Pregnancy 101: Important Things You Should Know

If you are a first-time mother, you may have questions about pregnancy. Nurturing and caring for your unborn child will be your job.

Stay fit, get plenty of rest, have a diet plan, and take Preconception Vitamins to help your body deal with pregnancy.

The proper care you give your body during the pregnancy will result in a healthy baby. Here are all the necessary things you should know about pregnancy:

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy

Here are the early and common signs of pregnancy for women:

Spotting or missed period

If you are a woman who has a regular menstrual cycle, missing a period is the earliest sign of you being pregnant. A spotting or light bleed can also happen within the first few weeks of pregnancy.

Mood swings

Mood swings are another common sign of pregnancy for women. Some women experience anger and sadness during pregnancy. There are different reasons why mood swings happen, this includes:

surge in hormones
sleep deprivation
anxiety and emotional stress
physical stresses
changes in metabolism

Swollen and tender breast

A hormonal change that pregnancy can do to your body is making your breast swollen and tender. This change in your breast will happen a week to two weeks after you have conceived.

Fatigue

Fatigue is an early and common sign of pregnancy. Unexplainable fatigue can happen for the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.

Frequent urination

Pregnancy will make you urinate more often. During pregnancy, your body creates more fluids, and your body’s physical and hormonal changes also cause frequent urination.

Morning sickness

Morning sickness usually happens during the first trimester of your pregnancy. Your pregnancy morning sickness includes nausea and vomiting. Talk to your doctor when problems occur, including:

severe nausea
severe vomiting
dark colour urine
severe dizziness
fainting
irregular heart rate

Weight gain

Many pregnant women gain 11.5 to 16 kilograms of weight during pregnancy. The formation of extra weight goes to the following:

baby
placenta
breast
blood
amniotic fluid
stored fat

Uncontrolled cravings

The uncontrolled craving is a signal from your baby. It is your body’s way of demanding nutrients that the baby needs. There are many cravings of pregnant women, which may include:

pickles
chocolates and other dairy products
spicy food
fruits and vegetables
noodles

Increase in body temperature

Every trimester, your body will change temperature. Pregnant women may be warmer than normal ones, and the increase in blood volume increases body temperature.

What are the pregnancy trimesters?

First trimester

The first trimester is the first week to twelve weeks of pregnancy. The fetus is beginning to develop.

Second trimester

The second trimester is the thirteen to twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy. This trimester is for fetal development. You will notice the fetus move, kick and turn inside your womb.

Third trimester

The third and last trimester is the twenty-nine to forty weeks of pregnancy. During this trimester, your baby will continue to grow and get ready for birth.

What are the things you need to do during pregnancy?

Here are all the things you need to do when you get pregnant:

Taking vitamins

Your body will go through a lot because of pregnancy. Taking vitamins will give your body and baby the nutrition it needs. Take vitamins rich in:

calcium
iron
folate
omega-3

Exercise and stay active

Working out is good for you and the baby. There are many benefits of exercising and staying active, this includes:

better sleep
reduces anxiety
helps you stay fit and healthy
muscle pain and cramps during pregnancy
mood problems

Visit your doctor

Even if you are a mother conceiving her second or third child, prenatal visits to your doctor are necessary. You should visit your doctor within the first eight weeks of pregnancy. Here are some of the reasons why you should visit your doctor:

ensure the health of your baby
your doctor can educate you on pregnancy and proper childcare
your doctor will be able to see complications of the pregnancy
your doctor can give counselling and support
your doctor will let you know your due date

Get plenty of rest and sleep.

According to studies, pregnant women should sleep seven to nine hours daily. Lack of sleep or sleep deprivation will give a higher risk of problems, including:

pregnancy complications
high blood pressure
longer labours
higher risk of cesarean section
gestational diabetes

Eat healthily and properly.

Eating healthy food during pregnancy will help you and your baby have the proper nutrients. Here is some nutritious food to eat during pregnancy:

dairy products like cheese, yoghurt, and milk
eggs
sweet potatoes
salmon
legumes including peas, beans, peanuts, and soybeans
green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale
whole grains
meat from pork, chicken, and beef
berries

Always be cautious

You should be thinking about your baby’s welfare. There are pregnancy symptoms that doctors should be able to check, including:

abdominal pain and cramps
bleeding or vaginal discharge
severe headache
painful urination
blurred vision
body swelling

What are the things you should NOT be doing during pregnancy?

Here are the things you should not be doing when you are pregnant:

Smoking

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of complications, this includes:

miscarriage and stillbirth
Sudden infant death syndrome
premature birth
lower birth weight of the baby
learning disabilities
damage the baby’s developing brain and lungs

Drinking alcohol

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy will harm your baby’s development. Drinking alcohol will cause fetal alcohol syndrome causing growth problems and brain damage.

You should not worry if you consumed alcohol before you knew about the pregnancy. You can talk to a health practitioner or your doctor for help.

Do not drink caffeine.

Caffeine stimulates and increases heart rate and blood pressure. High levels of caffeine intake can harm the baby. The risk of pregnancy and miscarriage is also higher when you consume too much caffeine. Here are some drinks with caffeine that you should be avoiding:

coffee
energy drinks
tea
soft drinks

Eating raw meat

Eating uncooked meat can harm you and the baby. You can get an infection called toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat. The parasite pass to your baby and can cause problems, including:

miscarriage or stillbirth
premature birth
blindness or vision problems
delay in brain development
seizures
hearing loss
jaundice
anaemia and thrombocytopenia

Saunas and hot tubs

According to different researches and studies, hot tubs are not for pregnant women. Hot tubs and saunas cause hyperthermia. This condition leads to congenital abnormalities in your baby.

Here are some of the things you can do to reduce the risks of getting into hot temperatures:

limiting bath time
monitoring the shower temperature
observe your body’s temperature
uncomfortable and excessive sweating

Taking medicines not recommended by a doctor

Not all medicine is safe for your baby. You should avoid taking drugs without your doctors’ expert opinion. Here are some of the things you should not take without discussing them with your doctor:

Recreational drugs like cocaine and cannabis
Bismuth subsalicylate
decongestants
guaifenesin
aspirin and ibuprofen
isotretinoin
antibiotics

Why is breastfeeding necessary?

You are in charge of the decision of whether to breastfeed or not. There are many benefits of breastfeeding, this includes:

Breast milk keeps your newborn healthy
better immune system
breastfeeding supplies the vitamins and nutrients needed for your baby
it helps combat baby allergies and sickness
obesity avoidance
protection against infections and diseases
lowers the risk of health issues for the mother
speeding weight loss after pregnancy

Ava Jones

Hey welcome to my blog . I am a modern women who love to share any tips on lifestyle, health, travel. Hope you join me in this journey!