What to Expect During Your First Pregnancy
I wanted to talk about my pregnancy experience because a lot of things happened that I wasn’t prepared for. No two pregnancies are alike, but I’m hoping through sharing, it may help someone!
Here’s how it all started.
We had a huge blow up over the dishes. Yep, the dishes. I got upset because my Husband put a dish in the sink after I’d meticulously cleaned the kitchen.
Yes it was petty.
And as a result, my loving Hubby suggested I take a pregnancy test, a year after we’d been married. So I did a home pregnancy test and we got only one line which meant negative.
A couple weeks later, he asked me to take another test because again, I was acting outside my character. Just extremely moody, way more than my normal monthly moodiness from when Aunt Flo visits (that time of the month).
This time we got two lines, one was strong, one was light. The instructions said even 2 light lines means positive.
So the journey of my first pregnancy began!
How do you know how far along you are in your pregnancy?
Figuring out how far along you are can get really technical and confusing with the length of months, time of conception, gestational age, etc., so I’m just going to keep it as simple as possible and use a breakdown from whattoexpect.com’s article, How Many Weeks, Months and Trimesters in a Pregnancy?
Trimester 1
Month 1: Weeks 1 to 4
Month 2: Weeks 5 to 8
Month 3: Weeks 9 to 13
Trimester 2
Month 4: Weeks 14 to 17
Month 5: Weeks 18 to 22
Month 6: Weeks 23 to 27
Trimester 3
Month 7: Weeks 28 to 31
Month 8: Weeks 32 to 35
Month 9: Weeks 36 to 40
FIRST TRIMESTER
WEEKS 1 – 13
My initial symptoms a few weeks in were sore boobs, extremely tired and lethargic, moody, headache that wouldn’t go away, ya know, the things most people talk about. But then as the days and weeks went by, reality set in that this would be an interesting journey indeed.
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Be prepared for morning sickness… ALL DAY
So of course most people know about morning sickness. This was one of the first things to affect me, like most women. But my naivety lead me to believe it was what it says it is, morning sickness. Not all day sickness!
Nobody told me it could last all day long! And mine did… every day of my pregnancy. The nausea was constant!
The vomiting thankfully wasn’t constant, I wouldn’t be able to function if it was. Things usually would lighten up by around 8pm every day, but yep, the nausea was there all day for me, every single day.
Of course this isn’t the case for everyone, but just know that it’s possible.
How to relieve this symptom: Orange juice helped me a lot, as well as drinking other juices, smoothies and lots of ice water. Keep saltine crackers with you at all times, as you never know when the nausea will hit.
For breakfast often I’d have something like hash browns and orange juice, or even mashed potatoes. The starch seemed to help calm the nausea some.
Also sucking on hard candy helped sometimes. These may be worth a try as ginger is supposed to be helpful for nausea: Natural Ginger Tummydrops
Head to Sonic because they sell their ice by the bag!
Eight weeks in, I only wanted to drink ice cold drinks. I mean ice, ice cold! I had to have ice in everything I drank. In fact, when I discovered Sonic sold their ice by the bag, I kept a bag of it in our freezer my whole pregnancy.
If you’re into ice, you know hospitals have the best ice, it’s called “nugget ice”. Well Sonic has the same ice and it is heavenly! If you’re preggers and you love ice, you’re welcome! Go to the drive in and they’ll bring it right to your car!
I told my Doctor about wanting so much ice as sometimes this symptom can mean you’re anemic, however she wasn’t concerned and said it’s normal in pregnancy. So I wasn’t concerned that anything was wrong.
How to relieve this symptom: Keep ice in your freezer! I kept bagged ice, and I also had ice trays of ice on hand just in case. Also make sure you’re taking your prenatal vitamins every day.
This’ll give you the peace of mind of knowing your body is getting all the vitamins you need (if you’re concerned with anemia) as well as for baby.
Have some butters for your itchy boobs
This is pretty self explanatory, I just wasn’t prepared for this!
I mean obviously it makes sense for your boobs to grow because for most women they grow during pregnancy, preparing for milk etc. But I just wasn’t prepared to have them be itchy due to the stretching skin.
