Pregnancy is a journey filled with lots of ups and downs, exciting changes, and some not so fun things, too.
While you may have fears about delivering your baby as a first time mom, there’s a lot to get through before that point!
The First Trimester
To start, you’ll have to make it through the first trimester.
Pregnancy is different from woman to woman, but most agree that the first trimester is the most difficult.
This phase lasts from week 1 to week 12 and is often marked with the harshest pregnancy symptoms.
Why is the first trimester so bad?
In the first trimester, you’re body is hit with a ton of pregnancy hormones and you go through a lot of changes at once.
- You may be more irritable, fatigued, nauseous, bloated and sore, and yet unable to express to others why you’re not feeling well. Most women aren’t ready to share their pregnancy at this point. It can be difficult and stressful to hide how you’re feeling and disguise your growing belly while trying to go about business as usual.
- “Morning sickness” is often worse in the first trimester and may disappear altogether in later stages. Extreme nausea and vomiting tend to peak around week 9 for most women. Cornell scientists believe this may be a protection mechanism during the time your baby is most vulnerable to chemicals. Your amazing body may reject certain foods as potentially harmful.
- You’re most likely to miscarry during the first trimester. Many women spend those first weeks and months concerned their pregnancy may not last. This is especially hard for mothers who have waited a long time to conceive. Most pregnancies that make it through the first 12 weeks go to term.
- You might not find comfort from foods you once loved. Many women report strong aversions to certain foods, even those they typically enjoy, and may crave foods they have never liked or even tried in the past.
- Your due date seems forever away. While there are lots of things to enjoy during your pregnancy like taking maternity photos, thinking of cute gender reveal ideas, picking baby names, and adding things to your baby registry checklist, there’s still a ton of time to get through before you’ll be able to meet your bundle of joy.
What about the other stages of pregnancy?
The second trimester is what many moms refer to as the ‘babymoon’ phase. This is because you feel your best during this trimester, so it’s a great time to go on a babymoon if you’re planning one!
You’ve made it past the morning sickness of the first trimester and you aren’t huge and uncomfortable yet.
The last few weeks of the third trimester is when things should pick up again in terms of discomfort.
Baby is at her largest size, and your muscles and joints will relax in preparation for labor which can cause pain and discomfort. Your back, hips and pelvis may also be in pain due to the extra weight and strain on your frame.
The good news is, you’re almost done!
Labor and delivery is just around the corner.
As you prepare, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with these important things to know about first time mom labor and read these must-have first time mom books for an easier transition into motherhood!
You can also find tons of other helpful first time mom tips here!