Congratulations--you're pregnant!!! You have been planning this for a couple of weeks or months now, and finally the stick is positive. You look at the stick, and suddenly a wave of emotions come over you- happiness, fear, excited, nervous, and queasiness… no wait, is that an emotion or part of being pregnant? There are many things that come with being pregnant- most of them annoying but very well much worth it at the nine month mark. Some women experience all the symptoms, while some women only experience one or two symptoms.
Probably one of the most well-known symptoms is morning sickness. Morning sickness can range from a wave of nausea to full-fledge vomiting. It can happen anytime or anywhere during the day and can happen anytime throughout the pregnancy. Some things that may help include putting crackers by the bed and eating them before you get out of bed, drinking peppermint tea or eating peppermint candy, get out of bed slowly, eat small meals, and don't go too long without eating.
If you're pregnant or suspect that you could be pregnant, ask yourself if you have to use the bathroom a lot. A symptom to expect when you're pregnant is frequent urination. In the first trimester, frequent urination is your body's way of kicking the kidneys into gear to get rid of any waste and toxins. As the baby gets bigger, the frequent urination could be due to the kidneys getting rid of waste and toxins but could also be from the baby kicking or pressing into your bladder. Be sure to drink lots of water to replace the nutrients lost.
Your breasts will get larger as a result of the blood vessels becoming engorged due to muscle relaxation. This makes your breast feel tingly and extremely sore. Your nipples and areolas will get bigger and darker, and you may notice small bumps around you areolas. This is to help prepare for breastfeeding after the baby is born. To help reduce soreness, wear a sports bra or consider wearing one while you sleep.
Something else to expect when you're pregnant is skin changes due to an increase of estrogen. These include acne, itchiness, dryness, spider veins, and blotchy skin. The hormonal increase may also cause an excess in oiliness or dryness in the skin. There is no way of knowing how your hormones will affect your skin. Regardless use natural moisturizers and natural facial cleanser.
Have you noticed a change in your vision since you have become pregnant? This is because your corneas have retained water. It is okay to have your eyes checked during pregnancy, and it is okay to have your eyes dilated. But do not update or get new glasses/contact lenses until after the baby is born just to make sure your changes in vision are caused by pregnancy and not something else.
Are you wide awake at four in the morning? This is something else to expect when you're pregnant- sleep disturbances. This could be as simple as not being able to sleep or could be due to increased heartburn, having to get up and down to use the bathroom, or could be morning sickness. You may experience disturbing dreams about being pregnant or about the baby, but don't worry- it's all normal. If you are having trouble falling asleep, drink some chamomile tea and listen to nature sounds to help you sleep. It also helps to have pillows between your legs and against to back to help take some pressure of your body.
These are just a few symptoms talked about in what to expect when you're pregnant. There's still a wide range of things to expect that haven't been mentioned yet. The most important thing to remember is that every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different. Now everyone will have morning sickness or heartburn or headaches. But what you need to know and learn is how to take care of your body because it's not just about you anymore.
