First trimester: How you may feel emotionally

You may have mixed feelings throughout your pregnancy and even after the birth of your baby. These feelings are normal.

Early in pregnancy, changes in your hormones will affect your emotions as well as your body. The hormonal changes, combined with the lack of sleep and the nausea that are common in early pregnancy, can be overwhelming at times. It is normal to feel anxious, happy, depressed, excited, scared, awed and uncertain.

While such mood swings are unpredictable and can be very unsettling, they are completely normal and will usually decrease by the second trimester.

If you are concerned about feeling depressed or not like yourself, call your health care provider. Some women do have symptoms of depression during pregnancy.

Here are some suggestions to enhance your pregnancy:

• Make sleep a priority. Rest often.
• Eat a healthy diet to get the energy to combat the stresses of pregnancy. (See Your nutrition needs.)
• Visualize your baby floating comfortably. Think of you and your baby doing a wonderful job together.
• Enjoy this special time with your baby.
• Talk, sing and read to your baby while you are pregnant.
• Educate yourself about the upcoming birth of your baby. (See Prenatal classes.)
• Believe that you and your baby have the ability to succeed in the birth.
• Celebrate the parent that you are and the family you are becoming.
• Share your feelings with your partner or a close friend.
• Relax your standards. You're busy growing a baby.
• Cleaning (and other obligations) can wait.

Related Links

How you may feel physically

Your sexuality now

Pregnancy Condition Center: First trimester

Pregnancy & Parenting eMagazine: Registration

Minnesota Hospital Association: Depression during and after pregnancy (requires Adobe Reader)

First published: 10/04/2002
Last updated: 06/01/2003

Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts