That first trimester is a steep learning curve for many new moms. First is the shock of it; even if trying for a long time, pregnancy is a awesome chapter in a life. Mom-to-be can be overwhelmed with fears, distracted by pleasant daydreams of babies and motherhood, and then there are those dreaded symptoms. Nausea, maybe vomiting, fatigue that threatens to nail mom-to-be to the couch, and the other-worldly type sensations in one's chest.

Some women have pelvic pain and even cramps, possibly accompanied by spotting. There are countless potty runs, and you may find the smell of ordinary things beyond sickening. Some women have a hormone surge that makes PMS look like a beloved gift. Combine all that with the desire many women have to keep their condition secret until the first trimester ends, and you greatly up the challenge. Pregnancy is not so much a sprinter's race, however; it is a marathon for sure!

So breathe and relax whenever possible, whenever the annoying symptoms, annoying people and annoying hormones get to you. Learning to relax and let go can be the greatest thing you can do for yourself and therefore, baby, during pregnancy. Learning and practicing yoga is an ideal way to deal with virtually any symptom of pregnancy, from first to last trimester. Another great move to master? The shrug. Shaking off stress and haters is always a good plan!

15 Old School Remedies

I wish I had discovered this one with my first pregnancy, with my daughter, Danika. It would have made for a much improved first trimester. Peppermint is one of those truly old-school home remedies that are holding up to modern scrutiny. According to webmd.com, peppermint is used in various forms for all kinds of ailments, from morning sickness to breastfeeding pain, to Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. It's used topically and internally. For morning sickness, peppermint can be used by breathing in the scent through aromatherapy, drinking peppermint tea or sucking on peppermint candies.

Keep some candies close by and try sucking on one when soon after awakening. Then slowly rise and begin your day. There's also peppermint oil available at health food stores and pharmacy departments. You just put a few drops of it into a half glass of water (or follow instructions on the label) and sip the minty water. This is good anytime you have an upset tummy. Personally, I never let my little peppermint oil bottle get empty at my house! It's amazing! Grandma was right on this one!

14 Runnin' On Empty

Forget the old, which came first the chicken or the egg argument. While pregnant it's more "Am I nauseated because I need to eat, or am I nauseated because I ate?" But doctors agree; you should never let your tummy become completely empty. That is a sure-fire way to morning sickness (one of the most poorly named ailments ever! Mornings? Yeah right, try all day!) Instead, keep just a little something in your stomach all the time, as much as possible.

Go to a warehouse store and stock up on saltine crackers. You'll use them all, no worries! Some people have other small snacks on hand at all times that they know are less likely to make their stomach sour, such as pretzels, chips of various kinds, and fruits. Others have more exotic choices like pickles, cheese curls or mint chocolate chip ice cream. Whatever your go-to snack is, keep plenty about so you never get empty-tummy nausea.

13 New Bra For The Twins

Another remedy for sore and aching breasts is getting a new bra or three. Some pregnant women like sports bras for this awkward in-between booby time, while others swear by switching to a sleeping bra at night. These are stretchy and soft yet supportive. Maybe you're on the smaller side and a simple bralette will suffice? Just be sure nothing is binding on you and that the material is especially soft and maybe breathable as well?

Don't try to find something that will work for all three trimesters. Such a beast is an unlikely find, and you have no way whatsoever of predicting what size you'll eventually land at. That's even if you've been pregnant before, too. Having a really tough time? Go to a department store and see if they have professional fitting services for their intimates department. If they don't have regular staff trained in this, they often will have regular fitting events. This may be a big help for women with unusually large ta-tas or special concerns.

12 Thirst No More

Many women suffer from frequent headaches, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. This can be from a number of factors, from hormones to dehydration. Whatever the root cause, one possible solution is to make certain you are drinking enough liquids. Those should preferably be milk, water or juice. Herbal (be sure it's a safe one by checking with your medical provider, though) tea and regular green or black tea will be fine. You shouldn't wait until you are thirsty if you want to head off headaches caused by inadequate hydration.

