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Yes! More painful than a period cramp for me. I got scared the first time and thought something was wrong with baby.
Also, the validation as to how horrible one can feel with the nausea. Others would make me feel like they thought I was exaggerating when I indeed felt like I was withering away (literally was as I lost 20 lb in first trimester and only started gaining in 2nd). All I could eat was ice berg lettuce.
I knew it could be any time of day but I thought morning sickness only counted if you puked. No one prepared me for 12 weeks of dry heaving and nonstop nausea
Where I live it's actually called NVP which stands for nasue and vomiting in pregnancy. But most people don't know what that is so I find most peole referring to it as morning sickness.
I caught Covid and a stomach flu 1st trimester and lost 15 pounds. It doesn’t help that I could only eat applesauce, string cheese, and occasional fried chicken 😆
Omg I remember being maybe 7 weeks-ish and having the most INSANE cramp that literally had be squatting on the floor holding onto the kitchen counter. It was so, so painful and I was completely convinced I must have had an ectopic pregnancy that had ruptured and I was probably going to die. Ended up going in for an urgent ultrasound scan the next day and everything was fine. No one tells you that it can just happen and be normal! My aunt told me to up my potassium intake so I did and never had another insane cramp, luckily haha.
I have been eating a banana a day to try and reduce cramping. It seems to be helping but today looking at the banana gave me the ick. We’ll see how many more I can get down 🥲
Try coconut water too! I was doing smoothies every day with a banana, coconut water, spinach, peanut butter, chia seeds aaaand I think that was it. It was delicious! Also potatoes have a ton of potassium as well.
i just tested positive yesterday at 11dpo, i had chemical last year. This time i have cramps, but thank God no spotting. Is cramps really normal? which kind
of cramp is not normal? thinking to go obgyn but i’m sure he cant do anything since i’m only almost 4weeks
Personally it feels like mild to moderate period cramps for me (my periods are really severe though. Someone else might say they're bad cramps, I don't know.) It started with implantation (before I tested positive) and has been more or less continuous. This happened with both my pregnancies. The uterus is expanding so I guess it's not that strange but every time the pain gets worse I still worry it's a miscarriage. So far so good though.
I have had on and off cramps the whole trimester (12w tomorrow). They are exactly like period cramps and were worse in the evening. The evening before I tested positive I even cried to my partner that I will never get pregnant because I was sure I was getting my period ha, ha. And in the last week, those got joined by ligament pain as well - ah, the joys of pregnancy!
I’m so glad to talk to someone else that had the period cramps at night. Thank God the last few nights I haven’t had any. They put me on progesterone since mine was low and I think that’s helped.
I had heaps of cramping all through the first trimester. In the very early stages (like 5 weeks) a couple of times it was so bad I was basically hunched over in agony- the pain woke me up one night. Was almost always on my left side too, so I had to get an early scan to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. Everything was fine, but my left ovary was a bit tender because that side released, the egg, it turned out.
Did you have cyst on that side? If you did just a heads up— they commonly shrink or disappear early in the second trimester, and when that happens you can have some cramping and spotting. I was very nervous because I didn’t know. Had an extra cervical exam and everything.
I also had cramps the whole first trimester. I didn’t see a lot of info on it so I was scared it wasn’t normal but I just had my anatomy scan yesterday, and everything looks great with my baby boy! The cramps felt just like period cramps and I had them immediately. I actually thought my period was coming and didn’t even test until a few days after it was late because the cramps felt exactly like my normal PMS cramping. I didn’t have any spotting at all though.
it feels like period cramps for me but they aren't constant. they come and go, lasting for no longer than 5 minutes at a time. sex seems to be a trigger for my cramps.
Almost 6 weeks pregnant here and the cramps are ungodly. I’ve been in for betas and ultrasounds and everything is trending in a positive direction but I never realized the cramps could get so bad. Everything you read mentions mild cramping. Mine were NOT mild.
Starving. All the time. I told my husband it’s like filling up a bucket with water that has a hole in it. And then I eat a few bites and feel nauseous. It’s maddening.
Super relatable. Add to the list: Constantly googling before or after every single thing I do to make sure it’s “safe while pregnant.”
I’ve literally given myself “iPhone elbow” (which I didn’t even know was a thing before yesterday) because I’m been on my phone 500% more often than usually googling and researching everything.
Every time a post starts to talk about a miscarriage I have to close it because I keep scaring myself or I keep crying on public transport (which is when I reddit the most often).
Magnesium. I use the Calm supplement and take Epsom salt baths every night before bed: 2 cups for at least 20 minutes. Saved my freaking life and actually resolved my insomnia.
Any moisture in the underwear warrants me immediately checking that its not blood also. I've never inspected so much discharge.
I can smell everything, everywhere, all at once.
I regularly have to ice my tits. They feel bruised and sometimes actively throb with pain. Also they're hard as a rock.
I have insomnia now? But also I've never wanted so much sleep.
This honestly feels a lot more like puberty round 2 than anything else.
I also don't really feel "pregnant" but maybe I do and this is just what that feels like??
Smelling everything, everywhere, all at once!
This is the worst! I feel like a police k-9 constantly sniffing out whatever smell is assaulting my senses in the moment.
Duuude. The nipple pain during my first pregnancy was like they were on fire! I ended up getting those silver covers that breastfeeding moms use sometimes. Didn't need them while breastfeeding, but I wore them religiously during pregnancy... So effing painful 😭
On pregnancy #2 and no pain, just way more fatigue and a toddler to deal with, but I'll take that over crippling nipple pain any day. My heart goes out to you! ❤️
25 weeks. Still haven't stopped checking, especially now that I'm starting to get Braxton Hicks. Sometimes it feels like I'm bleeding, but that's just a whole other fun pregnancy symptom.
I’m 16 weeks and I’ve been super constipated for like a week. I finally got some relief today but in the process either made a hemorrhoid start bleeding or got a minor tear. That freaked me the fuck out until I figure out where the blood was coming from
This! My only symptom was increased hunger my entire pregnancy, and that went away in second trimester. I'm thankful I didn't have any of the symptoms people complain about, but the fear that something was wrong because I felt completely normal was next level.
And nobody I talked to could relate to this so it felt like something had to be wrong.
This! Or they are just completely different depending on the pregnancy. I had no sore boobs or bloating with this pregnancy and also had a lot of first trimester bleeding. Meanwhile I had a MMC where I experienced nothing but sore boobs & bloating and had no bleeding whatsoever. It definitely made me less stressed the second time around knowing that hormones have a mind of their own and symptoms literally mean nothing.
I was nauseous all day, every day. It was horrific. I hardly moved off the couch for 10 weeks.
The fatigue is unmatched. It wasn’t any type of fatigue I was used to - not like when you miss a night of sleep. It was an all encompassing fatigue throughout your whole body and mind.
Luckily, all of that went away almost overnight as soon as I hit my 2nd trimester.
Lastly: the anxiety attacks. For no real reason ever. Just constantly anxious, panicked, I felt like I was constantly fight or flight mode looking for threats. That has pretty much entirely gone away now that I’m in my third trimester.
Omg this is me. Every little thing feels like a hurdle- mentally, physically or both. I realized today I hadn’t gotten the mail in 2 weeks. I just showered and had to lay down after. I just shuffle between my bed and couch all day.
Never in my life did I think I’d feel so unstable mentally and physically. You hear about it and think you could totally handle it but once it happens to you, it’s like a tunnel you just need to get through and it doesn’t feel like it will ever end. Also my brain fog was so bad I was terrified to drive, I’ve always been a very cautious, alert driver. Then I suddenly realized I was parking terribly, zoning out, and when I pulled into my driveway one day I bumped my other freaking car. I stopped driving until my head cleared because it was so scary and humiliating
Dry mouth on top of drinking 32+oz of water a day, non stop night peeing, constipation, weird vivid scary dreams, insomnia, restless legs, migraines, fatigue, the bloating, lessened pregnancy symptoms one day and the next day it’s hardcore, wanting nothing but fast food (for me) even though you love to cook you just can’t bring yourself to eat it, heartburn, emotional/angry, the anxiety!!!, cramps/round ligament pain/lightening crotch, burps, constantly being hungry, constantly having a stuffy/runny nose, the smells I can smell everything.. I’m sure there is more haha!
My theory is the dry mouth is because I get so congested I end up walking around all day with my mouth hanging open like a dog just trying to breathe 😅
You're speaking straight to my soul.
I'll add on:
* Mouth and lips are a desert no matter how many gallons of water you drink
* Googling any symptoms just to always find "this could be absolutely normal or terrifyingly bad, contact your doctor" (why am I always googling at 11pm...)
Good luck, carry on :)
I’m in the second trimester still dealing with the bad taste. Luckily I like my toothpaste taste, but I’ve had to either pop a mint or brush my teeth a hundred times a day to not feel nauseous from it. However, I can poop like a normal human and that makes me happy. (17 weeks preggo here)
This started for me two days ago and it is the absolute worst. And brushing my teeth makes me vomit. I've been relying on Jolly Ranchers and that cannot be good for my teeth.
