Congratulations, you’re expecting! Whether you literally just found out or it is only just sinking in now, it can be a very exciting, overwhelming, emotional and even scary time for a lot of women.
If this is your first baby, you might be wondering what you should expect to happen in the first trimester. Morning sickness, exhaustion and a frequent need to urination are all things that we expect - but they’re not the only things.
1. Constipation
Unfortunately, constipation is not confined to just the first trimester, it is something that can occur throughout the entire nine months. Caused by higher levels of the hormone progesterone being produced and your increased iron intake, you should up your fibre intake and drink plenty of water to keep things moving.
2. Bleeding
Light bleeding is common enough in the first three months of pregnancy, but if it’s heavy and accompanied by stomach cramps or a sharp pain in your abdomen you should seek medical attention immediately.
3. A dark line from your a pubic bone to your belly button
This is not something that occurs for all women, but for those who do wake up one morning to find a dark line on their stomach it can be a little bit frightening. So what is it? The dark line (called linea nigra) is caused by an increase in the skin’s melanin which is caused by your changing hormones (yes, we can thank them again...). Sadly, however, it is not just confined to your stomach area and can appear on your areolas and vagina. Thankfully, it does disappear over time, usually about 12 months after the birth of your baby.
4. Sensitive skin
During pregnancy your skin can become quite sensitive and you may find your normal beauty products are causing a reaction. Scrubbing and even exfoliating can leave your skin very red and sore so be gentle with your products until you know how much your skin can handle. You will also be more sensitive to the sun so stay covered up when out and about.
5. Breakouts
Don’t be surprised if you wake up one morning with a face full of spots, unfortunately, this is something that is fairly common for mums-to-be. Yes, you can feel like you are going back to your teenage years, but you can’t rely on a normal over-the-counter spot cream as certain ingredients can be absorbed into your bloodstream. Talk to your midwife or GP before using anything on your skin to err on the side of caution.