Duuuh! Face to palm! Just smooth your butters on (shea butter, cocoa butter, whatever your fave is) and it helps to soothe the itching.
How to relieve this symptom: Shea butter, cocoa butter, or any thick moisturizing cream. Keep one on hand and use it daily, or as often as you feel itchy.
Cramps 24/7… Your entire pregnancy
During pregnancy, your uterus is constantly stretching and growing as baby grows. This causes a variety of cramping feelings, just like the cramps you feel during monthly visits from Aunt Flo!
Yes you’ll eventually start to feel baby kicking, but usually that’s not what causes pain (unless baby kicks an organ, which is possible!)
From 8 weeks on I had consistent cramping 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All. Day. Long. For 9 months.
At times they weren’t super intense, but they never let up for me. Sometimes I would get a severe bout of cramping that would last 20-30 minutes.
Looking back this was probably just my baby having a small growth spurt. It scared me so bad though because I was constantly worried about making it through the first trimester.
I was worried because usually after the first trimester, you pass the window for the highest chances of miscarriage. I didn’t let worry consume me, however I just want to be honest and say it was on my mind.
Keep reading though and I’ll tell you what will help you combat this worry.
How to relieve this symptom: Extra Strength Tylenol helped me (my Doctor said it was okay), however I only used it when I absolutely needed to.
Don’t put heating pads on your belly or anything like that. Just take deeps breaths until the pain passes and try your hardest to relax.
Random stabbing pains, siiiigh
I would get random stabs of pain all over my abdomen. There wasn’t a specific time it happened, it just happened at random times throughout the day.
Occasionally I’d get a strong stab of pain that would last 30 minutes or so, and it would wake me out of my sleep at night. I couldn’t believe this was normal!
But yep, this is normal too, it’s just the uterus stretching and baby growing. It will likely happen to every preggers Momma.
How to relieve this symptom: Extra Strength Tylenol, deeps breaths and relax as best as you can.
Grab your lifetime supply of Tums! The belching is real
I could not stop burping! I burped constantly, all day, every day. Whether I ate something or not, I was constantly burping. Which is completely out of my element!
It got so bad, my Mom would giggle and say “uh oh there she goes burping again!” It turned out that for me this was a symptom of acid reflux.
Check out my post on this for more info on how it can affect you, and ways to relieve it: How to Get Relief from Burping, Coughing and Acid Reflux in Pregnancy.
The baby wants it! Food gets weird
Cravings didn’t kick in during my first trimester because I was so nauseous all the time. I seriously wasn’t thinking about food. Mostly I didn’t want mushy foods, only solid foods that were crunchy and hard. Crackers, chips, granola etc.
I also lost all desire for chocolate and coffee my entire pregnancy! If you know me you know coffee and chocolate have been my faves for years. I did want lots of fruit though!
It’s amazing how your body knows what it needs for baby to be strong and healthy. And my body knew for whatever reason that chocolate and coffee were no-nos for my bubs. Yes, food gets a bit weird.
How to relieve this symptom: Try and err on the side of the healthy options of your food oddities. If you want crunchy foods go for granola for sweet, or cucumbers and dressing or pretzels for salty.
I think pickles are a nice salty option as long as it’s in moderation due to the sodium content.
It can be a challenge but there are lots of good healthier snack options available these days! This looks amazing! Healthy Snacks Care Package
You may choke on the increased saliva
Listen, the saliva increase you experience in pregnancy? Is CRAZY. OMG it was so crazy and very unpleasant. Yes sometimes food caused me to choke but mostly it was just my own saliva at random times.
How to relieve this symptom: For me sucking on ice chips helped, as well as sipping on water or watered down juices (so as not to consume too much sugar). This is one of those things ya just have to deal with.
I don’t recommend chewing gum because it can cause an even larger increase of saliva which is what you don’t want.
Sucking hard candy may help, as it also helps with nausea. Just be really careful because it can cause you to choke, which is what you’re trying to avoid. Try things out and see how they work for you!
