1. The Joy of Hormones
For most women, dizziness is a normal pregnancy symptom in the first trimester. Early in pregnancy, probably before you even realize there's a little one inside of you, your hormones begin to rage. Increased hormonal activity causes more blood to pump through your body, increasing blood flow to your developing baby. Unfortunately, that means the blood is slower to return to your brain and that can cause dizzy spells. You may notice at your next pregnancy check up that your blood pressure is lower than normal--now you know why. Once you adjust to your new hormone levels, around the beginning of your second trimester, you should see a decrease in dizziness.
2. Your Dizziness Continues
For an unlucky group of women, dizzy spells continue throughout pregnancy. As your uterus grows, it puts pressure on your blood vessels. That causes blood to slow down and can make you feel dizzy or faint. Dizziness can seem even more prevalent when the weight of the baby presses down on your vena cava. This large vein carries blood from your heart to your lower body. However, this is easy to avoid. Lie on your left side as much as possible and avoid lying on your back until your baby is born.
3. Enjoy Eating
Your pre-pregnancy eating habits probably included two or three square meals a day. Unfortunately, that's just not going to cut it while you're pregnant. Eat five or six small meals throughout the day and snack as often as necessary. This will help keep your blood sugar level and it will prevent those annoying dizzy spells. If you're concerned that eating all the time will result in unhealthy weight gain, choose healthy snacks like fruit and granola bars.
4. It's not Always Okay
When in doubt, it's best to check with your healthcare provider if you feel faint or dizzy. It's possible that this could be a sign of severe anemia, especially if you also have blurred vision and headaches. If you're dizzy and you notice abdominal pain or bleeding, call your doctor immediately. It's possible that this is an ectopic pregnancy, a placental abruption or a low-lying placenta.
5. Maybe You're Pregnant
Before you even know that you're pregnant, you could get your first clue through these dizzy spells. Along with sore breasts, mood swings and morning sickness, dizziness and fainting are some of the first signs of pregnancy. If your dizziness doesn't last too long, it might be time to head to the drug store for a pregnancy test.
