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The First Trimester Is NO Fun

What It's Like Being Pregnant in the First Trimester

By Alyssa MillerPublished 6 years ago 6 min read
Top Story - December 2017
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Just a quick pre-warning, this post will be honestly detailing what it has been like for me being pregnant in the first trimester.

Pregnancy. It's supposed to be a wonderful time and experience no? Well, no actually. For a first time mum like me, pregnancy so far has been anything but fun. You hear all the time about how pregnancy is the most joyous time of your life, but at just what stage in the pregnancy does it become joyous?

I am currently only seven weeks pregnant and let me tell you, the past few weeks haven't exactly be fun. Let's run through the steps a woman usually has to go through in the first trimester:

Finding Out:

So, you've just found out you're expecting. Congratulations!! Or maybe not. For some women, finding out you are pregnant is the most exciting news you can hear, especially if you've been actively trying. However, for other women (where it comes as a complete surprise), finding out may not be as exciting. Why you ask? Well, take me for example; I had a whole life plan set out ahead of me; I was going to finish university and get my career started before I thought about having children. I can only confidently say I will have completed one out of those two things (baby is due four months after I finish). So, finding out you are pregnant before you get to complete your life goals may come as a complete shock, and you may feel a mixture of emotions. Girl, I feel you!

I also wanted to make sure I was in a secure, stable, and 100% happy relationship where everything was perfect (hey, doesn't everyone want this?). Well, we are both usually happy but not all the time. Having a partner with mental health issues has its own problems, especially when they sometimes find it difficult to regulate their own emotions. Let alone when you add a pregnant, hormonal woman into the mix. Honestly, it's been so stressful lately.

And how about financially? Well, we're OK in this section. Both financially stable, so that's OK, I guess.

Deciding Who to Tell:

So, you're definitely pregnant. Whether you had it confirmed at the doctors, took a test or, like me, took multiple tests, you still have that decision to make: who do you tell?

Well, first off. The doctors. The doctors should be told as soon as you know, so they can put you in touch with the midwives and get your care sorted as soon as possible.

The second set of people you should tell are all other professionals you think need to know. Think people like your employer or dentist.

What about after that? This is where I struggled. I knew the other people I had to tell but in what order? Do I tell my mother first? Or my father and his side of the family? What about my lecturers at university? My friends? Or my university friends?

Most people would say tell your partner first, right? Not me. I was visiting a friend and her fiancé when I found out so it became obvious they would become the first people to know. My partner came second. His reaction wasn't the best and it took for me to take a further two tests for him to believe it. Now he's excited and can't wait!

After this, it became a bit of a struggle. Morally I knew I should tell my mother first because I am closest with her, yet I decided to tell my paternal Nan, dad, and auntie. Why? Because I had only met them all this year so knew their reaction would be positive. After all, they are trying to build a bond. Next was my university lecturer. Purely for health and safety reasons and so she knew why I would keep running to the toilet or missing future lessons for appointments. After this I told the girls on my university course. This was because I didn't want to go back after Christmas break with a bump and them being confused. Their reactions were not what I expected at all. I barely talk to them yet they were so happy and excited.

That left my mother and friends. Who still don't know. My friends will find out when everyone else does, but why haven't I told my mother yet? Simply because I don't know how she will react. She had her first child at 17, me at 19, and my younger sister at 21. She wanted me to wait and get my life on track first. This makes me want to wait purely because of what her reaction will be.

OK, now we've got that out of the way, the final thing I want to talk about is symptoms. The dreaded symptoms that come along with pregnancy.

The first symptom is obviously your missed monthly. For me, this was a bit of a confusing one. I'm usually like clockwork every 30 days but right about the time I was due on, I contracted the stomach flu so I know this can delay your monthly. As said previously, I found out I was expecting when I went to visit a friend. She bought me the test because I still hadn't gotten my monthly nearly two weeks after I contracted the stomach flu. Some women don't miss their monthly so have no idea they are even pregnant. I can't even begin to imagine what a shock that is!

The second symptom I encountered was the constant need to pee. Yes, it can happen as early as the first few weeks of your first trimester. I could have had nothing to drink for hours and I'd still be rushing to the toilet all the time. I dread to think what it will be like when I'm in my second and third trimester.

Next is nausea. Now for some women, morning sickness is a nightmare. Some are constantly sick and for some, it's so bad they end up needing treatment. But for me? I have the occasional bit of nausea but nothing aside from that.

Cramps. The dreaded cramps. No, they don't stop just because you are pregnant. If anything, some women experience this throughout their first trimester. Just like I have. However, the positive side of this for me is that I got worried so I booked an early scan and got to see our perfectly health little bean on the big screen!

Finally, can we just take a minute to appreciate sleep!? Never mind once the baby is here, but as soon as you're pregnant, some women will forever feel tired. Tiredness has been a nightmare the past few weeks. I can have four hours of sleep, six hours, or even eight hours plus, but this doesn't stop me feeling constantly tired. I was so used to going to bed at like 10 PM, but now I get sleepy around 7 PM. I guess I should still sleep as much as I can before the baby arrives, right!?

I hope this hasn't been too long-winded but as you can see, I haven't had an easy ride so far and just wanted to document what it's been like for me in the first trimester. However, I am fully aware that some women have it far worse.

Hopefully though, this pregnancy carries on to be healthy, and we get to see our little bean in August 2018!!

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