Other things about pregnancy
Other things I experienced during my first trimester were dull sinus pressure/pain and headaches, extremely tired, gassy, coughing at night, and constipation.
I was told it’s all normal, and just a part of pregnancy! I don’t know why I was so clueless! But I was, and I did read books and blogs and things about pregnancy!
I guess you just have to experience certain things for them to become real.
SECOND TRIMESTER
WEEKS 14-27
I had all the same aforementioned symptoms during my second trimester. Still choked a lot and most times unfortunately a choking spell would lead to me vomiting. The morning sickness did ease up some during my second trimester though.
Belching, acid reflux, and shortness of breath
By 12 weeks in (my second trimester) I had resolved that belching was just going to become a way of life for me throughout my pregnancy.
I could not. Stop. Belching. And I felt soo unlady-like. But it was almost like a reflex, I couldn’t really stop it or control it.
I also coughed a lot at night and often felt like I couldn’t breathe! I kept asking my Doctor if I was having an asthma attack, and she kept saying nope! It’s normal. And it is!
I discovered though that the coughing, belching and overall gassiness was all a part of acid reflux.
Acid reflux looks different for everyone, but in this post I talk about what it was like for me, and how to get relief: How to Get Relief from Burping, Coughing and Acid Reflux in Pregnancy
Degenerating fibroids, placenta previa, feeling baby move
Before pregnancy I knew that I had at least 2 fibroids the size of small grapes. By 19 weeks my OB/GYN discovered on my ultrasound that I had 3 fibroids, two of them were the size of melons. Yep, melons!
I also found out at this time my placenta was on the bottom of my uterus blocking the birth canal (the medical term is Placenta Previa).
Nothing is really done for that at this point, they just wait for it to move and take another look at the next ultrasound. If it doesn’t move it could cause bleeding, so me and Hubby just prayed that things would shift.
I started to feel baby move a lot, which was super exciting!
At 25 weeks I experienced my first, and second degenerating fibroid episodes. I talk all about that in this post if you want to know more about that, and what to do if you experience this: What You Don’t Know About Degenerating Fibroids During Pregnancy
The baby wants it! Welcome food cravings!
Still had a lot of the same odd food things in my second trimester, but picked up some more random ones. Sometimes I’d want some things once and then I’d be okay and never want it again!
Like I wanted meatloaf really bad and a tomato sandwich, but after I had these things once I was good. But other things like a McDonald’s cheeseburger (which I hadn’t had in years), ice, orange juice, hash browns, popsicles and mashed potatoes, I wanted these all the time!
Oh well, the baby wanted it! Any time I wanted a weird food, Hubby would look at me crazy, and I’d say, “The baby wants it!”
It worked like a charm every time! You will remain a guilt free pregnant woman like I was using this line, haha!
How to relieve this symptom: Try to take it easy on yourself, especially if this is your first pregnancy and you’ve never been through this before. It’s okay to give in to some of your cravings, within reason.
Of course you don’t want to over do it. But you are going through a lot, and it’s okay to allow yourself a few treats along the journey.
Pay attention to what you crave because sometimes your cravings are triggering a deficiency in your diet. It can be worth mentioning to your doctor just for them to make note of it. They may suggest a supplement for you to take.
THIRD TRIMESTER
WEEKS 28-40
By the third trimester I had to go in to see the OBGYN every week until I gave birth. Yep, that’s 12 weeks. For 12 weeks straight I went to the Doc once a week. Crazy right?
Here’s a journal entry from my 7th month pregnant:
“Wow. Can’t believe I’m almost 8 months pregnant, it’s an amazing feeling. Feel so honored to carry life. It’s been scary at times for sure. Last week Friday night, I had contractions from 9:30 pm to like 4 am in the morning. Nothing really since then, just a few Braxton Hicks. Lots of feelings too. Like feeling like I can’t breathe, heart palpitations, butt and pelvis hurt, swollen feet/ankles. Eman says since I’ve been pregnant I’ve been extremely confrontational…
Baby E3 is great, it’s crazy to feel him move so much, he’s getting bigger. Doc Moore says my uterus is at 36 weeks, even though I’m 31 weeks right now.”
