The duration of pregnancy is on average 40 weeks from the first day of the last menstruation. The entire period is divided into three terms, which determine the main stages of the development of pregnancy:
• The first trimester covers the period from 0 to 12 weeks;
• second trimester -13-28 weeks;
• Third trimester -29-40 weeks.
Physical changes in the first trimester
During the first trimester, the body of a pregnant woman undergoes serious restructuring. The first sign of a pregnancy that occurs is usually the absence of menstruation. There may also be a feeling of tension in the mammary glands, which, in the process of preparing for breastfeeding, increase somewhat due to the development of the milk ducts. Often the first months of pregnancy are accompanied by nausea, which is explained by the natural slowing down of the digestive process in a pregnant woman. This causes a longer delay in undigested food in the stomach, which leads to nausea. The first few weeks a pregnant woman can feel very tired, her taste preferences change, which is due to a change in the level of hormones. She can refuse from the usual food and drinks and have an appetite for food that she did not like before. Often there is an aversion to coffee.
Contradictory feelings
Many couples experience mixed feelings when they hear of the first pregnancy. They can rejoice and at the same time worry about the fact that they are not yet ready to take responsibility for raising a child. During the first trimester, partners get used to the idea of a future child. They must learn to compromise with respect to their personal freedom, and also prepare for the appearance of a third member of the family who will demand a huge amount of attention and love, sometimes to the detriment of their relationship with each other. Many women, preparing for the birth of a baby, experience a sense of inner harmony. However, often the state of pregnancy is accompanied by mood swings from upbeat to restless and anxious. Usually, this is due to the level of hormones that changes during pregnancy.
Women's experiences
During the first trimester, many women experience a sense of loss of control over their own body. Seeing the changes taking place with them, they are afraid that the partner will cease to consider them attractive. Often, these fears and fears are far-fetched and have nothing to do with reality. Many women try to hide their position for the first three months if, for example, pregnancy is unwanted or a woman does not want friends and colleagues to find out about it. Sometimes this may be due to the possibility of a miscarriage. Sometimes a woman in early pregnancy is forced to cope with daily worries, in particular going to work, with a feeling of fatigue and nausea. Women who already have children find their care in the first trimester of pregnancy particularly tedious.
Mild
Most miscarriages occur within the time limit of 12 weeks of pregnancy. This event often becomes a blow for the failed parents who deeply experience the death of the unborn child.
Unwanted pregnancy
Very often pregnancy can be unplanned. It is estimated that about 1/3 of all pregnancies are unwanted, and about 30% of women have an abortion at least once in their life. An unwanted pregnancy presents a problem for a couple that needs to be addressed urgently. Even couples who are confident in their decision to interrupt pregnancy, feel guilty and worry about the possible consequences. The attitude towards abortion in society is very controversial, so it is often necessary to solve this problem in an atmosphere of secrecy or condemnation. A woman who suffers an abortion gets a serious mental trauma because of miscarriage. Sometimes, for a long time, she tortures herself with ideas about what her child could be like. However, for many partners, an unplanned pregnancy plays a positive role, since it leads them to make a decision about starting a family life in anticipation of the baby.
Father's feelings
Often when the pregnancy comes, the feelings of a man undeservedly recede into the background. Many of them are afraid that they will not be able to provide the mother and child. Some irresponsibly throw the pregnant woman to the mercy of fate. The future father must adapt to the addition in the family. Some men may experience a number of physical changes during pregnancy, including nausea, heartburn, fatigue, back pain and weight gain. It is believed that these symptoms are due to emotional experiences associated with approaching paternity. However, not only parents should get used to the idea of the appearance of a child in the family. Future grandmothers and grandfathers also need time and mental strength to realize that they are entering a new phase in their lives.