Last Updated on January 16, 2025 by Corynn
Disclaimer: This blog post is not to be used as a way to medically diagnose any symptoms you have. If you notice anything unusual or have any concerns, I highly suggest seeking a doctor’s opinion. In addition, trigger warnings for miscarriages are mentioned in this blog post.
Finding out you are pregnant can bring on so many ray of emotions. One moment you’re happy and excited, the next moment you’re freaking out wondering if you made the right choice.
On top of that, you’re also dealing with so many changes at the beginning of your pregnancy. The first 2 weeks feel like being on a rollercoaster that you’re not allowed to get off for a longgg time!
Below, I summarize everything you’ll experience in your first trimester and what I’ve learned during the first three months of my pregnancy.
What will I experience in my first trimester?
Symptoms will depend on your own body. The most common ones you will get are;
- tender breast
- Nausea & vomiting
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Cramping
- Food aversions
Things I learned in my first trimester:
1. With all The Symptoms You Have, Your Days Will Feel Like A Blur
I remember constantly asking what day it was. Was it Monday? Wednesday? With all the symptoms I was going through it became hard to keep up with important dates, and events.
Sometimes I would spend my days in bed with really bad nausea.
2. You Won’t Be Able To Do Anything. Like At All.
Going back to my previous point, with your first-trimester symptoms it becomes really hard to get anything done. From cooking to simply vacuuming the floor. Even working became very difficult.
I had to heavily rely on my husband to complete a lot of the household tasks, and we ordered out A LOT!
Remember during this time that you have to take it easy and not push yourself. You’re growing a tiny human after all.
3. The Food You Like Before You Probably Won’t Like Anymore
This one affected my way of eating during this pregnancy. I have a major sweet tooth. I love chocolate, candy desserts, everything!
Until I got pregnant. A few days before I found out I was pregnant my sweet tooth disappeared (That is one of the signs that made me wonder if I was pregnant).
All through my first trimester, I couldn’t stand eating or drinking anything sweet. It would make me so sick!
Just be prepared for foods you enjoy to become the one thing you hate. Now that I’m into my second trimester, my sweet tooth is nowhere to be found. I can digest sweets now but it’s not the same.
4. Gagging Becomes The New Normal For You
You will gag ALL THE TIME! It could be from something you smelled, a certain food texture, or just seeing something gross on TV.
This also makes brushing your teeth very difficult. Every time I brushed my teeth I would be heaving over the sink.
I highly suggest keeping track of the things that make you gag. My phone notes are filled with smells and things that tend to make me continuously gag. I would let my husband and family members (who knew I was expecting) be careful of the things they are cooking.
5. Get Used To Asking For Help
I’m a Type A person and always busy during the day. Once I got pregnant that all changed. It became harder for me to complete tasks. I had to take multiple breaks or stop for the day.
I was either too nauseous, out of breath, or just plain tired. In addition, I went from I can lift anything to only lifting less than 20 pounds (even less if you’re high risk!)
If you’re like me and dislike asking for help, well I hate to break it to you. During this time you’re going to need to ask for a lot of help. With each week going by it becomes harder and harder to complete tasks until the baby comes.
Although an amazing perk about being pregnant is everybody is so willing to help you.
6. Implantation Bleeding Can Happen Again Later On
As you start TTC with your partner (trying to conceive) you will hear the term implantation bleeding.
According to the Mayo Clinic, implantation bleeding is very light bleeding you will have while your fetus has implanted in your uterus. This usually happens 10-14 days after conception.
I am here to say that implantation bleeding can happen again later on in your first trimester. Yes, it can happen in the beginning for the embryo to attach to your uterine lining. But it also can happen as well when your placenta is attached to your walls as well. (Trust me it can be a little scary when it happens).
Around weeks 10-11, we had a scare believing we were going through a miscarriage. When we went for an emergency C-section, my doctor clarified that my placenta was forming/attaching to the walls of my uterus and could cause implantation bleeding.
All pregnancies are different. Some women have it and some don’t. Remember that if you notice any bleeding or anything unusual check with your doctor!
