First Trimester Pregnancy Surprises
You often hear about the improperly named “morning” sickness, the constant urge to pee, and the debilitating fatigue that new moms experience while trying to hide that precious little secret from the world. I had a pretty smooth first trimester, so I can’t complain, but here are some symptoms that took me by surprise.
Electric boob shocks
Apparently this isn’t just a 1st trimester thing. Not only do your breasts rapidly increase in size and feel as tender as ever as the breast glands and ducts start to change, there can sometimes be a painful shooting feeling.
The constant worry
Every little cramp, every little spotting episode (most of which can be completely normal) - in those first 12 weeks, I caught myself Googling way more than I should have. Some people will say I am crazy but there were times I wished I was a bit more nauseous than I was. Nausea is usually a sign that hormones are surging and the pregnancy is progressing properly. I didn’t have many signs to reassure me that things were okay.
Moles
The higher levels of estrogen in your body stimulate the melanin cells in your skin to make more pigment so freckles become darker and moles may grow/darken as well. All of a sudden I had a ton of moles along my hairline that I had never noticed before.
Ferocious appetite
I’m not talking just double the servings at dinner but a hunger I have never experienced before. 10 minutes after eating I would feel famished and need to snack ALL day long. I am pretty sure our grocery bills doubled during my first trimester!
The burps
I went through a phase where I would burp up to 30 times a day and it wasn’t pretty. Progesterone plays a big role in muscle relaxation. As it increases, the intestines slow down and gas builds up, leading to more burping.
And last but not least, let’s talk bloating
You may not look pregnant yet, but that extra water retention from progesterone makes you feel pregnant and clothes immediately start feeling that much more uncomfortable. Luckily for me, sweatpants and leggings were perfectly acceptable during covid.
This blog post was written by wellbe’s naturopathic doctor Dr. Mallory Reinthaler, ND.