Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms during each Trimester: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

One of the biggest questions I had when I got pregnant was what does pregnancy look like? What are the pregnancy signs and symptoms?

Because, let me tell ya, I was clue.less.

I thought it was all rainbows and sunshine, and all about the glow! Everyone would just tell me that I was glowing. haha

I now know that I don’t really like pregnancy. I like the outcome, but not so much the journey.

There are a lot of “hard” things that come along with pregnancy, and my pregnancy isn’t even as bad as some.

I’m sick and nauseated for the first 16 weeks, and medications don’t really work on me. I also swell like my body is trying to conserve water. My nose gets so big, and I’m always afraid it won’t go back down to it’s normal size. 

The miracle of life is…well…a miracle. It’s amazing that our bodies can create a human. I mean, we can create symmetrical legs and arms. It’s crazy, and amazing. Just remember that while you suck on your lemon drops! 🙂

Let me share with you what you can probably expect during pregnancy!

First Trimester Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

First Trimester

The first trimester is the WORST! For me, anyway.

Some people love pregnancy and breeze on through it. Not this lady.

The good thing is that you are 4 weeks in before you know you’re pregnant, so you’re a quarter of the way through the first trimester.

But then, you’re also waiting and waiting to take a pregnancy test, so maybe that’s torture too!

The first trimester is when the HCG hormone is at its peak, so this fun little hormone causes a lot of side effects.

Just know that it’s normal to feel like you have a parasite growing inside you. 🙂

The first trimester is also a great time to buy a pregnancy planner. They’re great because they can help you with checklists and milestones along the way. This one is the Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner, made by moms for moms!

Morning Sickness that Last all day

I don’t know why they call it morning sickness because it lasts ALL. FRICKIN. DAY.

And I can’t lie…it sucks.

Someone, a male specimen, once told me that “it only last for 12 weeks”. What!? You try being sick for 12 weeks. It’s not fun.

I guess you can be glad that you might loose a few pounds during this time, but that will come back real quick!

There are some remedies to help relieve morning sickness. See my long list here.

In the meantime, suck on some lemon drops. We are best friends during pregnancy.

So Tired

Extreme fatigue.

I think I once fell asleep standing during pregnancy.

You’re just so tired.

And if you have kids already, it’s just packing tired on top of exhaustion on top of sleep deprivation.

Be prepared to sleep more, and try to sleep more when you can. That baby is growing fast!

Worry/Anxious

I think the 1^st trimester brings the most anxiety and worry.

The first 12 weeks are when the risk of miscarriage or other complications are the highest.

It can be worrisome, especially since you can’t feel the baby.

One of my friends bought me a heart monitor specifically for babies in the womb.

It was so nice because then when I felt worried, I just used it to hear the babies heartbeat. I have tried to find this monitor again, but can’t. I can’t find it anywhere online at all! All the ones I do find, have crappy reviews. You are welcomed to check it out for yourself, and see if it works for you! 

Let me know if you find one, or use one that works!

Try not to stress too much, just do all you can for the baby because that’s all you can do.

Pee

HCG can cause you to pee a lot in the first trimester because it increase blood flow to your under parts, which increase blood flow to the kidneys, which helps them function better.

So, expect a lot of bathroom breaks in your future.

Constipation

Your bladder is working at full capacity, but your bowels are slowing down.

During pregnancy you also produce a hormone called progesterone which slows digestion down, so you could become constipated while pregnant.

I do, pretty bad sometimes. Try drinking lots of water, and eating more fiber in your diet.

My doctor also recommended this, which is over-the-counter. You could try it, but make sure you talk to your doctor first.

Sore Breasties

Again, those darn hormones.

Your boobs get really sore. They also get really big. (Which may or may not make you happy).

Somehow, when your boobs are sore, your kids seem to jab their little elbows into them more. It’s painful.

