Here Are The Signs Your Pregnancy Is Going Well In The First Trimester!
Pregnancy is a complicated time. While it is one of the most beautiful times a woman can experience, things get tougher than you might expect. While you may think the last trimester of pregnancy might be the toughest, it is certainly not the case. The first trimester is always the riskiest one, and you always have to look out for signs your pregnancy is going well in the first trimester.
As per research, the risks of miscarriages remain the highest during the first trimester. With multiple complications that show up during this time, pregnant women need to be way more careful in comparison to the other two trimesters.
But, if you want to look out for the signs that your pregnancy is going smoothly during the first trimester, it is important that you understand what the first trimester is and how your body operates during that time. Knowing the details will help you properly care for yourself and do all the necessities that are required during the first trimester.
What Is The First Trimester?
Pregnancy is mainly divided into three trimesters. Each of the trimesters is somewhat thirteen weeks (three months) long. A full-term pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks, or nine months, to be precise. Doctors will explain fetal development to you in regard to the pregnancy weeks. The first trimester of pregnancy lasts till the thirteenth week of pregnancy.
It might seem weird, but your pregnancy usually starts on the first day of your last menstrual period. This is known as the gestational age of pregnancy. Doctors calculate the due date by adding the 40 weeks to the first day of your menstrual period. So this means that by the time you realize that you are actually pregnant, you are already around four weeks along. Yes, all of this is pretty confusing. So, here is a detailed explanation of how the whole thing actually works.
Understanding The Weeks Of Pregnancy
So, the very first two weeks of your pregnancy are basically a part of your usual menstrual cycle. The first week is when your period occurs, and the next week is ovulation. Once ovulation is done, the egg travels through the fallopian tubes and to the uterus. If at all it meets up with the sperm, they combine together to fertilize.
In the third week of pregnancy, the fertilized egg moves down to the uterus. On the way, it further divides into more cells. Upon reaching the uterus, it implants itself to the lining of the uterus. This triggers the body to recognize that you are actually pregnant, and a line of changes starts to occur. The very first sign is a missed period, followed by a positive pregnancy test.
Signs Your Pregnancy Is Going Well In The First Trimester
While an ultrasound is the simplest and easiest way to know if the baby growing inside you is healthy during the first trimester, there are other natural signs that your body will give you to tell that the baby is perfectly healthy.
However, as comforting as that might be to know, these signs are certainly not comforting at all. In fact, most women tend to get frustrated with such symptoms showing up during the first week of pregnancy.
Enlarged And Sore Breasts
Tender and sore breasts happen during the early days of pregnancy because of the increasing levels of progesterone and estrogen. Sure, the increase in hormones can make the chest feel extremely sore and heavy, but it is a sign that your body is slowly familiarizing itself well with pregnancy.
Part of why the breasts get so tender is because the typical structure of breast tissues starts to change rapidly during the first trimester, which starts with an increase in the blood volume and enlargement of the milk ducts to prepare for lactation. As estrogen drives out the milk ducts to expand into breast tissues, it also stimulates your pituitary gland to begin with the production of prolactin. It is the hormones that are necessary for the production of milk.
Increase In Vaginal Discharge
If you are noticing a lot more wetness down there than normal times, worry not. You are not the only one to face this. Lots of women see an increase in the clear, watery, and odorless discharge during their pregnancy. The only one to blame in this case is estrogen. During pregnancy, an increase in estrogen kicks off the increase in vaginal discharge to prepare for birth. It might feel pretty uncomfortable, but it just assures that you have a perfect, healthy pregnancy.
Apart from being a healthy sign of pregnancy, vaginal discharge also cleans up the vagina protecting it from any infections that might just enter the womb. While vaginal discharge can help protect the cervix from multiple pathogens, it cannot really prevent everything. Some women may still experience bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections, both of which are pretty common during pregnancy.
A healthy vaginal discharge will be colorless and odorless, or white, and must not give you a burning or an itchy feeling. If you experience any of the following with your vaginal discharge, rush to the doctor right away:
- A strong, fishy odor
- Discharge that is yellow, grey, white, red, brown, or green in color
- Burning after peeing
- Redness, itching, or swelling of the vagina or the vulva
Morning Sickness
Every woman who has been pregnant has experienced morning sickness, and all of them hate just the sane. It mainly happens during the first trimester of pregnancy and is one of the earliest signs that your body is adapting to the new changes. While fighting off the waves of nausea is a tough thing, morning sickness is necessarily a sign that the pregnancy is indeed healthy.
The main cause behind morning sickness is the Growth Differentiation Fcator-15. The hormones usually hang out in your hindbrain and are responsible for telling you when you puke. However, during pregnancy, the fetus starts producing its own GDF-15, resulting in the birth parent becoming sensitive to it, causing it to vomit. This has proved that women who experienced more morning sickness during the first trimester of their pregnancy delivered babies with lower birth defect risks.
Exhaustion
Fatigue is one of the most classic signs that start from the first trimester and can go on till the 40th week. While it can be frustrating to experience fatigue for nine straight months, in most cases, it means you’re experiencing a healthy pregnancy.
