The first trimester is a busy time for developing babies. In a span of just 12 weeks, your baby's heart is pumping blood, facial features are taking shape and extremities are developing. All of these developments mean your body is hard at work as well. While not every woman experiences morning sickness and other common ailments during the first trimester, this period of time can have significant effects on how you feel physically and emotionally.
Fatigue
You're likely to feel tired or lack energy during these first few months. Your body is handling a number of new demands to support your baby's development. Blood production increases to deliver vital nutrients to the fetus, which triggers a faster heart rate. This change--along with lower blood pressure and glucose levels--contributes to fatigue. The level of progesterone, a hormone important for maintaining the pregnancy, is also high in the first trimester and contributes to sleepiness.
GI Issues
Gastrointestinal issues can keep you from feeling your best as well. Nausea and vomiting, commonly referred to as morning sickness, affects almost 75 percent of pregnant women, according to Thomas A deHoop, M.D. and Arthur T. Ollendorff, M.D. of the NetWellness website. Nausea strikes at any time of day and is linked to slower digestion. You may feel burning in the chest or throat after eating as heartburn is common in the first trimester as well. This is also linked to slower digestion.
Other Physical Concerns
Headaches are common in pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester, according to the American Pregnancy Association. The increased blood production and hormone levels are the likely culprits. Changes in circulation also cause dizziness during this time. Both stress and fatigue are linked with headaches and dizziness in the first trimester. Hormone surges could trigger breast heaviness, tenderness and soreness within weeks of becoming pregnant, deHoop and Ollendorff point out.
Emotions
You may be feeling a variety of emotions once your pregnancy starts progressing. Stress is common during this time as you deal with how your body is changing. Concerns about childbirth and your responsibilities as a parent also weigh heavily on your shoulders. Crying spells and shifts in mood are more likely in the sixth through 10th weeks of pregnancy. Concerns about having a baby coupled with metabolic and hormonal changes make mood swings a typical occurrence.
Precautions
While pregnancy poses a number of physical and emotional challenges, it's important to be familiar with what isn't normal in these first months of gestation. Talk with your doctor if you are having a difficult time with body image, depression or severe mood swings. Know the signs of miscarriage as well. The American Pregnancy Association reports that the majority of miscarriages occur during the first 13 weeks. Bleeding, although not always indicative of a problem, is a warning sign. Unusual vaginal discharge, weight loss, back pain and contractions are signs as well.
References
- NetWellness; First Trimester; Thomas A. deHoop, MD, Arthur T. Ollendorff, MD
- MayoClinic.com; First Trimester Pregnancy: What to Expect; June 2011
- American Pregnancy Association: Pregnancy and Headaches
- American Pregnancy Association: Mood Swings During Pregnancy
- American Pregnancy Association: Miscarriage
- MayoClinic.com; Fetal Development: The First Trimester; July 2011
