Now that you have gotten a positive pregnancy test, you are probably wondering what to expect now. How long will I be pregnant? What is going to happen to my body? This post will cover the progression of a normal, healthy pregnancy and what changes to expect at each stage.

What is a Trimester?

Pregnancy covers the period of time from the first day of your last normal period to the birth of your baby. Your health care provider will most likely talk about your pregnancy length in weeks rather than months. A healthy full term pregnancy lasts between 37 and 40 weeks, and is divided into three stages or trimesters that average about 13 weeks each. Your body will go through many changes in each of these stages as your baby grows and develops. We will focus on the growth of the baby in a later post. Today we will mainly focus on the changes that take place in mom’s body. So if you dare, forge ahead!

First Trimester

The first trimester of pregnancy is the time from week 1 to week 12. It is during this time, that most women discover they are pregnant. Some of the first changes you may notice during this trimester are swollen and tender breasts. As your breasts enlarge, you may notice an increase in veins just under the skin of the breast, and your areola (the darker area around your nipples) may begin to become larger. Of course, nausea and vomiting may also be present during this time, and we discussed “morning sickness” at length in a previous blog post, that you can find here. As your uterus just begins to grow, it begins to shift forward, and puts pressure on your bladder. This pressure will most likely cause some urinary frequency.

During these first few weeks of pregnancy, you may notice that you feel completely exhausted, and you may experience feelings of stress or anxiety. You may begin to worry about weight gain although you will only gain around 3-6 pounds in this trimester. All of these changes may lead to a decrease in libido or sex drive, and it is important that you discuss this openly and honestly with your spouse or partner.

While for many of you the first trimester is a time of pure excitement, I realize this is not always the case. Some women may be caught by surprise when they find out they are expecting, and this pregnancy may not have been planned or desired. This type of situation can add an enormous amount of stress, anxiety, and depression. This post is not meant to cover the multitude of mental health changes that can go along with early pregnancy, but I want you to know that these feelings can be completely normal, and you are not alone. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important to get an appointment with your health care provider as quickly as possible so you have someone that can help you navigate these feelings. Sometimes pregnancy is a dangerous time for women mentally speaking and it is so important that you have someone that can guide you to safe care as it is needed.

Second Trimester

The second trimester includes weeks 13 through 27. For many women, the second trimester is when they are feeling their best and enjoy being pregnant the most! In most cases, the exhaustion, nausea, and vomiting experienced in the first trimester will be gone. Your baby is growing, but not so large yet that you are feeling the discomforts associated with the final trimester. Your uterus enlarges as your baby grows and you will finally begin to look pregnant! One of the benefits of this growing uterus is less pressure on your bladder, which means you will most likely get relief from the urinary frequency mentioned above! You may also experience a return of the libido you lost in the first trimester.

You may notice your nipples and areolas darkening in color, and you may have a dark line that apears on your lower stomach. You may also notice brown areas start to appear on your face, this is called chloasma, and is most common in women with dark hair color. These changes are most likely caused by hormonal changes. Towards the end of this trimester, you may begin to notice stretch marks on your breasts, abdomen, upper thighs, and buttock areas. You may also begin to notice vascular changes such as vascular spiders or varicose veins. Despite these changes, you will most likely be experiencing a “pregnancy glow” and really feeling well.

Probably the greatest change that will occur towards the end of this trimester is that you will begin to feel your baby move! At first, it might just be flutters or bubbles, but as baby grows these will get more pronounced and eventually others will be able to feel the baby move from the outside.

Around the end of this trimester or the beginning of the third trimester is a great time to take childbirth education classes. It is also a good time to have your baby shower(s), if it something your culture practices.

Third Trimester

The third and final trimester of pregnancy covers weeks 28 through 40. Although, some women do not make it the full 40 weeks, and some will remain pregnant until 41 or 42 weeks. During this trimester, there is so much taking place! Your baby is growing at a rapid pace, and so is your uterus. It will be pretty obvious to everyone now that you are indeed pregnant! Unfortunately, there is also a plethora of pregnancy discomforts that appear or return during this final stage. Below is a list of the most common discomforts experienced:

• frequent urination
• heartburn
• constipation
• hemorrhoids
• increased gas
• fatigue
• nausea and/or vomiting
• increased saliva or spit
• vaginal discharge
• backache
• leg cramps
• swelling of lower legs and hands
• worsening of varicose veins
• increase in stretch marks
• pain or discomfort with sex
• difficulty sleeping
• shortness of breath
• stomach tightening or cramping
• numbness or tingling in the fingers or hands

Thankfully, most women do not experience all of the above discomforts of pregnancy, but you are likely to experience some of these. We will dive deeper into these individually in future posts and discuss ways to avoid or relieve them, but I wanted you to have broad overview of the symptoms you may experience during a prefectly normal pregnancy. I think having the knowledge that these things are usually normal will help reduce panic if they happen to you.

You may also be feeling some sad or anxious emotions during this phase of pregnancy as you prepare to give birth. If you have never given birth before, you may have many fears about what to expect during labor and birth. I cannot encourage you enough to take a prepared childbirth class. You cannot have enough information in advance of labor. Knowing what to expect will really help alleviate fear during labor and birth. You may also be experiencing some sadness at the thought of sharing your baby with the outside world. And, with all the symptoms listed above you might be feeling less than attractive which can really take its toll on how you feel about yourself. Dads if you are reading this, encourage your wives, remind them they are beautiful and doing amazing work while they grow a beautiful baby and prepare to bring this new life into the world.

Your body is going to undergo a complete transformation during this 40 week journey. Some of the changes experienced, are less than pleasant, but I encourage you to look at each of these discomforts through a different lense. God designed your body for the work it is doing. Women have unique gifts that allow us to grow and carry babies as they develop in our womb. We were designed with a strength that allows us to endure these discomforts, and I for one view this as one of the most amazing blessings I have ever been given.