First Trimester...other not so fun side effects

Now in addition to our top 3 hallmarks of the 1st trimester there are of course some other side effects...

Hormones - aka erratic mood swings (we will discuss in more detail)
Dizziness - especially if you skip a meal (try to keep snacks with you at all times and maybe some non-perishable items in your car) - please now is not the time to start a diet
Constipation (especially because of the iron in the prenatal vitamins)
Flatulence - if you have been hiding your gas from your partner, now is a perfect excuse to let it loose! Don’t worry, he will be seeing your vagina open to 10cm in diameter so now is not the time to be shy
Heartburn/acid reflux - which tends to increase as you gain weight. I didn’t not experience this much (some with my second) until with my 3rd. You would feel this congestion higher up closer to your chest especially after meals. It can be slight burning or discomfort in that region. Tums helps with this fortunately which you are allowed to take. Your uterus is expanding and that tends to put pressure on your stomach and other regions like your bladder which leads to....
Frequent urination : which can be a pain in the ass especially during the night when you are trying to get your beauty sleep. My husband claims the baby barely woke him up during the night because he was so used to me getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
Nose bleeds: humidifiers always help!
Spotting: I never experienced this however I thought it was important because I would imagine how scary it would be seeing blood anytime you are pregnant. But fortunately it is quite normal, but you should always let your doctor know regardless. Immediately if it accompanies any other symptoms like pain or heavy bleeding.
Excess saliva
Increased discharge down there: that is why it is probably a good time to switch to no panty line underwear. However keep an eye if it is discolored or has a strong odor. It is more common to get yeast infections when your pregnant (then of course you need to check with your doctor).
Heightened sense of smell: I never really noticed much difference, but of course everyone is different. I think this plays a huge factor in morning sickness as well. I only had one incident at costco at the check out when I smelled fish. I guess they had someone leak some fish fluid on the conveyer belt and even though they cleaned I could still smell it and couldn’t handle it! I had to walk away and even though I looked like a drama queen, I did not care!
Changes in appetite: This could go either way. If you are ‘repulsive’ nausea like with my second, you don’t want to eat much or you are more picky with what you eat. With my third, I was a pig in my first trimester. Hunger would help with my nausea. It was like baby was hungry and would get mad at me if I didn’t eat. I surprised myself how much I would eat and how much I wasn’t stuffed. I would sometimes finish my meal, pick at my husbands or the kids. Or demolish my meals so fast my husband would be shocked. I once ate half of a whole large pizza at night within 5 minutes!

I found that a lot of side effects I had were considered normal. I would go to my OB with a list of questions (even for the symtom that weren’t necessarily typical of a pregnant woman) and he would always say it’s normal. Of course though it’s always good to get reassurance from a doctor. Everyone’s pregnancy is unique just like every baby so don’t ever jump to conclusions saying ‘It’s not normal’ until you know for sure.

Now once you find out your pregnant, there are some activities you should start avoiding, some more obvious than others, that could harm your baby or yourself.

Activities to Avoid…

Alcohol: That’s a given. Although don’t worry if you drank before you found out you were pregnant (i.e. within the 1st month). At that time the baby was only a mass of cells, the alcohol would not have done damage to it. But of course stop immediately once you find out. There are cases with alcoholic mothers who can’t immediately quit cold turkey because it would cause more harm - so in those cases you would have to speak with your doctor.
Smoking: that includes second hand smoke. Even though it is much easier to avoid that, some people can still be careless so do the best you can and don’t be afraid of being rude: it’s your baby and your body.
Roller coasters: there isn’t too much study on this however I was advised it’s better to be safe than sorry. I had to pretend I felt nauseous when I went to Wonderland Halloween Haunt with my family (was still too early to tell)
Tanning beds: pale is in fashion when pregnant. If you have an event and really want to treat yourself, spray tan is OK, but don’t make it a habit and avoid breathing in the chemicals (check with your doctor).
Facial treatments: a basic facial is fine (just let your aesthetician know you are pregnant) however certain treatments you should definitely avoid like ones that use electrical micro current and microdermabrasion & peels. As well treatments such as Botox and collagen should also be put on hold.
Aromatherapy: Yes even certain oils and smells need to be avoided as some can trigger contractions - so let the professional know as well as check with your doctor.
Hot tubs: for me this was a tough one especially when you start getting bigger and those aches are longing for those jets & heat. However the extreme temperatures can be dangerous to your fetus - but you can always settle for a warm bubble bath.
Extreme sports: pretty much a given. However some activities may not be as obvious such as hot yoga (dangerous due to the heat) or horseback riding (no point risking a fall). You can go over your activities with your OB or midwife.
Parties: this one is a little change of pace. However with your fatigue and nausea, you will be thanking me for staying in your bed. I’m not saying become a hermit, but avoid the ones you can. Especially because secondary factors such as smoking, loud music, harsh smells, drunk friends - can not make you feel too good. If you do have to go just limit your time or try different activities with your friends like day dates.