I did not know too much about pregnancy symptoms except for the stereotypical “woman hugging the bathroom” in the morning scene in movies. I wasn’t sure if I was going to have bad morning sickness and also found out after some research that morning sickness often does not only occur in the morning, it can happen anytime of the day or last all day (awesome…)! I had already researched on some early pregnancy symptoms and soon found out for myself that these symptoms get slightly more severe as the first trimester progresses. The first trimester is a turbulent time because hormones are surging and the placenta is also developing. The body is adjusting to all these changes and this can result in some unpleasant symptoms. Here is a helpful infographic from Flo Health:

Luckily I did not experience severe morning sickness but I did some several bouts of nausea. It basically felt like a hangover all the time. I was also extremely fatigued and this was frustrating to me because I usually had so much energy and loved being active. Jerry would often come home from work and find me in bed because I just did not feel good. However, I was still grateful that I never actually threw up and things were overall manageable.

I was also getting heat flashes, especially after I ate. This was pretty uncomfortable, especially in the warm Hong Kong weather. I was also getting attacked by some serious hunger pangs. Once I was hungry, I HAD to have food or else I felt like I was going to die. After a few hangry attacks, we decided to keep snacks in my bag and also in the car to make sure we are always well equipped. It was crazy to think that this tiny thing was only the size of a poppy seed… yet my body was going a bit crazy! Jerry would sometimes tell me that I didn’t need that much food because the baby was the size of a seed, but he quickly learnt not to challenge me about my food intake.

With the increased appetite and also hormonal changes, my body was also changing. I definitely felt my favorite sports bras getting a bit tighter and it was no longer comfortable (or appropriate!) to wear them. In the first few weeks, my regular clothes were still fitting fine but it soon became a bit too tight as I neared the end of the first trimester.

Apart from the physical symptoms, the first trimester is a strange time because you are always a bit on edge, unsure of whether the pregnancy will go smoothly. We were so excited, but I was also always a bit unsure of whether things would go downhill and did not want to be TOO excited yet. Apart from the slight anxiety of a miscarriage, it was also such a blissful time and I did enjoy the private little joy that Jerry and I shared. It was our little secret. At around 6 weeks, our doctor told us that it was highly unlikely that I would have a miscarriage due to my age and health. It was a reassuring comment, but I was still excited for the first trimester to be over so that I could be even more certain.

The traditional advice is that you are supposed to wait until the 12th week to tell other people of the happy news. Obviously this is your own choice and I had told some close friends earlier than that. Jerry and I did decide to not tell people until around 7-8 weeks. There is no right or wrong way to do it but the understanding is that miscarriages are much more common during the first 12 weeks so it is better to let people know after that time frame. My feeling was that I only told people that I was also comfortable talking to if the worst were to happen. These were my best friends and I knew that if I were to have a miscarriage, they would also be the people I turned to. I was so happy to share the good news with my best friends while Jerry was a little more on the DL and wanted to share the news later.

Overall the first trimester was a time of excitement but also came along with some uncertainty and uncomfortable symptoms. It was still a bit bewildering to me that something was growing inside me!