7. Seeing Your First Ultrasound Will Give You a Sigh Of Relief
Going into my first ultrasound, my anxiety was through the roof! I didn’t know what to expect and also was preparing myself to hear any bad news. Luckily my husband was able to come to my first appointment which helped a lot.
Once I saw the ultrasound of our baby, hearing the heartbeat and seeing their movements. I felt a sigh of relief overflowing my body. Confirming that I was pregnant and everything was going according to plan.
8. You’ll Always Have a Fear Of a Miscarriage
You can skip this part if miscarriages are triggering to read!
After going to my ultrasounds and doctor’s appointments, at the moment I was relieved they found their heartbeat and/or saw them moving on the ultrasound screen. however moments after the fear of a miscarriage came crawling back.
No matter what, the fear of having a miscarriage and/or a stillbirth will cross your mind. Especially if you have been through one.
Remember that you’re not going through this alone. Take the time to talk to your partner and doctor about how you’re feeling. There’s support online and in person for pregnant women going through this.
9. It’s Cool To Keep a Secret Between You And Your Partner
Honestly, my favorite part of the first trimester was keeping our bundle of joy a secret from our friends and family. It was a secret only we knew and nobody else could find you.
Yes, it was hard to keep our pregnancy a secret since my first trimester was during the holidays. But we managed to keep it a secret until I reached a week or so after my second trimester.
RELATED POST: Holiday Season Survival Guide for Pregnant Moms
10. Baby Forums Can Give You a Sense of Belonging But Also Scare You
During the first few weeks of being pregnant, I was heavily obsessed with reading pregnancy forums. It was a place where I felt like I belonged and had people to relate to with my first-trimester symptoms. I was a part of first-time pregnant moms’ groups and the month my baby was going to be born in the group.
I also noticed a scary side of forums. Such as reading ladies’ miscarriage stories and some women who discussed scary symptoms they were having. In addition, a lot of husbands leave/cheated on their pregnant wives.
It became so much that I took a break for a few weeks. I didn’t want to stress or worry myself over things that were not relevant to my pregnancy and relationship.
Here is a list of forums I am a part of during my pregnancy:
- What To Expect
- Flo app
- Reddit (r/pregnant, r/BabyBumps, r/BabyBumpsCanada)
11. Googling Things Will Be Your Next Hobby
If I get a dollar for every time I googled something during my first trimester I could pay for a new phone haha. Searching symptoms on Google becomes very common during your first trimester.
You want to make sure what is normal and not normal. Looking back I wish I talked to my doctor more about my symptoms and to get some reassurance.
12. You’ll Go Through a Period Where You Symptom-Free
Around week 8 or 9, I went through a phase where I wasn’t experiencing any symptoms. At first, I started freaking out because you hear that if you lose your pregnancy symptoms you are going through a miscarriage.
Surprisingly, this is a very common thing to happen. But don’t worry, your symptoms will come back (but worse).
13. Pregnancy Brain Starts Right Away
I always heard pregnancy brain will start later on in pregnancy but this time around it started very early. Pregnancy brain feels like you’re in a fog and just forget about anything, or I would come up with a decision and then change it a week later.
I highly suggest limiting any big decisions until after you have the baby.
14. Your Symptoms Can Be Confused For Covid
Before I found out I was pregnant I went through symptoms that I thought it was Covid. Stuffy nose, fever, extreme tiredness, and nausea.
Until I missed my period where I realized something wasn’t right.
15. You Will Be Documenting Everything
Document every symptom, your water intake, how much you slept, weight. Everything! Because when you goto you go see your OB or Midwife, they are going to ask you a lot of questions. Which will feel like a lot to remember in your head.
Another thing to document is any family history both you and your husband have. This could be cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, everything. This information will help you throughout your pregnancy just in case complications arise.
Overall…
Your first trimester will feel like a blurry rollercoaster ride that you just can’t get off of. After the 12-week mark when you see your first-trimester ultrasound. It’s going to be all worth it.
Beginning to prepare for the baby? Here are some questions you can ask your partner before the baby arrives!