Metabolically, your body changes during pregnancy. Your hormones go through constant adjustment, and you just carry a small human being inside you. In short, your body pays tax for it. Taking short breaks or midday naps can actually help fight fatigue and tiredness.
What To Expect In The First Trimester?
While women mostly know what signs to keep an eye on during the first trimester, most of them are never really ready to face the first trimester, especially first-time parents. The first trimester is usually a time of nervousness as no one is ever prepared for what is to be thrown at them.
For starters, the first trimester is one of the toughest times during pregnancy. It’s a plate full of emotional and physical changes. It is a very overwhelming time, and your mind overflows with questions. Plus, your hormones are on a different level altogether.
In fact, the female body produces more estrogen during pregnancy than it does throughout the whole life of a woman when she is not pregnant. This increase in hormones may cause some of the most unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. The fine line between emotions completely blurs, and you have absolutely no control over how you feel. You may also find yourself extremely moody, tired, and bloated. While you may not see the prominent baby bump right in the first trimester, the uterus still expands, and the blood volume increases.
So, it is ok to feel as nervous as you can. Pregnancy is all about a combination of excitement and nervousness. You are free to talk to anyone you feel comfortable with. This will ease your nerves a little bit and make the pregnancy journey somewhat easier.
What Are The Common Pregnancy Symptoms During The First Trimester?
Every woman and her pregnancy is different and unique. But, there are certain symptoms that women are bound to experience during the first trimester of their pregnancy regardless of their conditions.
Some of these symptoms may include:
Tender Breasts
Being one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy, sore breasts happen due to the hormonal change that happens in your body during pregnancy. Therefore, it is common for women to use bigger bras to provide support and comfort to their breasts. The veins in your breasts become even more visible as they carry more blood.
Nausea
Morning sickness is one of the most common symptoms that women experience during pregnancy. Despite its name, morning sickness can happen anytime during the day or night. Women prefer eating smaller portions of food to help with digestion.
Mood Swings
If you think menstrual mood swings are the worst to experience, wait till you get pregnant. Mood swings during pregnancy are at a level that you cannot even expect. You can go from being all happy and giddy to grumpy and sad in a matter of seconds.
Feeling Tired
Your baby puts the maximum stress on you during the first trimester. This might make you feel more tired than ever and cause fatigue that you cannot even imagine. So, make sure you get ample rest and sleep as much as you can. Most women get back all their energy in the second trimester.
Needing To Pee
Your uterus starts to grow to make space for the baby. While doing so, it might just put pressure on your bladder and cause you to pee more often than usual.
Acne Or Other Skin Issues
Hormonal changes are one of the major reasons behind changes in your skin. Pregnancy hormones make the skin get more oily, resulting in clogged pores. These clogged pores can further cause acne in some women. There are some other skin conditions that may also appear, but they are more common during the second or third trimester.
Slight Shortness Of Breath
You may as well feel a slight shortness of breath while doing heavy activities. So, it is better to avoid them for your own benefit.
Your heart tends to pump a lot more blood to prepare your body for the pregnancy. Hence, you might also experience a quicker pulse rate and lose energy more easily. So, be cautious about how much stress your pregnancy is putting on your body and take rests accordingly.
What To Avoid During The First Trimester Of Pregnancy?
A healthy pregnancy is not just the responsibility of the body. As a mother, it is the responsibility of every woman to be extra careful during her first trimester days and avoid things that can harm her or her growing baby.
If you are pregnant, make sure you avoid all the things mentioned below, particularly in the first trimester:
- Cigarettes and tobacco
- Alcohol
- Recreational drugs such as opioids
- Any contact activities or sports like football that puts pressure on the abdomen.
- Foods such as raw fish or fish high in mercury, undercooked or uncooked meals, lunchmeat or unpasteurized milk, juice, or cheese
- Saunas or hot tubs
- Fruits such as raw papaya, pineapple, or grapes
- Coffee, or caffeine in general
How To Take Care Of Yourself During The First Trimester?
As we mentioned before, the first trimester is one of the most challenging stages of pregnancy. It needs the maximum amount of care to make sure that the baby is perfectly healthy and fine.
Here are a few tips that can ensure that you experience a healthy pregnancy during the first trimester:
- Take prenatal vitamins that contain folic acid.
- Stay as active as you can. Listen to the needs of your body and take rest whenever needed. Depending on safety and comfort levels, modify your workout routine for the best results.
- Get lots of rest.
- Eat a number of foods like vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, and whole grains.
- Drinks lots of water.
- Attend every prenatal appointment that is needed.
The Bottom Line
Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it is equally scary as well. To be able to grow a baby inside you for nine months is not easy. Motherhood is one of the most difficult yet beautiful experiences that a woman can have.
Out of all the three trimesters, the first trimester is the most crucial one. So, you always need to keep an eye on the signs your pregnancy is going well in the first trimester. While some of these signs may just get as frustrating as possible, they ensure that your baby is safe.
It is also your responsibility as a mother to make sure that you stay away from all the things that can be toxic to your baby and can harm your pregnancy.
With a little bit of care and advice from your doctor, you can easily walk into the second trimester with a healthy baby.
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