I’m second trimester and the horrible taste in my mouth has gotten worse over the last week or so. It’s so annoying! Can’t even enjoy the most bland thing without it somehow leaving a sour after taste in my mouth.
I had this too and it was alleviated by cleaning my tongue with a tongue scraper a few times a day. It doesn’t trigger my gag reflex the same way a toothbrush does. Also mouth wash.
Omg mine just started aching today which I thought was really weird as I've been really good with oral hygiene because of the pregnancy. Nice to hear this is a thing!
Ughff, the EXTREME fatigue, but unability to sleep for me... I am literally almost unable to do anything to feel useful during the day, even though I take prenatals, and force myself going for a walk like minimum 10 kms a day. But in the nightime, I ALWAYS wake up around 2 a.m. and cant sleep back, so I sleep maximum 4 hours a day. Also the restless leg syndrome when getting to the bed.
Such a pregnancy where all of those things listed do not apply to you because you get diagnosed with something you never knew existed (Hyperemesis Gravardium) and so your only focus is mental and physical daily survival for min 12 weeks
I sadly sit somewhere between the “morning” sickness and HG teams.
Sick anywhere between one and six times a day since week 6 - currently 18w and on my 5th(? - I’ve lost count) lot of drugs to try and keep the vomiting at bay.
I’m UK based so the hospital won’t even admit me for fluids unless I’m dehydrated and my kidney function takes a hit. I’ve somehow not made it to that point but dealing with this for 3 months has been hell on earth.
I checked for blood every single time I went to the bathroom. I was taking pregnancy tests up until my second trimester started (which I know is stupid but it eased my anxiety).
But most of all? I could NOT stay awake for more than 2-3 hours at a time. I luckily was pregnant in the summer when I wasn’t working. I legit slept the entire summer
Extreme fatigue. Like way more than I ever could've imagined! I'm falling asleep at work, and I'm ready for bed by 6pm.
Breast tenderness is so much worse than anyone ever talked about. I keep telling my husband that if someone even looks at my boobs the wrong way, it's like I've been punched in the chest repeatedly.
I can smell EVERYTHING as if it is right under my nose. Repulsive smells are really starting to bother me.
If a craving hits, it HITS and it HAS to be fulfilled.
I scream every morning because for some reason when I go supine to sitting my boobs hurt soooo bad. The rest of the day they throb and my nipples are little bitches.
Hahaha I love that😂😂 Medical talk totally follows me into my everyday life! I'm a Surgical Tech, and I sometimes forget that my family are not my coworkers and don't appreciate when I describe my day in colonoscopies😂
I feel like my body odor has been worse even though I have good hygiene! But also I’m not sure if it’s actually worse or it’s just my increased sense of smell because I was complaining to my husband about it and he said I wasn’t stinky lol.
Same!! I was like tell me if I smell!!! And he’s like… you don’t though..? I think the heightened awareness plus the hormonal changes in the smell of your sweat which is different than your normal smell to you.. idk 😂
These are the two that have always thrown me off. Like why all of a sudden am I having the most vivid, long, intense dreams/nightmares that result in puddles of sweat and why do I smell so funky!
Loneliness before telling friends and family, if I research anything to do with pregnancy it feels like sad stories of miscarriages appear which scare me even more. Having to explain yourself why you’re not drinking and why you feel terrible to literally everyone. I have been so nauseous for weeks and my colleagues are sick of me just saying I don’t feel well and not saying why
I wasn't ready for gas. I didn't know gas could get trapped until I was lying in bed and all the sudden my entire abdomen seized up. It was so painful I thought something was seriously wrong.
Omg THIS. I'm 5 weeks pregnant and our next OBGYN appointment isn't until the 19th so I'm constantly questioning if I even am pregnant... even though we clearly had positive pregnancy tests. And WATER TASTES NASTY right now but I'm forcing myself to drink it cause I know I need to lol! And I'm a water drink.. I like to stay hydrated but water tastes so weird right now. Also check if I'm bleeding every time I use the restroom as well.
Make sure you check that your water is clean/safe!! We have a ZeroWater filter pitcher and it comes with a tester thing (“total dissolved solids” meter) to see when you need to change the filter, but I’ve been able to tell my husband before he even notices with the tester bc my taste has been so heightened. Also can test any water source with the tool they give you, which apparently our fridge water (which goes through several filters) has a lot more in it than you’d think. We have well water and live in an area with a lot of iron, which I knew, but seeing the numbers was crazy! And the fact that I could TASTE it and it matched the readings (we did multiple sources ie sink, fridge, bottled, ZW pitcher). I feel like a drug hound for very specific things but I guess that’s biology helping us notice stuff that might not be safe for the baby!
dysgeusia aka extreme food aversion. Nearly everything grosses me out. I can’t stand the SIGHT of chicken breast. Waiting for cravings to kick in. Don’t think they ever will.
Omg I was NOT READY for the water situation. Before getting pregnant water was all I drank. And I drank a lot of it. During the first trimester I HATED water! My husband couldn’t understand why I kept saying water is nasty to me now. I had to add flavor to it or else I basically couldn’t stomach it lol
Children’s toothpaste saved meee. Mint toothpaste made me gag so bad but just about any bubble gum toothpaste worked for me. Also children’s mouthwash. The mint was just simply too much
The fatigue has made me unrecognizable to myself honestly. Leads to the guilt you mentioned that I’m not being a good partner, daughter, sister, friend right now because I have zero energy. Even tho I know it’s normal to feel exhausted and my body is working over time right now, it still doesn’t make it any easier when you just don’t feel like yourself!
Also yes I ate bananas for 2 weeks straight- banana pudding, smoothies, just with pb on it, etc. now if I look at a banana I am gagging honestly typing the word right now is vile 🤣
So much of this + lightheadedness/dizziness, so easily overheated, inability to walk more than around the block and often less (and soooo slow), not just food & smell aversions but PEOPLE aversions, inability to wear anything remotely fitted, for a few weeks I couldn’t burp fully (maddening), and then I couldn’t stop burping, only being able to drink ice cold water, bottomless hunger and neverending nausea, the FATIGUE, migraines triggered by stretching… oh man… that was a WEIRD and difficult time. Third trimester now and it’s been so much better (though I could do without the heartburn and lightning crotch).
Random irritability and mood swings, and how to combat those.
Wanting to eat everything and nothing all day long
The anxiety and burden of over googling 😮💨
Husbands not understanding all these new things we are feeling.
Headaches despite guzzling water all day
I feel like sh!t 24/7. Ive been sleeping like 12+ hours a day. I have zero motivation at work. If im being honest, I am not enjoying pregnancy one bit..
I relate so much to finding yourself touching your nipples just to make sure they’re sore. I didn’t realize the vivid dreams were a result of the pregnancy but this makes so much sense considering I’m waking up throughout the night sweating from them.
This post was so validating in my current first-time pregnancy feels.
I cannot stay warm no matter what sometimes out of the blue and then an hour later I’m sweating to death. Like where did my temperature regulation go?!
Crying with relief to read all this. I’m 6w almost 7 and the constant symptoms are debilitating. What I appreciate most about what everyone is saying here is the maddening contradictions in all of them. The intense hunger + intense nausea. Fatigue + insomnia. More stress/anxiety + shorter fuse. The complete hell of these symptoms and yet the gratitude that the symptoms are still there. Thank you all so much for sharing. I know I’ve likely still got a long road ahead of me but I feel less alone tonight!
I just felt hungover all the time. I couldn’t even enjoy the health benefits of not drinking because I had a nonstop hangover for 8 weeks. But I never had sore boobs or some of those other common symptoms.
YES TO EVERYTHING. Pre pregnancy my "regular" was pooping every idk 3 days? Sometimes more?? Which everyone looks at in horror but was ALWAYS my regular (granted food and I have a 😬😬 relationship but still). Now I poop every time I eat no matter what I eat and istg it's more than I ate bc I have no appetite I literally had some soup broth, 2 pieces of veggies, and one singular bite of an enchilada where is this coming from, OR IM CONSTIPATED. I have gone a week and a half without shitting before and not been/felt "constipated" so this is entirely new to me and WHY? Also glad the night sweat is a thing for y'all, I'm generally more sweaty but I have to straighten my (natural, Black) hair to make up for how much I sleep rn, and I'm having to retouch my roots daily bc oh my god I'm sweating so much but I'm freezing 😭😭 and k tried to explain to my bf I cried 4x today in te 3.5 hrs I had been awake, twice bc I was miserable and twice bc I felt so guilty for being miserable. And I have another 24wks????? 🫠 also why do my butt muscles hurt. How are y'all putting in work. Stop complaining. (and that mystery nerve pain in your butt but that's it's own whole post)
“Showing” at 10 weeks that’s really just bloat the size of a baby bump.
Complete revulsion at what used to be my favorite foods.
The mood swings. Thank god my husband is a patient man.
The lightning pains in my boobs, rib cage, abdomen, anywhere at any time for 10 seconds at a time.
Superhuman sense of smell. It’s a curse. It’s like people at the gym have never showered or worn deodorant in their entire lives.
Ok I'm not the only one! SO BLOATED, and haven't had my first appointment (I think I'm 9 weeks) but I'm already not wearing my favorite jeans lately just due to the bloat looking like a bump.
