The first trimester of pregnancy is such a whirlwind—exciting, overwhelming, and full of surprises (some good, some not-so-great). Now that I’ve made it through, I wanted to share my real experience, from the moments that made me smile to the challenges I didn’t expect.
🌟 The Highs: Little Moments of Joy
1. Seeing the Positive Pregnancy Test
My period was just one day late, but I had this strange feeling—just a little off. I wasn’t sure if it was all in my head, but as soon as I woke up that morning, I decided to take an at-home test.
The moment those two pink lines appeared, my emotions hit me like a tidal wave. I sat there in the bathroom, crying—alone, overwhelmed, and completely in shock. I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell my husband. Should I plan some big, cute surprise? Or just walk out and show him? I had no plan, but I quickly realized that I was too emotional to hide anything.
I walked out of the bathroom, still crying, completely unable to speak. My husband immediately looked at me, concerned. “What’s wrong?” he kept asking. I just stood there, holding the test in my hand, trying to find the words. As I stepped closer to his side of the bed, I started to hand it to him, but before he even took it, he asked: “Is it positive?”
I could only nod.
Without hesitation, he pulled me into bed and just held me. No words, just warmth, love, and the comfort I didn’t even realize I needed in that moment. It was a feeling I’ll never forget—the start of a whole new chapter for us.
2. The First Ultrasound – From Anxiety to Relief
Leading up to my first ultrasound, I had mixed emotions. At first, I was excited—finally, I’d get to see my baby for the first time and confirm that everything was real. But as the appointment got closer, my excitement turned into anxiety.
I couldn’t stop worrying. What if something was wrong? What if the baby wasn’t there anymore? My mind went in circles with endless what-ifs, and no matter how much I tried to calm myself, the nerves wouldn’t go away. It felt like time was dragging just to make me wait in uncertainty.
Then, finally—the moment came.
As soon as I saw my baby on the screen, all that worry melted away. There they were—healthy, moving, and real. I was relieved beyond words. And to my surprise, my little one was already full of personality—we even laughed at how squirmy and active they were, wiggling all over the place.
Even as I stared at the screen, I was still in disbelief. I’m really pregnant. Everything is okay. It was one of those moments where reality truly hit me, and for the first time, I allowed myself to feel pure joy without fear.
3. A Newfound Appreciation for My Body
Early on in my pregnancy, I had my first appointment with my rheumatologist—one I had been waiting months for. (I had already been working with a physical therapist to manage my symptoms, but that’s a story for another post.) This appointment felt especially important now that I was pregnant.
The first thing we discussed was medications—which ones were safe during pregnancy, which ones I needed to stop, and how I could best manage my pain and other symptoms while carrying my baby. It was a lot to take in, but I was grateful to have a plan.
Then, my doctor told me something surprising. He explained that in many RA patients, pregnancy can actually cause the disease to go dormant—meaning symptoms lessen or even disappear completely during pregnancy. I was thrilled at the possibility of relief!
But then came the warning.
He gently explained that after birth, the symptoms often come back—hard. Many women experience a postpartum flare within a few months after delivery, sometimes worse than before. It was a sobering reality check, but also a reminder of why it was important to stick with my new medication plan and stay ahead of it.
Now that I’m about halfway through my pregnancy, I can confidently say—my doctor was right. My RA symptoms have completely disappeared during pregnancy. It’s almost unbelievable.
It’s made me truly appreciate what my body is capable of—not just growing a life, but even adjusting itself in ways I never imagined. The human body is amazing, and pregnancy has only deepened my respect for it.
🌧️ The Lows: The Tougher Side of the First Trimester
1. Morning Sickness (Or, More Like All-Day Sickness)
Morning sickness hit me hard—starting strong at week 5 and refusing to lighten up until week 12. It didn’t fully disappear until week 16, and by then, I was beyond exhausted from dealing with it for so long.
Anything strong-smelling was a trigger—things I normally love like coffee and peanut butter suddenly became unbearable. Even moving around too much made me queasy. Brushing my teeth? Forget it. That was a guaranteed trip to the toilet.
