The first trimester brings with it an array of experiences that are neither predictable nor entirely unenjoyable. The changes aren’t always visible but the experience is certainly significant.
My first trimester began without my knowledge, considering that the in the first two weeks of pregnancy a woman isn’t even pregnant yet. I was hoping to be pregnant but not expecting pregnancy to happen so soon. Once we got the positive pregnancy test, we were slightly surprised and really happy. The fourth week of pregnancy was simple, easy, and free of any negative symptoms. With week five came morning sickness. My morning sickness slowly evolved to include nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. The days came and went. Some where good, some where bad, and some just where. Around seven weeks I started noticing my hips loosening up and moving from a sitting to standing position usually involved a series of popping sounds. This was about the same time that I told my students that I was expecting again; they were so excited. The morning sickness actually got worse around eight weeks. At nine and ten weeks we were in high gear as we made preparations for our big move; while also putting in extra hours to close out the school year. By week eleven the moving truck was packed, the house was clean and empty, and we were on the road. While at the beginning of week eleven the morning sickness seemed to improve, by the end of the week I was reminded that it was still if full force. When we reached week twelve we had our first official prenatal appointment and heard our precious baby’s heartbeat for the first time.
Hearing our little baby’s heartbeat was the perfect way end to the first trimester. It was a reminder that the nausea, fatigue, and vomiting is an endurable price to pay for the growing life inside me. Farewell first trimester!