All About my First Pregnancy Trimester

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Categories: General Information,Lifestyle,Pregnancy

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Having a baby is one of the most joyous times in many women’s lives. From anticipating the day you’ll bring your little one home, to picking a name and nursery colors, the excitement is palpable.

But no matter how well you plan for their arrival, you may not be fully prepared for all of the changes your body will go through now. Knowing what to expect will help you get ready for the months ahead.

How I knew

I didn’t know I was pregnant until my 5th week.
The early symptoms of pregnancy felt like pre-menstrual symptoms, I experienced some normal spotting that lasted more than a week; thus, had doubts. My husband and I decided to buy a Clearblue Fertility Monitor to take some of the guess work away. Took the first test and saw faint line, grabbed another Clearblue and showed the same result. Unfortunately, Clearblue wasn’t clear at all.

We called a friend who referred us to my gynecologist, Dr. Zaki Sleiman, who prescribed some blood tests that came out POSITIVE 🙂

Pregnancy is different for every woman.
Some women glow with good health and vitality during those first three months; others feel absolutely miserable.
Here are some of the changes I personally experienced, what they mean, and which signs deserve a call to your doctor.

 

1- Breast tenderness

Sore breasts are one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. They’re triggered by hormonal changes, which are preparing your milk ducts to feed your baby, and will probably last through the first trimester. Going up a bra size (or more) and I recommend wearing a support bra can make you feel more comfortable;

 

2- Bleeding or Spotting

About 25% of pregnant women experience slight bleeding during their first trimester and like I said, I was one of them. However, Dr. Zaki explained that the bleeding during the first trimester is mostly caused by some vessels disruptions between the trophoblast ” future placenta ” and the uterus.
In most of the cases, it resolves spontaneously without any medication and with some home rest.
One day, while at work, as a Personal Trainer at Healthy Lifestyle, I encounter heavy bleeding which scares the sh!t out of me; thus, I called him immediately and he advised to get some rest for a few days, so I stopped all kind of activities and rested for 3 weeks.
After Week 10, the bleeding stopped so I went back to my daily routine; working out and training members but took it slow and easy.

 

3- Cravings & Hunger


Although I didn’t feel any particular cravings but one thing I noticed was my appetite got bigger. I was feeling hungry all the time.
That is until I noticed that I’m not drinking enough water during the day.
So please pay attention to your water intake while pregnant.
Drink water as much as you can.

 

4- Weight

When I stopped working out for 3 weeks to rest, I gained 2 kilos. It’s easy to indulge yourself and be tempted for junk food when you don’t exercise and especially that I didn’t have any morning sickness or aversion to any kind of food.

The fastest 2 kg I’ve ever gained and couldn’t lose them back anymore. So I decided to pay attention to my food intake and start eating healthy and maintain my current weight for the coming weeks.
I finished my first trimester gaining in total 2.5kg, which was almost 1kg per month.

 

5- Fatigue & Sleep


Feeling tired 24 hours a day is one of the most common side effects of pregnancy.
Your body is going into overload to spur the baby’s growth: Your ovaries are producing progesterone, which is thought to have a sedative effect, and blood volume is increasing up to 50 percent to supply blood to the fetus.
You will feel the need to sleep more, in the morning or afternoon.
I used to have sudden urge to sleep for 30 minutes in the afternoon.

 

6- Frequent Urination

The baby is still pretty small, but the uterus is growing and it’s putting pressure on my bladder. As a result, I feel like constantly have to go to the bathroom.
Don’t stop drinking fluids — your body needs them — but do cut down on caffeine (which stimulates the bladder), especially before bedtime and don’t wait to urinate because holding it can cause a urinary tract infection.

 

7- Headaches


That was the worst symptom I had during my first trimester.
Bad headaches during the first trimester are generally from low blood sugar (a result of your changing metabolism), an increase in hormones and reduced blood flow to the brain. If you suffer from headaches, try using a hot or cold compress, massaging your temples or getting some fresh air. If you’re suffering from migraines, talk to your doctor.

 

Together for a Healthy Lifestyle,
Coach Eliane.

Eliane Bou Assy
Author: Eliane Bou Assy

I’m on a mission to educate, motivate and inspire people to live healthy 365 days a year through eating better food and moving more effectively. Make a difference, join me to live a “Healthy Lifestyle”.

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