skip to main content

What To Expect

What To Expect Now That You Are Pregnant

Even though every woman’s pregnancy is different, there are some common discomforts that women will typically experience at one point during their pregnancy. Most of these changes (both physical and emotional) are often due to hormones.

  • Nausea and Vomiting (see nausea page)
  • Shortness of Breath: This is typically caused by the increasing size of your uterus putting pressure on your internal organs and resulting with pressure to your diaphragm. Near the end of pregnancy, when you baby drops lower into your pelvis, this will tend to get better.
  • Loose and Aching Joints: It is very important to use proper body mechanics in pregnancy, due to hormones relaxing your joints and cartilage. You may feel as though your joints are loose, pop or even feel achy.
  • Urinating more frequently: This can occur even in the beginning of pregnancy and will likely return at the end of the pregnancy. If you ever have burning or discomfort with urinating, feel as though you are not emptying your bladder completely, urinating even more than you have been or have any one sided lower back pain, call your physician.
  • Constipation: Often caused by decreased motility in your bowels. See safe medication page for safe treatment options.
  • Heartburn: Your stomachs capacity decreases and is unable to hold as much as it would when you’re not pregnant, causing acids to rise up your esophagus causing the burning feeling. Try increasing fluids, sit up after eating, avoiding spicy and/or fatty foods, use pillows to prop yourself up after a meal, see medications page.
  • Round ligament pain: There are ligaments on each side of the abdomen that hold the uterus in place. As the uterus grows theses ligaments stretch and any sudden movements can cause them to spasm and leave you in pain, often only lasting seconds at a time.
  • Fatigue: You will generally notice an increase in your energy level around the start of the second trimester, which will often last until closer to delivery.
  • Breast tenderness and growth: Supportive bras may be helpful.

Request An Appointment With Our Caring Providers

Request Appointment