First Trimester

First Trimester: Early Pregnancy Symptoms

The pregnancy test just came back positive and you're already starting to experience a few noteworthy physical symptoms: breast changes, constipation, headaches, and morning sickness. [ NOTE: Morning sickness is covered in separate article. Please link to article in pregnancy articles batch one ]

Breast Changes During Pregnancy

Your breasts will undergo some dramatic changes during pregnancy in preparation for breastfeeding.

One of the first things you’re likely to notice, along with some early swelling and tingling, is a sudden increase in the size of your breasts. Some women find that they go up a breast size or two virtually overnight.

The hormones behind this sudden breast growth spurt are also responsible for the broadening and darkening of the areola (the pinkish area around the nipples) and other breast changes such as your nipples becoming enlarged and more erect.

As your pregnancy progresses, you may also notice your veins becoming more visible through the skin on your breasts—the result of increased blood flow during pregnancy.

Constipation

Noticed that your bowels have been a little sluggish since the pregnancy test came back positive? It’s not your imagination. Increased levels of progesterone can cause the muscles of the small and large intestines to become rather sluggish.

You can lend Mother Nature a helping hand by exercising regularly; upping your intake of liquids; adding more fruits, vegetables, grains, and fluids to your diet; and reducing your consumption of dairy products, fatty foods, and processed sugar.

Note: Some health care practitioners will recommend a laxative, if necessary, but most will suggest that you try these natural remedies first.

Headaches

While most health care practitioners will give you the go-ahead to take a headache remedy when you find yourself battling a nasty headache, you may want to try these natural remedies before you reach for that bottle of headache tablets:

-Apply an ice pack to your forehead and a hot water bottle to your feet.

-Have someone massage your feet. (The big toe is the acupuncture point for the head, so this may help to massage away your headache pain—literally.)

-If you’re battling a tension headache, try relaxing in a warm bath.

-Keep future headaches at bay by getting the sleep you need and keeping your blood sugar stable by eating at least every couple of hours.

If you suffer from migraines, you may find that you experience them as often, less often, or more often. There’s no across the board rule that applies to all moms-to-be.

Warning: A severe headache—particularly one accompanied by blurry vision—may be a warning sign of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia. Get in touch with your health care provider immediately if you develop this type of headache.