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3. You Feel Exhausted in the First Trimester

You may already have heard that you’re going to feel tired during the first trimester, but until you go through it, you really have no idea how overwhelming the fatigue can be. You may find yourself looking for every possible opportunity to catch a few winks – on the bus, on the train, at work, or even on the exam table waiting for your practitioner to come into the room. Rest assured this fatigue does go away, usually by the end of the first trimester (at about 13 weeks), and you do get your usual energy back. Look out, though. Around 30 to 34 weeks, the physical stress of pregnancy may overwhelm you again, and you may go back to feeling pretty washed out for several weeks. Frequent naps either in the first trimester or at any time are always a good idea if you’re feeling tired.

4. Round Ligament Pain Really Hurts

The round ligaments run from the top of the uterus down into the labia. As the uterus grows, these ligaments stretch, and many women feel discomfort or pain on one or both sides of the groin area, especially at about 16 to 22 weeks. Practitioners tell you this symptom is only round ligament pain and it’s nothing to worry about. And they’re right – don’t worry. But you deserve some sympathy (you have ours) because this pain can be fairly intense.

You can probably ease round ligament pain a bit by getting off your feet or changing positions, thereby taking the pressure off the ligaments. By the way, if you’re having twins or more, the round ligament pain may begin earlier and last longer. The good news is that round ligament pain usually diminishes by about 24 weeks.