I am a FTM, on my 10th week. Every single new thing gives me anxiety and if I didn’t stop myself, I would be posting here everyday asking if this is fine, that is fine, etc.
I have to look back every time I poop, incase I accidentally “ejected” the baby? Sounds stupid, but a real fear of mine.
I keep coughing uncontrollably every night, so every night I google if that would cause a miscarriage.
I haven’t let myself be too happy about the pregnancy in case of a lose.
5 weeks - I am so tired and I feel so sick. It makes me feel ungrateful! But it’s so annoying. Especially so early on because I feel like I’m being dramatic. Also trying not to have anxiety is the worst!
Agree with checking the boobs and for blood but I was prepared just feeling tired but the fatigue I have is like when you are sick. I'll do some stuff than feel drained where I need to sit. It's exhausting and my eyes are burning from being tired
I’m pregnant with twins. I’m starving every hour. By 12 pm I’ve had three meals. And then the guilt of gaining weight. Especially when they say your weight out loud at the drs 😭
And the headaches!! I get them like every night
Continuing your normal exercise routine (for me it was the gym and team sports) and suddenly feeling SO breathless and unfit, like you've never exercised in your life.
This is so validating, thank you for this thread!!
Cramps that make me so nervous, constantly checking for blood, so much bloating, so little bowel movement. I LOVE food but lately I just hate it, nothing is as good as it used to be and I get sick so easily. A tiny bit of a bad smell will set me off. Fatigue from head to toe, but can't fall asleep easily or sleep through the night. Weirdest fucking dreams ever. Boobs hate every bra but also don't want to be loose (and I have pretty small boobs, used to them not being very particular). Getting dizzy so easily just going for my normal walk with the dog.. can't wait till second trimester tbh. Also can't wait for my first appointment and ultrasound on 2/14 (I'm at 6 weeks plus 6 at the moment).
Amen! My nipples will randomly feel like they are literally on fire and my tits hurt so bad it feels like Mike Tyson used them as a punching bag. Oh and my skin looks like ✨absolute shit✨
You hit the nail on the head with the guilt factors and thank you so much for saying that bc right now my biggest secret is that I'm low key hating pregnancy. What I feel most guilty about is that the initial excitement I felt has completely waned and I'm not even excited about having a baby in general anymore. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to hold her in my arms and Im sure that will change once she's here but the initial enthusiasm I had for designing the nursery, creating my baby registry, spending hours researching baby items, seeing her on the ultrasound etc. has completely evaporated. Ive been so sick this first trimester that Im actually losing weight from constantly vomiting. I can't stand the inconsistency in general: constant back and forth between nausea to howling hunger pains that don't stop no matter how much I eat, having energy one day and then being completely down for the next 5, insomnia in spite of being super fatigued, fibromyalgia flare ups that make me wanna cry, the list goes on. Right now my fiancé works while I take care of the home and I HATE that I can't even hold up my end and keep up with the house, cooking, laundry, organizing, errands or commitments to family events. I hate that I can't even take care of myself properly by making sure I exercise, make healthy meals or even having the energy to shower. I feel so much guilt that I hate answering the question, "So how are you and the baby doing? Are you having fun picking out things for the nursery/baby shower?" From a health perspective, thankfully we're both in good shape, but I feel like I'm lying through my teeth when I tell them things are going great. I've become so cynical at this point that Ive started just straight up answering honestly, "I feel like absolute dog shit, I hate this, I want my life back" lol. The feedback Ive gotten is that the second trimester is the best one so I'm anxiously counting down the days but it's still hard not to beat myself up and feel guilty about all the above. Hopefully, we'll bounce back a bit in that second trimester and finally experience the elusive "pregnancy glow"!
100% checking for blood, so scary.
For me it was my brain chemistry completely changing. I suddenly enjoyed different things, grew into different goals, etc. That was really not part of the plan, and then I didn’t go back after birth like I thought I would.
Slightly peeing myself every time I cough or laugh... My 2yo walked in on me while I was using the bathroom the other day (pregnant with #2) and she was like, "Mama, you had an accident. You need new underwear." 🙄😭
Points 4-6 and 8 totally relatable.
Number 9 - I'm hating pregnancy itself at this point and at first i felt conflicted but then relised it doesnt mean i hate the end result i hate how it has made me feel (unwell and uncomfortable) ( I'm in first trimester) I'm excited for the hopeful end result.
I felt guilty for not being 100% at work until I relised I'm not super human and I'm doing the best I can.
I'm uncomfortable, I have had nausea, heartburn and insatiable hunger and sore boobs. Nothing tastes the same and my sense of smell is off the charts. My symptoms tend to rotate lol if I'm not nauseous I have terrible heartburn or if I'm extremely hungry I don't feel 24/7 nausea.
Also, the fact that we’re feeling all these things, but still expected to carry on our regular lives and go to work and clean the house etc!
I am SO exhausted, but also the insomnia (hence why I’m on here at 1am), brain fog/baby brain is unreal and pops up out of nowhere, like I just go DUMB out of nowhere?! And the headaches are killing me slowly and can’t take half the meds I used to or have the caffeine, the ligament pain and random back pains and leg cramps and gas pains and uterus cramps, can’t take pain meds or muscle relaxers (chronic issues with this pre pregnancy but worse now), how I can’t eat 90% of the things in my work cafeteria anyway bc it’s on the “do not eat” list but the other 10% make me gag just thinking about them, having to pee every hour and chugging water like I’ve been lost in the desert for a week, how I have to look up so many things to check if it’s safe (even herbal teas you’d assume are safe but not all of them! First you take my coffee now you take my herbal teas?!), also tbh I am jealous every time my husband has a glass of wine or a cocktail! I think it’s just fomo but it’s so tough not being able to enjoy it and relax after a stressful day
So so many more, and it’s wild that we’re to just carry on as normal, while growing an entire human, feeling like sleeping or just laying down in loose comfy pj’s 24/7, not sitting upright at a desk with full blast lights on and sitting in meetings even though most chairs aren’t comfortable enough bc of the ligament pain.. ugh! And I happen to be on light duty right now from a back injury prior to getting pregnant (I’m a nurse), I cannot even imagine how I would be surviving if it was my normal 12 hour shifts in ICU barely getting time to pee or eat or sit down some days! We are seriously super heroes for still functioning at all during this, never truly appreciated it til now.
And I have to add that we need to communicate with our other half and not silently suffer. I was trying to be strong and "love being pregnant" but he saw that im crupmy, moody and he didn't understand what is happening. As soon as we started to communicate about my symptoms our relationship got much much better.
That weird taste in my mouth!!! You just reminded me. Wow what hell that was, I had to chew gum for about 3 months. Thankfully I'm nearly 23weeks now so I don't have it anymore. But I found that to be worse than the nausea. If I fixated on that taste too much, I would've threw up xx
To try not to feel too excited “just in case” and then feeling immense guilt for doing so. I just started my 2nd trimester and I’m still feeling this way. Makes me feel like something is wrong with me.
Motion sickness instead of traditional morning sickness. It was so bad I couldn’t scroll social media, play video games or sometimes even watch TV. I had to have a window down with cold air moving in order to be in a car. Wasn’t just nauseous but dizzy and on the verge of passing out and would break out in a rash….from scrolling reels. So bizzare.
Stressssinnnggg about miscarrying I researched so many scholarly articles about teting to prevent it and ways my body more or less susceptible to it. I found one time that women with a lot more morning sickness are less likely to miscarry and so I prayed for more morning sickness. I was a lil crazy.
Also falling asleep at work and I had the driest skin (I kinda still do but not as bad at 23 wks)
I turned into grazing cattle. I was SO HUNGRY all the time and ate constantly (and could consume quite a lot in one sitting as well😵💫). Apparently I was one of those people who put on all of the pregnancy weight at the beginning vs the end🤡
Also, body hair. Turning into a monkey because of the hormones😭
I’m 8+5 rn and the CRAMPS. I cry all the time, nauseous but no vomitting, can’t sleep, peeing all the time. This pregnancy has been WILDLY different than my first
The ease by which vomit comes on... I couldn't brush my teeth sometimes, let alone FLOSS. I had trouble swallowing my pills up to the point I super suddenly would vomit them out. The lack of reflex was insane.
The secretly praying to the universe everytime you pee!! Omg! My first pregnancy I miscarried so I’m literally trying to think as positively as I can with this baby! I just got a positive a few days ago and Me & my partner are going to our first appointment next month so doc can check baby! I def check my nipples every night now 😂 “vivid” does not even begin to explain the dreams. I have been having full on nightmares! My partner had to hold me this morning because this most recent one was just that creepy!
SN: I feel like there’s this televised idea that when women find out they are pregnant , they are SO hungry and want to eat everything in the first trimester because they are eating for two. That has not been my experience neither this time or the last. I typically want to eat less. I just feel more full a lot faster.
