First trimester: How you may feel physically

Pregnancy is a natural and healthy occurrence. You can trust your body to know what to do. Still, the natural changes that are occurring in your body will require you to take thoughtful care of yourself and listen to your body's needs.

You may feel...

exhausted. It's typical to feel very tired during the first trimester. Listen to your body. If you notice one time of the day when you feel tired, try to reorganize your tasks so you can nap or lie down at that time. (Maybe you can spend part of your lunch break resting.) This tiredness may lessen or even disappear as your pregnancy progresses. Many women feel much more energetic during their second and third trimesters.
nauseated. Increasing levels of estrogen, your rapidly growing uterus, low blood sugar, and low levels of stomach acidity can all cause nausea during pregnancy. (See Morning sickness.)
sore and tender. Your breasts may become fuller andquite tender to the touch because milk glands are forming and blood supply to your breasts is increasing. Wear a good support bra with wide, non-elastic straps throughout pregnancy. It will help you feel more comfortable.
like you live in the bathroom. Increased hormone levels, more waste products to eliminate, and the pressure of your growing uterus on your bladder all add up to more trips to the bathroom. This is often most pronounced during the first and third trimesters.
- Doing Kegel exercises several times each day may help you improve bladder control. Be careful not to practice them while you empty your bladder.
- The best cure is probably just building time for regular bathroom visits into your schedule for the next few months.
dizzy and lightheaded. The hormone progesterone is causing your blood vessels to relax, so blood is "pooling" in your legs. To avoid becoming dizzy or lightheaded:
- Change positions slowly when you stand or sit up to avoid sudden blood pressure changes.
- Avoid lying flat on your back, which can increase pressure on major blood vessels. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to help your body with fluid and blood production and make you more comfortable. With your increased blood volume, your body dehydrates faster and needs more water.
crampy. You may feel cramps similar to menstrual cramps.
bloated. Edema is the medical term for swelling, often in the feet, lower legs and fingers. This is caused by the same hormones that cause premenstrual water retention. During pregnancy, there are even more of these hormones in your system. To help keep swelling to a minimum:
- Don't wear tight clothing or jewelry.
- Exercise regularly to improve circulation, which will help get rid of extra water.
- Drink more water, not less. When you drink more water, your kidneys can work more efficiently to remove excess water from your system.
- Raise your feet. If you work at a desk, put a box or stool under the desk for your feet. When you're at home, lie down several times a day with your feet higher than your head.
- Avoid extra salt in your diet that can come from eating too many salty foods.
- If swelling in your legs and feet doesn't improve after a night's rest, call your health care provider.
terrific! Though you may feel some of the discomforts of the first trimester of pregnancy, you may also feel pretty great. Many women report feeling healthy and invigorated during pregnancy. Enjoy it!

Things to discuss

Talk to your health care provider if you...

are exposed to chickenpox, cytomegalovirus (CMV),fifth disease, hepatitis A, B or C, HIV, measles, listeria, Lyme disease, rubella (German measles), or any other infectious disease.
have severe nausea, are vomiting more than twice a day, or haven't kept down any fluids for 24 hours. He or she will have suggestions that may help you.
have headaches, or your gums are bleeding or sensitive. These physical changes may need to be watched.

Morning sickness

Morning sickness is often most pronounced during the first trimester.You may feel queasy when you wake up in the morning or you may actually vomit.

Morning sickness sometimes happens at other times of the day. Sometimes just the smell of certain foods can make you feel queasy. This, too, will usually pass in time.

To reduce the chances of nausea, try...

eating a few soda crackers before you get out of bed
rising slowly out of bed
adding protein to snacks (a slice of turkey or a scoop of cottage cheese with crackers)
eating small, frequent, dry meals
sipping fluids between snacks and meals
drinking very hot or very cold beverages
drinking acidic fruit juices, like orange or pineapple juice (but not first thing in the morning)

Ask your health care provider about trying a vitamin B6 supplement, ginger or acupressure bands. If you can't keep food down, keep taking fluids.

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