treated in advance if known about.