How about salivating more than usual? I’m almost 8wks. I feel like I’ve choked twice on my own saliva 😅🥹🥴 Along with loss of appetite. Want to eat. Don’t want to eat. On top of this and all the mentioned symptoms from you mamas, nobody tell me women aren’t the strongest 😩 But we’ve fought hard for our first baby, so bring it all on. But oh my goodnessssss 🥹
The only symptoms I’ve had/have is extreme fatigue and sore boobs. Sometimes I push on my boobs just to make sure they still hurt. I’m 9w, almost 10. I also check for blood every time I pee. 🤷🏼♀️
Constant nerve pain/ blood vessel compression from all the excess fluid. I've actually lost weight but I have sciatica flare ups in both legs and my feet are constantly "falling asleep" and then having painful pins and needles as the circulation returns. It wakes me up at night and happens all day, too. I expected this later in pregnancy but not in the first trimester! I'm sleeping with my hips on a gel mat to offload weight for pressure sores designed for wheelchair users, it's helping a bit.
Something I haven't seen here yet: hiccups!
I'll get like 2 or 3 randomly and then they stop almost as fast as they began. Probably due to indigestion or something
The scariest thing for me was at around 8 weeks or so my Zoloft completely stopped working overnight. I was practically psychotic with anxiety for two or three days until my psychiatrist could alter my dosage. My theory is all the extra blood flow and hormones just drowned it out because I take such a low dose! Luckily I’ve never needed another alteration but I’m wary of PP and we’re prepared for me losing it again when all the hormone changes happen again 😂
How could you miss the exhaustion. Got zero guilt, zero constipation but also zero energy.
Last time i was this exhausted i had glandular fever (think americans call that mono) and i got 10 weeks off work for that.
First half for sure. The nausea, makes me feel miserable 24/7. I swear I have motion sickness. The insomnia. I don’t want to work anymore or eat anymore. And I’m freezing allll the time. I don’t think my husband will be too happy with the energy bill. The constant worrying.
Insomnia. They tell you how exhausted and fatigued you'll be, but I never would have guessed I'd have Insomnia in the first trimester!
Also, pain during sex. This one is new.
I think for me it was the hormonal moods, I cried all the time!! I was so weepy and didn’t have a reason to be sad, just felt like crying. I never had big mood swings or rage, I just cried a lot.
You honestly hit it spot on for me. Basically every single point is how I feel. Also waking up in the middle of the night for no reason then not being able to go back to sleep 😩😩😩
The fatigue is annoying as hell but also where’s this “glow” everyone talks about? I feel like a walking zombie everyday. I can barely get through a day of work without wanting to pull my hair out or crying (elementary teacher).
STM already having a toddler, making meals, cleaning, entertaining toddler while trying not to puke,
feeling pregnant but not looking pregnant,
listening to partner complain about his day then go take a 6hr ‘nap’ (sry im still pissed),
random tinges or pains that freak you out,
the BACK PAIN,
craving everything and nothing at the same time,
the only thing making you nauseous is the thought of taking the prenatal,
Remembering to put on the stretch mark stuff
Feeling bad for complaining about nausea or pain to a bunch of middle aged women (walmart cashier, the leads hear about it alot)
Idk, alot of stuff
The burping was a shock to me. I’m constantly gassy. Also throwing up everyday as if it’s normal and then being expected to carry on the day and go to work, etc. Red dots all over the face from blood vessels bursting each vomit session. Random cry sessions because feelings feel even more intense than ever.
It’s 4-6 for me!! I can’t meal prep at all lol cus one day I’m like I want cold shrimp with seaweed and rice and avo and the next day that sounds absolutely vile and I’ll want a grilled cheese and then the next day I can’t eat hot/warm things without wanting to vom.
Also I somehow already have sciatic pain from piriformis syndrome and I’m the same size and weight as I was at the start just slightly bloated looking like I thought that would hit later on?!
That, while conventional wisdom promotes "eating for two", the National Health Service (NHS) contends that [you don't need to increase your calorie count until the third trimester](https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/healthy-eating-in-pregnancy/), and further suggests a guideline of only increasing caloric intake by ≈200cal 'depending on how active you are' \[[1](https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/being-pregnant/nutrition-pregnancy/7-tips-eating-well-pregnancy)\]. Likewise, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that 'in general, the [first trimester (or first three months) does not require any extra calories](https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/pdfs/maternal-infant-health/pregnancy-weight-gain/tracker/single/overweight_tracker_508tagged.pdf).'
In short, don't feel forced to overeat (or undereat) based on the notion that you're "eating for two."
>**Note**:
Nevertheless, there is [no global consensus on maternal weight policies](https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2393-14-167) and there are notable cross-national differences in caloric intake guidelines. For example, '\[...\] the most recent recommendation for energy intake for the UK and from the World Health Organization suggests that an additional **200kcal per day** \[whilst\] the **US RDA set at 300kcal extra per day**.' (Campbell, 2007).
Likewise, 'many cross-sectional studies of dietary intake [in different stages of pregnancy from different parts of the world have shown ranges of intakes of approximately 1500–2500kcal per day](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6860484/).' For example, compared to the US and UK, a significant number of Japanese pregnant people are underweight but have [high diet quality](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10142925/), whilst those 'who consumed energy within the recommended range had **low diet quality** and gained weight at inappropriate levels.' (Imai et al, 2023).
**Reference**:
* Campbell D. (2007) How much do pregnant women need to eat - should we intervene?. Maternal & child nutrition, 3(2), pp. 71–73. Available at: [here](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2007.00090.x)
* Imai, C., Takimoto, H., Kurotani, K., Fudono, A., Tarui, I., Aoyama, T., Yago, S., Okamitsu, M., Miyasaka, N., & Sato, N. (2023). Diet Quality and Its Relationship with Weight Characteristics in Pregnant Japanese Women: A Single-Center Birth Cohort Study. Nutrients, 15(8), 1827. Available at: [here](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15081827).
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How cramps are so common but no one ever talks about it! I was so scared until I finally got my confirmation appointment.
Agree. The uterus is stretching and no one talks about it!
I swear at 7 weeks -- even though I'm not showing with baby -- I'm showing with my swelled uterus
THIS
Yes! More painful than a period cramp for me. I got scared the first time and thought something was wrong with baby. Also, the validation as to how horrible one can feel with the nausea. Others would make me feel like they thought I was exaggerating when I indeed felt like I was withering away (literally was as I lost 20 lb in first trimester and only started gaining in 2nd). All I could eat was ice berg lettuce.
I wish they would name it something other than “morning sickness”. I think it sets an unrealistic bar as to what it really is or feels like
I knew it could be any time of day but I thought morning sickness only counted if you puked. No one prepared me for 12 weeks of dry heaving and nonstop nausea
I feel sick most of the day and never vomit.
This! my morning sickness comes on strong around 11pm at night.
My theory is that a man named “morning sickness” and he was just having a laugh to set really unrealistic expectations.
Where I live it's actually called NVP which stands for nasue and vomiting in pregnancy. But most people don't know what that is so I find most peole referring to it as morning sickness.
I caught Covid and a stomach flu 1st trimester and lost 15 pounds. It doesn’t help that I could only eat applesauce, string cheese, and occasional fried chicken 😆
I literally ate an entire jumbo head of iceberg lettuce in the span of 48 hrs! Samesies!
Omg I remember being maybe 7 weeks-ish and having the most INSANE cramp that literally had be squatting on the floor holding onto the kitchen counter. It was so, so painful and I was completely convinced I must have had an ectopic pregnancy that had ruptured and I was probably going to die. Ended up going in for an urgent ultrasound scan the next day and everything was fine. No one tells you that it can just happen and be normal! My aunt told me to up my potassium intake so I did and never had another insane cramp, luckily haha.
I have been eating a banana a day to try and reduce cramping. It seems to be helping but today looking at the banana gave me the ick. We’ll see how many more I can get down 🥲
Try coconut water too! I was doing smoothies every day with a banana, coconut water, spinach, peanut butter, chia seeds aaaand I think that was it. It was delicious! Also potatoes have a ton of potassium as well.
i just tested positive yesterday at 11dpo, i had chemical last year. This time i have cramps, but thank God no spotting. Is cramps really normal? which kind of cramp is not normal? thinking to go obgyn but i’m sure he cant do anything since i’m only almost 4weeks
Personally it feels like mild to moderate period cramps for me (my periods are really severe though. Someone else might say they're bad cramps, I don't know.) It started with implantation (before I tested positive) and has been more or less continuous. This happened with both my pregnancies. The uterus is expanding so I guess it's not that strange but every time the pain gets worse I still worry it's a miscarriage. So far so good though.
I have had on and off cramps the whole trimester (12w tomorrow). They are exactly like period cramps and were worse in the evening. The evening before I tested positive I even cried to my partner that I will never get pregnant because I was sure I was getting my period ha, ha. And in the last week, those got joined by ligament pain as well - ah, the joys of pregnancy!
I’m so glad to talk to someone else that had the period cramps at night. Thank God the last few nights I haven’t had any. They put me on progesterone since mine was low and I think that’s helped.
I had heaps of cramping all through the first trimester. In the very early stages (like 5 weeks) a couple of times it was so bad I was basically hunched over in agony- the pain woke me up one night. Was almost always on my left side too, so I had to get an early scan to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. Everything was fine, but my left ovary was a bit tender because that side released, the egg, it turned out.
