You have probably heard about morning sickness—and may think that it is the only side effect of pregnancy. Oh if only that was the only discomfort you experience during pregnancy. In fact, each stage of pregnancy has its associated aches and pains.

For the first trimester of pregnancy, you will experience huge hormonal changes that are largely responsible for morning sickness. Many newly pregnant women report sensitivity to certain smells that are off-putting, such as coffee. They also feel nauseated due to these hormonal swings. Though “morning sickness” is the common term, women can feel nausea at any time throughout the day. Morning sickness is called such because this nausea is more common when you have an empty stomach. To combat this nausea, many women eat several saltine crackers immediately after awakening. It is also important for pregnant women to eat small meals throughout the day, even though their appetites may increase. For most women, nausea vanishes by the fourth month of pregnancy.

Though nausea is one type of abdominal pain, the other type is more of a shooting pain caused by the abdominal tissue stretching. These pains may occur in both your stomach and your upper thighs, since the uterus is pushing on those areas. To combat these pains, you can bend forward to ease the tension. You can also apply a heating pad to the affected area, though if the pain is agonizing you should contact your doctor.

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