What To Expect In Your First Trimester

Woohhhoooo you’re pregnant.

The first twelve weeks of your pregnancy (first trimester) are a real rollercoaster of emotions and physical changes.

We measure pregnancy in an unusual way with week one being before you’re even pregnant.

You’re pregnant for (roughly) 40 weeks (9 months) and your due date is calculated from the first day of your last period because it’s hard to work out exactly when the egg meets the sperm and get their baby on.

The point you conceive is around 2-3 weeks after the first day of your last period (so usually a week or so after you stop bleeding). So that means you usually find out you’re pregnant when you’re around 4-6 weeks.

Every pregnancy is different but you might have achy boobs, bloating, slight cramping, or a weird taste in your mouth.

Don’t worry if you have no symptoms or all these symptoms, it doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you or the baby. Most people who are preggers have some of these symptoms, they (mainly) fade after 12 weeks but some carry on until you give birth.

Feeling sick, or morning sickness, although the barfy feeling can strike at any time
Puking - some people just feel sick, others have a full-on vomit fest
Weird cravings
Being able to smell things from 50ft away (ok, maybe not quite that far)
Changes in your skin - more oily or drier and sometimes brown patches called chloasma
Needing a wee more
Tiredness and up and down moods
White discharge from your vagina
Spotting, if you start to bleed heavily see your GP or Early Pregnancy Unit
Cramps, but don’t ignore bad pain as it can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy
And on the plus side, your hair might start to feel thicker and look shinier.

What should I do in the first trimester?

Take folic acid, cut out alcohol and generally do all the things we know we should for our wellbeing, like exercise and a balanced diet. Yeh, we know those bourbons are good but maybe not the whole packet in one go.
If you haven’t done it already, drop your GP a line so they can get you booked in for your first midwife appointment. You’ll have your first scan when you’re 8-12 weeks.
If you’ve contacted your GP then you should have your first midwife appointment before 10 weeks.

By the end of your first 12 weeks your baby has grown to the size of a prune and starts to look like a teeny human. Over the next trimester your baby grows rapidly and develops everything they need to survive in the outside world.

Read: What to expect in your 2nd trimester

1 week pregnant - all you need to know
2 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
3 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
4 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
5 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
6 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
7 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
8 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
9 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
10 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
11 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
12 weeks pregnant - all you need to know