Avoid caffeinated drinks, first due to concerns over heightened miscarriage rates with caffeine in the early weeks of development, but also because caffeine is dehydrating. Having a refillable water bottle is an excellent way to be certain you are getting sufficient fluids, instead of trying to rely on your somewhat spotty memory, due to pregnancy-related brain fog and hormones.

11 Power Naps

One of the strongest first trimester symptoms of my 3 pregnancies was the bone-deep fatigue. It was like gravity had grown so much stronger that I had to fight to lift my feet to walk, or to lift my posterior from the couch. If fatigue is an issue for you, first make certain you aren't iron deficient, something more likely to happen while pregnant, and then take those prenatal vitamins.

Napping is often considered a no-no in non-preggo circles, because of fears of messing up your sleep cycle and the likelihood you'll have trouble falling asleep at bedtime. If you have true pregnancy fatigue, you can nap and count on still being sleepy at night. If you are at work, try to carve out some time in your lunch hour and even if it's only in your car, set an alarm on your cell and grab a little shut-eye. If that's not feasible, then put your feet up, listen to some chill music and try to at least rest.

10 Write Yourself Right

Writing is a cathartic process. That's why I'm as sane as I am. Journaling can be a very helpful way to manage mood changes, especially those that connect to some pre-mother anxiety a woman may feel. Capturing and putting thoughts to screen or paper is a means of taking power and organizing your emotions and your mind. You can see them out there, lined up in an orderly fashion and can judge them as valid, silly or concerning as need be. They belong to you, you need not (and probably shouldn't) share them. By expressing them, they cease to ring around, banging into the space of your cranium, where they seem to gain power without the light of day.

Bring them out, face them and deal with them. Then let them go. Write about your big fears about getting huge or losing your job. Write how worried you are about how you and your mate will relate once baby arrives. Write how you wonder what kind of mother you'll make. Write about your hopes and dreams for your blossoming family. Write your way to feeling more positive and in control, by letting the negative and fearful out of your mind, through your fingers and poof. Done.

9 Get Busy

Another remedy for fatigue as well as those pesky mood swings is regular exercise. If you were working out before pregnancy, you should be keeping it up unless told otherwise by your medical provider. If you were a couch potato before, this especially applies to you. Get up! You are going to feel really crappy if all you do is collect lint with your bottom. If you get busy, whether it's walking around the neighborhood after dinner, or doing a prenatal yoga routine a few times a week.

Park the car farther away from the door, use the stairs instead of the elevator and get those extra steps in. It will be tough initially, but later something will kick in and give you a boost of energy and a more upbeat mood. If your mate is griping about...well your griping mood...then let him know he could exercise with you and help encourage you.

8 Warm The Nips

One truly annoying early pregnancy symptom is sore nipples and aching breasts. It can be hard not to walk around just cradling them like babies at times, which will attract unwanted attention. So I would recommend something less inviting to creeps, such as applying heat at home in privacy. You could use a heating pad, a rice pad warmed in the microwave or take a long warm shower. Or soak in the tub with a nice warm small towel across your chest.

If it's quite intense, you can probably take a Tylenol as long as your doc says it's OK for you. Good thing is that they won't stay nearly as sore as they are now. It will get much better as you slip into trimester two. That's because the bulk of breast changes will take place in the first several weeks of pregnancy. Just be glad you won't be nursing a litter later!

7 Bigger, But Not Maternity Big

There's an annoying in-between time where you will be uncomfortable in your clothing, but would look ridiculous in maternity wear. This is the magic yoga pants zone. Aim for leggings, yoga pants and elastic waist skirts with up-sized tops. If super casual, (not work) just steal shirts from his side of the closet for a bit. Just don't douse them with perfume or get make up on them if you want this to continue for a bit. Some women also just buy everything a size or two larger for awhile, figuring they'll come in handy again after the baby is born and you don't morph into your old body instantly. (You will likely not morph into your old body, by the way.) Maybe you won't feel so sharp, but let's be honest, with all the puking, whining, crying and peeing, how sexy would you feel anyhow?

