Alright kids, it's time for the cold, hard truth. Depending on what source you check, this week may or may not mark the end of the first trimester for me. If you go by developmental stages of the little one, the the first trimester marks the transition from embryo to fetus and ends at week 12. If you go by the gestational method of calculating... 40 weeks divided by 3 is whatever, whatever so the second trimester begins at 13 weeks 3 days. Blah, blah, blah. So, it's either this week or next week. I don't think this stuff is going to change by then.
The joys of pregnancy. I've done quite a bit of reading and have talked to quite a few preggies. None of them have really shared this stuff with me. But I'm ready to get down and dirty. Since my BFP (big fat positive! for those not in the know when it comes to the trying to conceive lingo), here are the wonderous symptoms that I have experienced.
~Hunger. This should be pretty obvious. I have been *extremely* lucky and have not experienced any morning sickness (or afternoon or evening sickness either). You may or may not have the same luck. I have had some increased hunger and have dealt with it by having more frequent, preferably healthy, but not always, snacks.
~Cravings/Aversions. There may be things that you have always loved that you now can't stand the sight/smell/taste of (oatmeal, protein shakes). This will (probably) pass. You may crave unusual things. I'm not talking pickles and ice cream. I have had cravings for cold things. Salad. Ice cream. Smoothies. Fresh berries. I dunno. Just go with it. Everything in moderation.
~Acne/Bacne. Your hormones are raging. You may or may not experience breakouts like you've never seen before or haven't seen since high school. I have, yay! You'll want to consider what you're using to treat the breakouts though. I've been using a sulphur-based spot treatment.
~Dry skin/rashes. On the flip side. Where your skin isn't covered in pimples, it may be itchy. Dry. So dry you wake up scratching yourself at night. Find a nice lotion. Preferable one that's unscented and as chemical free as possible because you'll probably be using it A LOT.
~Road rage. Speaking of hormones... I've heard that some women have increased arguments or tantrums or whatever you want to call them with their partners and/or family. I haven't had this, but I have had an increase in road rage. In fact, I flipped somebody off for the first time recently. And f-bombs are FAR more frequent in the car than they are anywhere else. Oops.
~Giggle fits. On the flip side, I believe I have been far more likely to laugh with my husband than is normal. This is a good thing. Thinking about such a dramatic life change can be just a wee bit stressful, so any amount of giggling is more than welcome in my opinion.
~Potty trips. Even before my BFP!, my trips to the bathroom became more frequent. This has eased off a bit now, but I hear that it will return again in the third trimester.
~Constipation. Well, at least I've been using the toilet for something because it sure hasn't been for the old number two. Hey, I warned you this was going to be the dirty truth. Apparently all those hormones slow down your digestive system too. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
~Exhaustion. You may or not experience complete exhaustion. I have. And continue to. I'm talking about the kind of tired that requires a post-work nap, dinner served to you, a post-dinner nap, followed by dessert and then, finally, dragging yourself to bed. And your body won't know it's the weekend, so don't expect to keep living the crazy life anymore.
~Constant stuffy nose. "Pregnancy rhinitis." Supposedly this is also due to those lovely hormones. Congestion. Sneezing. Sinus headaches. And you can't really take anything for it. Buy a neti pot.
Finally, to go all the way to dirty...let's talk about...
~Cervical mucus. Whoa boy! Do not be surprised or think there is something wrong with you if you notice things are a bit more... productive... down there.
~Sensitivity. Eep! Your boobies (which are probably swollen and may be somewhat painful) and... other parts... are likely more sensitive than normal thanks to increased blood flow. True.
~Sex. These last two points would lead me to recommend that, if you're feeling up to it, "Just Do It." And that's all I'm going to say about that.
Final words of wisdom: Get a belly band of some type to help you wear your normal pants unbuttoned for awhile. I haven't worn any maternity clothes yet. This majorly varies from person to person depending on how much weight you gain and also how you're carrying.
In my case:
Weight gain to this point: about 3 1/2 pounds
Inches gained at waist to this point: 4!; yowza! But my pants still fit (for now, although probably for not much longer) with the belly band.
So there you have it. The first trimester. Honestly, despite all these little things, it's been totally worth it to see and hear that little heart beating away.
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