5 Fun Facts About Your First Trimester

Since most women choose to wait 12 weeks before telling anyone about their pregnancy, there’s a lot that we have to suffer through in silence that first trimester. 

Life is going on around us like it’s just no big deal.  Normal “non-pregnant” people are sitting right next to us at the dinner table eating that hot dog like it doesn’t smell like death. 

I almost just puked writing that last sentence.  Because, yup – you guessed it – I’m currently 6 weeks pregnant!  Of course, we couldn’t be more thrilled, totally planned and I really want a boy — if you must know.

For a number of reasons we’ve decided to just spill the beans early this time.  Heather’s post on Miscarriages and how women shouldn’t ever have to suffer alone was a great motivator.  Also, we were just too excited to keep it to ourselves!!  And since I don’t have to keep all this crazy stuff going on with me a secret, I’m here to share 5 “fun” facts about my first trimester.

1.  Morning Sickness — Who named it that?  No seriously, who?  What’s his name?  I wanna knock on his door at 4 PM and throw up on him.  Then again at 11.  Morning sickness — aka All Day Nausea — doesn’t mess around.  It starts around 4/6 weeks and usually lasts until (at least) 14 weeks.  The crazy part is that they can’t really explain why it happens!  My last pregnancy I felt sick most of the time, but only threw up a couple of times.  If you are one of those mommas who puke a lot, I really feel for you.  I do!  All-Day sickness is just the worst.  And without  a cause it’s hard to treat – but these suggestions have come in handy for me.

• Keep your stomach full.  Ironic, right?  The thought of eating anything just makes you want to puke, but that might be what could help you!  Try to eat small meals throughout the day so that you don’t let your stomach get empty.  Carbs are what works for me.  Some suggest high protein!  Crackers are your best friend.
• Ginger!  That also just sounds terrible, but if you give it a chance it really could help.  Ginger ale.  Ginger candies.  Definitely worth a try!
• Stick to bland foods.  And make sure everyone else around you does as well!
• Avoid strong scents like the plague.  Perfumes, restaurants, freshly baking foods — those smells really get to me and are therefor all banned.

2.  Hunger — Yesterday I ate 3 breakfasts.  Yup 3.  By 10:30 AM.  I had a big bowl of oatmeal at 6:30 AM.  Then, not one, but TWO granola bars at 8.  And by 10:15 I was ravenous and went to buy a bagel.  I couldn’t even make it to the register before biting into that thing — it was half gone before I even paid for it!  I know I just told you that I want to throw up all the time, and I really do – but I’m still hungrier now than I’ve ever been and can out-eat my husband.  And it’s a tricky thing to feed a nauseous stomach.  You know you’re hungry but half of your options for food will make you puke.  The other half don’t sound all that great.  Or you can have cake.  Most of the time I just pick something and try to get it down before puking.
3.  Exhaustion — I’m assuming that one of the reasons I’m so hungry is because of all the work my body is doing by, you know, growing this human inside me!  Another side effect of all that work is flat out exhaustion!  Us momma’s might make this job look easy, but I can assure you — it’s not.  I wake up in the morning with heavy lids.  By 10 AM I’m ready for nap number 1. Somehow I make it through to lunch — and then (if I’m lucky) I nap in my car in the most uncomfortable position possible — and I actually sleep because I’m just that tired.  And then, even after that nap, come 8 PM it’s bedtime for Miles and ME.  I just can’t stay up must past 8 anymore.  This, too, usually lasts to about 12 or 14 weeks and the only solution I know if is to just sleep when you can!  Your body really does need it.
4.  Bloating —  Changes in our hormones cause our digestion to slow waaaay down… hence the feeling that you are SUPER full even when you’ve only eaten half of your meal.  I honestly don’t remember this problem from my last pregnancy (reason number #3 why I’m sure it’s a girl (reason #1 being because I want a boy and reason #2 is the lovely acne attacking my face)) but this pregnancy is making up for it.  I’m only 6 weeks pregnant, but I look 5 months after each meal.  Water and exercise are supposed to be the biggest help.  As well as adding more fiber to your diet (if you can stomach it).  I’m just breaking out the maternity clothes early, rubbing my bloated belly and pretending the baby’s kicking me!
5.  Bladder — It makes sense when you have to get up to go to the bathroom about 37 times per night — when you are 9 months pregnant and there’s a baby sitting on your bladder.  But when you are only 1 month in and you’re getting up 37 times per night — it just makes you mad.  Fascinatingly enough, as soon as we get pregnant our bodies start producing more blood.  We end up with 50% more blood in our bodies than normal.  And all that extra fluid gets processed through our kidney and then eventually the bladder.  Making matters worse, once we lay down – all the extra blood in our feet and legs has it’s chance to work it’s way to the kidney and bladder.  Meaning — get used to waking up to pee — this symptom lasts your whole pregnancy!

Despite these fun facts — you really are glowing, I promise! 

Maybe it’s all that acne cream you’ve rubbed on your face.  But most likely it’s a glow from the inside out.  Because if you are anything like me — you are beyond excited for this new life you’re creating.  You’ve got ultra-sounds coming up.  If you haven’t heard it yet – the first time you hear your baby’s heartbeat is magical!  There’s adorable and crazy-tiny clothes to buy and nursery’s to plan! 

Also, there’s that Rockstar Second Trimester coming up!!  The one where your energy comes back, the nausea goes away, and you look adorably pregnant in everything you wear.  Definitely keep thinking about that!