It’s hard to know just what to expect from your first pregnancy. Being pregnant is an entirely new experience, and nothing can really prepare you for it. With that said, here are seven things to expect from your first trimester as a new mother-to-be.
- You Won’t Gain Much Weight
Some women are worried about the size of their baby bump, while others look forward to it. Either way, you should know you won’t gain more than a few pounds in that first trimester. The reason for this is mostly morning sickness. It’s hard to overeat and gain weight when you’re throwing it back up. If you don’t feel nauseous, you could still lose your appetite or be put off of certain food sand smells. When you throw in that you’ll be avoiding certain high-calorie items like alcohol, you could find it difficult to maintain your current calorie intake.
- It Can Feel Shorter Than It Is
A lot of pregnant women can find their pregnancy just flies by. While the first trimester is going to last 13 weeks, you’ll barely feel like any time at all has passed. Your pregnancy calendar counts the first week of pregnancy as the last day of your period, even though the egg and sperm might not have met by that point. You won’t know for sure that you’re pregnant until the fifth week, when the HCG hormone levels the hormone detected by pregnancy tests gets high enough to confirm you are pregnant. This means that your first trimester technically lasts nine weeks for most women.
- The Due Date Can Be Way Off
If you’re confused as to how long the first trimester really is, you should know that working out a due date can be just as tricky. Even doctors can get the due date wrong the first time they try to calculate it. Even if you are completely sure of the time of conception, adding 40 weeks to that won’t give you an exact date. You should add 40 weeks to the date of your last period. Keep in mind that, even then, your baby will have their own opinions on when to come out.
- Some Foods Should be Avoided
Just about every woman knows they need to avoid alcohol while pregnant, but other foods are off-limits at this time to ensure pregnancy health. For a start, you should definitely get more calcium, but you need to avoid foods made from unpasteurized dairy products. These products can include bacteria that negatively impact pregnancy, such as Listeria. That means you need to avoid soft cheeses like Brie and feta. It would help if you also avoided unpasteurized juices. Hot dogs and deli meat also contain Listeria and nitrates. Raw sprouts can contain e.coli, so look for arugula or spinach instead. Pass on just about anything raw like raw eggs found in salad dressing, undercooked meat, and sushi.
- The Baby is Still Tiny
There’s another good reason you won’t gain weight during the first trimester; your baby is still very small. By the time you reach week five and can confirm you are pregnant, your baby will be about the size of an orange seed. Your baby works hard to develop their bones and brains and they work fast but even by the end of the first trimester, they are roughly the size of a peach. You might find that your breasts grow more than your baby does during the first trimester!
- You’ll Notice a Lot More Smells
They say that moms have superpowers, and there is a bit of truth to that. Your sense of smell will improve during the first trimester, and you’ll notice all kinds of smells you didn’t before. This could mean that you run into some smells that didn’t bother you but do now. Some expecting mothers have trouble stomaching their favorite foods because of the change in smell, and others can find themselves drawn to particular smells they didn’t like before.
- It Will All Be Over Soon
One of the most important things to know about the first trimester is that it won’t last forever. If you get bogged down in morning sickness, then rest assured that it will pass. Many pregnant women get less nauseous during the second trimester. Some of the other problems of the first trimester such as fatigue and constant trips to the bathroom can fade during the second trimester. Most of those strange food aversions and cravings will pass by month four too. Just keep at it, and you’ll be done before you know it.
Summary
There’s a lot to expect when you’re expecting. Each step in the journey seems to bring something new. Try to keep a handle on the morning sickness and cravings, and you’ll get through the first trimester in one piece.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind