Get the lowdown on some weird pregnancy symptoms during your first trimester.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, mama! What an exciting time to prepare for motherhood.
At the onset of pregnancy, most women can’t imagine what their new life will be like with a baby growing inside their stomach.
If this is your first pregnancy, this whole experience is all new to you. Even if you’ve been pregnant before, each and every pregnancy yields new experiences and symptoms!
Along with the bump comes a host of other strange symptoms. So what are they?!
In your first trimester you want to know everything about all the weird pregnancy symptoms to clam your nerves for sure.
So, let’s dive in!
Weird Pregnancy Symptoms the First Trimester
Before we go down this list, don’t panic!
Most pregnant mothers don’t experience all of these symptoms during their first trimester of pregnancy.
Even if you do, a lot of these aren’t likely to last throughout trimesters two and three.
1. Heartburn
During the early months of pregnancy, a hormone called progesterone is released in your body.
When the valve between your stomach and your esophagus cannot prevent stomach acid from going back into your esophagus, it produces a burning in your chest. This is what we call heartburn.
It is not harmful to your heart or your baby.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Probiotics
- Ginger
- Exercise
- Pineapple and papaya
- Apple cider vinegar (add one tablespoon to one cup of water to drink everyday)
2. Constipation
To me, this is worse than morning sickness! You’re miserable if you can’t poop.
Waiting until it paralyzes you can make it hard to go carry out your daily tasks and responsibilities. It’s easier to prevent it than to scramble for instant cures once you’re crippled in bed.
If you get constipation really bad, it’s best to keep a regimen that prevents it or at least keeps it at bay.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Drink plenty of water
- Exercise
- Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to your water or tea to drink twice per day
- Prunes (consume raw or boiled in water as a hot beverage)
- Herbal teas (such as Dandelion root)
- Consume foods high in fiber (such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains)
3. Headaches
About 39% of pregnant women are reported to experience headaches, most being unharmful. But there are a variety of ways to treat them!
An increase in blood volume and hormonal changes are usually the cause.
Some pregnant women experience more severe symptoms than others. Please see your doctor if you begin to experience migraines or your headaches are so severe or long lasting that you aren’t able to function.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Massage your neck and shoulders
- Eat small, frequent meals
- To relieve tension headaches, apply a cold compress or ice to the bottom of your neck
4. Moodiness
You’re finding yourself annoyed in the morning and you’re short tempered with your hubby. Gee, even the cat wants to relax in another room.
Sad thing is, it’s much easier for others around you to pick up on your fussiness and annoyances.
The constant fatigue, hormones, and other pregnancy-related symptoms all keep you on that emotional roller coaster. But there is an end, mama!
On one hand, you have complete control over what you do and say. Yet on another hand, the changes going on in your body is as real as it comes! It’s a lot to handle!
Natural ways to find relief:
- Rest
- Eat nutritious, healthy meals.
- Self care! Take time to relax and do the things you enjoy.
5. Bleeding Gums and Noses
Are your gums bleeding and swollen, mama? As with many other pregnancy symptoms, it’s tied directly back to the hormonal changes in your body. Bleeding gums are caused by a build-up of plaque on the gums.
Your gums are more susceptible to accumulate more plaque while you’re pregnant. This raises your risk for gum disease (also called gingivitis), which some 70% of pregnant mothers face.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Floss at least once per day
- Use anti-gingivitis mouthwash and toothpaste
- Intake more vitamin A and C
6. False Periods
Lots of women assume that they’re not pego because they’re bleeding. And pregnant women miss their periods. Right?
No. Not entirely! False periods like this could be caused by implantation bleeding. This is when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus.
The two are easily mistaken because their symptoms are similar: light cramps, nausea, tender breasts, lower backache, etc.
Natural ways to find relief: There really isn’t much you can do to stop the implantation bleeding once it’s started.
7. Dizziness
Now that you’re pregnant, your blood flow increases. You also experience a decrease in your blood pressure, known as low pressure, or hypotension.
Low blood pressure causes you to feel dizzy. This can get so bad that if you have a standing position at work you may need to ask for special accomodations.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Increase blood flow and circulation by exercising
- Try not to stand for long periods of time
- Eat nutritious meals and plenty of water
- Don’t rush to get up or sit down, which may worsen symptoms
- Take breaks and stay active
8. Abnormal Discharge
The increased blood flow to your pelvic area during pregnancy stimulates your body’s mucous membranes.
This is normal for you to experience. However, any odd smells, colors, itchiness, or vaginal irritation is grounds to see your doctor.
Natural ways to find relief: As it is a part of the pregnancy process, discharge is not preventable. The good thing is, it’s not painful!
9. Cravings
Don’t get me wrong, cravings can last until your baby is born! I know mine did! This is one of the most well known pregnancy symptoms a woman goes through.
It can be caused by hormones, an increase in your sense of smell, or in some cases, nutritional deficiencies.
Funny thing is, some women crave things they would never eat if they weren’t pregnant. For instance, a happy vegan may find herself craving beef stew or mac and cheese!
Ever heard of a pregnant woman craving dirt or who wanted to taste cleaning supplies?
Some women are caught off guard by this craving. This is called PICA, a very real symptom. These cravings can stay with the mother even after she’s had her baby! Please talk with your doctor if you have PICA (non-food) cravings).