For the most part, my morning sickness really was morning sickness. It started the second I woke up—4:45 a.m. like clockwork—and wouldn’t ease up until 11 a.m. or noon. My sickness wasn’t just nausea; it was acid reflux to the max. Most of the time when I got sick, it was just acid and bile, which made the whole experience even worse.
I tried everything to get relief—Unisom and B6, crackers before getting out of bed, ginger ale, ginger beer, ginger tea, ginger chews, sea sick bands, peppermint smelling sticks, waffles, toast, Jolly Ranchers—you name it, I probably tried it.
Out of everything, only a few things gave me even a little relief:
✅ Unisom and B6 (taken nightly)
✅ Ginger beer (the real kind with actual ginger)
✅ Jolly Ranchers (somehow, sucking on these helped)
Everything else? Pretty much useless.
Morning sickness was one of the hardest parts of my first trimester. It felt like it would never end, but eventually, it did let up. If you’re in the thick of it, hang in there—you’re not alone, and it will get better.
2. Exhaustion Like Never Before
The moment I found out I was pregnant, it was like my energy vanished overnight. By day two, I was already napping in the car every chance I got—and I never nap.
Every day after work, you could find me curled up in bed almost immediately, too tired to do much else. It wasn’t just physical exhaustion; it was mental and emotional, too.
The first trimester drained me in every possible way:
😴 The never-ending fatigue
🤢 The constant puking
🤯 The overwhelming worries and unknowns
🫣 The fear of doing something wrong
🥴 The weird feeling of being in someone else’s body
It was like my body was working overtime, and I had no control over it. No amount of sleep felt like enough, and no amount of caffeine (not that I could stomach it anyway) could make me feel human again.
Pregnancy exhaustion is next level, and nothing could have prepared me for just how deep it would go.
3. Emotional Rollercoaster
I was literally crying over nothing—and sometimes, I had no clue why I was even upset. I can honestly say I’ve never used the phrase “I don’t even know why I’m crying right now” more in my life than during those early months of pregnancy.
My poor husband had to endure me breaking down into tears in the most random places and at the most random times—like driving to the grocery store to grab a few things, or over forgetting my snack. It could happen anywhere, and for any reason, big or small.
The funny part was that my husband didn’t know what to do other than laugh. He knew there wasn’t much else he could do to fix it, so he’d just sit there and laugh (and sometimes, I’d eventually join in once I calmed down). It wasn’t always easy, but those moments became a source of laughter for both of us.
Pregnancy hormones definitely brought out my wildly unpredictable emotions—joy, anxiety, and a whole lot of “What have I gotten myself into?” moments. But hey, at least I could laugh about it eventually, right?
What Helped Me Get Through It
Listening to My Body
Pregnancy made me realize just how important it is to listen to my body, even if it meant slowing down. I allowed myself to nap whenever I felt drained (which was pretty much all the time). I took breaks when I needed to, even if it was just for a few minutes to breathe and reset. I didn’t feel guilty for resting—my body was doing something incredible, and I had to give it the space to do its job.
Eating What I Could Handle
During those rough first months, the idea of eating anything was sometimes more than I could handle. Carbs and fruit became my go-to, and honestly, that was okay! I tried not to stress about it. It was all about finding what worked for me in the moment. Some days, all I could stomach was toast, and other days, fruit was my savior. It wasn’t the most balanced diet, but at least it was something, and that’s what mattered.
Leaning on My Support System
There were days when the emotional and physical exhaustion made me feel like I couldn’t keep going, but that’s when my support system stepped in. Talking to my husband, family, and fellow moms really helped me feel less alone. They reassured me when I was feeling overwhelmed and celebrated with me during the moments of joy. Community is everything during this journey.
Focusing on the Big Picture
Even on the hardest days, when I was questioning if I could handle everything, I would remind myself of the bigger picture. This is temporary, and in the end, I’m growing a little human. That thought made it all feel worth it. Every moment of exhaustion, every tear, and every worry was part of the bigger miracle. Sometimes, just taking a step back and focusing on that helped me keep going when it felt like I couldn’t.
More Than Mom 
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