Personality changes
Yeah let’s talk about that confrontation thing, haha! Often times we’re so focused on ourselves during pregnancy, we forget how it affects those who are closest to us.
I asked my Husband the best and worst things about this new found trait I inherited. He said:
“It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing because how you felt was always out there (I’m an introvert). It brought something in you that was missing in general, it gave you a backbone (gee thanks Hubby, haha!). You spoke your mind at the airport (I talk about that situation here). It was a more stronger you. The worst thing about it was a lot of it was directed towards me and I almost had to strangle you a couple times,” hahaha!
Also, my pregnant tummy was larger than it should’ve been at 36 weeks because of the size of the fibroids.
Emotions and hormones
Most people are familiar with some of the hormonal changes that go on when you’re pregnant. There are a whole host of them, and they do a variety of things in your body from beginning to the end of your pregnancy.
Here’s a great article for more specific information and terminology: click here.
By 28 weeks, my hormones were operating on overdrive. In my experience, I dealt with moodiness, crying spells, anxiety and other things I’m already sort of predisposed to as a sensitive introvert.
The difference is that these traits get a lot more intense, so whatever you’ve dealt with emotionally pre-pregnancy skyrockets to ridiculously high levels. Check out my post where I talk more in depth about this and how to handle it: I Can’t Control my Emotions! How to Relieve Pregnancy Hormone Symptoms
Nesting is real
Nesting is definitely a real thing and it kicked in during my third trimester. It wasn’t like I thought it would be though.
I thought for some reason it would be a really intense process. But for me it really wasn’t.
I did make sure everything was set up for bubs, like his bassinet and bottles and things but I was so tired all the time, I really didn’t do too much.
Like cleaning the kitchen is usually my thing but my feet were so swollen I mostly tried to keep them elevated as much as I could.
Hubby took up a lot of the slack for me with the cleaning. So yeah, I think I’ve concluded that nesting can look different for everyone.
How to relieve this symptom: Do what you can to bring you peace of mind, but you don’t have to over do it. Make sure important things are done, but other than that, many things you just figure out as you go along once baby arrives.
Nausea and vomiting may return with a vengeance
Nausea and vomiting returned in my third trimester, and no it was not fun. Having to get on your knees and bend over a toilet with a 9 months preggers belly is not cute!
I was so not feeling this because I thought this should be over for me by my 9th month! But nope, still happened.
How to relieve this symptom: By this point in my pregnancy, I always had a bag of hard candy in my purse, Herbal Throat Drops (I’m a singer), a pack of saltine crackers and a bottle of water. That’s about all I could do to keep the nausea at bay.
Linea nigra, belly button, and other body image things
By 30 weeks my linea nigra, the line that goes from the bottom of your tummy all the way up to the the bottom of where your bra hits, was in full affect.
Mine was really dark and 1/4 inch wide in its widest areas. I was never really worried about this little line, as I knew it would fade over time.
By this time I was seriously wondering if my belly button would pop because my stomach was stretching so much! My doctor seemed pretty sure mine wouldn’t, but I wasn’t so sure.
You start to view your body in a different light as it takes on a new form, and not only did I look huge, I felt huge!
I wasn’t sad about it or anything because I was honored to carry life. But I was a different me, complete with a new prego waddle!
Take a birthing class! It’s amazing
Thirty-two weeks was our birthing class! My Husband and I had to wait until I was one month away from delivery to take the class at the hospital where I delivered my baby.
The class was an all day experience on a Saturday, from 9am-4pm. It was so crazy being in a room full of pregnant women and their significant others! There had to be about 20 couples in the room.
It was strangely empowering and I must say kind of Superwoman-ly feeling. I think I had ra-ra cheerleading type thoughts of “yes pregnant girls, we can do this!” run through my mind at one point! But I digress, haha!
The first half of the class was videos and oral presentations from the teacher. Then we took a break for lunch where we ate at the cafeteria in the hospital.
The second half of class was where the teacher taught us how to breath during labor, and also ways to manage and deal with labor pains. We brought our own blanket to lay on for the demonstrations.
