What does pregnancy do to you?

FIRST TRIMESTER

The moment you know that you're pregnant, you first have to make some lifestyle changes. Immediately, stop smoking, drinking alcohol and caffeine, and taking habit-forming drugs!

Because pregnancy is such a crucial time in your baby's development, it is here and now that you both need the best nutrition. Right now, keeping a healthy diet and taking vitamins seem like enough. But is that truly giving the best for your baby? Or can you boost it further?

Here are the Pregnancy Symptoms for this semester

• Skin Pigmentation
• Discolored patches or marks may appear on your skin, particularly your forehead and cheeks. Pigmentation of the nipples and areolas and a dark line down the centre of your abdomen is also common. Most of this skin pigmentation will disappear after pregnancy. You should avoid strong sunlight as this makes it worse. Use sunblock if you have to go out in the sun.
• Cravings and Aversion
• You may find that you have strong likes and dislikes for certain food or smell during pregnancy. You should avoid food that give you problems like indigestion. Continue to eat a variety of nutritious food. Remember to eat in moderation, not for two!
• Morning Sickness
• Despite the name, morning sickness may strike at any time of the day or night. Some may experience mild morning sickness at certain stages of their pregnancy, while others feel unwell for long periods of the day throughout their pregnancy. In other cases, sickness disappears in the second trimester, but returns in the final three months.
• What to do
• Eat small amounts of food regularly, rather than large meals
• Avoid greasy or spicy foods
• If your sickness is at its worst in the morning, eat a portion of food before getting up, i.e. dry biscuits or toast
• Drink plenty of water
• Find out if there's anything that triggers the sickness - e.g. the smell of certain food or cigarette smoke. Try to avoid these triggers
• Use ginger in your cooking. Studies have shown that ginger can actually help relieve nausea and vomitting. Ginger is great with leafy vegetables like cabbage. it is also best stirred in a little hot milk or water for a delicious, healthy drink.
• Constipation
• Constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. The problem is partially due to hormonal changes which cause your stomach and intestinal muscles to relax.
• What to do
• Eat plenty of fruits vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals for fibre.
• Darkening of Areolas
• If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker
• Backaches
• Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy. However, it is common to experience a dull backache throughout the entire pregnancy.
• Headaches
• The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause you to have headaches early in pregnancy
• Swollen and Tender Breast
• Swollen and Tender breasts is a pregnancy symptoms which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes in their breasts; they maybe tender to the touch, sore or swollen.
• Fatigue
• Feeling fatigued or more tired is a pregnancy symptom that can start as early as the first week after conception
• Frequent Urination
• Around 6-8 weeks after conception, you may find yourself making a few extra trips to the bathroom
• Implantation Bleeding
• Implantation bleeding can be one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms. About 6-12 days after conception, the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. Some women will experience spotting as well as some cramping.

SECOND TRIMESTER

Your pregnancy is well on its way and your morning sickness may be subsiding. This is a busy time for you and your baby, both of you will be growing very rapidly over the next several weeks and your energy levels should be on the rise again. This is also the time when you start to crave for certain foods. While you may feel that indulging in your craving will satisfy you, keep in mind that maintaining a balanced and healthy diet is still what is best for you and your baby.

Recommended Weight Gain
Normal Weight Women: 25-35 lbs.
Underweight Women: should gain 28-40 lbs.
Overweight Women: should gain 15-25 lbs.

Here are the Pregnancy Symptoms for this semester

• Bleeding Gums
• Gums are normally very sensitive and soft during pregnancy; and may bleed or become inflamed.
• What to do
• Brush your teeth after eating. Have regular dental check-ups and tell your dentist you are pregnant. This ensures that routine X-rays, which are harmful to your baby, are omitted from your check-up.
• Anemia
• Anemia can occur if you do not get enough Folate or Iron. You may look pale or feel fatigued and breathless when exerting effort
• What to do
• Consume food rich in Folate and Iron. As Folate is easily destroyed by overcooking, try to eat raw or lightly cooked vegetables and supplement your diet with food that is fortified with Folate.
• Frequent Urination
• Hormonal changes and an expanding womb pressing your bladder will make you want to urinate more often. You may also experience stress urinary leakage. Otherwise known as stress incontinence, it is commonly triggered by coughing sneezing and even laughing.
• What to do
• If you are getting up at night, try drinking less in the evenings and more during the day
• If you feel any pain when you pass urine, see your doctor -- you may have a urinary tract infection
• Avoid lifting heavy objects
• Do pelvic floor exercises to help strengthen pelvic muscles.
• Vaginal Leakage
• Increased vaginal discharge due to hormonal changes is quite normal during pregnancy
• What to do 
• See your doctor if there is itching, soreness, or if the discharge becomes smelly and yellowish
• Giddiness
• In the middle months, the increased blood flow to your baby may reduce your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy.
• What to do
• Avoid sudden changes in position. If you feel dizzy, lie down or sit with your head between your knees. Your blood pressure may return to normal in the third trimester.
• Stretch Marks
• Stretch marks may appear on your abdomen, thighs and breasts after the 5th month of pregnancy. These will eventually fade or become faint with time.
• What to do
• Avoid scratching your abdomen thighs and breasts when they become itchy
• Rub on cream or oil to soothe and remove itchiness.

