Ah, the first trimester of pregnancy. It's that magical time when you feel like a contestant on a “Who can sleep the most?!” game show. I remember waking up after a 9+ hr night of sleep feeling… tired. I wasn’t drinking coffee (only because my very nauseous stomach couldn’t handle the acidity), which didn’t help the situation. And at work I’d catch myself staring into the distance, determined to find out if it’s possible to sleep with my eyes open.

Because that’s the reality of it - life doesn't pause just because you're growing a tiny human. Looking back, it was the first little sign of what lay ahead for me in parenthood: changes in my priorities to accommodate my child’s needs. And it turns out, what my child needed in the first trimester, was for me to prioritize rest and sleep.

Rest isn’t just important for your baby, it’s also very important for you. Although your poppyseed is incredibly small, it is undergoing massive changes. And it’s all being powered by your body. Let’s explore what’s taking place in your body that make you want to study the inside of your eyelids…

1. Big hormonal changes

During the first trimester, your body's hormonal symphony is akin to a rock concert inside your bloodstream. One hormone taking center stage is progesterone, which helps maintain the uterine lining for your baby's cozy residence. However, it's also known to be a soporific superstar (meaning, it really makes you want to sleep!). Imagine a lullaby is being played on repeat inside your body, and you'll start to grasp why sleepiness becomes your constant companion.

2. The Energy-Guzzling Embryo

Your little bean, despite its diminutive size, is quite the energy vampire in these early days. It's busy building organs, limbs, and a future as your offspring. To fuel this incredible growth, it's hijacking your energy reserves, leaving you feeling like a drained battery. So, rest assured that your fatigue is not a sign of laziness but rather a tribute to your rapidly growing baby.

3. Blood Volume Overdrive

To support your growing fetus, your blood volume is increasing by up to 50%. That's like your circulatory system saying, "Hey, let's throw an extra 10-gallon pool in here!" With more blood to pump, your heart works harder, and fatigue naturally follows. Rest becomes essential to recharge that hardworking ticker.

4. Etcetera

While fatigue is the most common first trimester symptom, it’s often accompanied by morning sickness (err… all day sickness), lots of discharge, swollen and tender breast tissue, frequent trips to the bathroom, changes in sex drive, and more. The pregnancy guide inside our online birthing course covers it all.

Trimester by trimester, we explore the symptoms and body changes you might experience, explain why they’re happening, and offer up evidence-based remedies to help ease your discomforts. The course also includes an early parenthood guide, postpartum prep, and childbirth education that will have you feeling informed, confident, and, dare we say, excited (!) about the day you meet your baby.

We invite you to embrace the nap life, unapologetically binge-watch your favorite shows, and delegate tasks without hesitation. Sweet dreams! ✨🌛