To Do: Get the Facts - First Trimester Problems Spotting, Exhaustion, and Cysts

I'm just getting in the swing of being pregnant and I'm already experiencing a slew of ups and downs. Luckily I've had no morning sickness (knock on wood) but I have experienced 3 problems.

Problem One: Exhaustion

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I've cut down my coffee intake or the massive hormonal change. Parent's Magazine has a good article on pregnancy and exhaustion - bottom line the body is working in overdrive processing more blood, increasing progesterone levels, and creating a little person (or in my case, two little people).

What helps? Naps and eating right. Sugar doesn't help - it causes highs and lows and makes you wind up even more tired than before.

Problem Two: Spotting

I've written about this gory detail before but spotting is scary! You have no clue what's going on with your body and it only happens to some people. There are different things to look for:

• Red or pink and light - scary but OK if it doesn't last too long (I've been blog stalking for quite a while and read mixed notes on spotting. Bottom line, 20% of women spot. Of these, 20% miscarry.)
• Brown - could be implantation. Carrying twins I've been spotting the past week and I'm wondering if it's the implantation of both.

What helps? Time.

Problem Three: Cysts
The day I found out I was pregnant with twins, I also found out I have a large ovarian cyst. I'm trying to stay positive here and the research shows that I can/should. Ovarian cysts are fluid filled sacks on the ovaries - they can be bad (if they grow and make the growth of the baby challenging) or just "something to watch" as my Dr. has said. Time will tell. Women's Health.gov and Mayo Clinic are two sites I've found helpful here.

What helps? Time, birth control pills, surgery (the last two are out of the question for me right now but good to know for the future).