Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body goes through many changes. Some common symptoms of early pregnancy include a missed period, nausea, breast tenderness, frequent urination, tiredness, and mood swings. Peer Counselors at the Tri-Cities Pregnancy Network can discuss symptoms with you.
You can have all of the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy and not be pregnant. Or you can have only a few of them and be pregnant. Between 10-12 weeks, the first positive proof of your pregnancy is your baby's heartbeat, which is audible with a sensitive ultrasound Doppler device or an ordinary stethoscope. Earlier signs only indicate the possibility or probability that you're carrying a child. A reliable pregnancy test combined with a doctor's examination can help provide an accurate diagnosis.
Changes in Pregnancy
During pregnancy you will experience many changes. Your body will grow as your baby begins to develop. You will realize that some changes are easy to manage, while others are very uncomfortable. It is important to be informed and aware of the process that is taking place inside of you. Although you may be worried regularly, you will also feel the anticipation of having the baby move and grow inside of you.
Start your pregnancy by finding a doctor you will be able to rely on for the answers to the questions and concerns you will have throughout your pregnancy. The medical care you receive during pregnancy is called prenatal care. During the first 7 months of your pregnancy you will normally see your doctor once each month. Later, you will begin to see your doctor every two weeks in month 8, and this will increase to once a week in month 9.
Most pregnancies will last 38-42 weeks, or about 9 months. The pregnancy is divided up into three parts called trimesters, each lasting 3 months. The first trimester takes place during the first 12 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period. This period of time is usually the most consuming and intense because women are adjusting to the newness of the pregnancy and all the excitement that it entails.
The second trimester includes the 4th-6th months of pregnancy, which are often referred to as "the planning months." Most women experience an increase in their energy levels and are able to accomplish more in a day than they could in their first trimester. It is also during this time that mothers will begin to experience quickening, which is the feeling of the baby's movements as signs of growth and development.
In the last three months of pregnancy, or the third trimester, most women begin to experience more apprehension about motherhood, the baby's health, and about labor and delivery. There is also a growing discomfort as the baby continues to get bigger. Many women become even more eager and excited that the pregnancy will soon be over and that they will soon be able to hold their newborn.
Pregnancy Symptoms
Below are lists of the typical symptoms and changes that pregnant women may experience in each trimester. Because every woman's body is different, some of the items listed below may not apply to you in this particular order or you may not ever experience some of these items.
The First Trimester
(Week 1 - Week 12)
- Your period is absent, or you may spot slightly when your period would have been expected or when the fertilized egg implants the uterus.
- You may feel sick to your stomach, which can often happen in the morning, hence the phrase "morning sickness." If you feel sick when you wake up, eat some crackers before you get out of bed, and then get up slowly. Eat small meals throughout the day and eat often. Keep crackers handy, or suck on hard candies, and drink lots of water or juice. Ginger also helps alleviate nausea.
- Your breasts swell and may be tender. Your nipples and the area around the nipples (areola) get darker and broader.
- You have to urinate more often.
- You feel tired.
- You may experience heartburn, constipation, indigestion, flatulence, and/or bloating.
- You experience mood swings -- feel angry, sad, or happy for no reason.
The Second Trimester
(Week 13 - Week 26)
- You will have an increase in appetite and will gain weight.
- You may start to experience fetal movement, especially towards the end of your fourth month.
- The skin on your stomach stretches and may get dry. (Use lotion to lessen the chance of stretch marks.)
- Your breasts get bigger. It helps to wear a supportive and comfortable maternity bra.
- A small amount of thick, yellow fluid (called colostrum) may leak from your nipples.
- You may experience ongoing heartburn, constipation, indigestion, flatulence, and/or bloating.
- Your feet, hands, ankles and face may swell slightly -- this is called edema. (More marked swelling may be abnormal -- see your physician.)
- A dark line develops on your skin between your navel and your pubic area.
- A "mask" or darker area or pigmentation may develop on your face. (It disappears after the pregnancy ends.)
The Third Trimester
(Week 27 - 40)
- You can see the fetus move from the outside.
- Your navel pushes out. You may begin to get backaches.
- You may begin to walk differently to accommodate the weight of the fetus.
- You may experience painless "practice" contractions.
- You may have shortness of breath.
- Finally, labor and delivery!
Parenting
Choosing to keep your baby is an important decision and a responsibility that TCPN supports with a variety of programs and services.
Adoption
One of the more difficult situations a woman can face is an unplanned pregnancy, especially if she is young and single.
Abortion
Considering abortion? Find out more about the procedure and risks involved.
Sexual Health
Learn more about sexual health and how to protect yourself.
Healthy Relationships
Learn more about A.W.A.R.E., Worth Waiting For, Girl's 180 Club, and our Teen Boutique.