The anticipation and excitement is often what the first month of pregnancy is all about. Welcome to the first but definitely not last often confusing thing about pregnancy: your gestational age.
Pregnancy is measured, or dated, from the first day of your last period. Besides, before we knew so much about conception, we knew through observation that people on average tended to give birth about 40 weeks after the start of their last period. Is it for real? Yes — and no! Just like when you get all puffy right before your period, the increase in progesterone and a bunch of other reproductive hormones that happens with conception can cause bloating.
You just got a positive pregnancy test result, after all! Here are some things you might notice:. Hormones, like progesterone and estrogen, are increasing, and that can make your breasts feel tender just like with PMS. Plus, remember the bloating we talked about before? That can make you constipated and gassy , too, which might make your tummy feel not so great. We wish we could say this symptom will go away in the second trimester, but the truth is you may need to know where all the bathrooms are, all the time, until your baby is born.
Just like with cramping, this one panics a lot of people but is also common in early pregnancy. Light pink or brown spotting is generally OK; it can be the result of implantation , increased hormones, cervix irritation, or uterine cramping. Full-on bleeding, however, is worth checking out with your doctor. Baby is working hard on developing from a fertilized egg full of multiplying cells into what we call an embryo.
Right now, your baby is only about 6 or 7 millimeters in size, but growing quickly and already starting to build up their organ systems. The placenta and umbilical cord are forming, too, to nourish your baby through your pregnancy. Your doctor will typically use the first day of your last period to calculate your due date by adding 40 weeks to that date.
Choose water and other caffeine-free clear liquids until you feel better. Try eating small, frequent meals. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt. Think about how you move if you are having brief pains from stretching of the round ligaments. Try gentle stretching. Move a little more slowly when turning in bed or getting up from a chair, so those ligaments don't stretch quickly. Lean forward a bit if you think you are going to cough or sneeze.
For example, call if: You have sudden, severe pain in your belly. You have severe vaginal bleeding.
You passed out lost consciousness. You have a seizure. Call your doctor, midwife, or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: You have new or worse belly pain or cramping.
You have any vaginal bleeding. You have a fever. You have symptoms of pre-eclampsia, such as: Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet. New vision problems such as dimness, blurring, or seeing spots. A severe headache. You think that you may be in labour. This means that you've had at least 8 contractions within 1 hour or at least 4 contractions within 20 minutes, even after you change your position and drink fluids. You have symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
These may include: Pain or burning when you urinate. A frequent need to urinate without being able to pass much urine. Pain in the flank, which is just below the rib cage and above the waist on either side of the back.
Blood in your urine. Did you know that blood volume increases by about 50 percent during pregnancy? One side effect is visible veins on the skin, which are especially noticeable in fair-skinned women. As you near the end of the first trimester, many early pregnancy symptoms will diminish.
You might notice, however, that you feel dizzy throughout the day. You can thank hormonal shifts, reduced blood flow, and lower blood pressure for these dizzy spells. Combat them by taking deep breaths with your head between your knees.
Many women report increased appetite, renewed energy, and higher sex drive during the next few weeks. The second trimester comes with a few strange symptoms.
You might experience stuffy nose thanks to an increase of blood in the mucus membranes , leg cramps , and sensitive gums. As the hormone relaxin loosens your ligaments, you might also feel extra clumsy at this stage of pregnancy. About 90 percent of pregnant women experience darkening of skin around the nipples, inner thighs, armpits, and navel.
Backaches are inevitable while expecting you can thank pregnancy hormones yet again! As a plus, many moms-to-be start feeling their baby kick around weeks 16 to 25, so be on the lookout! By now, your belly looks undoubtedly pregnant—and your boobs have swelled up to prepare for breastfeeding. Expect to gain weight regularly until delivery usually about one pound per week. A few stretch marks might appear as you quickly pack on the pounds.
During the second trimester, some women experience heartburn , since pregnancy hormones relax the muscles of your lower esophageal sphincter LES.
Try eating smaller meals, staying upright after eating, and avoiding anything acidic, greasy, or spicy. Constipation might also occur as Baby presses against your intestines. By now, your little one might be kicking up a storm! The kicks feel like fluttering in your stomach.
Also common during this time are leg cramps, swelling in the hands and feet, dry eyes, varicose veins, and trouble sleeping. The growing uterus could also put pressure on your lungs, causing shortness of breath.
Pregnancy often causes thick and shiny hair and fast-growing nails as your body stocks up on extra nutrients. While some women may still have high sex drives, others notice a dwindling libido. They might feel too sore and tired to do the deed at all. Other pregnancy symptoms include tingling hands from bleeding gums, as well as snoring from swollen enlarged membranes and pregnancy weight gain. Do your hands and fingers feel tingly? You may be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome , which happens from swelling and fluid retention.
This numb sensation should vanish after you give birth. In the meantime, avoid sleeping on your hands and try shaking out your wrists throughout the day. You might also experience itchiness in your hands and feet.
Mild itchiness is usually benign, and it can be treated with antihistamines, ointments, or calming lotions. But intense itching could signal a liver disorder called cholestasis of pregnancy that needs medical care.
These itchy, swollen veins pop up in the rectum because of increased blood flow—and they can get worse with constipation. Relieve pain and bleeding with ice packs, sitz baths, or witch hazel pads. Welcome to the third trimester!
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