What To Expect When You’re Expecting
There’s a good reason why What To Expect When You’re Expecting became a best-selling book. (Although there’s not really a good reason why it was made into a confusing flop of a film.) Despite the fact that humans have been giving birth for thousands of years, being pregnant and giving birth remain a mystery to many of us.
Beyond complaints of back pain and weird food cravings, people don’t necessarily share when it comes to the finer points of pregnancy. What does it feel like? Will I really have to pee all the time? How am I supposed to sleep?
My feet will get how big? What do you MEAN, I’ll probably poop?!?!
So, What Do You Expect?
It goes without saying that having a baby is a life-changing experience. Many people think of this sort of abstractly, in terms of lifestyle: welcoming a new life and forming a family. But the changes actually go far above and beyond that.
There are physical and physiological changes, changes in the way the brain works, and changes in the way people treat you.
Each trimester has its own set of challenges to face.
The First Steps
From the very moment of conception, the body begins a series of changes. Although they may not be noticeable on the outside, they’re definitely happening. Of course, at this point, many women may not even know that they’re pregnant.
Immediately after fertilization, the newly fertilized egg begins moving down the fallopian tube before attaching itself to the uterine wall.
About a day into the journey, cell division begins within the fertilized egg. This starts the process that will turn that ball of cells into an embryo, then a fetus, and eventually a baby.
What to Expect in the First Trimester
Pregnancy is generally broken down into three trimesters of about three months, or 14 weeks each. In the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, many of the typical symptoms or side effects of pregnancy set in.
These include ones like nausea, morning sickness, and tender breasts. While these may be the ones we’re familiar with from movies or TV, along with the classic “eating for two” chestnut, another major change happens to the body.
Pregnant women begin to breathe in a way that takes in 40% more air—literally breathing for two!
Of course, these aren’t the only symptoms. Many women experience bleeding in the first trimester, which can be extremely scary. Most of the time it’s harmless.
If it’s severe or accompanied by cramping, it could be a sign of a serious complication, like miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, and should be addressed with a doctor immediately.
Other symptoms of pregnancy that occur during the first trimester include discharge, fatigue, frequent urination, and weight gain. It’s a real non-stop thrill ride! More significant symptoms that could point to dangerous complications include intense abdominal pain, serious bleeding, and rapid weight gain.
Anyone who experiences these symptoms in the first trimester should see a doctor immediately.
Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News
Anyone who is planning to get pregnant should begin seeing a doctor beforehand anyway, but once you are pregnant, getting good pre-natal care from a health professional can greatly increase your chances of a safe and smooth pregnancy.
Taking a folic acid supplement can also help reduce the chance of birth defects when you’re expecting.
Your body may also require more calcium to help the baby develop.
While you may not be showing signs of pregnancy outwardly yet, there’s a lot of rapid development going on inside, and your doctor will be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat around the 10th or 11th week of pregnancy.
