Being pregnant with your first child is an incredibly magical and transformative experience. In reality, if you don’t know what to expect, it can be hard to find useful pregnancy tips.
Young mothers will do anything for their unborn child, but the best course of action isn’t always straightforward. While doctors recommend plenty of supplements and prenatal vitamins, there are simple things you can do every day to give your baby a fighting chance.
How Your Body Changes During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the greatest feat our bodies can go through. At any rate, as your baby grows inside you, your body has to change and grow to make room for him/her.
Here’s what to expect during your pregnancy (1,2):
During the first trimester:
- Light spotting or vaginal bleeding
- Experience more extreme senses of taste and smell
- Mood swings
- Exhaustion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Super-sore breasts
- Headaches
- Constipation
- Faintness and dizziness
- Frequent urination
- Bulging veins on your hands and feet
- Nosebleeds
- Flushed and plump skin
- Feeling bloated
- Blurry vision
Second trimester:
- Feeling clumsier (shift in your center of gravity)
- Increased feeling of happiness
- Skin darkening around your nipples, areolas, navel, armpits and inner thighs
- Skin tags and growths
- Butterflies in your belly
- Stomach rumblings or indigestion
- Swelling in your lower abdomen
- Pregnant belly “pops”
- Sharp pains in your hip, abdomen or groin
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
- Lower blood pressure
- Low energy
- Anemia
- Low libido
- Sore ribs as your rib cage expands to make room for your ever-growing uterus
Third trimester:
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Trouble sleeping
- Shortness of breath
- Leaky breasts (colostrum)
- Itchy skin
- Sciatica
- Urine leakage
- Heartburn
- Increased appetite
- Nausea
- Braxton Hicks contractions
- Lumpy breasts
If you experience anything abnormal during your pregnancy or if your body doesn’t quite feel right, call your doctor right away and don’t take any chances.