Tips and Tricks on How to Survive Your First Trimester

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Tips and Tricks on How to Survive Your First Trimester

Pregnancy can be hard but it doesn’t have to feel impossible. Sometimes it’s as simple as being more prepared for the symptoms that come your way. So here is a list of tips and tricks on how to survive your first trimester that I’ve compiled from my own experience as well as tidbits from my doctor/midwife and other mothers. 

The first three months of pregnancy can be a whirlwind. You’re over the moon excited because you got that positive sign on the pregnancy stick. and by this time your might already be 6+ weeks pregnant!

You start planning and wondering and your heart starts racing with nervous excitement. 

Then the morning sickness hits (or all day sickness, or no sickness at all!), and you’re more thirsty than you ever imagined being. 

You find yourself tired for seemingly no reason. 

Your breasts start to feel tender and suddenly your craving the weirdest foods. (Or maybe you’re like me and just crave ALL the food!) 

Regardless of your own personal struggle, these tips will help you make it through. 

And remember, these symptoms you’re experiencing won’t be around forever. So hold on to that initial excitement, because the best is yet to come!

Tips and tricks to help you survive the first trimester of pregnancy

Once that egg and sperm meet, your body starts to shift to provide that baby with the best environment for survival. Hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG), Human placental lactogen (hPL), estrogen, and progesterone all shift and can cause your body to feel out of wack. The sudden change in body chemistry is what causes the onslaught of symptoms in the beginning of pregnancy. 

Even though there are many stereotypical symptoms, everyone’s experience is different. 

The most common first trimester symptoms include nausea, exhaustion, breast soreness, overwhelming smells, frequent urination, and constipation.  

Common Symptoms in the First Trimester

Nausea

It is thought that the increase in hCG is what causes “morning sickness” or, for some, “all-day sickness”. For some,  it happens roughly two weeks after implantation, for others it feels like it is as soon as egg meets sperm. 

The best way to combat morning sickness is to stay hydrated, eat food in small, snack-sized portions, get lots of fresh air, and choose a good quality prenatal vitamin. 

No, prenatal vitamins are not all created equal. (This is something that I didn’t know until after I started taking them. So, if this is news to you, then you aren’t alone.) Be sure to check and make sure the prenatal vitamins you choose contain:

  • folic acid (vitamin B/folate)
  • Vitamin D
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin C
  • Thiamine
  • Riboflavin
  • Niacin
  • Vitamin b12
  • Vitamins E
  • Zinc
  • Iron
  • Iodine
  • Choline
  • Omega-3 DHA

Does a perfect prenatal exist? Not really. Each woman is going to find herself more in need of certain vitamins during pregnancy than others so keep that in mind when choosing. 

Ask your care provider for their recommendation. Don’t be afraid to look into different brands on your own and see if different ones would work better for you specifically. Then go back and double check with your provider to make sure you made a good choice.

Exhaustion

Exhaustion hit me like a freight train during my first trimester. The mere thought of getting out of bed had me wanting to take a nap.

Staying focused and continuing to be productive during this time felt like a distant reality that I would never achieve again. It is by far the most exhausted I have ever felt. Do you feel the same? 

Thankfully, there are some ways to combat this feeling. 

  1. Listen to your body. If your body is telling you to take a nap, don’t be afraid to go lay down. Your body is going through some serious changes right now and it needs rest to have the energy to accomplish it all. 
  1. Avoid too much caffeine. I know it can be tempting. I have been guilty more than a couple of times of falling into this trap, but more caffeine won’t give you the energy you’re looking for. Doctors are now saying that one cup of coffee a day is fine.

    However, trust me when I say that no amount of coffee will make a difference. At least it didn’t for me, or anyone else that I have talked with. WATER is what your body needs right now. 
  1. Exercise! It may feel like the absolute last thing you want to do, but getting up and even going for a short walk will help you feel recharged. Exercise has been proven to help pregnant women sleep better, prevent unwanted weight gain and help you lose weight later, relieve constipation, and reduce back pain.

    Be sure to exercise earlier in the day though because it can take your body a few hours to relax.
  2. Stay hydrated! I was so parched all the time when I first found out I was pregnant. I felt like I couldn’t drink enough. However, one thing that I definitely didn’t do was track when I last drank water. Odds are I was going further between drink breaks than I realized, leading to being super thirst later on.

    Invest in an extra-large water bottle and drink every time you see it! Your body needs extra fluids to keep up with all the changes happening in your body. If you’re not properly hydrated, your body will begin to get sluggish and you’ll feel even more exhausted.

Breast soreness

Breast soreness is caused by “growing pains” as your body starts growing milk glands to get ready for breastfeeding later on. You might feel tender at different times in your pregnancy but most of that soreness happens in the first trimester. 

Shortly after finding out I was pregnant, I had a moment where I suddenly felt like my bra shrunk because my breasts just didn’t fit in the cups anymore. 

  1. One way of combating breast soreness is to invest in a couple of more supportive bras. This is a great time to look into getting some nursing bras so you’re ready when the baby comes.
  2. Cold compresses work as well to ease breast swelling. An ice pack wrapped in a towel or a cold wet towel are both good options. Just don’t leave ice packs on for more than 20 minutes at a time.
  3. Hot showers are another great way to reduce the pain. Heat can help relax your muscles which reduces overall muscle tension.

Strange smells

Your few months of pregnancy can bring with it some strange new smells. Hyperosmia, a heightened sense of smell, is very common with pregnant women and can be one of the causes of sudden nausea. 

For me, one of the first clues that I was pregnant was when I went to eat Mexican (my favorite food) and found myself fighting my stomach the moment we walked into the restaurant. I even tried to get something on the lighter side, hoping it was just experiencing an upset stomach. No such luck. 

However, there are a few adjustments to your lifestyle that can help you avoid those pesky scents. 

  1. If you’re finding yourself sensitive to food smells, try to pick cold options. Cold foods give off less of a scent which will make them easier to eat. 
  1. Try switching to odorless deodorant if certain fragrances start giving you trouble.
  2. Use scents such as mint, lemon, and ginger that can help ease your nausea. Peppermint also works well to mask smells so try popping gum or a mint when you find yourself around unwanted scents.
  3. Wash your clothes more often and keep your windows open when possible. This can help prevent a build-up of smells that give your nose a problem.

Frequent Urination

Frequent urination during your first trimester is another common symptom. It can get rather annoying feeling as if you have to rush to the bathroom every 30 minutes. 

It is vital that you don’t decrease your liquid intake. You NEED to drink as much water as you can. However, this is part of the reason you need to use the bathroom so much. 

If you’re dealing with frequent urination in your first trimester, try leaning forward when you go to the bathroom. Leaning forward will help to ensure that you empty your whole bladder.

Constipation

Thanks to your body having extra progesterone during pregnancy, you may very well experience a level of constipation. Progesterone causes your muscles to relax which translates to slower digestion. There are some ways to help reduce that constipation though. 

  1. Exercise! Yes, it’s back! Exercise naturally encourages your body to speed up wich helps aid in reducing constipation. 
  2. Water! It is important for so many things. Water will help ensure that your body has enough fluid to help your bowels its job
  3. Eat foods with lots of fiber. Fruits and vegetables such as pears, strawberries, avacado, carrots, and broccoli are all rich in fiber and will help releave constipation.

I hope these tips and tricks on how to survive your first trimester help you as much as they helped me. If you have any additional questions, feel free to shoot me a message! I would love to hear from you.

If you experienced any different symptoms and either have anything to add or would like to get more suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below. Remember, you are amazing simply because you are you.