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When you are pregnant your body will go thru a lot of changes. Your body will be preparing a healthy place for your unborn baby until you give birth. There will be a lot of adjustments for you and your husband during these nine months. I do hope my information will help you during this time.
You will feel confused and also have a sense of not being in control but this is normal so don't worry. You will just need to understand why you are feeling different at this time.
In those first few weeks and even months, your body will be adjusting to female hormones levels changing especially those containing estrogen and progesterone. These levels usually control your monthly menstrual cycles. When you are pregnant another hormone is present called human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG and it is called the pregnancy hormone.
Due to an increase in progesterone you will have a lot less energy than before you were expecting. Your breasts will increase in size and feel sore and your uterus will push against your bladder to make you urinate more frequently.
You will also experience morning sickness so be prepared to have smaller meals more frequently and also have crackers on hand to relieve nausea and calm your stomach. Morning sickness will also tend to make you have less energy. When you get out of bed in the morning do it slowly and if you feel nausea eat a few crackers. It might be a good idea to keep a few crackers in the bedside table.
You might also experience pregnancy gingivitis due to increased progesterone levels so be sure to regularly brush and floss your teeth to prevent or lessen the severity of this gum condition if it occurs.
Your blood pressure will also change during these months and you may at times feel dizzy or faint when you stand quickly. Try to breathe deeply and not move too sudden when this occurs.
As you move into the second trimester, the fourth to sixth months you will find this an exciting time. You will feel movement from the baby and your body will be better adjusted to the hormone changes in your body. The morning sickness should just about disappear and you won't feel as tired as you were during those first three months. Be sure to wear a comfortable maternity bra as your breasts will enlarge and you may need to wear a nursing pad to contain leaking colostrum.
You may experience leg cramps during this second trimester and might need to add extra calcium to your diet. You might also experience heartburn or a burning sensation in your chest caused by the pressure of the uterus growing on your stomach.
To relieve heartburn, eat smaller meals more often and drink lots of liquid. Milk usually helps heartburn.
During the third trimester, from seven to nine months you will have many of the same symptoms you had in the second trimester but they will be more noticeable. As you near your due date you will feel more tired, irritable and uncomfortable. Of course you will be very anxious for your baby to arrive. Your feet and ankles may swell because of pressure on your blood vessels and you may even experience varicose veins. Try to not stand too long in one place and try to elevate your feet while sitting down. Walking will also help if you walk daily.
You may also experience Braxton Hicks contractions during these last few months. These usually follow no certain pattern and do not last very long, no more than 30 seconds. During those last few weeks you will feel as thought the baby has dropped lower in your abdomen. This is known as lightening and will happen when the baby begins to get into a position for birth.
The nine months will pass by: soon you will be holding your precious baby and any hormonal changes will be forgotten.
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