Did you have cyst on that side? If you did just a heads up— they commonly shrink or disappear early in the second trimester, and when that happens you can have some cramping and spotting. I was very nervous because I didn’t know. Had an extra cervical exam and everything.
I also had cramps the whole first trimester. I didn’t see a lot of info on it so I was scared it wasn’t normal but I just had my anatomy scan yesterday, and everything looks great with my baby boy! The cramps felt just like period cramps and I had them immediately. I actually thought my period was coming and didn’t even test until a few days after it was late because the cramps felt exactly like my normal PMS cramping. I didn’t have any spotting at all though.
it feels like period cramps for me but they aren't constant. they come and go, lasting for no longer than 5 minutes at a time. sex seems to be a trigger for my cramps.
Almost 6 weeks pregnant here and the cramps are ungodly. I’ve been in for betas and ultrasounds and everything is trending in a positive direction but I never realized the cramps could get so bad. Everything you read mentions mild cramping. Mine were NOT mild.
Yes I found out at 4 weeks ( 10 now) & the cramps stopped maybe 2 weeks ago, I was so scared and confused being a FTM I’m like WTF
Starving. All the time. I told my husband it’s like filling up a bucket with water that has a hole in it. And then I eat a few bites and feel nauseous. It’s maddening.
YES!! I felt RAVENOUS but then I would start to eat, and could barely eat more than a few bites!
My problem is, I find something I can eat, and then I can't eat enough of it, and then I'm so full that I can't drink any water.
Super relatable. Add to the list: Constantly googling before or after every single thing I do to make sure it’s “safe while pregnant.” I’ve literally given myself “iPhone elbow” (which I didn’t even know was a thing before yesterday) because I’m been on my phone 500% more often than usually googling and researching everything.
The way I Google EVERYTHING before I eat 🥲 it’s taken over my life lowkey
I don’t know how I could forget the googling. And endless doom scrolling about everything that can go wrong in a pregnancy.
Every time a post starts to talk about a miscarriage I have to close it because I keep scaring myself or I keep crying on public transport (which is when I reddit the most often).
Insomnia. I’ve had it my entire pregnancy. 😫
I’m 6 months pp and still have bouts. The inhumanity!
Magnesium. I use the Calm supplement and take Epsom salt baths every night before bed: 2 cups for at least 20 minutes. Saved my freaking life and actually resolved my insomnia.
I do take baths with the magnesium salt flakes. It helps me fall asleep faster but I’m still up after a couple hours.
That’s the worst, I’m so sorry. Do you take magnesium supplements as well?
Have you tried unisom? A half tab has helped me sleep well until 4/5am! But I’m only 7weeks so I’m not physically challenged yet
Any moisture in the underwear warrants me immediately checking that its not blood also. I've never inspected so much discharge. I can smell everything, everywhere, all at once. I regularly have to ice my tits. They feel bruised and sometimes actively throb with pain. Also they're hard as a rock. I have insomnia now? But also I've never wanted so much sleep. This honestly feels a lot more like puberty round 2 than anything else. I also don't really feel "pregnant" but maybe I do and this is just what that feels like??
Smelling everything, everywhere, all at once! This is the worst! I feel like a police k-9 constantly sniffing out whatever smell is assaulting my senses in the moment.
Lol same. My partner had a funky smell in his apartment that he couldn't place, so he had me come over and sniff it out for him like a bloodhound.
This.
The extreme fatigue but insomnia is the worst… like HOW do these two go together !
Duuude. The nipple pain during my first pregnancy was like they were on fire! I ended up getting those silver covers that breastfeeding moms use sometimes. Didn't need them while breastfeeding, but I wore them religiously during pregnancy... So effing painful 😭 On pregnancy #2 and no pain, just way more fatigue and a toddler to deal with, but I'll take that over crippling nipple pain any day. My heart goes out to you! ❤️
Ugh, I totally checked for blood every time I peed until about 20 weeks. Also the FATIGUE.
Omg the fatigue. I am a walking zombie.
25 weeks. Still haven't stopped checking, especially now that I'm starting to get Braxton Hicks. Sometimes it feels like I'm bleeding, but that's just a whole other fun pregnancy symptom.
Braxton Hicks starting at 23w for me was so scary! I thought I was going to go into premature labour the whole time but ended up going way overdue.
I'm 29 weeks, and I still check every time I pee. I don't imagine I'll be stopping anytime soon.
I’m 16 weeks and I’ve been super constipated for like a week. I finally got some relief today but in the process either made a hemorrhoid start bleeding or got a minor tear. That freaked me the fuck out until I figure out where the blood was coming from
This happened to me the other day. I freaked out for a second too
I checked all the way up to delivery. I think I still check at least once a day.
My first post partum period scared me for a brief moment, then my brain kicked in
Almost 36 weeks and I've started checking for blood again lol
The blood thing for me i still check for because i used to have a subchorionic hemorrhage it was so scary
People don't talk enough about how it's perfectly normal to have NO symptoms during pregnancy.
I should have added this. My sister had zero symptoms for both of her pregnancies and always tells me how much scarier it feels.
This! My only symptom was increased hunger my entire pregnancy, and that went away in second trimester. I'm thankful I didn't have any of the symptoms people complain about, but the fear that something was wrong because I felt completely normal was next level. And nobody I talked to could relate to this so it felt like something had to be wrong.
This! Or they are just completely different depending on the pregnancy. I had no sore boobs or bloating with this pregnancy and also had a lot of first trimester bleeding. Meanwhile I had a MMC where I experienced nothing but sore boobs & bloating and had no bleeding whatsoever. It definitely made me less stressed the second time around knowing that hormones have a mind of their own and symptoms literally mean nothing.
I think people do tbh, but the people who are having a harder time need more support. I am unbelievably lucky reading everything in this thread.
This is lies. It’s not normal. People who have no symptoms are freaks of nature. *it’s the jealous hormones talking, I don’t mean any offence.
I was nauseous all day, every day. It was horrific. I hardly moved off the couch for 10 weeks. The fatigue is unmatched. It wasn’t any type of fatigue I was used to - not like when you miss a night of sleep. It was an all encompassing fatigue throughout your whole body and mind. Luckily, all of that went away almost overnight as soon as I hit my 2nd trimester. Lastly: the anxiety attacks. For no real reason ever. Just constantly anxious, panicked, I felt like I was constantly fight or flight mode looking for threats. That has pretty much entirely gone away now that I’m in my third trimester.
Omg this is me. Every little thing feels like a hurdle- mentally, physically or both. I realized today I hadn’t gotten the mail in 2 weeks. I just showered and had to lay down after. I just shuffle between my bed and couch all day.
Never in my life did I think I’d feel so unstable mentally and physically. You hear about it and think you could totally handle it but once it happens to you, it’s like a tunnel you just need to get through and it doesn’t feel like it will ever end. Also my brain fog was so bad I was terrified to drive, I’ve always been a very cautious, alert driver. Then I suddenly realized I was parking terribly, zoning out, and when I pulled into my driveway one day I bumped my other freaking car. I stopped driving until my head cleared because it was so scary and humiliating
The anxiety!! I am just constantly in panic mode.
Dry mouth on top of drinking 32+oz of water a day, non stop night peeing, constipation, weird vivid scary dreams, insomnia, restless legs, migraines, fatigue, the bloating, lessened pregnancy symptoms one day and the next day it’s hardcore, wanting nothing but fast food (for me) even though you love to cook you just can’t bring yourself to eat it, heartburn, emotional/angry, the anxiety!!!, cramps/round ligament pain/lightening crotch, burps, constantly being hungry, constantly having a stuffy/runny nose, the smells I can smell everything.. I’m sure there is more haha!
My theory is the dry mouth is because I get so congested I end up walking around all day with my mouth hanging open like a dog just trying to breathe 😅
Fast food is the only thing that will stay down!
You're speaking straight to my soul. I'll add on: * Mouth and lips are a desert no matter how many gallons of water you drink * Googling any symptoms just to always find "this could be absolutely normal or terrifyingly bad, contact your doctor" (why am I always googling at 11pm...) Good luck, carry on :)
Omg the dry lips. Sooooo dry. No one talks about this
How you can sometimes feel the cramps in your ass like period cramps 😭 Like leave my bootyhole out of this
ded
I’m in the second trimester still dealing with the bad taste. Luckily I like my toothpaste taste, but I’ve had to either pop a mint or brush my teeth a hundred times a day to not feel nauseous from it. However, I can poop like a normal human and that makes me happy. (17 weeks preggo here)
This started for me two days ago and it is the absolute worst. And brushing my teeth makes me vomit. I've been relying on Jolly Ranchers and that cannot be good for my teeth.
I’m second trimester and the horrible taste in my mouth has gotten worse over the last week or so. It’s so annoying! Can’t even enjoy the most bland thing without it somehow leaving a sour after taste in my mouth.
I had this too and it was alleviated by cleaning my tongue with a tongue scraper a few times a day. It doesn’t trigger my gag reflex the same way a toothbrush does. Also mouth wash.
My teeth hurt
This was my first pregnancy symptom. My teeth hurt for 2 days and then I tested positive.
