What to Expect When You’re Expecting

The moment you find out you are pregnant, it seems as if there are a million things to learn before your baby’s arrival. Not only do you have support another life for nine months, but also navigate the world of prenatal changes. If scanning through baby-themed blogs is any indicator, there is an overwhelming amount of information available about pregnancy. From pregnancy tests to delivery plans, there seems like so much to know before your baby arrives. For the busy moms to be, sorting through pregnancy related material is a daunting task, so we’ve put together a quick summary of what to expect when you’re expecting.

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The First Trimester

The beginning stages of pregnancy are a time of rapid growth – both for mom and baby to be. During your first trimester, your body may not initially indicate to the world your newfound mama status, but early releases of pregnancy hormones will be an easy reminder of your special cargo. These hormonal side effects usually begin to be noticeable just a few weeks into pregnancy. Some of the most commonly reported hormonally induced symptoms are mood swings, breast growth and tenderness, abdominal bloating, fatigue, and the infamous “morning sickness” (which doesn’t just strike in the morning). The end of the first trimester also comes with a frequent urge to urinate due to increasing pressure from your baby moving over your bladder. Perhaps more fun are the first trimester’s food cravings and aversions, also a result of pregnancy hormones, which many women start to experience by the end of the first stage of pregnancy.

The Second Trimester

First trimester side effects start to wane during the second trimester, which is characterized by unique changes. In this stage of pregnancy, decreased nausea and increased energy allow many women to recover from the first trimester’s malaise. This rush of energy coincides with the baby’s continued growth, and also means a growing belly for mama. While an increased appetite to fuel baby’s changes may be a welcome development from the first trimester’s nausea, the second trimester also has some not so pleasant side effects. Heartburn, constipation, and congestion become regular annoyances; many women also report feeling more forgetful and cloudy-minded during this stage of pregnancy. The second trimester is also notorious for swollen ankles and feet, so slippers may seem the only sane choice in footwear.

The Final Stretch

Even though baby is soon due, there are still a few unexpected surprises ahead in the final trimester. Your body will keep trying to keep up with your baby’s rapid growth, leaving you hungrier than ever and in constant need of new maternity wear. As baby grows and develops, you will also begin to notice more and more movement inside your womb and more pressure on your bladder – the tiniest sneeze may trigger urination. Additionally, your body will be gearing up for delivery, so you may feel a few contractions throughout the third trimester. It is also common to experience false labor symptoms, but when you really go into labor, you’ll know it: you’ll experience bleeding, your water breaking, and contractions that intensify, rather than decrease, the more you move around.

As your baby’s home transitions from your womb to your arms, you will experience what feels like a lifetime of changes. Like all women, all pregnancies are unique, and you may experience a symptom that no one has mentioned. If you ever have any questions about your pregnancy, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor, no matter how minimal you think the issue is.

This post was written for This Enchanted Pixie by Glenn Josephik. Glenn is an account representative and the marketing coordinator at MedCorp LLC, the industry leader and premier business source for used portable ultrasound systems. You can follow Glenn Josephik on Google+.

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