Smell

Your sense of smell increases, and your more sensitive to certain odors, which might cause you to have different tastes. Which in turn also causes more cravings.

I had to have my hubby change his deodorant with my first pregnancy because I could not stand it!

It’s also hard to cook because you start smelling it and then you don’t want to eat it.

Also, really bad smells make you even more nauseous, so it’s just not fun!

Cravings

If you have morning sickness, then you usually can only eat what you’re craving, or what sounds good. For me, during my last pregnancy I could only eat apples, popcorn, and wonton soup for the longest time.

It was the only thing that sounded good.

Emotional

So many emotions! You cry and don’t know why, get angry over simplest things, and can even become a big meany.

Be aware that you might be doing or feeling a certain way because of your hormones, and I would also advise to have a person that keeps you sane and in check.

The Good

The good thing about the first trimester is it’s exciting to start preparing for this new little one. There is a lot of excitement during this time. I mean, you got to figure out what to do for your pregnancy announcement!

I am also very grateful for the opportunity to be pregnant and to carry one of God’s little ones.

Second Trimester

The 2^nd trimester is my favorite (out of the three) because it’s the smoothest one for me. By smoothest I mean, I’m starting to feel less and less sick and less discomfort. My body doesn’t feel SO out of whack.

Second Trimester Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

Are you fat or are you pregnant?

The second trimester starts what, I like to call, the in-between stage.

People aren’t sure if you’re pregnant or if you’re just getting fat!

You see people start to look at your belly, which makes you just want to shout I’M PREGNANT.

So, you try to causally bring it up in the conversation, which turns into you randomly saying, “I’m pregnant!”

You just need people to know!

Clothes are awkward

You aren’t big enough for your maternity clothes, but your clothes aren’t fitting either. Such a predicament.

A good solution is to buy a belly band. It’s a band that makes it able for you to use your current pants, but make them bigger as your belly grows. Use the promo code BELLYBAND40 and get a belly band free, here!

It’s a pretty ingenious invention.

Start to feel baby

One of the exciting things about the second trimester is that you start to feel the baby! It’s so exciting.

I feel like I usually start to feel the baby around 16 weeks. Although, you don’t really know if it’s gas or a baby.

Dental

It is very important to take care of your teeth while you’re pregnant. Your teeth and gums become more sensitive while pregnant, so good dental hygiene is important.

Skin and Hair Changes

A weird pregnancy sign, but you might experience some skin or hair changes during your pregnancy. My hair gets really thick and my skin gets extra dry, which is outside my norm. It can also become very itchy. Use lots of lotion. I recommend this brand, it works great!

I actually really like that my hair gets thick because I also don’t shed as much, like hardly at all. It’s so nice not finding hair all over your house. My husband is glad, too!

You could also experience some brown patches in your skin from increase hormones.

UTIs

Urinary tract infections are very common in pregnancy. I think I’ve gotten at least 1 with each one.

This is an easy remedy, just a simple antibiotic, and you’re all good. So, do not be alarmed. However, if you are having pain while you pee or blood in your urine, don’t wait to contact your doctor to get treatment started.

Emotional

I feel like I get more emotional as the pregnancy goes on, but maybe that’s just me! Avoid any depressing, scary, or emotional movies.

I watched Les Miserables during my first pregnancy, big mistake. I mean, people cry at that movie anyway, but when you’re pregnant, it’s a whole other level. I cried the rest of the night!

Third Trimester

That brings us to the lovely 3^rd trimester. This is my second least favorite, mostly because you are just over being pregnant and ready for that baby to COME OUT!

Third Trimester Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

Big Boobs

Your boobs will grow….even more! You will probably have to get a bigger bra. I do.

Again, could be a good or bad thing. 🙂

Sleep

Sleeping is hard because you’re so uncomfortable. You can’t sleep on your belly, or your back, and sometimes sleeping on your side feels like your belly is fighting against you.

It can also get uncomfortable if your baby is active during the night, just kicking and punching you.

