I thought I would directly skip to
the second trimester, but with the response to the first part I decided to add
a few symptoms that I skipped. The ‘oh so gross’ bodily functions that I said I wouldn't
elaborate on.
The first thing I can think of is constipation.
Yeah ,I know, but it happens. The increased amount of progesterone in your body
and the added iron from the supplements you are taking will cause constipation.
This could be mild or really bad. Eat food rich in fibers and drink lots of
water to avoid the situation.
Heartburn is another symptom that is
caused by the slowing down of your digestive system. This, like constipation is
not as bad in the first trimester. A cold glass of milk can help reduce the
problem and increase your calcium intake. That’s win-win.
Another fantastic side effect of
pregnancy is frequent urination. Since your uterus is growing , your bladder
gets smaller. Between all these issues, there will be days when you would want
to move into the bathroom and stay there.
I was talking about everything
hurting in my previous post. One of the scariest pains should be the round
ligament pain. The round ligament is one of the many thick ligaments that
surround your belly. As the uterus grows, the round ligament stretches like a
rubber band around it. Remember what happens when a rubber band snaps on your
skin? Pretty much the same thing happens when you make sudden movements. The
round ligament snaps like a rubber band around your lower belly. Fun times!!
Thankfully the pain lasts only for a few seconds. However check with your
doctor if the pain becomes unbearable.
Quite a few of these symptoms can be
reduced if not cured by taking supplements. It is a good thing to start taking
folic acid and other prenatal supplements before you become pregnant. It is
never too late to start. These supplements provide you with all the nutrients
required especially during your first trimester when you might not be able to
keep your food down.
Your pregnancy test is not the only
test that is done in your first trimester. Quite a few blood tests are done to
make sure both you and the baby are healthy. These include tests to check your
blood group, any infections, and also the check for trisomy 21 also known as
downs syndrome. An ultrasound is also done to check the number of foetuses.
Measurements of the foetus body parts are taken during the ultrasound to check
for downs syndrome.
