First Time Pregnancy: 7 tips You Should Know About Your First Trimester

You have just gotten the big news!  You are pregnant! The feeling when you get confirmation from your doctor, is amazing! Having a child is the most precious, amazing and scariest thing ever! Don’t worry though, I know it seems as if there is so much to do before the baby comes and there is, but relax, it’ll be okay and you’ll have help to get these things taken care of.  Here are some tips for you for first time pregnancy. These will help you get through your first time being pregnant with little worrying. Let’s face it, we’re women and we worry but don’t get so worked up, it will upset the baby. Good luck and congratulations.

Take Care of Yourself During your pregnancy

The basic premise here is to be healthy and stay healthy for you and your baby.  Don’t smoke or be around second hand smoking or be around heavy smokers. You should not drink either.  You should sleep and rest as much as possible because you will NEED it! If you’re not, start taking prenatal vitamins, with folic acid.  When you buy these, always make sure they contain folic acid. It is vital to your pregnancy. Taking care of yourself will ensure that you have a healthy baby growing inside of you.  Your baby’s neural cord turns into the brain and spinal cord, developing in the 1st month you’re pregnant. Therefore, essential vitamins and minerals are very important from day one.

Exercise

If you don’t know this, it is very important that you exercise in some way to help with stress, weight control, help your circulation, keep your mood stable and you’ll sleep better if you exercise.  You should take a walk for at least 15-20 minutes each day. Swimming is a really good exercise when you are pregnant, especially if it’s summer time! Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Get to know more about your baby

I did not go to any classes but I was scheduled to have a C-section.  I did educate myself and I learned about what was going on with my body.  Learn the pains and what happens each week as your baby grows inside. If you read up on the baby, it will get you thinking about certain questions to ask your doctor.  Also, find out your family history, you’re going to need to know everything about everyone.

Keep track of your weight gains

During your pregnancy, it’s okay to gain weight, you’re eating for two, however, gaining too much weight can be unhealthy for you.  Also, you’ll have a hard time losing the weight if you gain too much. If you don’t gain enough weight, your baby’s birth weight and health could be in jeopardy.  This is what doctors recommend that you gain for your pregnancy:

1. Underweight: Gain 28-40 Pounds
2. Normal Weight: Gain 25-35 Pounds
3. OverWeight: Gain: 15-25 Pounds
4. Obese: Gain 11-20 Pounds

Eating Healthy will pay off! Trust me!

The whole time that I was pregnant, I craved a lot of fruits, chocolate milk and salads.  That occasional Arby’s sandwich as well, but for the most part, I wanted fruits and veggies. You definitely should drink about 8-10 glasses of water a day.  My doctor told me that I should eat about five or six well-balanced meals each day. When you eat, you need to make sure that you are eating foods that are folate-rich.  These foods include: cereals, lentils, oranges, orange juice and asparagus. Again, folic acid is extremely important in the development of your baby’s neural tube. Folic Acid also is vital for red blood cells to be created.  Like I said, when I was pregnant, I ate a lot of fruit. My doctor suggested that I lay off the coffee when I was pregnant, she allowed one cup a day for me but suggested that I eat fruit to get that natural energized feeling. Natural sugars in bananas and apples can lift your energy levels, which is close to a cup of coffee.

Eating fish during pregnancy

My OB said there was a study done that had pregnant women who ate fish during pregnancy and those who did not.  The pregnant women who ate fish during their pregnancy had children with higher I. Q.s, were better at communicating and had better motor skills. In fish, there is Omega 3, which is a nutrient that helps your brain develop as a baby.  One thing to think about, however, fish can contain mercury, which is toxic. There are guidelines for fish eating from the FDA that suggests specific amounts of fish for pregnancy. Pregnant women should only eat 12 ounces of fish per week.  Canned light tuna, shrimp, salmon or catfish are good options. Do not eat Swordfish, shark, tilefish or mackerel as these contain high levels of mercury.

The last tip, know when to call your doctor

Since it’s your first time being pregnant, it’s scary. If you don’t know what your pains are, call the doctor or talk to a  nurse in the office and ask them about the pains. If you have any pain call the doctor.

Also, here are a few other reasons to call your doctor ASAP:

1. Strong Cramps
2. Contractions that are about 20 minutes apart
3. Vaginal bleeding
4. Leaking Fluid
5. Dizziness
6. Fainting
7. Shortness of Breath
8. Heart Palpitations
9. Vomiting
10. Nausea
11. You can’t walk
12. Swelling Limbs
13. Your baby is not moving or showing activity

Congratulations again on being pregnant!  Enjoy the time you have with your partner, learning and loving your baby. Sleep and just stay as relaxed as possible. I was once told, “if you’re happy during pregnancy, your baby will be too,”.  I am a true believer in this, could be a coincidence. Enjoy your pregnancy!!