Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters: the first, second, and third trimesters. Each trimester is a little longer than 13 weeks. So, in the first trimester, your body undergoes many changes. These changes can cause many symptoms, even in the first week of your pregnancy. For example, your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other symptoms you might start having in the first stage of pregnancy include headaches, weight gain or loss, cravings or distaste for certain foods.
During pregnancy, it is common to experience changes in your body. As a result, you may find it helpful to modify your daily routine, such as attempting to go to bed earlier than your normal bedtime. These discomforts will generally go away as your pregnancy progresses, although some women might not feel any discomfort at all during pregnancy. Every pregnancy is different, just like every woman is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to pregnancy. The second trimester starts at week 13 and goes up to week 28. Many women find the second trimester to be the most comfortable part of pregnancy.
For example, as your baby grows, your abdomen will expand. At the end of this trimester, you may start to feel your baby move. This will cause changes and new symptoms in your body. Examples of symptoms include body aches like pain in the back, abdomen, groin, or thighs, as well as patches of darker skin on areas such as the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip, which usually appear on both sides.
At this stage in pregnancy, many women find it difficult to breathe. You may also find that you have to go to the bathroom even more often. This is because your baby is growing and pushing against your organs. But don’t worry, these problems will lessen after you give birth. Some other symptoms you may experience during this stage include tender breasts (which may leak a watery pre-milk called colostrum) and difficulty sleeping.
The baby “dropping,” or moving lower in your abdomen, is one of the main things that you may experience as you get closer to your due date. This can cause pain and may be a reason why you would have some trouble sleeping. Contractions can be a sign of real or false labor. As you get closer to your due date, your cervix will become thinner and softer. This is a natural process that helps the birth canal (vagina) to open during the birthing process. Your doctor will check you with a vaginal exam as you get near your due date.
