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#41 Trimester 1 Explained: HCG Hormone, Prenatal Vitamins & Early Pregnancy Symptoms (Pregnancy 101: A mini series)
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The Bean Talk - Episode 41: Trimester 1 Explained: HCG Hormone, Prenatal Vitamins & Early Pregnancy Symptoms (Pregnancy 101: A mini series)
In Part 1 of our Pregnancy 101 mini series, Riannon breaks down everything you need to know about the first trimester of pregnancy and why this stage can feel so intense both physically and emotionally.
She explains what is happening inside your body during weeks 1–12, including the role of the HCG hormone, rising progesterone, and why symptoms like fatigue, nausea, food aversions, bloating, and frequent urination are so common. Riannon also covers the importance of prenatal vitamins in the first trimester, key nutrients like folate, iron and B12, and how nutrition, hydration, and blood sugar balance can support both you and your baby during early pregnancy.
This episode also gently explores first trimester anxiety, pregnancy after miscarriage or loss, and why extra support during this stage matters. Whether you are newly pregnant, preparing for pregnancy, or supporting someone who is, this episode offers grounded, practical guidance to help you feel more informed and supported.
Mentioned in this episode:
#30 What You NEED to Know About Preconception Care
#32 Why we TEST & don't guess
#9 The Gut Microbiome in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Connect with us on Instagram or TikTok @mungbean_health or visit www.mungbeanhealth.com for expert support.
Important note:
The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before starting, changing, or stopping any supplements, medications, or health protocols to ensure they are appropriate for your individual needs.
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Transcript
Introduction to The Bean Talk
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to The Bean Talk with me, Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother, joined by my trusted partner in life and in the mission of Mungbean Health, Jeremy. Here at Mungbean Health, we're on a mission to unlock the secrets of fertility and natural wellbeing one episode at time.
Recap of Preconception and Pregnancy Focus
00:00:23
Speaker
Hi guys, and welcome back to The Bean Talk. Thank you so much for tuning in again. As you know, in our last episode, we have been talking a little bit more about preconception and pregnancy. So we are following on with that tune, which hopefully you've checked out our last video on natal vitamins and why they're so important.
00:00:43
Speaker
And let's talk a little bit more about surviving the first trimester and what that
Rhiannon's Personal Pregnancy Journey
00:00:48
Speaker
looks like. Now, if you follow us on Instagram, you would know that I am currently pregnant myself and I am in the second trimester. at about 24 plus weeks. It is now my fifth pregnancy. So remembering exactly which week I'm in with my busy schedule does prove very hard, but I know I'm somewhere in there. I'm definitely over 24 weeks. so um something that I've actually done is obviously it hasn't been too long since I was in the first trimester, but making sure that I'm getting my regular blood testing, very important. Definitely my
00:01:26
Speaker
little beam, big beam for this week is making sure that I've been getting everything organized for all of my prenatal appointments, my pregnancy appointments, my midwife appointments. It all adds up. Also blood testing. I've got some coming up, checking on my vitamin D, iron, B12. We're doing full blood count. I'm also doing fasting glucose. ah Sorry.
00:01:51
Speaker
Yeah. Fasting glucose and insulin. I personally, and this is not any advice to you to do the same, but myself, I'm not doing the glucose tolerance test, GTT, which is the one where you drink that horrible tasting drink and you wait and you get multiple blood tests to check on how your body responds to that. One, I'm not getting it because it's I feel a bit pointless in my case. I'm not having as much sugar as there is in that drink to be you know worried about what that drink amount of sugar is going to do to me and my baby.
00:02:33
Speaker
um i have regular testing throughout and I'm not saying I'm not just doing nothing. I'm making sure I'm still getting my fasting bloods done for glucose and insulin and everything else to make sure everything's in tip top shape. And obviously if any of those came back wrong, then I'd be reconsidering and going from there.
