Pregnancy Trimesters: At a Glance

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Pregnancy Trimesters: At a Glance

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The First Trimester

During the first trimester, your body begins to undergo many hormonal changes. As a result, you may experience symptoms such as stopping menstruation, tiredness, upset stomach, cravings, and tender breasts. During this time, you should schedule a prenatal visit with your provider every month to monitor your health and the baby’s development.

Pregnancy Trimesters: At a Glance

The Second Trimester

In the second trimester, some of your early symptoms may go away. As your stomach continues to grow, you will probably develop body aches and stretch marks. This is also the stage where you will begin to feel your baby moving! Some other symptoms you might notice are darkening of the skin around the nipples and patches of dark skin on the face. These are normal symptoms and shouldn’t be cause for concern. It’s important to monitor your symptoms to make sure you and your baby are healthy. For example, swelling of your ankles, fingers, and face is common for pregnant women, but sudden swelling or weight gain could be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Make sure to call your provider right away if you experience these symptoms. Remember, your provider is there to address any of your questions or concerns, no matter how small. During the second trimester, you should continue to see your prenatal care provider each month. Once you reach 20 weeks, your provider will perform an ultrasound to check on your baby’s heart, kidneys, and limbs. And, if you want, your provider can tell you the sex of your baby. If you would rather be surprised by the sex of your baby, let the provider know before the exam so that they don’t spoil it!

Pregnancy Trimesters: At a Glance

The Third Trimester

At this stage of pregnancy, you’re probably feeling pretty uncomfortable. That’s because your growing baby is putting pressure on your organs (like your bladder). You might also find yourself experiencing shortness of breath, heartburn, hemorrhoids, or trouble sleeping. Luckily, you’re in the homestretch! At this point, you can feel your baby rolling around and kicking. After Week 36, you will start seeing your prenatal care provider every week to monitor the baby’s development and your own health. Labor is just around the corner! Many women think they are going into labor when they are actually experiencing Braxton Hicks — or “practice” — contractions. Braxton Hicks contractions are normal to experience in the third trimester; you can tell them apart from true labor contractions because they are much more irregular. If you can’t tell what kind of contractions you are experiencing, give your provider a call.

Pregnancy Trimesters: At a Glance

The Fourth Trimester

Wait, there’s more? You’ve given birth and you’re finally able to shower your baby with love and attention. But, the fourth trimester is a really important time for new moms to focus on recovery. After a vaginal delivery, the vagina and the area between the vagina and anus (called the perineum) can feel sore and swollen. This could be because of an episiotomy (an incision made in childbirth to widen the vagina), a vaginal tear, or bruising. It might be a few weeks before you can walk or sit comfortably again. Using ice packs on the perineum within 24 hours after birth will help with pain and swelling. You can also take a pain reliever like Ibuprofen to ease the discomfort. If you begin to show any P.O.S.T.B.I.R.T.H Warning Signs, call your provider or 911 immediately. Making a plan for your postpartum care before you give birth will make your recovery process easier. Stock up on supplies such as a sitz bath to help heal the perineum, cooling witch hazel pads for hemorrhoid relief, and stool softener to help with constipation. The recovery process after a C-section takes time too. It’s essential to rest; unfortunately, that can be hard to do when you have a newborn! Keep wearing your stretchy maternity pants and don’t strain yourself, because the area of your incision takes time to heal. During the fourth trimester, you will tend to your child’s needs and watch as they begin experiencing the world for the first time. It’s also important to take care of your own postpartum needs by talking to a maternal care provider within three weeks after delivery. You can also see a physical therapist for back pain and a lactation consultant for help breastfeeding. Make sure you monitor your mental health as well. Lots of new moms feel empty, or get the “baby blues,” for several days after giving birth. However, feelings of sadness or emptiness that last longer than two weeks could be a sign of postpartum depression. Call your provider if you experience these symptoms. Don’t feel like you’re on your own because you’re no longer pregnant. Moms need lots of support, too! Luckily, there are plenty of places to find it.

How long does a pregnancy last? What is a trimester? When should I call my provider? Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia® has the answers!

If you are pregnant, you might find yourself asking questions like these. The stages of pregnancy and the symptoms that you experience along the way can sometimes be confusing, especially because every pregnancy is different!

You may think that pregnancy begins when a test reads positive; in actuality, pregnancy is measured starting on the first day of your last normal menstrual period. Yes, that means the measurement begins before you’re actually pregnant!

This measurement, called gestational age, indicates how far along a pregnancy is. Pregnancy typically lasts 40 weeks, but anywhere between 38 and 42 weeks is considered normal.

These weeks are divided into three stages called trimesters, which are roughly three months each. It’s important to know what symptoms to expect in each trimester so that you can monitor the health of you and your baby. Check out the gallery for a breakdown of the pregnancy trimesters!

Resources For You

• Learn more about this and other prenatal topics by registering for our FREE Online Classes!
• Checkout our blog posts for more info on Mental Health, P.O.S.T.B.I.R.T.H Warning Signs, and Postpartum Care!
• Connect with healthcare providers: Georgia Family Healthline (1-800-300-9003)
• Health and nutrition support for postpartum women, breastfeeding mothers, infants, and children: Georgia WIC (contact info for your Georgia county can be found here)
• Maternal mental health support: Postpartum Support International (contact info for your Georgia county can be found here)
• 24/7 hotline for mental health services: Georgia Crisis & Access Line (1-800-715-4225)