The class provided large exercise balls to sit on, and massagers of various types, shapes and sizes.
I’m so glad we went! My OBGYN doctor was amazing so she answered every question I could think to ask. But going to class and seeing the videos helped you see what it would really look like, and it sparked other questions for us to ask her.
How what I learned in class prepared me for labor
There was a procedure we learned in the class called internal fetal monitoring, where an electrode is attached directly onto the babies scalp through the cervix during labor.
The mechanism was passed around in the class so we could see what it looked like. It’s used so doctor’s can get a closer listen of the babies heart beat when it’s weak or too slow.
Our teacher told us we didn’t have to use this option if we weren’t comfortable with it, and I remember whispering to my Hubby, “I don’t want to attach this to my baby’s head!”
Little did I know, my doctor ended up needing to use this mechanism and procedure on my own baby! And there was no way I was going to tell her not to. During labor, all you care about is delivering a healthy baby.
The class was excellent. We did have to pay a small fee but it was definitely worth it.
You’re almost there
At 33 weeks I started feeling baby’s hiccups! The only reason I learned how they felt was because my Doc saw him hiccup on the ultrasound, and I felt it when she mentioned it.
By this time the placenta had moved from the bottom of my uterus so I didn’t need to worry about it obstructing baby’s way out and possibly having to do a c-section.
I began asking my Doc questions about returning to work, and how to find a pediatrician. And I was also still asking her about the shortness of breath because it was getting really intense.
I couldn’t stand feeling like I couldn’t breathe!!! I asked her again if I was having an asthma attack! But nope, she said it was a normal feeling.
I also asked her about a birth plan because we learned about that in the birthing class! She explained that it kind of narrows down to whether you will be having a natural birth or not. If not a natural birth, will you be managing the pain at all, and if so how?
I didn’t really know I had much of a choice, but apparently some people can be really anal and specific about how they want their labor to go. I’m not one of those people, I told my Dr, “Just give me all the drugs!!! As long as it’s safe for baby”.
When to stop working?
I stopped doing Esthetician work at the spa at 8 months pregnant, 33 weeks. My last Sunday at my church worship position I was 37 weeks, and then that Thursday we had rehearsal.
The following Sunday morning I just couldn’t get out of bed, so I just stayed in it! And that was all she wrote. I delivered my baby the following weekend.
This is different for every woman, you just kind of have to go with the flow. If you can handle your job all the way to labor, there’s nothing wrong with that. As long as it’s okay with your doctor.
Take maternity photos!
I was 35 weeks at out Maternity Photoshoot. We weren’t sure if we’d get professional baby bump photos in or not, but we ended up finding an amazing photographer in our area!
Check out my post Tips for an Incredible Maternity Photoshoot for tips on how you can get amazing baby bump pics!
Nooo sleeeep!!! How do you get comfortable?
By 38 weeks, I wasn’t sleeping well, which meant neither was Hubby. I was having contractions constantly and was very uncomfortable.
Lots of coughing at night still and shortness of breath.
My doc would always ask me how I was doing of course, and I’d always say I was fine! She was surprised I’d never say, “Get this baby out of me,” haha!
But no, I wanted my bubs to take all the time he needed in there. I just wanted him to be healthy. I posted about what I did to get as comfortable as possible here: How to Get Sleep During Pregnancy
Take a breastfeeding class!
I took a breastfeeding class offered by my local WIC office at 37 weeks and it was awesome! I had no idea really what to expect with nursing so I was all ears.
They teach you about how to do it, different things you may encounter, and they also inform you of other organizations that offer support.
I knew I wanted to nurse, but I also knew that nobody I knew personally was able to do it for very long. So I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to. But thankfully I was! I was able to nurse my baby for 1 year.
I think it’s important to take a class even if you don’t think you want to breastfeed. You learn lots about why it’s great to do it and how it helps the baby way better than formula can.
I was sold when I found out the many benefits of breastfeeding, and I knew I wanted to at least try it and see how it went. Highly recommend a class! I’ll talk more in depth about breastfeeding in a different post.
