Pregnancy - How To Cope with the First Trimester
Getting pregnant is the joy of every married woman. The first 0-12 weeks of a woman's
pregnancy is called the first trimester. It is during this period that a woman's body
experiences drastic changes during pregnancy. Discomforts and others may or may not be
experienced by a pregnant woman during this time, to help you cope with it here are a list of
the most common changes and discomforts and how to effectively deal with them.
Morning sickness and Nausea
The stretching of the uterine muscles and the pressure on the digestive tract due to the baby
growing can cause increased stomach acids, the body reacts to this increase by releasing it
through vomiting. As such, a woman's sense of smell is on hyperdrive during pregnancy; this
can also increase irritability as well as the probability of vomiting.
Rejoice, for this doesn't stay for the whole nine months. Usually the vomiting stops after the
third month. And do not worry the vomiting doesn't hurt the baby.
To help with morning sickness, try not too eat large meals instead eat small frequent meals
so that the stomach doesn't get “shocked.” Also, studies show that a diet abundant in
complex carbohydrates, like bread and other starchy food, and proteins can help alleviate
morning sickness. Also avoid eating fatty food.
Breast swelling
The body, in its preparation for the arrival of the baby, releases progesterone and estrogen
in higher levels than usual. These hormones sends a message to the breast to produce
more milk, this is in preparation for feeding the baby when it comes out.
The areolas will most likely enlarge and darken. Later on you may notice that these areas
start to have white bumps. There may also be increased sensitivity in the breast area and
you may also see blue lines along your breasts. These blue lines are only your blood vessels
working hard to supply blood to your breasts.
Swelling may increase during the latter period of pregnancy; in this case one must use a
good support bra of the right size.
Shortness of Breath and fatigue
Pregnancy can cause fatigue and other emotional changes in a woman. You should know
that even while you sleep, your body is feeding another living being. During pregnancy, you
body needs more rest. Fatigue is normal, and should go away after the body gets used to it.
To prevent yourself from being more irritable than you are and more tired, try to get as much
sleep as you can in the night. The ideal length of sleep for an adult is eight hours, try to get
this much every night.
A proper diet also helps with fatigue after all you're already feeding two people. One other
reason for the fatigue may be the lack of vitamins and nutrients for the both of you. Take the
vitamins that your doctor recommends and make sure you eat lots of nutrient-rich foods.
Exercise is also a big help. It doesn't have to b hard exercise, a light jog a slow walk can in
sense practice your body for the extra work it does. But remember, a balance of exercise
and rest is needed too much exercise or too much rest can also increase fatigue.

Irritability and mood changes
Because of the increased presence of hormones, mood swings are uncommon, this
happens to women monthly during pre-menstrual syndrome.
Lightheadedness
During pregnancy the heart is pumping harder to provide extra blood to the legs and the
uterus, as such a woman may experience dizziness due to the lack of blood flow into the
brain. Low blood sugar levels can also contribute to dizziness. The best thing to do in this
case is to make sure that you eat protein rich food and frequent smaller meals.
Urination Frequency
The rapid growth of the uterus presses the other internal organs away, this includes the
bladder. Usually the frequency decreases when the uterus settles into the abdominal cavity.
It may return on the third trimester when the uterus drops back down to prepare for birth.
Try leaning forward while urinating. This is to make sure that you empty your bladder
completely and can help in decreasing the urinating frequency.
These are the more common discomforts during pregnancy, others like varicose veins,
cravings and heartburn are all normal. Being prepared early can help a lot during pregnancy.
Be sure to have regular check-ups with your doctor as well as a proper diet, vitamins and
exercise.
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