So you’ve just found out you are pregnant? Congratulations! You have now begun a beautiful journey to the next phase of your life.
That said, you need to be prepared with pregnancy symptoms so you can anticipate them as your body goes through the many changes in pregnancy. From breast changes in the first trimester to abdominal aches in the third, here are some of the most common pregnancy symptoms you can anticipate:
First trimester symptoms
1. Mood swings
Pregnancy-related hormonal changes will cause you to experience mood swings. You may notice a PMS-style rollercoaster of emotions as early as four weeks into your pregnancy. Don’t be afraid to confront these feelings and talk about them, either with your support network of family and friends or with a professional.
2. Frequent urination
You may find yourself peeing more frequently about two to three weeks after conception. This increased need to pee is due to the pregnancy hormone hCG, which encourages more blood flow to your kidneys, which in turn increases their efficiency in getting rid of your body’s (and eventually, your baby’s) waste.
3. Fatigue
A lot of energy goes into creating a conducive environment for your baby to grow in, which explains why you feel tired or exhausted in the first trimester.
4. Breast changes
The hormones progesterone and estrogen can make your breasts feel tender and swollen early in pregnancy. You may also notice that your areolas get darker and larger.
5. Smell sensitivity
Many women report a heightened sense of smell early on in pregnancy, where odors that were previously mild become strong and unappealing.
6. Nausea
The queasiness (sometimes accompanied by vomiting), commonly known as morning sickness, usually rears its ugly head in the first trimester. Contrary to its misleading name, it can appear at any time of day. Nausea occurs mainly due to the increased levels of progesterone, which can cause your stomach to empty more slowly.
7. Raised basal temperature
If you’ve been tracking your basal body temperature, you might notice that it increases by around one degree when you conceive and stays high throughout your pregnancy.
8. Missed period
For many women, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. This is especially true if you have regular periods.
9. Food aversions
Your heightened sense of smell may be to blame for this early sign of pregnancy. Your aversions to certain foods is due to fluctuating pregnancy hormones, and the symptom often passes by the second trimester.
10. Bloating
It can be difficult to distinguish between pre-period bloat and pregnancy bloating, but it’s one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms that many women experience. You can blame this symptom on the hormone progesterone.
Second-trimester symptoms
1. Congestion
The increase of blood flow to the mucus membranes in your nose will cause you to feel congested in your second trimester. You may find it difficult to breathe, and might even snore when sleeping. Fortunately, there are some over-the-counter medications that are safe to use during pregnancy to reduce congestion.
2. Dizziness
When you’re pregnant, your blood vessels tend to widen and relax to increase blood flow to your baby. This may cause a drop in blood pressure, which can leave you feeling a little light-headed or dizzy. Fill up on fluids, eat plenty of snacks, and take it easy to manage this symptom.
3. Sensitive gums
You may notice that your gums are extra tender, swollen, sensitive, and prone to bleeding during your second trimester, especially when you floss and brush. This is likely because pregnancy hormones inflame your gums, leaving them more vulnerable to bacteria and plaque. To deal with this symptom, visit your dentist regularly, maintain good oral hygiene, and eat healthy meals.
4. Mild swelling of feet and ankles
3 in 4 pregnant women experience mild swelling of the ankles and feet during pregnancy, starting at around week 22 of pregnancy (sometimes even earlier) and lasting until delivery. To reduce puffiness, avoid long periods of sitting or standing, try to stay active, and kick your feet up when not moving.
5. Varicose veins
Varicose veins are large, swollen blood vessels that are often found in the legs, but they can also show up almost anywhere in the lower half of your body. They occur due to the extra volume of blood your body produces during pregnancy. To help minimize them, keep your blood flowing by doing circulation-increasing exercises such as taking walks, and keep your legs elevated when sitting.
Hemorrhoids are a type of varicose veins that occur in your lower rectum due to the increased pressure in that area. To help relieve the pain of hemorrhoids, try taking warm baths. It also helps to prevent constipation.
6. Weight gain
In your second trimester, your appetite will likely increase (or appear, if you experienced nausea and appetite loss in your first trimester). Most women gain around a pound per week for a total of approximately 14 pounds during the second trimester.
Third-trimester symptoms
1. Heartburn
In the last couple of weeks before you give birth, your uterus will push your stomach upward, causing persistent heartburn. If you can’t stand it, consider talking to your doctor about possibly using H2 blockers or proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs)
2. Fatigue
It’s normal to feel exhausted during the third trimester because of the demands pregnancy is putting on your body, so make sure you get plenty of rest, eat well, and stay active.
3. Abdominal achiness
The round ligaments that support your lower abdomen will stretch even further to accommodate your burgeoning belly, which may leave you feeling achy. There’s not much you can do to alleviate the pain other than to take it easy.
4. Braxton Hicks contractions
You’ll start experiencing false contractions, known as Braxton Hicks contractions, in your third trimester. These are “practice” contractions and are useful for your body to prepare itself for labor. Braxton Hicks contractions may start off mild, but as you approach your due date, they can become more intense. Unlike true labor contractions, Braxton Hicks are irregular and often go away if you change positions.
5. Shortness of breath
As your uterus expands and presses on your diaphragm, breathing can become difficult.it might become harder to go up the stairs without feeling out of breath, and simple household tasks can leave you feeling winded. The most suitable thing to do is just to move more slowly, take it easy, and sit up or stand up straight so that your lungs have more room to expand.
6. Backache
As your pregnancy progresses, the hormone relaxin loosens your joints and your burgeoning bump pulls your center of gravity forward. Subsequently, you may start experiencing backaches. To alleviate the pain, try putting your feet up.
7. Leaky breasts
In your third trimester, your body starts to prepare itself for nursing. As a result, your breasts may start to leak. The fluid being produced from your breasts during this stage of pregnancy is known as colostrum. Colostrum production occurs when the levels of the hormone prolactin slightly outpace those of progesterone and estrogen. It’s a completely normal symptom and nothing to fret over.
8. Lack of bladder control
As your little one moves further down your body, he/she may exert more pressure on your bladder. Therefore, in addition to peeing more often, you may also find that you leak a little, especially when you sneeze, lift, bend, or laugh. You can wear a panty liner to manage this.
9. Itchy skin
As your belly continues to grow, you may experience itchiness as the skin in this area stretches and dries out. Make a point of applying a moisturizing lotion and hydrating frequently to manage this symptom.
Final thoughts
Understanding what some of the most common pregnancy symptoms are will help you better prepare for your own pregnancy. This way, you can plan for the appropriate interventions for each symptom as it comes.
Finally, if you have any concerns about what you’re experiencing, don’t hesitate to talk about it with your doctor. Good luck!