I recommend lots of pillows or a pregnancy pillow, which is amazing. If you use my promo code SLEEP101 you can get $50 off, here. Totally worth it.

Feel Fat

One of the worst pregnancy signs: You just feel fat. So fat. Just big and like you could knock someone over with your belly. Even though you tell yourself you are just pregnant, it doesn’t help.

I feel like the more weight I gain, the more I think “How am I going to lose all of this?”

One good thing about being fat, I think, is that you can have a food belly, and no one will know. haha. You can eat all you want and just stick it out there. No sucking it in, and no food belly! Win, Win! 

Disclaimer: Although, I’m going to contradict myself, I don’t recommend stuffing yourself when you’re pregnant, too much food, and too much belly.

Swoll

I get SoOoOoooooOOO swollen. And it seems that no matter what I do, it can’t get it to go down.

Some people don’t, but I do, and it looks like I have elephant legs.

A little girl stared at my legs once in total shock and I completely lost. Broke down in hysterical crying.

I can’t fit in any of my shoes. I have to buy flip flops, which luckily, so far, hasn’t been a trouble with the weather.

It’s good to have a person to rub your feet every now and again.

Peeing All the time

You’re peeing on the time, again, but this time it’s because the baby is pushing on your bladder.

Always pee before you leave the house.

Tired

You’re worn out and tired. But this is pretty much all through pregnancy.

Back Pain

Your back can start to hurt because you have a huge front load, and your ligaments are loosening up, so that doesn’t help for stabilization.

Round Ligaments

The ligaments in your pelvis loosen up during pregnancy, so you might also experience some spasm in these ligaments which can cause some pelvic or groin pain. Make sure you stretch! Pregnancy Yoga is perfect!

Braxton Hicks

Braxton hicks are contractions that occur before real labor starts. It can be uncomfortable, but it just feels like menstrual cramping. 

You can get them as early as the second trimester, but mine are always in the third.

I think for my first pregnancy I couldn’t tell the difference, but with my second I could. To me, the difference is that braxton hicks is more of the achy cramps that you feel during your period, but actual labor pains are more of the contracting type. You can feel your uterus contract and relax. 

Shortness of breath

You could experience some shortness of breath during pregnancy because your uterus and baby are pushing up on your lungs.

It could make going up the stairs more difficult.

Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids can be common during pregnancy especially since you can be constipated. Eat lots of fiber and drink lots of water. You could also use hazel pads, which help to relieve and soothe the itchiness and irritation.

Stretch marks

We all know about the horrifying stretch marks. They’re real.

Don’t worry about them too much. It’s going to happen, but there are ways to help them look better. I’ve had great success with this cream.

Cravings

I get most of my cravings in the last trimester. I just eat the same thing over and over again. I keep it stocked up in my kitchen. The cravings are real!

Heartburn

Heartburn is common during the 3rd trimester as your belly and baby are pushing on your stomach which pushes acid up the esophagus. This can also occur due to progesterone relaxing muscles including the stomach valve.

Uncomfortable

You are just plain uncomfortable, you feel fat, you can’t move, you can reach your toes, you can’t tie your shoes. It can just feel like you want to scream sometimes.

Nesting

Nesting is common before baby arrives. That feeling that you need to clean the whole house and make everything nice and clean for the baby. You might also find the urge to organize everything, and redo all the furniture.

The good thing during the 3rd trimester is that there is a baby coming soon! Planning for the new arrival is exciting! You’re running around town getting last minute nursery and baby items.

But, just remember, be patient mama, you will be bringing a new baby into the world soon enough!

If you have had any symptoms that are listed here, comment below, I’d love to hear them!

Related: How to relieve Morning Sickness: 21 Morning Sickness Remedies

Related: 11 Early Signs of Pregnancy Before you Start Your Period

Related: What to expect in the first 2 weeks after bringing baby home

Don’t forget to get your Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner!