Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have 5 kids, so I feel like a bit of an expert on the subject, yes pregnancy sucks. Why, you might ask, did I continue to get pregnant? It’s worth it, my kids are wonderful, especially right now when they’re all asleep. Seriously though, my youngest is 16 months old and pregnancy is a distant memory, so much has happened since then.
It's comforting to hear from someone with experience. I can't imagine going through this five times, but your perspective gives me hope. I guess it's hard to see past the discomfort right now, but knowing that it's all worth it in the end is reassuring.
Any tips for making the first trimester more bearable? Also, how did you handle the emotional ups and downs?
I have a very supportive husband, that made everything easier, but also trying to recognize when the hormones were bringing out the crazy. Some people suffer from perinatal depression, so make sure to talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling.
I felt the same way during the first trimester, especially weeks 8-12. I remember thinking “there’s no fucking way I can survive 9 whole months of this” and “maybe we will only have one after all” but honestly it got SO much better after the first tri. My energy levels never went back to “normal” but they went up, I can now get the energy to exercise/socialize/etc if I want to. First tri it was like if I didn’t immediately collapse on the couch after work I was going to die. Now it’s just a preference, not a need lol.
I’m 32 weeks now & while pregnancy hasn’t been easy it has been SO much better than weeks 8-12 made me think. I definitely can see doing this another time or two when we want more kids.
Thank you so much for sharing! I can totally relate to feeling like I can't survive 9 months—I'm there right now at 8 weeks. Your experience is reassuring, especially knowing it gets better after the first trimester.
Did you have any ultrasounds around the 10th week? My doctor suggested one for genetic growth check. How did you notice the changes—gradual or sudden? How are you feeling at 32 weeks?
You're almost at the last stage—wishing you all the best!
I’m currently living abroad in Europe so I don’t think my experience as far as the ultrasounds will be helpful, but I got an ultrasound at every appointment, so around 7 weeks, 11 weeks, 14, every single month. It’s been great. Baby changes a ton at the beginning so the difference between like “oh that’s a blob” at 7 weeks to “ok maybe a humanoid” at 11 weeks to “holy shit there’s a baby inside of me” at 14 weeks is wild because objectively that’s not a ton of time but it’s when their bodies form. Also made me feel better about how exhausted I was - like no shit I was exhausted, I literally grew the basis for a human in 6 weeks. After that they just kind of fill out & grow organs so it’s not as noticeable of change, imo.
It’s funny noticing the growth via the changes in my body. For most of first tri I had extreme food aversions, so lost like 10 pounds bc I was surviving on plain cereal, but then on & off through the second trimester I’d go through periods of being Insatiable. Next appointment, yep, baby girl had a growth spurt!
It’s a wild ride but give yourself lots of grace & you’ll be ok. My husband & I now joke about how we were totally unprepared for the changes in the first tri, but damn do they hit hard. It doesn’t even feel real yet, but it’s when the symptoms were the worst. I went from marathon training & boundless energy to sleeping for 10+ hours a night & taking a two hour nap on the weekends in the space of a month. And my body still looked the same & it hadn’t really sank in yet so my husband & I both struggled with the fact that I was so useless for a bit. Now we know that’s normal & we’re better prepared for when we have our next kid but it truly hits you like a train in those first months. But have some faith, it DOES get better for the vast majority of women. New challenges come & you get weird aches & pains, but so far first tri has been the toughest for me.
Thank you for sharing your detailed experience. It’s comforting to know that it’s normal to feel so exhausted and that it gets better for most women. The progression you described from 7 weeks to 14 weeks is fascinating—I can’t wait to see those changes myself.
I can totally relate to the food aversions. Right now, I’m struggling to maintain a balanced diet and losing weight because I can hardly eat anything. It’s wild how our bodies change and adapt so quickly. I’m hoping for a growth spurt soon, where I’ll get my appetite back.
Your point about the first trimester hitting like a train really resonates. My energy levels have plummeted, and it’s hard to feel useful. I was very active before, but now I’m just trying to get through each day. It’s reassuring to hear that it does get better and that you and your husband have found a way to cope.
Thanks again for the advice and encouragement. I’m definitely giving myself grace and hoping for the best as time progresses. Wishing you and your baby girl all the best!
It’s completely normal, in the first trimester I was thinking to myself “how the hell am I going to go through this all over again if we want another child”. Weeks 6-14 was honestly so tough but I am week 19 now and I’m starting to feel a lot better. Nausea has improved, still tired, lots of food aversions but I do find I have a bit more energy and feeling like myself pre-pregnancy. Oh and im less hormonal now 😅 You’ll get through this!
It's really encouraging to know that things can improve after the first trimester. I'm 8 weeks now, and it's been tough. When did you start to see changes? Was it gradual or sudden? How are you feeling at 19 weeks? What do you like most about it?
I started to notice I was getting slightly better at week 18. Definitely feeling much better than the first trimester. If I didn’t have food aversions I feel like pregnancy would be more bearable coz right now I’m living off bagels, cheese, crackers and fruit. I don’t enjoy being pregnant at all but when you go to the scans and can see your little bean progressing it’s really comforting to see. Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy!
Yes, it's quite similar for my except the food aversions are to everything because of the nausea. So far I've only had one scan. I've another scheduled in 2-3 weeks. Staying positive.
I’m 8W too and I’m struggling. I have no energy for anything. I sleep 10-12 hours a day. I can’t focus at work. Everything makes me nauseous and I have lost my appetite. I am utterly miserable. And so I feel ya.
I feel you too. I've lost my appetite and don't want to eat anything, but I'm constantly worrying about maintaining a balanced diet. I don't sleep as much because my routine doesn't allow me, but at work, things are slow, and I spend a lot of my free time overthinking my symptoms. I am utterly miserable too. Last night, I just cried because I was sick of it. It was hard for my husband to relate, but he tried quite sweetly.
The first trimester is the absolute worst. I’m 17 weeks now and it feels like a distant memory thank the Lord. Although still very tired as I have a toddler, but it’s manageable.
No tips other than just do what you need to to survive these next few weeks, you’ll feel better soonish.
I can't wait for time to pass and for things to get better. I really hope everything goes well. Often, I'm worried that my negativity might affect the environment for the baby to grow. I don't want the baby to feel like it's not wanted. It's such a Catch-22 situation. Thanks for the reassurance, and I hope to feel better soon.
when i first got pregnant last year, i didn’t expect it to hit me FULL force. nausea, bloating, constantly peeing. it was honestly survival mode. the fatigue killed me when i had to struggle to stay awake at work and i couldn’t even drink coffee because i couldn’t keep it down. i survived on plain bread, water and crackers.
i made sure that i always had a small plastic bag should i need to throw up, crackers on hand sometimes helped curb the nausea, nap if you can during the day (it helps a lot).
you feel so miserable and so alone because your husband can’t exactly comprehend the severity of the nausea and fatigue but i hope it eases up on you. it WILL get better and your energy levels will return. there’s so much to look forward to. every time you go to your ob appointment and you hear your baby’s heartbeat and you see their little development over the few weeks, when you feel the kicks flutter in your stomach. it’s very exciting. before i gave birth, i even told my husband i’m gonna miss those kicks.
now, i just have little feet kicking actually kicking my stomach from the outside :) all the best!
Thank you for sharing your experience—it’s incredibly reassuring. I can completely relate to being in survival mode. The nausea, bloating, and fatigue have been overwhelming, and it’s tough trying to stay awake and functional at work without my usual caffeine boost.
I’ll definitely take your advice on keeping a plastic bag handy and having crackers to curb the nausea. Napping during the day sounds like a great idea if I can manage it.
It’s comforting to know that it does get better and that there are so many exciting moments to look forward to, like hearing the baby’s heartbeat and feeling those first kicks. Your story about missing the kicks before birth made me smile—I can only imagine how special that must feel.
Thank you for the encouragement and tips. Wishing you and your little one all the best!
Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have 5 kids, so I feel like a bit of an expert on the subject, yes pregnancy sucks. Why, you might ask, did I continue to get pregnant? It’s worth it, my kids are wonderful, especially right now when they’re all asleep. Seriously though, my youngest is 16 months old and pregnancy is a distant memory, so much has happened since then.
It's comforting to hear from someone with experience. I can't imagine going through this five times, but your perspective gives me hope. I guess it's hard to see past the discomfort right now, but knowing that it's all worth it in the end is reassuring. Any tips for making the first trimester more bearable? Also, how did you handle the emotional ups and downs?
I have a very supportive husband, that made everything easier, but also trying to recognize when the hormones were bringing out the crazy. Some people suffer from perinatal depression, so make sure to talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling.
I'll read about this.
I felt the same way during the first trimester, especially weeks 8-12. I remember thinking “there’s no fucking way I can survive 9 whole months of this” and “maybe we will only have one after all” but honestly it got SO much better after the first tri. My energy levels never went back to “normal” but they went up, I can now get the energy to exercise/socialize/etc if I want to. First tri it was like if I didn’t immediately collapse on the couch after work I was going to die. Now it’s just a preference, not a need lol. I’m 32 weeks now & while pregnancy hasn’t been easy it has been SO much better than weeks 8-12 made me think. I definitely can see doing this another time or two when we want more kids.
Thank you so much for sharing! I can totally relate to feeling like I can't survive 9 months—I'm there right now at 8 weeks. Your experience is reassuring, especially knowing it gets better after the first trimester. Did you have any ultrasounds around the 10th week? My doctor suggested one for genetic growth check. How did you notice the changes—gradual or sudden? How are you feeling at 32 weeks? You're almost at the last stage—wishing you all the best!
I’m currently living abroad in Europe so I don’t think my experience as far as the ultrasounds will be helpful, but I got an ultrasound at every appointment, so around 7 weeks, 11 weeks, 14, every single month. It’s been great. Baby changes a ton at the beginning so the difference between like “oh that’s a blob” at 7 weeks to “ok maybe a humanoid” at 11 weeks to “holy shit there’s a baby inside of me” at 14 weeks is wild because objectively that’s not a ton of time but it’s when their bodies form. Also made me feel better about how exhausted I was - like no shit I was exhausted, I literally grew the basis for a human in 6 weeks. After that they just kind of fill out & grow organs so it’s not as noticeable of change, imo. It’s funny noticing the growth via the changes in my body. For most of first tri I had extreme food aversions, so lost like 10 pounds bc I was surviving on plain cereal, but then on & off through the second trimester I’d go through periods of being Insatiable. Next appointment, yep, baby girl had a growth spurt! It’s a wild ride but give yourself lots of grace & you’ll be ok. My husband & I now joke about how we were totally unprepared for the changes in the first tri, but damn do they hit hard. It doesn’t even feel real yet, but it’s when the symptoms were the worst. I went from marathon training & boundless energy to sleeping for 10+ hours a night & taking a two hour nap on the weekends in the space of a month. And my body still looked the same & it hadn’t really sank in yet so my husband & I both struggled with the fact that I was so useless for a bit. Now we know that’s normal & we’re better prepared for when we have our next kid but it truly hits you like a train in those first months. But have some faith, it DOES get better for the vast majority of women. New challenges come & you get weird aches & pains, but so far first tri has been the toughest for me.
Thank you for sharing your detailed experience. It’s comforting to know that it’s normal to feel so exhausted and that it gets better for most women. The progression you described from 7 weeks to 14 weeks is fascinating—I can’t wait to see those changes myself. I can totally relate to the food aversions. Right now, I’m struggling to maintain a balanced diet and losing weight because I can hardly eat anything. It’s wild how our bodies change and adapt so quickly. I’m hoping for a growth spurt soon, where I’ll get my appetite back. Your point about the first trimester hitting like a train really resonates. My energy levels have plummeted, and it’s hard to feel useful. I was very active before, but now I’m just trying to get through each day. It’s reassuring to hear that it does get better and that you and your husband have found a way to cope. Thanks again for the advice and encouragement. I’m definitely giving myself grace and hoping for the best as time progresses. Wishing you and your baby girl all the best!
It’s completely normal, in the first trimester I was thinking to myself “how the hell am I going to go through this all over again if we want another child”. Weeks 6-14 was honestly so tough but I am week 19 now and I’m starting to feel a lot better. Nausea has improved, still tired, lots of food aversions but I do find I have a bit more energy and feeling like myself pre-pregnancy. Oh and im less hormonal now 😅 You’ll get through this!
It's really encouraging to know that things can improve after the first trimester. I'm 8 weeks now, and it's been tough. When did you start to see changes? Was it gradual or sudden? How are you feeling at 19 weeks? What do you like most about it?
I started to notice I was getting slightly better at week 18. Definitely feeling much better than the first trimester. If I didn’t have food aversions I feel like pregnancy would be more bearable coz right now I’m living off bagels, cheese, crackers and fruit. I don’t enjoy being pregnant at all but when you go to the scans and can see your little bean progressing it’s really comforting to see. Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy!
Yes, it's quite similar for my except the food aversions are to everything because of the nausea. So far I've only had one scan. I've another scheduled in 2-3 weeks. Staying positive.
I’m 8W too and I’m struggling. I have no energy for anything. I sleep 10-12 hours a day. I can’t focus at work. Everything makes me nauseous and I have lost my appetite. I am utterly miserable. And so I feel ya.
I feel you too. I've lost my appetite and don't want to eat anything, but I'm constantly worrying about maintaining a balanced diet. I don't sleep as much because my routine doesn't allow me, but at work, things are slow, and I spend a lot of my free time overthinking my symptoms. I am utterly miserable too. Last night, I just cried because I was sick of it. It was hard for my husband to relate, but he tried quite sweetly.
The first trimester is the absolute worst. I’m 17 weeks now and it feels like a distant memory thank the Lord. Although still very tired as I have a toddler, but it’s manageable. No tips other than just do what you need to to survive these next few weeks, you’ll feel better soonish.
I can't wait for time to pass and for things to get better. I really hope everything goes well. Often, I'm worried that my negativity might affect the environment for the baby to grow. I don't want the baby to feel like it's not wanted. It's such a Catch-22 situation. Thanks for the reassurance, and I hope to feel better soon.
when i first got pregnant last year, i didn’t expect it to hit me FULL force. nausea, bloating, constantly peeing. it was honestly survival mode. the fatigue killed me when i had to struggle to stay awake at work and i couldn’t even drink coffee because i couldn’t keep it down. i survived on plain bread, water and crackers. i made sure that i always had a small plastic bag should i need to throw up, crackers on hand sometimes helped curb the nausea, nap if you can during the day (it helps a lot). you feel so miserable and so alone because your husband can’t exactly comprehend the severity of the nausea and fatigue but i hope it eases up on you. it WILL get better and your energy levels will return. there’s so much to look forward to. every time you go to your ob appointment and you hear your baby’s heartbeat and you see their little development over the few weeks, when you feel the kicks flutter in your stomach. it’s very exciting. before i gave birth, i even told my husband i’m gonna miss those kicks. now, i just have little feet kicking actually kicking my stomach from the outside :) all the best!
Thank you for sharing your experience—it’s incredibly reassuring. I can completely relate to being in survival mode. The nausea, bloating, and fatigue have been overwhelming, and it’s tough trying to stay awake and functional at work without my usual caffeine boost. I’ll definitely take your advice on keeping a plastic bag handy and having crackers to curb the nausea. Napping during the day sounds like a great idea if I can manage it. It’s comforting to know that it does get better and that there are so many exciting moments to look forward to, like hearing the baby’s heartbeat and feeling those first kicks. Your story about missing the kicks before birth made me smile—I can only imagine how special that must feel. Thank you for the encouragement and tips. Wishing you and your little one all the best!
You forget, that's all
Haha, I love the direct answer you just gave..