There isn’t much you can do to eliminate your cravings all together. But here are some suggestions that may help.
Natural ways to find relief:
Eat as healthy as you can (find healthy substitutes for the junk food you crave)
- See your doctor and get tested for iron deficiencies or other types of deficiencies
- Take your prenatal vitamin
10. Acne
As the hormone androgen is released in your body, the glands in your skin grow an oily substance, leading to bacteria, clogged pores, inflammation, and breakouts.
Acne doesn’t have to last long, and there are several ways to treat it naturally so you can still have an amazing pregnancy glow!
Natural ways to find relief:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Avoid toxins
- Eat healthy nutritious food
- Get good rest (and enough of it)
- Drink enough water
11. Frequent Urination
After conception, the extra blood flow causes your kidneys to produce 25% more urine.
This is only the beginning. As you progress further into your pregnancy (especially in the 3rd trimester, you’ll practically live in the bathroom!
Natural ways to find relief: This is one of those symptoms you just have to bear though. Although having to pee so often can get rather annoying, keep guzzling water because your body needs it.
Drinking enough water will help cleanse out toxins and assure things are functioning well internally.
12. Fatigue
The underlying hormone, progesterone, causes you to feel more tired. Your body is also producing more blood due to the increasing demand for the nutrients required to nourish your baby.
In short, there’s a lot going on internally that requires your body to adjust. Sleep is your body’s way of adjusting.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Refresh and care for yourself (shower, eat healthy, and exercise)
13. Increased Appetite
As you can imagine, baby’s nutrients have to come from somewhere! So it’s actually to you and your baby’s benefit that you have the urge to eat more. Just remember that food quality and nutritional value is more important than eating a larger quantity.
Your baby is completely dependent on you for the vital nutrients needed to grow and develop, mama.
Natural ways to find relief: It may be helpful to eat smaller meals more frequently as opposed to forcing yourself to eat three large meals per day.
14. Loss of Appetite
Does the smell of hubby’s omelette, the dish soap, and the hot fried chicken at the grocery store make you gag? Pregnancy takes a turn when you have to carry around a puke bag on car rides.
Oh, how you wish you could keep down your favorite foods! When everything around you stinks, mealtime isn’t enjoyable. I’ve been there!
All you have to do is find the foods you can tolerate and eat more of them. If that means all you want are deli subs and yogurt, that’s okay. At least you and baby will be getting some nutrients. Just take small steps.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Avoid oily, fatty and spicy foods
- Eat smaller meals more frequently
- Find different ways to prepare and eat the things you do like
15. Morning Sickness
While morning sickness does happen in the morning, it can last all day. Staying away from the smells that cause you to be nauseous is key to keeping food down.
Unfortunately, you have to try different foods to find out which ones won’t make you sick
Natural ways to find relief:
- Ginger is your go-to! (teas, drinks, Gins Gins)
- Keep crackers or hard candy nearby to suck on (this really helps!)
- Eat smaller meals throughout the day
16. Excess Saliva
The term for this is Ptyalism. Excess saliva is caused by morning sickness. This isn’t harmful to you or your baby.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Keep some hard candy in your purse to suck on
- Maintain great oral hygiene
17. Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
You’re pretty sure you weren’t sucking on coins in your sleep lately. So why is there this icky metallic taste in your mouth that won’t go away?
Turns out that Dysgeusia is common in pregnant mothers, but I haven’t met so many mothers who have gone through this.
Thankfully, there are some ways to kill that taste.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Eat and drink acidic foods and beverages such as lemonade or orange juice
- Snack on saltine crackers
- Suck on sugar-free mints and chew sugar-free gum
- Enjoy ice chips or popsicles
18. Blocked and Stuffy Nose
Have the sniffles? It may not be that you’re sick. When you’re pregnant, your blood flow increases.
And thus, your mucous membranes also increase which cause the nasal passages to swell.
Natural ways to find relief:
- Hot shower
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Warm steamed cloth on your face
- Hot teas
19. Nursing Child Refuses Breastmilk
Until a certain point, your child may have been pretty content snuggling up to your breast for a meal…
….until one day they want nothing more to do with breastfeeding whatsoever. During the latter end of trimester one, the components of your breastmilk will begin to change.
In preparation for your new baby, your milk will change subtly from mature milk back to colostrum. Your nursing child may not like this so much, but it depends on the child.
Some children don’t seem to mind at all and will even try to continue nursing even after the baby has come!
Natural ways to find relief: All you can do is prepare to breastfeed the baby in your tummy! This process is a natural gateway to begin the weaning process.
One Thing To Do During Your First Trimester
One thing that not many newly pregnant moms do is sign up to an online birthing class.
They may wait until they are well into their third trimester, but if you sign up earlier, you will benefit more since you can really absorb the information given.
Make sure to sign up to one now!
To Sum Up
From the time of conception, your body begins to change rapidly. There’s no telling which of these symptoms you’ll get or how long they’ll last.
But they won’t last forever!
Try the tips listed above to find relief.
The others will pass with time. It might not seem like a big deal now, but keeping a journal of your pregnancy from the beginning to end is a great thing to do.
That way, you’ll be able to remember what you went through, share it with your child, and even compare it to future pregnancies. 🙂
Over to you, mama.
What strange pregnancy symptoms are you experiencing that aren’t listed here? Let me know in the comments.
Remember to pin me!
