The First Trimester » Symptoms http://www.first-trimester.com The beginning of the bump. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:12:13 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Morning sickness symptoms http://www.first-trimester.com/morning-sickness-symptoms http://www.first-trimester.com/morning-sickness-symptoms#comments Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:27:25 +0000 Tracey http://www.first-trimester.com/firsttrimester/?p=131 Each woman is different where morning sickness is concerned. If it starts, it will be in the first trimester. In fact you can look for it to start as early as a week, but this is uncommon. Typically it starts after your first month of pregnancy, maybe about the same time you notice you missed your period.

How does morning sickness feel?

It can be a mild and uncomfortable queasiness, like you ate something that didn’t agree or wasn’t well cooked.

You may have nausea, the feeling like you are going to throw up and even gagging.

Sometimes it is just outright vomiting. You know what that feels like.

Any of these feelings can last off and on all day, or just might happen for part of the day. It may happen more or less the same times of day or it may be anytime without rhyme or reason. None of these feeling are pleasant, however some women have feel better after actually vomiting instead of holding that nausea feeling.

Morning Sickness and Hypoglycemia

Sometimes nausea brought on my low-blood sugar feels like morning sickness and may go away off an on in the same way. If you are having other symptoms, you are more likely pregnant. If eating almost always makes you feel better and you have no pregnancy symptoms, you may be hypoglycemic.

However, the only way you know for sure is taking a pregnancy test.

Will I have morning sickness?

Possibly, not strictly speaking. There are some things that may make you more likely.

  • If you are carrying multiples.
  • If you were sick during the first pregnancy or your mother was sick with her pregnancies.
  • If you have a history of nausea or vomiting with birth control pills.
  • If you are susceptible to motion sickness.

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]]> http://www.first-trimester.com/morning-sickness-symptoms/feed 0 Coping with the first symptoms of pregnancy http://www.first-trimester.com/coping-with-the-first-symptoms-of-pregnancy http://www.first-trimester.com/coping-with-the-first-symptoms-of-pregnancy#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:18:29 +0000 Tracey http://www.first-trimester.com/firsttrimester/?p=68 Symptom What You Can Do
Morning sickness

Despite the name, the nausea or vomiting you experience may occur at any time of day.

  • Munch on something before you even get out of bed in a morning, a few crackers will work.
  • Don’t let your stomach get completely empty. Eat several small meals a day.
  • Drink plenty of liquids, especially if you’ve been vomiting. If you stomach is very upset, try crushed ice or frozen ice pops.
  • Suck on candy made especially for morning sickness.
  • Try ginger tea.
Slight spotting

Very early in your pregnancy, you may experience some light pink spotting—much lighter than a normal period.

Douching is not recommended during pregnancy because of the chance of it provoking an infection. You can wear panty liners and know that this will stop soon.

Cramping

Cramping can also be common in early pregnancy as the uterus shifts.

  • Try applying low heat to the lower abdomen with a heating pad or hot water bottle.
  • Sometimes acetaminophen (like Tylenol®) will help with cramps. Never take ibuprofen during pregnancy and do not take any drug during pregnancy without running it past your doctor or caregiver.
  • Eat well and drink plenty of water.
  • Get plenty of rest. Take a break and slow down physical activity when cramps begin.
Frequent urination

Even early on in the pregnancy, your growing
uterus can start putting pressure on your
bladder.

This
is one of those symptoms to endure. Do not
decrease your fluid intake while your are
pregnant.
Breasts become larger or more tender

Your breasts may start to feel a little
swollen and tender, much like the days before
your period. This is just the start, they will
grow during the entire pregnancy.

Use good
supportive bra when you need to wear a bra. If
you can go more casual, try halters and shirts
with built-in shelf for light support that is
not binding.

If you need to get
bra with an increased cup size, do so, but
don’t invest in a maternity bra until your
third trimester. Your breasts will continue to
grow larger right up to you start
breastfeeding.
Fatigue

A very common symptom, you might start to
feel tired, even exhausted, often during the
first trimester. This is because your body is
going through significant metabolic changes and
it needs time to adjust to the new process of
growing a baby. For most women, the fatigue
starts to go away by the 12th week of
pregnancy.
  • Get the rest you need. Take
    naps during the day or after work. Go to
    bed when you are tired.
  • Cut down on commitments
    (volunteering, social events, etc) for a
    while, especially if they’re wearing you
    out.
  • Get help. Ask your
    partner, children, other family members, or
    friends to help out as much as
    possible.
  • Moderate exercise, such as
    walking for up to 30 minutes a day, can
    help you feel more alert and
    energetic.
  • Make sure you are getting
    a healthy diet. Especially check with
    your doctor that you are getting enough
    iron. Foods rich in both iron and protein
    include red meat, eggs, poultry, seafood,
    whole-grain bread and pastas, and
    iron-fortified cereals.
  • Avoid caffeine, which may not
    help  a lot and anyway may be
    harmful to your baby high
    doses.
  • Do not take any medication
    unless approved by your
    doctor.
Constipation

