From the first trimester until the day you deliver, you'll experience many downsides right along with the ups. Yes, you'll get your pregnancy glow and the enjoyment of the flutters that turn into cute kicks and rolls in your growing belly. The shopping trips to the maternity clothing stores to make sure that you look your best showing off your growing bump are always fun to look forward to but there are also many discomforts that come along with all of it.

In an earlier post I suggested that you should keep a note pad with you to jot down any questions you may have for your doctor or midwife. This is also helpful to use to take note of anything that seems to be bothersome to you as well. During your first trimester there are many symptoms that are very common for most women that do go away but not always or are more intense for some. Tender or sore breasts and nipples will generally start feeling better the closer you approach your second trimester as well as the morning sickness and fatigue.

However, some women have a much more difficult time with morning sickness and fatigue than others and you should definitely let your doctor or midwife know about it. While there are natural remedies that are safe to help you get over the morning sickness and excessive sleepiness, they may not always help and keeping food down and getting rest is important.

Once you have reached your second trimester milestone, again, more changes. Your bump may be starting to show, the morning sickness is gone and your energy levels are back up as if you never had a problem to begin with. The only major problem for most women in this time period is heartburn. With baby growing more and more each day there is added pressure which causes more acid reflux. If home remedies aren't working for you there are medications that can be prescribed to you that are safe to take.

Rounding the corner to the end, you will probably find that your third trimester is by far the most difficult and uncomfortable. Gone are the days that the baby's kicks and full body rolls are cute. His/her darling little baby toes will probably be spending quite a bit of time lodged in your ribcage making even sitting on the couch uncomfortable as well as wearing a bra since it just adds to the pressure. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything that your doctor or midwife can do to help you out there but I have found laying down on the side that hurts and stretching out helps as well as drinking ice water or eating ice chips gets baby to move around enough and change position. 

With the added weight of your baby's growing body you may find that your back is hurting a bit more. If you haven't started prenatal yoga, you may want to. It is never too late in the pregnancy to start prenatal yoga and can be very beneficial on many levels. But as with any new exercise routine while pregnant make sure to speak with your doctor or midwife before starting.

In addition to your back hurting from baby's weight gain, you're probably also feeling more pressure in your vaginal area. The closer to delivery, the further down baby is going to go making it more difficult to get up and down and at times or even walk. If you get too uncomfortable, take a warm bath or shower. The warm water will help you to relax and while in the bath enjoy the feeling of weightlessness. It will do wonders for your whole body. Make sure that if you are going to take a bath that someone is home with you to help you back out if needed and just remember, you're almost done!

As always, feel free to share your experiences and suggestions too!