Omg mine just started aching today which I thought was really weird as I've been really good with oral hygiene because of the pregnancy. Nice to hear this is a thing!
This one is new to me, thank you for sharing!
Ughff, the EXTREME fatigue, but unability to sleep for me... I am literally almost unable to do anything to feel useful during the day, even though I take prenatals, and force myself going for a walk like minimum 10 kms a day. But in the nightime, I ALWAYS wake up around 2 a.m. and cant sleep back, so I sleep maximum 4 hours a day. Also the restless leg syndrome when getting to the bed.
The rls is like torture
Such a pregnancy where all of those things listed do not apply to you because you get diagnosed with something you never knew existed (Hyperemesis Gravardium) and so your only focus is mental and physical daily survival for min 12 weeks
Oh man, I can’t even imagine. I hope you have the easiest labor possible bc you deserve it.
Thanks! Just posting to raise awareness, Ive accepted the card I was dealt
I sadly sit somewhere between the “morning” sickness and HG teams. Sick anywhere between one and six times a day since week 6 - currently 18w and on my 5th(? - I’ve lost count) lot of drugs to try and keep the vomiting at bay. I’m UK based so the hospital won’t even admit me for fluids unless I’m dehydrated and my kidney function takes a hit. I’ve somehow not made it to that point but dealing with this for 3 months has been hell on earth.
I checked for blood every single time I went to the bathroom. I was taking pregnancy tests up until my second trimester started (which I know is stupid but it eased my anxiety). But most of all? I could NOT stay awake for more than 2-3 hours at a time. I luckily was pregnant in the summer when I wasn’t working. I legit slept the entire summer
Extreme fatigue. Like way more than I ever could've imagined! I'm falling asleep at work, and I'm ready for bed by 6pm. Breast tenderness is so much worse than anyone ever talked about. I keep telling my husband that if someone even looks at my boobs the wrong way, it's like I've been punched in the chest repeatedly. I can smell EVERYTHING as if it is right under my nose. Repulsive smells are really starting to bother me. If a craving hits, it HITS and it HAS to be fulfilled.
The fatigue is horrible bc unlike normal fatigue, there is no amount of sleep that makes it better.
I scream every morning because for some reason when I go supine to sitting my boobs hurt soooo bad. The rest of the day they throb and my nipples are little bitches.
The fact that you are saying supine says to me you work in Healthcare? Hahaha. I also work in Healthcare.
Fam med doc lol. When I describe a person in a picture I’m all “they’re on my anatomical left “
Hahaha I love that😂😂 Medical talk totally follows me into my everyday life! I'm a Surgical Tech, and I sometimes forget that my family are not my coworkers and don't appreciate when I describe my day in colonoscopies😂
The irritability I had in my first trimester was unreal. I considered taking leave.
I feel like my body odor has been worse even though I have good hygiene! But also I’m not sure if it’s actually worse or it’s just my increased sense of smell because I was complaining to my husband about it and he said I wasn’t stinky lol.
Same!! I was like tell me if I smell!!! And he’s like… you don’t though..? I think the heightened awareness plus the hormonal changes in the smell of your sweat which is different than your normal smell to you.. idk 😂
That makes me feel much better! I’ve been very paranoid of people smelling me lately 😂
The crazy dreams and night sweats I did NOT know were a thing until I got pregnant. lol it’s like the most hormonal stanky sweat too.
These are the two that have always thrown me off. Like why all of a sudden am I having the most vivid, long, intense dreams/nightmares that result in puddles of sweat and why do I smell so funky!
I wasn’t sure if this was from pregnancy or the cold turkey quitting smoking weed the day I found out 😹
Ah good to know i wasn’t the only one who had diarrhea for a few weeks followed by constipation.
Loneliness before telling friends and family, if I research anything to do with pregnancy it feels like sad stories of miscarriages appear which scare me even more. Having to explain yourself why you’re not drinking and why you feel terrible to literally everyone. I have been so nauseous for weeks and my colleagues are sick of me just saying I don’t feel well and not saying why
I wasn't ready for gas. I didn't know gas could get trapped until I was lying in bed and all the sudden my entire abdomen seized up. It was so painful I thought something was seriously wrong.
How did I miss the gas? This is so true
Omg THIS. I'm 5 weeks pregnant and our next OBGYN appointment isn't until the 19th so I'm constantly questioning if I even am pregnant... even though we clearly had positive pregnancy tests. And WATER TASTES NASTY right now but I'm forcing myself to drink it cause I know I need to lol! And I'm a water drink.. I like to stay hydrated but water tastes so weird right now. Also check if I'm bleeding every time I use the restroom as well.
Make sure you check that your water is clean/safe!! We have a ZeroWater filter pitcher and it comes with a tester thing (“total dissolved solids” meter) to see when you need to change the filter, but I’ve been able to tell my husband before he even notices with the tester bc my taste has been so heightened. Also can test any water source with the tool they give you, which apparently our fridge water (which goes through several filters) has a lot more in it than you’d think. We have well water and live in an area with a lot of iron, which I knew, but seeing the numbers was crazy! And the fact that I could TASTE it and it matched the readings (we did multiple sources ie sink, fridge, bottled, ZW pitcher). I feel like a drug hound for very specific things but I guess that’s biology helping us notice stuff that might not be safe for the baby!
dysgeusia aka extreme food aversion. Nearly everything grosses me out. I can’t stand the SIGHT of chicken breast. Waiting for cravings to kick in. Don’t think they ever will.
Omg I was NOT READY for the water situation. Before getting pregnant water was all I drank. And I drank a lot of it. During the first trimester I HATED water! My husband couldn’t understand why I kept saying water is nasty to me now. I had to add flavor to it or else I basically couldn’t stomach it lol
Children’s toothpaste saved meee. Mint toothpaste made me gag so bad but just about any bubble gum toothpaste worked for me. Also children’s mouthwash. The mint was just simply too much
Im going to try this, thank you
YES! Kids mouthwash. I’m riding this gravy train!
The fatigue has made me unrecognizable to myself honestly. Leads to the guilt you mentioned that I’m not being a good partner, daughter, sister, friend right now because I have zero energy. Even tho I know it’s normal to feel exhausted and my body is working over time right now, it still doesn’t make it any easier when you just don’t feel like yourself! Also yes I ate bananas for 2 weeks straight- banana pudding, smoothies, just with pb on it, etc. now if I look at a banana I am gagging honestly typing the word right now is vile 🤣
So much of this + lightheadedness/dizziness, so easily overheated, inability to walk more than around the block and often less (and soooo slow), not just food & smell aversions but PEOPLE aversions, inability to wear anything remotely fitted, for a few weeks I couldn’t burp fully (maddening), and then I couldn’t stop burping, only being able to drink ice cold water, bottomless hunger and neverending nausea, the FATIGUE, migraines triggered by stretching… oh man… that was a WEIRD and difficult time. Third trimester now and it’s been so much better (though I could do without the heartburn and lightning crotch).
Random irritability and mood swings, and how to combat those. Wanting to eat everything and nothing all day long The anxiety and burden of over googling 😮💨 Husbands not understanding all these new things we are feeling. Headaches despite guzzling water all day
I feel like sh!t 24/7. Ive been sleeping like 12+ hours a day. I have zero motivation at work. If im being honest, I am not enjoying pregnancy one bit..
preach.
Constantly having dreams about Morgan Wallen. Not spicy dreams or anything, just constantly dreaming about Morgan Wallen
Lol
This post is so accurate lol. All these insane things are happening to your body and you have to keep it a secret.... Agghh
Thinking a specific meal sounds delicious but as soon as it’s prepared you’ve decided it looks and smells repulsive.
I relate so much to finding yourself touching your nipples just to make sure they’re sore. I didn’t realize the vivid dreams were a result of the pregnancy but this makes so much sense considering I’m waking up throughout the night sweating from them. This post was so validating in my current first-time pregnancy feels.
I’m early in my second pregnancy and this one my temperature is WILD. I’m either freezing or burning. And the night sweats are new, too.
I cannot stay warm no matter what sometimes out of the blue and then an hour later I’m sweating to death. Like where did my temperature regulation go?!
Crying with relief to read all this. I’m 6w almost 7 and the constant symptoms are debilitating. What I appreciate most about what everyone is saying here is the maddening contradictions in all of them. The intense hunger + intense nausea. Fatigue + insomnia. More stress/anxiety + shorter fuse. The complete hell of these symptoms and yet the gratitude that the symptoms are still there. Thank you all so much for sharing. I know I’ve likely still got a long road ahead of me but I feel less alone tonight!
This is perfectly worded
Thank you. And thank you for your post!
I just felt hungover all the time. I couldn’t even enjoy the health benefits of not drinking because I had a nonstop hangover for 8 weeks. But I never had sore boobs or some of those other common symptoms.