6 Ginger-ific!

Morning sickness, with nausea, food aversion and sometimes vomiting is one of the better known set-backs of first trimester pregnancy. One lesser-known remedy is ginger, and no, not Tina Louise from Gilligan's Island. I mean ginger ale, that soda pop your mom gave you when you had an upset tummy. Some people say if vomiting is an issue, let the ginger ale be at room temperature rather than chilled, but that's likely a personal taste issue. Another option for ginger is drinking a ginger-based tea. That will aid in your fighting dehydration, as well.

It is not advised to take ginger as a nutritional supplement while pregnant, however. This is due to concerns about large quantities of ginger possibly being related to an increased risk of miscarriage. Don't let that scare you off from ginger ale or ginger tea, though. It's just important to remember that herbs are indeed medicines and it's possible to overdose on virtually any one of them.

5 Cut The Caffeine

I know you caffeine lovers out there are quite resistant to letting go of the Coke can or the coffee cup. I know because I am a cola fanatic myself. I got headaches from stopping the pop in my life! However, there is some concern over too much caffeine in the first trimester and miscarriage. If your doctor says your caffeine consumption is in the safe zone, great. But if you are tired of running to pee every 5.2 minutes, put the coffee or soda down. Caffeine works your bladder like a talky coworker works your nerves. If you eliminate the caffeine, your trips to the restroom should be somewhat lessened, and at this stage of pregnancy that might mean a lot to you. Decaf coffee, decaf tea and soda without caffeine are options, but better choices will still be water, juice and milk. Sorry!

4 Protein Boost

That lack of energy in early pregnancy can have big negative impacts on your life. Hygiene, home chores and work tasks will all suffer. Friends will talk about you at lunch while you sleep in their presence. Things will fall apart. Thus, anything you can do and do safely should be attempted. Snacks are a good idea to fight empty stomach nausea bouts, so make them really count by packing in some nutrition, and for a good energy burst have a healthy combo of carbohydrates and protein. Good examples include peanut butter on whole wheat bread, cheese and veggie sticks, and ice cream with fruit. Or have a hard-boiled egg and crackers, vanilla yogurt with granola, or hummus with pretzels. A well-balanced diet means a healthy mama and a healthy baby.

3 Slow Down, Lady!

Indigestion is one of the more clinging and troublesome symptoms of pregnancy, and it rears its ugly head right at the start of it all, in the early weeks. To fight it without taking over the counter remedies, begin by slowing down. Eat at a slow, steady rate. Take smaller bites and taste each morsel. Then aim for smaller yet more frequent meals. Three large meals, no matter how healthy, will not sit well on your tummy. Better to opt for several eating breaks in the days with some light snacks in between.

Also, don't lie down right after eating. I know that's tough, because after filling your tummy, you'll probably be about half-drowsy. Just recline slightly, support yourself with pillows so the food won't flow back the wrong way! You won't eat less, just smarter and better spaced throughout the day.

2 Playing With Fire

Do you crave spicy foods? Indian food, Mexican food or just plain hot peppers? If they pose no problems for you, then proceed, albeit with caution. But if you are breathing fire, consider the likelihood you will need to at least temporarily cut back on foods with heat. If you aren't sure what the culprits are behind heartburn then try one small sampling of a spicy food at a time. Give it 20 minutes and observe what happens. If you singe your man's eyebrows off with an ill-timed belch, then cross that food off the list.

Or your man may do it for you! Perhaps in small amounts with calming foods like milk or bread you'll be able to tolerate occasional hot items. However, an all-you-can-eat Mexican, Indian or Chinese restaurant, or an African one for that matter, may not be such a great idea if heartburn is an early pregnancy afflict-er.

1 Slow Riser

One other pesky pregnancy symptom seen in the earliest weeks is lightheadness or being prone to fainting. This is due to hormones in the beginning of pregnancy, and later may return for other reasons. To circumvent this possible issue, keep it in mind to always, always rise slowly from a seated or lying position. This will greatly reduce the chance of the spinning, fading out feeling that precedes fainting. Never rush out of bed. Take your time to first sit up, get your bearings and maybe even nibble a cracker or two. Then slowly swing your feet over to the floor and put your weight down. You may also be a bit more prone to passing out with too much heat, so try to wear layers whenever possible to keep comfortably cool. Should you have a fainting episode, don't panic, but do mention it to your doctor when you next have an appointment.

Sources: WebMD.com