00:02:48
Speaker
But also when I had my first baby, it was around COVID time. She was born in February 2020 before all the world shut down, a very weird time. And no one was doing the glucose tolerance test at that time because you could not go in to a pathology and sit there for hours. And they did not actually see ah big improvement in the data. So I was told from the medical world, midwives and pathologists.
00:03:19
Speaker
So for me, that's where I made my own personal informed choice because remember it is our body. I don't have a history of diabetes, no diabetes in the family, no issues with gestational diabetes or in the family. um so I take all this into account as well.
00:03:34
Speaker
um And I definitely am not against like medical intervention that's needed. I'm not like that at all, but yeah, it's just been my own choice for my own body and what's right for me. so yeah, that is the testing that I'm getting a lot coming up at the moment. So I've been doing that, making sure I'm staying on top of that. And I think not only important in this trimester, but important in every trimester. It's also very stormy here. So I'm sorry if you hear any loud bangs in the background.
00:04:06
Speaker
I don't know if you can hear that, but we are about to get smashed with a storm. So let's get through this so you can hear me throughout. But pregnancy itself, look, it can be a very isolating time. You've worked so hard on falling pregnant. And sometimes once you've fallen, you're left with the question of what now?
00:04:25
Speaker
And this is a very hard time for many women, but it can go throughout the entire pregnancy. And I don't want you to feel like if you're not pregnant yet, that this is something that happens to everyone because it doesn't, but it does happen for a lot of women. That's why it's important to, if you're able to have a good support system and surround yourself with some support, whatever that looks like, family, friends, mental health team, medical staff, your naturopath, or all of the above. So we're here to ease your mind a little bit and to answer all of your questions because we know that a lot is left unanswered.
Series Announcement: Trimester Focus
00:05:01
Speaker
So over the next three episodes, we're going to break down each trimester in your pregnancy, what you need to know, what you can expect, and how you can support yourself and your baby. In this episode, we're going to tick off with the first trimester, starting with what is actually happening during the first trimester because there is so much
Critical Developments in the First Trimester
00:05:21
Speaker
going on.
00:05:21
Speaker
So firstly, we're looking at the first one to 12 weeks here. So the first trimester, even though it might not look like much is happening on the outside, a huge amount of change is happening on the inside. By just as early as week four, your baby's neural tube, which becomes the brain and the spinal cord has started to form.
00:05:42
Speaker
So special. And by week six, the heart starts to beat. That's why we'll get usually a dating scan and check for a heartbeat after six weeks. And by week 10, major organs are developing. This is why it's so important to be doing all the right things, like taking your nutrients as much as possible in those early weeks and doing the preparation to
Hormonal Changes and Early Pregnancy Symptoms
00:06:04
Speaker
support your baby. This is a time of rapid cell division, organ formation, as well as different hormonal shifts as well. that supports implantation and early growth. For you, that means your body is working incredibly hard.
00:06:19
Speaker
Hormones like HCG, progesterone, estrogen are all surging to support your beautiful pregnancy. And it is these hormones and these hormonal shifts that cause many of the early pregnancy symptoms that you may experience, especially in trimester one.
00:06:39
Speaker
So let's break it down. the very well-known and loved symptoms of the first trimester. Obviously a bit of a joke there because if you've been through the first trimester, you'll know, unless you're a unicorn, that you didn't experience any symptoms. Lucky you.
00:06:58
Speaker
My mum was like that. I was hopeful that she would pass that down, but no, she only felt sick or a bit nauseous one day for one meal. i was like, no, me and my sister, we both have experienced morning sickness. And it's actually gotten a bit worse for me each pregnancy, but there's so many tools in my tool belt that I can still, you know, continue to be a mom, run our business, do all the things. So there's still so much hope, but yes, you definitely, if you were able to choose, you wouldn't be wanting the nausea and the fatigue. So let's talk a little bit about the fatigue.