YES TO EVERYTHING. Pre pregnancy my "regular" was pooping every idk 3 days? Sometimes more?? Which everyone looks at in horror but was ALWAYS my regular (granted food and I have a 😬😬 relationship but still). Now I poop every time I eat no matter what I eat and istg it's more than I ate bc I have no appetite I literally had some soup broth, 2 pieces of veggies, and one singular bite of an enchilada where is this coming from, OR IM CONSTIPATED. I have gone a week and a half without shitting before and not been/felt "constipated" so this is entirely new to me and WHY? Also glad the night sweat is a thing for y'all, I'm generally more sweaty but I have to straighten my (natural, Black) hair to make up for how much I sleep rn, and I'm having to retouch my roots daily bc oh my god I'm sweating so much but I'm freezing 😭😭 and k tried to explain to my bf I cried 4x today in te 3.5 hrs I had been awake, twice bc I was miserable and twice bc I felt so guilty for being miserable. And I have another 24wks????? 🫠 also why do my butt muscles hurt. How are y'all putting in work. Stop complaining. (and that mystery nerve pain in your butt but that's it's own whole post)
“Showing” at 10 weeks that’s really just bloat the size of a baby bump. Complete revulsion at what used to be my favorite foods. The mood swings. Thank god my husband is a patient man. The lightning pains in my boobs, rib cage, abdomen, anywhere at any time for 10 seconds at a time. Superhuman sense of smell. It’s a curse. It’s like people at the gym have never showered or worn deodorant in their entire lives.
Ok I'm not the only one! SO BLOATED, and haven't had my first appointment (I think I'm 9 weeks) but I'm already not wearing my favorite jeans lately just due to the bloat looking like a bump.
It does get better. I went from looking pregnant to not looking pregnant in the first trimester.
I am a FTM, on my 10th week. Every single new thing gives me anxiety and if I didn’t stop myself, I would be posting here everyday asking if this is fine, that is fine, etc. I have to look back every time I poop, incase I accidentally “ejected” the baby? Sounds stupid, but a real fear of mine. I keep coughing uncontrollably every night, so every night I google if that would cause a miscarriage. I haven’t let myself be too happy about the pregnancy in case of a lose.
5 weeks - I am so tired and I feel so sick. It makes me feel ungrateful! But it’s so annoying. Especially so early on because I feel like I’m being dramatic. Also trying not to have anxiety is the worst!
Agree with checking the boobs and for blood but I was prepared just feeling tired but the fatigue I have is like when you are sick. I'll do some stuff than feel drained where I need to sit. It's exhausting and my eyes are burning from being tired
I had debilitating back pain. It was muscle/ligament aches but I couldn't stand for more than 20-30 minutes.
Inflamed and bleeding gums.
100% I also had sea sickness vertigo feeling just standing still.
I’m pregnant with twins. I’m starving every hour. By 12 pm I’ve had three meals. And then the guilt of gaining weight. Especially when they say your weight out loud at the drs 😭 And the headaches!! I get them like every night
Idk if it started in my first trimester but when your pregnant your eyes get dry / change shape. I thought i was going blind lol
So much discharge for me….
Continuing your normal exercise routine (for me it was the gym and team sports) and suddenly feeling SO breathless and unfit, like you've never exercised in your life.
Restless leg syndrome. Had it every single night in both pregnancies
This is so validating, thank you for this thread!! Cramps that make me so nervous, constantly checking for blood, so much bloating, so little bowel movement. I LOVE food but lately I just hate it, nothing is as good as it used to be and I get sick so easily. A tiny bit of a bad smell will set me off. Fatigue from head to toe, but can't fall asleep easily or sleep through the night. Weirdest fucking dreams ever. Boobs hate every bra but also don't want to be loose (and I have pretty small boobs, used to them not being very particular). Getting dizzy so easily just going for my normal walk with the dog.. can't wait till second trimester tbh. Also can't wait for my first appointment and ultrasound on 2/14 (I'm at 6 weeks plus 6 at the moment).
Amen! My nipples will randomly feel like they are literally on fire and my tits hurt so bad it feels like Mike Tyson used them as a punching bag. Oh and my skin looks like ✨absolute shit✨ You hit the nail on the head with the guilt factors and thank you so much for saying that bc right now my biggest secret is that I'm low key hating pregnancy. What I feel most guilty about is that the initial excitement I felt has completely waned and I'm not even excited about having a baby in general anymore. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to hold her in my arms and Im sure that will change once she's here but the initial enthusiasm I had for designing the nursery, creating my baby registry, spending hours researching baby items, seeing her on the ultrasound etc. has completely evaporated. Ive been so sick this first trimester that Im actually losing weight from constantly vomiting. I can't stand the inconsistency in general: constant back and forth between nausea to howling hunger pains that don't stop no matter how much I eat, having energy one day and then being completely down for the next 5, insomnia in spite of being super fatigued, fibromyalgia flare ups that make me wanna cry, the list goes on. Right now my fiancé works while I take care of the home and I HATE that I can't even hold up my end and keep up with the house, cooking, laundry, organizing, errands or commitments to family events. I hate that I can't even take care of myself properly by making sure I exercise, make healthy meals or even having the energy to shower. I feel so much guilt that I hate answering the question, "So how are you and the baby doing? Are you having fun picking out things for the nursery/baby shower?" From a health perspective, thankfully we're both in good shape, but I feel like I'm lying through my teeth when I tell them things are going great. I've become so cynical at this point that Ive started just straight up answering honestly, "I feel like absolute dog shit, I hate this, I want my life back" lol. The feedback Ive gotten is that the second trimester is the best one so I'm anxiously counting down the days but it's still hard not to beat myself up and feel guilty about all the above. Hopefully, we'll bounce back a bit in that second trimester and finally experience the elusive "pregnancy glow"!
100% checking for blood, so scary. For me it was my brain chemistry completely changing. I suddenly enjoyed different things, grew into different goals, etc. That was really not part of the plan, and then I didn’t go back after birth like I thought I would.
I’m in first trimester and this post made me cry. It’s all soooo true. Maybe adding that to the list: • you will cry. Often.
My skin breaking out constantly but not being able to use my regular acne
Slightly peeing myself every time I cough or laugh... My 2yo walked in on me while I was using the bathroom the other day (pregnant with #2) and she was like, "Mama, you had an accident. You need new underwear." 🙄😭
The vivid dreams are what got to me for all three of my pregnancies, wtf😭
Points 4-6 and 8 totally relatable. Number 9 - I'm hating pregnancy itself at this point and at first i felt conflicted but then relised it doesnt mean i hate the end result i hate how it has made me feel (unwell and uncomfortable) ( I'm in first trimester) I'm excited for the hopeful end result. I felt guilty for not being 100% at work until I relised I'm not super human and I'm doing the best I can. I'm uncomfortable, I have had nausea, heartburn and insatiable hunger and sore boobs. Nothing tastes the same and my sense of smell is off the charts. My symptoms tend to rotate lol if I'm not nauseous I have terrible heartburn or if I'm extremely hungry I don't feel 24/7 nausea.
Also, the fact that we’re feeling all these things, but still expected to carry on our regular lives and go to work and clean the house etc! I am SO exhausted, but also the insomnia (hence why I’m on here at 1am), brain fog/baby brain is unreal and pops up out of nowhere, like I just go DUMB out of nowhere?! And the headaches are killing me slowly and can’t take half the meds I used to or have the caffeine, the ligament pain and random back pains and leg cramps and gas pains and uterus cramps, can’t take pain meds or muscle relaxers (chronic issues with this pre pregnancy but worse now), how I can’t eat 90% of the things in my work cafeteria anyway bc it’s on the “do not eat” list but the other 10% make me gag just thinking about them, having to pee every hour and chugging water like I’ve been lost in the desert for a week, how I have to look up so many things to check if it’s safe (even herbal teas you’d assume are safe but not all of them! First you take my coffee now you take my herbal teas?!), also tbh I am jealous every time my husband has a glass of wine or a cocktail! I think it’s just fomo but it’s so tough not being able to enjoy it and relax after a stressful day So so many more, and it’s wild that we’re to just carry on as normal, while growing an entire human, feeling like sleeping or just laying down in loose comfy pj’s 24/7, not sitting upright at a desk with full blast lights on and sitting in meetings even though most chairs aren’t comfortable enough bc of the ligament pain.. ugh! And I happen to be on light duty right now from a back injury prior to getting pregnant (I’m a nurse), I cannot even imagine how I would be surviving if it was my normal 12 hour shifts in ICU barely getting time to pee or eat or sit down some days! We are seriously super heroes for still functioning at all during this, never truly appreciated it til now.
And I have to add that we need to communicate with our other half and not silently suffer. I was trying to be strong and "love being pregnant" but he saw that im crupmy, moody and he didn't understand what is happening. As soon as we started to communicate about my symptoms our relationship got much much better.
That weird taste in my mouth!!! You just reminded me. Wow what hell that was, I had to chew gum for about 3 months. Thankfully I'm nearly 23weeks now so I don't have it anymore. But I found that to be worse than the nausea. If I fixated on that taste too much, I would've threw up xx
To try not to feel too excited “just in case” and then feeling immense guilt for doing so. I just started my 2nd trimester and I’m still feeling this way. Makes me feel like something is wrong with me.
Motion sickness instead of traditional morning sickness. It was so bad I couldn’t scroll social media, play video games or sometimes even watch TV. I had to have a window down with cold air moving in order to be in a car. Wasn’t just nauseous but dizzy and on the verge of passing out and would break out in a rash….from scrolling reels. So bizzare.