THIRD TRIMESTER

You may feel some discomforts in your third trimester, but there's no need to worry, most moms go through these as they near the delivery date.

As your breasts enlarge during your third trimester, you may notice them leaking a yellowish fluid. This is called colostrum, and it's a predecessor to your breast milk. Chock full of protein and antibodies, colostrum is the first milk your baby will drink when he begins to nurse. Sometimes the liquid can become abundant and can stain your clothes if it isn't contained. If this happens to you, consider wearing nursing pads in your bra. You can find them just about anywhere maternity clothing is sold. Washable and reusable, the cotton pads are placed right over the nipple to absorb any liquid, saving your bra and blouse from any more spots.

You may notice that your growing baby belly gets more and more itchy as time passes. This is caused by the skin stretching and drying out as the baby and uterus grow. You apply lotion after lotion, but nothing seems to help. if you're at your wit's end with the scratching and irritation, try using an anti-itch cream or lotion, like calamine or cortisone. These target the itch and help soothe the skin. For more natural approach, try adding oatmeal to a bath,  but remember to keep the water temperature at or below 100 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid overheating, which can actually worsen dry skin.

Here's a list of what you may feel and what you can do about them:

• INSOMIA. Try some form of exercise earlier in the day, avoid caffeine after early evening, relax before bed, and take a glass of warm milk
• BACK PAIN
• These are hormones relaxing your muscles and ligaments. These can cause of additional weight of you and your baby. It also cause Pregnancy waddle or shift in center of gravity.
• What to do
• Stretching and the use of warm compress, like a rice sock or warm bath work really well. Another thing is to ask your husband to give you a light massage.
• Watch your posture when sitting or lying down. Use a bed or a chair that supports your spine firmly. Stand up straight. Do not slouch. Bend your knees instead of your back when picking things up. Do not lift heavy objects.
• Sleep on your side. Use a full-body pillow to tuck between your knees and under your abdomen
• LEG CRAMPS 
• These cramps may be caused by a deficiency in calcium.
• Changes in blood circulation during pregnancy
• Stress due to extra weight on muscles
• Pressure of growing uterus on nerves and blood vessels going to your legs.
• What to do
• Stretching prior to bed and taking lots of water will help relieve cramps. 
• Massage the cramped muscles. Straighten your legs and flex your feet. Ensure your daily intake of calcium is adequate by consuming plenty of milk and milk products. 
• SHORTNESS OF BREATH. As the baby grows and compresses your diaphragm you have less room to breathe. Stretching and doing pelvic tilts to allow baby to settle works for some women. Another good piece of advice is to try sleeping sitting up.
• What to do
• Rest as much as possible
• EXHAUSTION. Believe it or not growing a baby takes a lot of energy. Get in a brief nap or rearrange your schedule to allow you to sleep when you are sleepiest, life will be much easier.
• Indigestion or Heartburn
• In the latter months of pregnancy, indigestion or heartburn may trouble you, especially at night. Heartburn is the regurgitation of your stomach acid or contents resulting in a burning sensation. Indigestion is a difficulty in digesting food, often accompanied by abdominal pain, heartburn and belching.
• What to do
• Avoid coffee, spicy and oily foods and stay upright after meals.
• Eat small and frequent meals
• CONTRACTIONS.  Sometimes women will have periods of contractions that return at a certain point each day or some will seem to have non-stop contractions for the last few weeks. Both are fairly normal. Talk to your practitioner if you're concerned
• What to do
• Try napping, changing positions, taking a bath and relaxation.
• Edema
• Edema is swelling due to water retention. During pregnancy, it usually occurs in the legs and ankles. Although it's quite common, you should still inform your doctor about it.
• What to do
• Put your feet up as much as possible and avoid salty food.
• Varicose Veins
• Varicose Veins is the enlargement of veins, normally caused by both hormonal changes and the uterus exerting pressure on the veins of your legs.
• What to do
• Put your legs up when you can 
• Wear special maternity support stockings or tights
• Avoid standing for long periods.
• Piles or Hemorrhoids
• These are caused by the baby and your enlarged uterus pressing against your rectum, thus obstructing blood flow and causing blood vessels to swell. The most common symptoms include pain or bleeding when passing stool.
• What to do
• Drink lots of water and take high-fiber food like sweet potatoes to alleviate constipation. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
• Itchy Belly
• These caused of skin stretching and drying out as the baby and uterus grow
• Pelvic Pressure
• Movement of baby into lower abdomen

Source: 

Anmum Materna, Guide for Mom
Anmum Materna, The 9-month Date Book
Similac Mom, Mommy Record Book

BabyBump App, Daily Info