Managing Common Symptoms in the First Trimester
00:07:34
Speaker
Now we've touched on obviously what your body's doing in that first trimester, The idea of fatigue hopefully shouldn't feel so scary. Your body is producing more blood and working over time to build the placenta, which is a whole new organ. It's absolutely fantastic and amazing. And this is, of course, exhausting.
00:07:54
Speaker
So don't underestimate how normal it is to feel absolutely depleted. during the first 12 weeks, but I'm telling you, preconception care will support you here, but does not mean that you'll be immune to not feeling fatigue. Then we've got our nausea and food aversions.
00:08:12
Speaker
This one's not fun. This is probably the most hated. Often driven by high HCG levels, and changes in your blood sugar. And if there is one thing we know about it is that no two women are the same. Some women experience mild symptoms, a little bit of queasiness here and there.
00:08:32
Speaker
Others have more severe morning sickness. Each case needs to be supported specifically and individually here. High HCG levels, that pregnancy hormone, has been linked to the health of the sperm in preconception. So make sure your partner is on board with preconception care, especially if you wanna minimize these symptoms. Now, as I said, no guarantee or like you're not gonna be immune to it. Like I've still experienced some nausea, made sure my husband did everything in the preconception journey, but I would hate to see where it would be if he didn't do anything.
00:09:12
Speaker
So it's always good to reduce that as much as possible. And it's usually the first trimester that will be a little bit of a struggle, but when it becomes HG, that's when it's a massive issue, massive problem. So breast tenderness and bloating is also very common. Pretty quickly into pregnancy, you look at your body in the mirror and say, what is happening here? If anyone is listening and has been pregnant before, I am sure you know what we're talking about here.
00:09:41
Speaker
This is linked to our hormone progesterone, my favorite hormone actually, as progesterone relaxes your muscles and slows down your digestion, which can cause bloating and your breasts are starting to prepare for milk production Yes, this early on. Then you've also got frequent urination.
00:10:01
Speaker
It is not a fun one because you feel like, how can I be peeing so much when I literally have a poppy seed or a blueberry inside of me? But it's not just that tiny little fetus. You've also got the placenta forming and all the extra swelling that's happening, the bloating, all these changes. Going To and from to the toilet is a struggle and annoying in early pregnancy. It can feel super annoying for you, but it's something that we have to do and still keep drinking enough water to allow for it. it's usually a feeling of like needing to urinate every 10 minutes or so. And it's because that uterus starts expanding and presses on your bladder.
00:10:45
Speaker
Your body's just getting used to that new
Nutritional Needs and Guidance
00:10:48
Speaker
sensation. So now we have more of an idea of what you can expect physically in the first trimester and why. Let's talk about how to support your health and health of your baby and honestly your sanity during the first trimester.
00:11:07
Speaker
First up, nutrition. Super important, but it's a massive issue in the first trimester for a lot of women, especially if you're struggling with early pregnancy nausea. It is essential to focus on nutritionally dense food during this time. As we mentioned before, there's so much going on hormonally, so many changes in your body and the foundation of your baby's health are significant during this time. And nutrition is really the backbone of this. You want to really make sure that we're focusing on the big ones like protein, healthy fats and minerals that support blood and tissue growth. Each day will look different. And the most important thing is not to put too much pressure on yourself during this time and take it day by day. Some mornings might look like a big breakfast with eggs, avocado and sourdough. Some might look like dry crackers and dry heaving. Honestly, as long as your main priority is to get in as many nutrients across the day, you'll be fine. And this is where your prenatal is going to fill the gaps. Insurance policy.
00:12:13
Speaker
We've also got folate that's super important. This is a big one for us and for so many in the medical field. Folate is absolutely essential in early pregnancy. It is one of the most important nutrients for neural tube formations and must be prioritized before in preconception care and in early pregnancy as well, including foods that are rich in folate like leafy greens, asparagus, eggs, lentils, and also take your prenatal supplement that includes methylated folate is going to be your best bet.
