First Trimester or First 12 Weeks of Pregnancy

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Some women are so exhausted that they can't imagine putting in an eight-hour day. After all, if walking to the breakfast table takes that much energy, what would a day-long sales seminar do? Fortunately, those twelve weeks are also filled with the incredible joy of learning that you are expecting and the excitement of sharing your news with family and friends (see Chapter 7).

You'll experience both physical and emotional changes during this period. All a part of pregnancy. You won't look pregnant. You may or may not even feel pregnant.

But you'll feel something. Physically and emotionally, you will feel something.

What's a Trimester?
Pregnancies typically last 280 days starting from the first day of the menstrual cycle. That's 40 weeks, altogether. These 40 weeks are divided into three trimesters.

First trimester: weeks 0 through 13

Second trimester: weeks 14 through 28

Third trimester: weeks 29 through 40

Each trimester brings with it new challenges and new triumphs. During the first three months of pregnancy expect a number of changes to the physical you.

The Physical Changes
Even now, when baby is very, very tiny, your body is changing to accommodate this little guest. You're changing both hormonally and physically. It's amazing what your body can do. The earliest symptoms are common and routine.

• Breast Sensitivity Milk glands are already preparing themselves to nourish your baby. These glands are growing and blood supply to the breasts is increasing, all in preparing for nursing your baby months from now. In a few weeks, you may even be able to see the blue veins which carry blood to the breasts. It's normal. Breasts become larger and nipples may protrude, i.e. stick out more.

• Menstrual flow ceases (In most cases, though a small percentage of women experience light bleeding during the first month or two)

• Bloating, Fullness and Pressure These symptoms develop as the uterus expands and applies pressure to the bladder and lower digestive tract.

• Vaginal Secretions The cervical glands and vaginal tissue often produce a heavier discharge than normal.

• Fatigue Your body is using so much energy to grow that little baby body, that your own body may suffer from extreme fatigue. The increase in the hormone, progesterone, may also cause drowsiness.

• Nausea, indigestion and heartburn nature's little wake-up call. Progesterone is essential for pregnancy, but unfortunately causes digestion to slow down. As a result, some women experience some or all of these unfortunate but common ailments.

• Increased urination. This is caused as the uterus changes position, moving forward from the 'unpregnant' position and putting pressure on the bladder. It's annoying and normal.

And there are other symptoms many women endure during the early stages of pregnancy. You can add to our list food cravings or a loss of appetite, constipation, weight gain or loss, unexplained mood swings and more. But it sounds much worse than it is and there's plenty you can do to minimize these symptoms in healthy, life-affirming ways.

First Trimester Ailments
Little Babies Bring Big Symptoms.

From the expected to the unexpected, expecting moms feel their pregnancies in many different ways during these first three months of gestation. Your body is adapting to pregnancy, and each body adapts at its own pace. Here are some of the things you may be feeling during the first trimester. Hopefully, you're only experiencing a few of them.