Common discomforts of pregnancy

What is normal

Your body changes a great deal during pregnancy, driven by shifting hormones and your growing baby. Many of these changes bring discomforts that are common and harmless, even when they feel strange or unpleasant. They tend to come and go at different stages, and most ease once your baby arrives.

None of this means you have to simply put up with feeling miserable. If a discomfort is wearing you down, or you are not sure whether something is normal, it is always worth raising at your next visit. Your GP or midwife can talk through safe ways to manage it and check that nothing more is going on.

Early on

In the first few months, many women feel nausea and sometimes vomiting, often called morning sickness even though it can strike at any time of day. It usually settles by around 12 to 14 weeks. For most women it is unpleasant but manageable, and there are safe options that help. For a small number it is more severe, with constant vomiting and trouble keeping fluids down. Our page on nausea, vomiting and hyperemesis covers what helps and when to seek more support, and the message is the same either way: you do not need to tough it out.

Tender or fuller breasts, needing to wee more often, and going off certain foods or smells are all common in early pregnancy too. Most ease as you move into the second trimester.

Tiredness

Tiredness deserves its own mention, because it can be one of the most surprising parts of pregnancy. Early on, your body is doing an enormous amount of building work, and that can leave you exhausted well before there is much of a bump to show for it. This kind of tiredness is normal and usually lifts during the second trimester.

It often returns later in pregnancy, though more because sleep becomes harder than because of the work your body is doing. Getting comfortable is tricky, you may be up to the toilet, and heartburn or your baby's movements can interrupt the night. Be kind to yourself and rest when you can. Tiredness that lingers or feels out of proportion can also be a sign of low iron, which is common in pregnancy and easily checked, and the guides below cover ways to rest and sleep more comfortably.

As your bump grows

From the middle of pregnancy onwards, the discomforts tend to be more about pressure and load as your baby grows. Common ones include heartburn and indigestion, constipation, haemorrhoids, back and pelvic girdle pain, leg cramps, swelling in the feet and ankles, varicose veins, and broken sleep. Most respond well to simple measures, and the guides below cover them. Back and pelvic girdle pain in particular often eases with the right exercises and support, and a women's health physiotherapist can help.

Skin, hair and other changes

You may notice changes to your skin and hair, stretch marks as your bump grows, and more vaginal discharge than usual. Thrush is also more common in pregnancy. These are generally harmless, though it is worth getting any discharge checked if it smells, itches or changes colour.

When to get something checked

Most discomforts are a normal part of pregnancy. A few changes are worth prompt attention rather than waiting, and if something does not feel right it is always best to ask. Our Signs to look out for page sets out what to watch for and when to call, and the Maternity Unit at Bathurst Base is there day or night on 6330 5210.