6 things they didn’t tell you about your first trimester

Pregnancy is a beautiful, miraculous and amazing experience to go through, right? I mean us women get to grow an actual human inside of us #girlpower. But for bh’s Deb, there were some parts of her first pregnancy that were anything but beautiful! During her first trimester, Deb documented the world of changes her body went through – the good, the bad and the unexpected. Here are six things they don’t tell you about your first trimester…

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#1 Morning sickness does not just occur in the morning

Not only is it not in the morning, for Deb it was 24/7! She found it also got even worse at night. She recommends drinking ginger tea to ease the nausea and Hydralyte to ensure your body doesn’t become too dehydrated. There are also supplements and vitamins that specifically target morning sickness like Elevit Morning Sickness Relief.

#2 The pelvic pain is cray

When you become pregnant, your body begins to release a hormone called relaxin which literally relaxes the muscles throughout your body, making it easier for your bones to move without being broken as your body prepares for the baby to grow. As part of this process, the ligaments from your groin to your hips (known as the round ligaments) begin to stretch and Deb tells me the pain is pretty intense and certainly unexpected. The pain can occur on one side at a time or simultaneously. Deb actually thought she had appendicitis!

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#3 Your nipples hurt like a b*tch

You’re probably all familiar with the feeling of tender breasts and nipples in the lead up to and during your period, but Deb reckons pregnancy multiplies that by 1000 in your first trimester. She even had to wear thick tops to bed explaining, “If my bed sheets brushed past my nipples, the pain was excruciating.” Deb recommends wearing nipple shields during this uncomfortable stage.

#4 You’re hot ALL THE TIME

During your first trimester, your body temperature increases and you can feel like you’re hotter than usual, all day long. Unfortunately, for Deb this stuck around for her second and third trimesters.

#5 Regular poops are a thing of the past

While a lot of expecting mothers can experience diarrhoea at the start of their pregnancy due to anxiety, this does not stick around. In fact, Deb said she became quite constipated during her first trimester. This can be caused by the extra iron in prenatal vitamins and also because your digestive system becomes compressed by the growing bub. Deb recommends taking Metamucil to help get the juices flowing and warns that during this stage you’re also  at risk of getting haemorrhoids… ain’t pregnancy grand?

#6 Your teeth move… yep

Remember that hormone, relaxin? Well, the little devil can also cause your teeth to shift. Deb noted that hers became a little uneven during her first trimester. So maybe don’t start Invisalign if you’re pregnant!

On a more positive note, Deb’s skin improved during her first trimester. She didn’t change anything in her normal skin care routine except removing products containing AHAs and retinol. So guys, it’s not all bad and after all, Deb’s little girl will be worth it!

Did you notice any unexpected changes during your first trimester? What do you think of Deb’s experience?