First trimester
When you're pregnant the three trimesters are your major milestones. The trimesters aren't three periods of exactly three months each - they're of different lengths, defined by the way a baby grows and develops. The first trimester starts with the presumed date of conception.
© DK
In the first trimester, your body adjusts to being pregnant. At first you won't look any different, and you might not feel different either, but the activities of your hormones will soon start to affect you in various ways. You might experience lots of mood swings, you may want to make love more or less often, and you may find that your appetite changes and you start feeling like simpler, blander food than usual.
Physical changes
Your pregnant body is having to work very hard to accommodate the developing embryo and the placenta. When you're pregnant your body's metabolic rate increases and is between ten and 25 per cent higher than normal. This means that all the body's functions are stepped up. Your cardiac output rises steeply, almost to the maximum level that will be kept up throughout the rest of your pregnancy. Your heart rate rises too, and will go on doing so until the middle of the second trimester. Your breathing becomes more rapid as you now need to send more oxygen to your baby and breathe out more carbon dioxide.
Because of the action of increased levels of oestrogen and progesterone in your body, your breasts quickly become larger and heavier. They're usually tender to the touch from very early on, too. There's an increase in fatty deposits in your breasts and new milk ducts grow. The areola around the nipple becomes darker and develops little nodules called Montgomery's tubercles. Underneath your skin, a network of bluish lines will appear as the blood supply to your breasts increases.
Your uterus becomes larger even in early pregnancy, but you won't feel it through the abdominal wall until the end of the first trimester, when it begins to rise above your pelvic brim. While the uterus is still low in your pelvis, it'll start to press upon your bladder as it gets bigger, so you'll almost certainly find that you need to urinate more often. The muscle fibres of your uterus begin to thicken until it becomes very solid indeed. Even so, you probably won't notice your waistline changing until the end of this first trimester.
Self-care in the first trimester
When you're pregnant you'll need extra carbohydrates and protein to supply your growing baby and the placenta, as well as your uterus and breasts, so it's vital to eat healthily right from the start. You'll need extra fluids, too, so try to drink at least eight glasses of liquid a day. Avoid drugs, caffeine, junk food, alcohol, and smoking throughout the whole of your pregnancy. Make sure, too, that you get plenty of rest.
Clothes
You'll feel much happier in comfortable clothes. While you won't need to buy any maternity clothes just yet, there's nothing worse than wearing something that's tight and uncomfortable, even if it's only for a few days, so try to keep one step ahead of your increasing size. You'll almost certainly find that you need to wear a larger bra from early on, and it's best if this is a properly fitted maternity bra (see What to wear).
Your antenatal care
Your doctor may confirm that you're pregnant, or you may make an appointment with the antenatal clinic as soon as you've had a positive test result. If this is the case, you may not be seen until your next trimester. At the first visit to the clinic, your midwife will ask you about your own and your family's medical histories. You'll also be given a thorough physical examination, including urine and blood tests.
Making plans
Your doctor will talk to you about choices for childbirth in your area - what hospitals you could go to and what arrangements could be made for a home birth. Some doctors' surgeries offer antenatal care, whether complete or shared with your hospital. Now is the time to start thinking about the type of delivery you want and where you're most likely to get it. Books like this one can help you decide what sort of birth you would prefer to have as well as give you in-depth information on everything to do with pregnancy, birth, and baby care.
Some women feel like buying their unborn baby a little gift, such as a teddy bear, as soon as they know they're pregnant, but many feel that doing anything more than this is to tempt fate. You might like to start keeping a daily journal of your health and feelings during the first trimester, so that you'll have a complete record of your pregnancy.
First trimester weight gain
In the first three months you'll probably put on about 1-2kg (2-4lb), if you haven't had too much problem with nausea.
Your baby will weigh only 48g (1 ¾ oz). The rest of the weight is made up of your baby's support system (the placenta and amniotic fluid), your enlarged uterus and breasts, and the extra amount of blood in your body. Your own fat stores will make up about the same weight gain as your baby.
First trimester pregnancy
- Your breasts will grow larger, heavier, and feel more sensitive.
- You'll notice more pigmentation on your nipples, and any moles and freckles will get bigger.
- You may feel very tired.
- You'll probably have some feelings of nausea, especially first thing in the morning.
Posted 30.06.2010
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