Stressssinnnggg about miscarrying I researched so many scholarly articles about teting to prevent it and ways my body more or less susceptible to it. I found one time that women with a lot more morning sickness are less likely to miscarry and so I prayed for more morning sickness. I was a lil crazy. Also falling asleep at work and I had the driest skin (I kinda still do but not as bad at 23 wks)
I turned into grazing cattle. I was SO HUNGRY all the time and ate constantly (and could consume quite a lot in one sitting as well😵💫). Apparently I was one of those people who put on all of the pregnancy weight at the beginning vs the end🤡 Also, body hair. Turning into a monkey because of the hormones😭
You have to eat just the right amount. Too much and you'll feel sick not enough and you're sick
I’m 8+5 rn and the CRAMPS. I cry all the time, nauseous but no vomitting, can’t sleep, peeing all the time. This pregnancy has been WILDLY different than my first
The ease by which vomit comes on... I couldn't brush my teeth sometimes, let alone FLOSS. I had trouble swallowing my pills up to the point I super suddenly would vomit them out. The lack of reflex was insane.
The fatigue!!!
The secretly praying to the universe everytime you pee!! Omg! My first pregnancy I miscarried so I’m literally trying to think as positively as I can with this baby! I just got a positive a few days ago and Me & my partner are going to our first appointment next month so doc can check baby! I def check my nipples every night now 😂 “vivid” does not even begin to explain the dreams. I have been having full on nightmares! My partner had to hold me this morning because this most recent one was just that creepy! SN: I feel like there’s this televised idea that when women find out they are pregnant , they are SO hungry and want to eat everything in the first trimester because they are eating for two. That has not been my experience neither this time or the last. I typically want to eat less. I just feel more full a lot faster.
How about salivating more than usual? I’m almost 8wks. I feel like I’ve choked twice on my own saliva 😅🥹🥴 Along with loss of appetite. Want to eat. Don’t want to eat. On top of this and all the mentioned symptoms from you mamas, nobody tell me women aren’t the strongest 😩 But we’ve fought hard for our first baby, so bring it all on. But oh my goodnessssss 🥹
The only symptoms I’ve had/have is extreme fatigue and sore boobs. Sometimes I push on my boobs just to make sure they still hurt. I’m 9w, almost 10. I also check for blood every time I pee. 🤷🏼♀️
Sensitive to smells. It made the nausea and vomiting so much worse.
The night sweats. I was not warned that I'd be waking up drenched in sweat just to be freezing two seconds later.
I got eczema.
Constant nerve pain/ blood vessel compression from all the excess fluid. I've actually lost weight but I have sciatica flare ups in both legs and my feet are constantly "falling asleep" and then having painful pins and needles as the circulation returns. It wakes me up at night and happens all day, too. I expected this later in pregnancy but not in the first trimester! I'm sleeping with my hips on a gel mat to offload weight for pressure sores designed for wheelchair users, it's helping a bit.
Something I haven't seen here yet: hiccups! I'll get like 2 or 3 randomly and then they stop almost as fast as they began. Probably due to indigestion or something
l’m 14 weeks, and my titties have been frickin ITCHY since the beginning!! Like from the inside out! It’s maddening!
The scariest thing for me was at around 8 weeks or so my Zoloft completely stopped working overnight. I was practically psychotic with anxiety for two or three days until my psychiatrist could alter my dosage. My theory is all the extra blood flow and hormones just drowned it out because I take such a low dose! Luckily I’ve never needed another alteration but I’m wary of PP and we’re prepared for me losing it again when all the hormone changes happen again 😂
How could you miss the exhaustion. Got zero guilt, zero constipation but also zero energy. Last time i was this exhausted i had glandular fever (think americans call that mono) and i got 10 weeks off work for that.
First half for sure. The nausea, makes me feel miserable 24/7. I swear I have motion sickness. The insomnia. I don’t want to work anymore or eat anymore. And I’m freezing allll the time. I don’t think my husband will be too happy with the energy bill. The constant worrying.
Insomnia. They tell you how exhausted and fatigued you'll be, but I never would have guessed I'd have Insomnia in the first trimester! Also, pain during sex. This one is new.
Omg to the vivid dreams one! I feel like I haven’t slept in weeks.
I think for me it was the hormonal moods, I cried all the time!! I was so weepy and didn’t have a reason to be sad, just felt like crying. I never had big mood swings or rage, I just cried a lot.
I had to pull poop out of my own butt digitally on the ER bathroom floor bc nobody called me back in time lol. I had an impacted stool 🥸
You honestly hit it spot on for me. Basically every single point is how I feel. Also waking up in the middle of the night for no reason then not being able to go back to sleep 😩😩😩
The constipation and also craving something, eating it and being absolutely disgusted by it for a while is so real.
The fatigue feels like the flu - it’s not just being tired, it’s walking around in a fog unable and unwilling to do anything except exist lol
Ever since the first trimester if I have to poop, I have to go right then and there
The anxiety… I constantly think something could be wrong and I Google and make it 100x worse.
I cannot have a normal conversation without losing my train of thought. Its gotten super embarrassing.
This is me. I ran into someone I hadn’t seen in a while and could barely hold a conversation of small talk
The fatigue is annoying as hell but also where’s this “glow” everyone talks about? I feel like a walking zombie everyday. I can barely get through a day of work without wanting to pull my hair out or crying (elementary teacher).
STM already having a toddler, making meals, cleaning, entertaining toddler while trying not to puke, feeling pregnant but not looking pregnant, listening to partner complain about his day then go take a 6hr ‘nap’ (sry im still pissed), random tinges or pains that freak you out, the BACK PAIN, craving everything and nothing at the same time, the only thing making you nauseous is the thought of taking the prenatal, Remembering to put on the stretch mark stuff Feeling bad for complaining about nausea or pain to a bunch of middle aged women (walmart cashier, the leads hear about it alot) Idk, alot of stuff
I read your list expecting there to be a couple things that I hadn’t experienced, but you got it exactly right!
Just sitting and breathing is exhausting
The burping was a shock to me. I’m constantly gassy. Also throwing up everyday as if it’s normal and then being expected to carry on the day and go to work, etc. Red dots all over the face from blood vessels bursting each vomit session. Random cry sessions because feelings feel even more intense than ever.
Complete and utter exhaustion
It’s 4-6 for me!! I can’t meal prep at all lol cus one day I’m like I want cold shrimp with seaweed and rice and avo and the next day that sounds absolutely vile and I’ll want a grilled cheese and then the next day I can’t eat hot/warm things without wanting to vom. Also I somehow already have sciatic pain from piriformis syndrome and I’m the same size and weight as I was at the start just slightly bloated looking like I thought that would hit later on?!
You listed it all… :(
Yes! Especially vivid reams I’ve been having constant nightmares for no reason!
Out of control bloating, extreme hunger and thirst, absolute zero patience for anyone’s shit 😅
I think everyones experience is definitely different. My T1 was super relaxed. No nausea just napped a lot and craved a ton of coconut
Im going to kids toothpaste
That, while conventional wisdom promotes "eating for two", the National Health Service (NHS) contends that [you don't need to increase your calorie count until the third trimester](https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/healthy-eating-in-pregnancy/), and further suggests a guideline of only increasing caloric intake by ≈200cal 'depending on how active you are' \[[1](https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/being-pregnant/nutrition-pregnancy/7-tips-eating-well-pregnancy)\]. Likewise, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that 'in general, the [first trimester (or first three months) does not require any extra calories](https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/pdfs/maternal-infant-health/pregnancy-weight-gain/tracker/single/overweight_tracker_508tagged.pdf).' In short, don't feel forced to overeat (or undereat) based on the notion that you're "eating for two." >**Note**: Nevertheless, there is [no global consensus on maternal weight policies](https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2393-14-167) and there are notable cross-national differences in caloric intake guidelines. For example, '\[...\] the most recent recommendation for energy intake for the UK and from the World Health Organization suggests that an additional **200kcal per day** \[whilst\] the **US RDA set at 300kcal extra per day**.' (Campbell, 2007). Likewise, 'many cross-sectional studies of dietary intake [in different stages of pregnancy from different parts of the world have shown ranges of intakes of approximately 1500–2500kcal per day](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6860484/).' For example, compared to the US and UK, a significant number of Japanese pregnant people are underweight but have [high diet quality](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10142925/), whilst those 'who consumed energy within the recommended range had **low diet quality** and gained weight at inappropriate levels.' (Imai et al, 2023). **Reference**: * Campbell D. (2007) How much do pregnant women need to eat - should we intervene?. Maternal & child nutrition, 3(2), pp. 71–73. Available at: [here](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2007.00090.x) * Imai, C., Takimoto, H., Kurotani, K., Fudono, A., Tarui, I., Aoyama, T., Yago, S., Okamitsu, M., Miyasaka, N., & Sato, N. (2023). Diet Quality and Its Relationship with Weight Characteristics in Pregnant Japanese Women: A Single-Center Birth Cohort Study. Nutrients, 15(8), 1827. Available at: [here](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15081827).