First Trimester

The short answer

What this trimester is actually like

Weeks 1 to 13, and the defining feature is that it is mostly invisible. MedlinePlus's material on common pregnancy symptoms and NHS guidance on tiredness in pregnancy both describe what dominates: exhaustion that is unlike ordinary tiredness, nausea that is not confined to the morning, sore breasts, and a constant need to urinate.

What you will not have yet: a bump that needs supporting, a back that hurts from carrying weight, or a sleeping position problem. Those are second and third trimester issues, and buying for them now is money sitting in a drawer.

The rib-cage thing nobody mentions

Breast changes are one of the earliest signs of pregnancy, and the part people miss is that it is not only cup size. The rib cage starts expanding early, which means your band size changes — and a band that is slightly too tight is uncomfortable in a way that is hard to place.

The practical answer is one or two wire-free, seamless, stretchy bras in a larger band size rather than a precise fitting you will outgrow. Do not spend much, because you will likely change again by the third trimester. The maternity bras page covers the choices, and maternity vs nursing bra covers whether to skip straight to nursing styles.

Clothes: the waistband problem comes first

Before anything shows, bloating makes waistbands uncomfortable. That is the first clothing problem of pregnancy and it is not a fit problem.

Two cheap answers. A belly band — a fabric tube over the waistband — lets you wear your own jeans unbuttoned, which buys you weeks or months. Over-belly leggings remove the waistband entirely and will still fit at 35 weeks.

What is too early: maternity jeans in a size guess, a maternity work wardrobe, anything bought for a bump you do not have. See when to start wearing maternity clothes.

Sleep: it is the exhaustion, not the position

First trimester sleep problems are usually the needing-to-urinate kind and the exhausted-but-awake kind rather than the cannot-get-comfortable kind. MedlinePlus has material on sleep disorders worth reading if it is severe.

If you are already uncomfortable, a wedge is the right first purchase — cheap, small, and useful alongside a bigger pillow later. A full-body pregnancy pillow is a second trimester purchase; buying one now means several months of it occupying your bed before it does anything. See how to sleep when pregnant and sleep positions by trimester.

What is too early for

How we scored these

Six axes: usefulness this trimester, usefulness later, comfort, whether it works at an early size, discretion and value. The compression socks score 6.0 on the first axis and 9.2 on the second, which is the honest answer rather than a soft one — they are a good product bought too soon for most people.

We read the current listings and the reported experience; we have not used these. The method is on how we pick.

When to contact your provider

MedlinePlus's material on prenatal care is a good general reference, and these warrant a call rather than waiting for your next appointment:

• Vaginal bleeding, or cramping with bleeding
• Severe one-sided abdominal or pelvic pain
• Vomiting so persistent you cannot keep fluids down — this is treatable and you should not endure it
• Fever, or pain on passing urine
• Fainting, severe dizziness, or shoulder-tip pain
• Persistent low mood or anxiety — mental health in pregnancy matters as much as in the postpartum period