Thirty-eight weeks to new life!
Friday of my 38th week, I had my scheduled appointment with my OB/GYN. My blood pressure was elevated, higher than it’s ever been (it would fluctuate up and down my entire pregnancy). That day it was 140/90.
She took it twice and it didn’t go down, so she said, “Well, no need in keeping you pregnant, I don’t want this to progress so go on ahead to the hospital, see you later!” She said we could stop and grab some food and our things.
So we did! We stopped at home, got our things, and cleaned up a bit. I showered and we stopped to grab a bite to eat.
I wanted root beer and curly fries from A&W, but when we got to the drive in to order, they told us they don’t serve curly fries anymore, seriously??? Who knew! I hadn’t been there in years.
So we settled for Arby’s because I knew they had curly fries. Hey the baby wanted it!
So we were excited, anxious, nervous and I was sooo pregnant! And ready to have a baby.
The biggest piece of advice for your third trimester
The biggest thing I can tell you for your third trimester is: take it easy.
Yes! Take it easy, and let people spoil you!!! You would be amazed at the kindness of strangers to pregnant women. Pregnant women really are honored and revered in this world.
Enjoy it. Revel in it. Sit and prop up your feet.
Let people bring you things, let people pick up things you drop (trust me you’re more likely to let something stay on the floor than to pick it up anyways, haha!)
Let your loved ones pick up the slack around the house and stay off your probably swollen feet. My poor feet were so painfully swollen that I couldn’t even fit them into my Crocs anymore!
Thanks to my Mom, she found me some really wide slide in tennis shoes that I could wear to church.
Ride in the electric cart!
I’ll always remember the last trip my Mom and I took to Walmart to pick up a few things for baby.
I was so huge and tired that I knew I wouldn’t be able to walk around the largeness of Walmart, so I rolled around in one of those electric carts with NO SHAME WHATSOEVER!
At first I couldn’t believe I was sitting in it. Then after I got over the initial feelings of weirdness because I wasn’t an elderly senior, I was hooked!
Every time I went to Target, to Kroger, or any place that had them, I shamelessly rode around without a care in the world! Me and my huge pregnant belly had no qualms about it!
So yes! Enjoy getting spoiled for a while. Because as soon as baby arrives, it will be all about him/her getting all the spoiledness, love and attention.
What brought me peace throughout my pregnancy?
This passage of scripture helped me immensely during my pregnancy and even now. I prayed this over my belly and it brought me so much peace.
Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb – Psalm 139:13-18
Psalm 139:13-18
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
There may be times in your pregnancy where you are worried, afraid, or scared. It may be unfounded due to hormones, or it may be justified due to circumstances you may encounter.
This is absolutely normal.
For someone like me who loves to control the narratives in my life, this is one of many that cannot be controlled. In fact, it’s completely outside of our control. The only things we can control are our own behaviors and choices.
It’s best not to worry as worry can have a negative effect on the health and safety of your baby. And because I know you want a healthy, happy baby, it’s so important to place your worries in God’s hands, as He has the Master Plan.
He has you and baby in the palm of His hand, and He will never let go of either of you. God is completely in control, and He has an awesome plan for both of you.
All will be well.
Read and re-read your favorite passages of scripture to help you through difficult times. Listen to your favorite inspirational songs to keep your spirits lifted. And remember to trust God in all things.
In conclusion
Pregnancy is not easy, but it is so worth it in the end. When you hold your new little baby, all 9 months will become memories you will hold for years to come. It may inspire you like it inspired me to help others by sharing my story.
You aren’t alone. Women have been birthing babies for centuries. And now you will be one of them, and you’ll have an amazing unique story to tell too.
I hope this helps you, and I hope you have an amazing pregnancy.
Have an amazing day today, and every day!
Here are a few more posts on pregnancy:
Giving Birth: My Labor Story + Induction with Pitocin & Epidural Experience
Tips for an Incredible Maternity Photoshoot
How to Get Relief from Burping, Coughing and Acid Reflux in Pregnancy
Eye-Opening First Pregnancy Guide + Stages, Symptom Relief & What to Expect
