First Trimester Hallmarks

0-12 Weeks

Welcome to the first trimester. Where your body starts to morph into this baby making machine. And it ain’t easy. Everyone’s experience is different, but I would say the 3 major trimester hallmarks are sore, but large breasts, morning sickness and fatigue!

Pampering myself with facial masks up north — Pampering myself with facial masks

The sore and enlarged breasts was actually one of the first things I noticed different before I even knew I was pregnant. Of course it also happens as your period comes, but not to the same extent. I remember noting how tender they were. So if you are late and breasts are extra tender - there is a large chance you are pregnant.
Now as much as your husband would love to touch these new volumptious puppies of yours, you need to warn him to stay away!!! And I mean it! Just explain to him to not take it personally. You don’t want ANYONE touching them with a 10 foot pole. Found that it wasn't as rough with subsequent pregnancies. Enjoy the look, but not the feel (but don’t worry the worst is yet to come -) fast forward to when the milk comes in.

With morning sickness I got lucky with the first pregnancy, but not the second and third. With Brooklyn I only had 2 nauseous mornings. One was because I didn’t eat with my prenatal vitamins. Another time I did end up puking. I was running errands in the morning, stuck in construction traffic and had to pull over in a Tim Hortons parking lot, puking in the bag I put my husband’s lunch in while people passed by in the drive through - not a nice site to see!

Note: try to keep puking bags with you at all times along with the crackers

Tip: Always eat with your prenatal vitamins and also starting eating more fibre with them since they will constipate you with all the iron in them.

With my second, I was quite nauseous most of my first trimester. I never actually vomited, but I would just get these waves of nauseous unexpectedly throughout the day. For me, my doctor told me to start taking Zantac (antacid) and that seemed to help. I would take it presently in the morning or whenever I started feeling nauseous and it’s safe to use while pregnant. Due to my nausea, I became soooo picky with my eating. Avoiding meats especially pork! I once made a whole meal with pork and sent my husband to get me McDonalds after because I could not even stomach thinking of eating it. Hated vegetables - expect salads were okay. Lots of fruits, fried foods and carbs - were the best! Not the healthiest, but I wouldn't overeat them so didn’t really affect my weight gain.

With 3rd baby, there were 3 weeks where I had really bad nausea. It was constant throughout the day again with no vomiting. It didn’t affect my appetite though. Actually eating made it better. Whenever I would start getting hungry, my nausea would get worse so eating would help. For those 3 weeks (week 8-10) I needed medicine to function. My doctor this time prescribed Pepcid once Zantac was discontinued. Still first thing in the morning (before taking a pill) or late at night (when medicine wore off), I would be extremely nauseous again. Thank goodness this phase only lasted 3 weeks especially with having to watch 2 kids on top of it. I would still get random waves of nausea afterwards, but nothing crazy!

But you can also have the other extreme of not being able to function for pretty much 24-7. As deceiving as it sounds, morning sickness is not just reserved for the AM. All I can say to that is just hope for the best and remember that it doesn’t last forever. Also don’t be afraid to ask for help. And crackers right in the morning when you wake up or anytime of the day you start to feel a bit nauseous can help. Always having non-perishable plain snacks with you are key - if you start getting hungry, nausea usually follows soon after.

Which segues into my next hallmark of fatigue. I could sleep for 10 hours in a day and still be tired. Sit on my ass all day and STILL be tired. And if you think about it, even though you may not be doing much activity during the day, your body is literally taking all its energy reserves into transforming a minuscule zygote into a living functioning fetus. I was fortunate in that my occupation at the time of my first pregnancy, it started at noon so I could take advantage of sleeping in. But even if you can’t sleep in, go to bed as early as possible. Who cares if you just had your dinner. You will be grateful for it the next day. Even though it subsides in the 2nd trimester, this fatigue will rear it’s ugly head in the 3rd trimester so sleep while you can! Having to pee all the time doesn’t help with your rest in the night either.

So I know you will hear it all the time - but seriously…..Sleep while you can!!!