Your bowel habits may change in early
pregnancy. The extra hormones produced during
pregnancy cause the intestines to relax and
become less efficient.
  • Eat
    high-fiber fruits (prunes), vegetables, and
    whole grains like whole wheat and
    oatmeal.
  • Eat on a
    regular schedule and eat until you are
    satisfied, not overfull.
  • Drink plenty
    of liquids — at least eight glasses a
    day.
  • Get some
    exercise every day, a 20 – 30 minute walk
    will do.
  • With your
    doctor’s approval, try fiber supplements
    (Metamucil,  Citrucel, etc.) or
    a mild laxative such as milk of
    magnesia, which is safe.
Indigestion and
Heartburn

Many pregnant women experience burning in
the middle of the chest, burping, or the taste
of acid in the throat at some point during
pregnancy. Heartburn and indigestion are
extremely common. The pregnancy hormone
progesterone makes your stomach work slower but
also relaxes the muscle at the top of the
stomach, the one that stops food from coming
up. A full stomach and a loose valve is a
formula for acid reflux and heartburn.
  • Eat several small meals
    instead of two or three large ones. No
    matter how small the meal, eat
    slowly.
  • Drink plenty of fluids,
    especially water.
  • Don’t eat common heartburn
    triggers: chocolate, fried foods,
    chocolate, peppermint, garlic and
    onion.
  • Avoid coffee even
    decaf.
  • Don’t go to sleep on a full
    stomach, have your last meal 2 or 3 hours
    before going to bed.
  • Raise the head off your bed
    four to six inches if you get heartburn
    when lying down.
  • Talk to your caregiver
    about using antacids or other medications
    that relieve heartburn. These products can
    be used safely in pregnancy, but your
    caregiver needs to approve
    it.
Discharge

The amount of vaginal discharge increases
early in pregnancy. There’s just a lot more of
it now, partly because of increased estrogen
production and greater blood flow to the
vaginal area.

Douching will not
help the normal increase in vaginal discharge
and could cause an infection in your uterus
that could actually provoke the premature
delivery of your baby. Never douche during
pregnancy. If you have symptoms of itching,
odor, burning or other vaginal discomfort, it
may be an infection and should be evaluated and
treated by your doctor.

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]]> http://www.first-trimester.com/coping-with-the-first-symptoms-of-pregnancy/feed 0 What are the very first symptoms of pregnancy? http://www.first-trimester.com/what-are-the-very-first-symptoms-of-pregnancy http://www.first-trimester.com/what-are-the-very-first-symptoms-of-pregnancy#comments Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:12:55 +0000 Tracey http://www.first-trimester.com/firsttrimester/?p=65 hat is the very first sign that you’ll get that you’re pregnant?

That depends. Every one experiences pregnancy differently and every pregnancy is different, even with the same woman. However, there are some symptoms that are pretty common early in pregnancy. You may only notice all or none or just a few of these symptoms in your first trimester.

Symptom

 The
earliest you might have a
sign
Morning sickness
Despite the name, the nausea or vomiting you
experience may occur at any time of day.		 As early as one
week after conception, typically 6 to 12
weeks
Slight spotting

Very early in your pregnancy, you may
experience some light pink spotting—much
lighter than a normal period. This can happen at the time of implantation — when the embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus, about 8 – 10 days after ovulation (actually just a bit earlier than your period is due).

8 – 10 days after
conception
Cramping

Cramping can also be common in early
pregnancy. You uterus does shifts a bit in
early pregnancy, until it assumes its
mid-position for the second trimester. This
cramping is much like menstrual cramping and may even occur regularly, especially when you’ve been active.

8 – 10 days after
conception
Missed period

Often our first clue that a baby may be on
the way. If you have very regular periods, you may know you’re pregnant even before taking a test.

2 – 3 weeks after
conception
Frequent urination

Even early on in the pregnancy, your growing
uterus can start putting pressure on your
bladder. Don’t forget, it’s not just the baby
that’s growing but your uterus is thickening
and a placenta and fluid are being created.

2 – 3 weeks after
conception
Breasts become larger or more tender

Your breasts may start to feel a little
swollen and tender, much like the days before your period. This is just the start, they will grow during the entire pregnancy.

3 weeks after
conception
Areolas get darker

That dark ring around your nipple may start
to get darker and wider. It is thought that the darker color of the areola helps the newborn to find the nipple for breastfeeding.

2 – 4 weeks after
conception
Fatigue

A very common symptom, you might start to
feel tired, even exhausted, often during the
first trimester. This is because your body is
going through significant metabolic changes and it needs time to adjust to the new process of growing a baby. For most women, the fatigue starts to go away by the 12th week of pregnancy.

8 – 10 weeks after
conception
Constipation

Your bowel habits may change in early
pregnancy. The extra hormones produced during pregnancy cause the intestines to relax and become less efficient.

8 – 10 weeks after
conception
Indigestion and Heartburn

Many pregnant women experience burning in
the middle of the chest, burping, or the taste
of acid in the throat at some point during
pregnancy. Heartburn and indigestion are
extremely common. The pregnancy hormone
progesterone makes your stomach work slower but also relaxes the muscle at the top of the stomach, the one that stops food from coming up. A full stomach and a loose valve is a formula for acid reflux and heartburn.

8 – 10 weeks after
conception
Discharge

The amount of vaginal discharge increases
early in pregnancy. There’s just a lot more of
it now, partly because of increased estrogen
production and greater blood flow to the
vaginal area. (Vaginal discharge also increases as you start approaching the time of labor.)

8 – 10 weeks after
conception

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