00:12:48
Speaker
We've also got nutrients like iron and vitamin B12. They support our energy and our red blood cell formation. So very important. This is a perfect time to lock in and boost your iron and B12 as much as you can before the second and third trimester. Of course, intentions on supporting all nutritional levels in preconception is best and your naturopath will do this for you, one of our Mungbin naturopaths.
00:13:15
Speaker
Depending on if your levels are low or not, you might need to take a specific supplement for it. or focusing on increasing your iron-rich foods. Foods like red meats, dark leafy greens as well, lentils, tofu, all amazing choices.
00:13:33
Speaker
Hydration, very important. So from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep, you need to be making sure you are well hydrated. And even mild dehydration can actually worsen nausea symptoms and fatigue as well.
Rest, Exercise, and Well-being
00:13:48
Speaker
which is a bit of a catch-22 because sometimes you will not feel like getting anything down when you're feeling very nauseous, but just continuously sipping on fluids, put a pinch of salt in there, good quality, Celtic or Himalayan, or sachets like the Hydra Mama that you'll find on our website, www.mungbeanhealth.com. Really important to get that hydration in.
00:14:11
Speaker
Also some other honorable mentions are rest. You're doing a lot. Your body's doing a lot. Don't feel guilty. Your body is creating a whole new organ, the placenta.
00:14:24
Speaker
So allow yourself to slow down. Take naps early nights in and lighter exercise like walking, stretching or gentle Pilates, if that's what you're into. They're all really beneficial.
00:14:39
Speaker
Remember you're tired for a reason. not because you're lazy. So please listen to your body and enjoy the sleep and the rest. Blood sugar balance is very important here as well. Eating small, frequent meals with a balance of protein and complex carbs can reduce nausea and actually help prevent energy crashes as well.
00:15:01
Speaker
You also really wanna support your nervous system because pregnancy hormones can heighten stress sensitivity. um So incorporate deep breathing, grounding exercises, journaling, or even short mindfulness breaks throughout the day.
00:15:15
Speaker
i always like to say to my clients, When it's not torrentially raining like it is here, get yourself outside in the sun, take your shoes off, pop your feet in the grass and enjoy the weather.
Support Systems and Managing Anxiety
00:15:28
Speaker
Stare at a tree, take some deep breaths. The first trimester can feel like a strange mix of excitement and anxiety, especially if you are coming on the back of pregnancy loss or miscarriage or any type of infertility or secondary infertility, or you've been trying to con conceive for a long, long time. Obviously that anxiety will be heightened. We as naturopaths can support you on this journey There is so much that we can do Speaking from experience myself, obviously having pregnancy after loss, this being my second pregnancy after the loss, you still get that anxiety that rises at different stages throughout the pregnancy. And there's so much we can do with herbal medicine, specific nutrients, and essentially supporting yourself to be in control as much as you can. Obviously, there's always things that are out of our control. but you are definitely going to feel so much better by having these amazing supports in place that will support your mental health as well. So definitely speak and seek out with your specific support systems and network. This could be health practitioners, your midwife, your naturopath, and enjoy the ride. Everyone is so different and take it day by day.
00:16:57
Speaker
The second trimester will hopefully be a lot more relaxed for you. And in the next episode, we're actually going to talk about trimester two.
Preview and Invitation to Connect
00:17:07
Speaker
So be sure to tune into that one. And if you like this episode, you might also like episode 30, which is what you need to know about preconception care. Episode 32, why we test and don't guess. And also episode nine, the gut microbiome in pregnancy and breastfeeding. You will also find us via our website, And on Instagram, our handle is mungbean underscore health, M-U-N-G-B-E-A-N underscore health. And we're the same on TikTok. And please reach out if you have any questions. We cannot wait to help.
00:17:54
Speaker
And that's a wrap on today's dose of wellness. I'm Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother. Thank you for joining us. Stay connected with us on Instagram at mungbin underscore health.