Congratulations Mama! Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of pregnancy! If you're a first-time mum-to-be, or even if you're an experienced pro on baby #5, the first trimester is like opening Pandora's box of surprises. Your body is about to embark on a rollercoaster ride of changes, and let's face it, it can get pretty wild. But fear not! I’m here to guide you through this journey!
The Extreme Fatigue
It's like someone's swapped your double espresso shot for a decaf brew without telling you. During the first twelve weeks, you may find yourself dozing off at your desk or during your favourite Netflix show, and you may even have a new bedtime curfew of 7.30pm sharp! Don't worry; you're not alone in this exhaustion, around 85% of pregnant women in the UK report feeling downright knackered during the first trimester, it’s tiring work growing a small human! Look after yourself and take all the rest you need Mama.
The Moods Swinging like George of the Jungle!
Pregnant women should come with a warning label aha. Get ready for mood swings that make your teenage years look like a walk in the park. One moment, you'll be blissfully content, and the next, you'll be in tears because your sandwich doesn't taste right. Crying over spilt milk actually becomes a thing too. It's all part of the hormonal adventure.
The Morning Sickness - Or Anytime Sickness
Ah, morning sickness – or as I like to call it, "all-day sickness." It won’t surprise you to know that around 7 out of 10 mums-to-be experience nausea or vomiting during the first trimester, I think it’s the symptom we all anticipate once we get that positive test. The real annoyance is that it’s just so unpredictable because it can crop up at any time during the day! Keep a stash of ginger biscuits handy and go check out my recent Morning Sickness Survival Guide Blog for 6 tips on how to combat the icky feeling.
The Frequent Trips to the Loo
If you've always admired the unique art inside your local public loo cubicles, you're about to become an expert and know every ‘who luv’z who’ & ‘who woz ‘ere’ (don’t lie, we’ve all left our mark somewhere aha). The constant need to pee is a delightful side effect of your uterus putting pressure on your bladder. So, get used to planning your outings and outfits around toilet availability.
Weird Food Cravings & Aversions
Get ready for a culinary roller coaster. Foods you once loved may now taste like cardboard & the smell of them could make you heave, while suddenly, you might crave the strangest of combinations like pickles and ice cream, I personally loved carrot sticks in Nutella (don’t knock it til’ you’ve tried it!). According to Emma’s Diary, these are the 9 weirdest Pregnancy Cravings in the UK…
1. Gummy sweets
2. Boiled eggs with horseradish
3. Garlic mushrooms dipped in custard
4. Dry chocolate powder
5. Grated carrot mixed with ketchup
6. Cold toast with Marmite
7. Cold rice pudding
8. Banana and ready salted crisp toastie
9. Potato salad and spaghetti hoops
6. The Mysterious Bump
Is it too many burgers or a baby, nobody can tell just yet! Don't worry if you don't have a noticeable baby bump yet though; it takes a little while to get that unmistakable "baby on board" look. For now, you may just look like you've enjoyed a few too many Maccy D’s.
The Ultrasound Excitement: Seeing Your Little Butter Bean
One of the highlights of the first trimester is the first ultrasound. You'll finally get to see that tiny, wiggly little bean & then it hits you that this is actually real! It's not just a cool photo-op for the pregnancy reveal though, it's also a great way to check for multiples and estimate a rough ‘due date’. But don’t get hung up on this date too much though, your body grows a baby in it’s own time! Check out Dr Sara Wickam who has wrote numerous books on due dates & inductions. Just think, there's a tiny human in there, and you're officially on your way to parenthood! I know this can be a daunting thought but with the right preparation like my
Antenatal and Hypnobirthing Courses you can feel ready & prepared to meet your little human!
The Baby Shopping Spree’s
To prepare for your little one's arrival, it's time to embark on a shopping spree buying the first little outfit for your little Bubba! Nursery Furniture & prams will all be on your checklist too keeping good ol’ Mama’s and Papa’s in business! Buying all these lovely baby things is really exciting and may seem like the most important, but they don’t ensure you have a positive birth experience, and that's SUPER important because babies grow out of their clothes and prams but your birth experience lives with you forever.
To prepare completely for your birth and baby you need Hypnobirthing in your life!
So basically…The first trimester is like the trailer of a movie – you get a taste of what's to come, but there's still a lot of surprises left in the plot. Embrace the morning sickness, the fatigue, the mood swings, and the growing bump, because this is just the beginning of your incredible journey into motherhood, You've got this! But don’t worry, if you’re feeling like you absolutely haven’t got it at all and are needing someone to support & cheer you on, that’s where I come in as your Hypnobirthing teacher, so send me a message and lets have a chat!
Jamie x
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