Discovering you’re pregnant is a life-changing occasion! Whether this is your first, second, third, or sixth pregnancy, growing a new human inside of you is a miraculous feeling.
But what does being pregnant mean? What should you be aware of? A full-term pregnancy ideally lasts 40 weeks or 10 months, and this total time is separated into three sections called trimesters.
- 1st Trimester: Conception to 13 weeks
- 2nd Trimester: 14 to 27 weeks
- 3rd Trimester: 28 to 40 weeks
Pregnancy and Your Growing Baby
Two significant hormones involved in pregnancy are estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen steers blood flow from your body to the placenta and uterus (womb). Progesterone maintains the lining of your uterus to support your pregnancy.
As your baby develops week-by-week, high levels of progesterone cause the uterus to increase in size, allowing it to hold your growing baby.
Your baby grows in different stages inside your belly. Important milestones in the first trimester include:
- Rhythm of baby’s heartbeat
- Can be seen with a vaginal ultrasound starting at five or six weeks of pregnancy and heard with a handheld ultrasound device at around 10 to 12 weeks
- Your little one’s organs begin to form at eight weeks
- Around 13 weeks of pregnancy, your baby can urinate, increasing the amount of amniotic fluid
Pregnancy Symptoms
Together, you and baby go through many changes during pregnancy. Your body changes to support baby’s growth and development. Here’s what you may notice during the first trimester:
Nausea and vomiting: The first symptom you may notice is increased nausea or vomiting, called “morning sickness.” These symptoms typically start between 4-6 weeks and may stop around 14 weeks of pregnancy. For some, the vomiting can be severe, causing a condition called hyperemesis gravidarium. If this is you, your pregnancy care provider can prescribe medications to help decrease your symptoms.
Tips to reduce:
- Eat small meals slowly
- Avoid waiting too long to eat between meals or snacks
- Limit or eliminate greasy foods high in fat
- Avoid foods with strong smells
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day
- Add ginger to your food and drinks
Heartburn: If you feel burning in your chest or throat, this comes from stomach acid flowing into your esophagus – the tube your food goes down when you swallow. It may begin around 12 weeks and can worsen as your pregnancy progresses. Over the counter antacids may bring relief; if not, ask your pregnancy provider for stronger relief they can prescribe.
Reduce symptoms:
- Don’t lie down directly after eating and keep your head elevated when you sleep
- Avoiding acidic or spicy foods
Constipation: You may have more constipation. This is caused by high levels of progesterone. When the smooth muscles in your colon relax, it leads to increased water absorption and slower movement through your digestive system.
Reduce symptoms:
- Eat fiber-rich foods
- Move your body by stretching, walking, or exercising
- Drink more water
- Ask your pregnancy care provider about taking a stool softener
Physical and Emotional Changes of Pregnancy
Breasts: Increased fluid and blood flow during pregnancy will cause your breasts to increase in size around 6-8 weeks, causing tenderness and feelings of heaviness. In addition, your nipples and areola (the circle around your nipples) will become larger and darken in color. Purchase and wear nursing bras for better support.
Vagina: You may begin to experience increased vaginal discharge due to increased blood flow to your vagina. Liners can protect your clothing and make you feel more comfortable.
Uterus: At 12-weeks’ gestation, the fundus (upper part of the uterus) rises high enough to be felt through your abdomen above your pubic bone.
Psychological: Discovering you’re pregnant can release a range of emotions: happiness, excitement, anxiety, uncertainty, or denial. All pregnancies aren’t planned, and whether you’re excitedly expecting your new bundle of joy or not, babies can add unexpected stress to you and your partner’s lives. Emotional changes are expected, but if you begin to feel overwhelmed or experience feelings of depression, reach out to your pregnancy care provider.
Feelings of depression include:
- Change in mood and being sad or anxious
- Trouble sleeping
- Low energy or tired
- Not eating meals
- Difficulty staying focused
- Loss of interest in your favorite activities
- Thoughts of harming yourself
Prenatal Appointments
A major decision you’re responsible for when you learn you’re pregnant is choosing a healthcare provider like an obstetrician or midwife. This may take time to research, and every week counts when you’re pregnant. You may choose a provider based on how close the hospital or birth center is to where you live, or because your current gynecologist works with a specific health center.
After you decide on your provider, you’ll have appointments generally every four weeks until you’re 28 weeks pregnant (as long as there aren’t complications). In the third trimester, your prenatal appointments will become more frequent. Regardless of who you choose, it’s best to begin receiving prenatal care as soon as possible for you and baby’s health.
What to Expect
You’ll complete several forms that share your medical history with your pregnancy care provider during your first visit. It’s important to give honest and truthful answers so your provider can properly treat any potential risk factors and ensure that you receive proper care.
You’ll also experience routine laboratory tests that require a blood draw. These tests will determine your blood type, check if you have low iron, and test if you have any sexually transmitted infections.
One of the most rewarding aspects of pregnancy is learning when you can expect your baby to be born. Your provider gives you baby’s estimated delivery date (EDD) when you tell them the first day of your last menstrual period. From this day, seven days are added, and three months are subtracted to determine the expected date of birth for your little one. The EDD can also be calculated by measuring your baby’s head, butt, and legs from an ultrasound scan of your belly.
Nutrition to Support You and Baby
Although your baby is growing and developing inside your belly, you don’t have to “eat for two.” It’s recommended that you only gain 20-30 pounds of weight during your pregnancy. Those numbers may vary depending on your starting weight and the needs of your growing baby. The American Pregnancy Association encourages pregnant women to eat an extra 300 calories daily of fruit, vegetables, whole wheat grains, and dairy.
In addition, prenatal vitamins that contain 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid and 300 mcg of iron help to prevent defects in your baby’s spine and keep you from becoming anemic. Talk to your pregnancy care provider about the many types of prenatal vitamins available that may fulfill your needs and are easy to take every day.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid During Pregnancy
You’ve likely heard that certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy due to bacteria that can harm you or your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about what you should and shouldn’t eat while pregnant.
Fish: Certain fish such as king mackerel, swordfish, big-eye tuna, and shark contain high levels of mercury. Mercury is a mineral that can harm baby’s brain, causing developmental delays.
- Deli meat: Also called lunch meat; these sliced meats often contain the bacteria listeria that can cross the placenta and cause an infection in your baby. Smoked seafood and jerky also may contain listeria. It’s recommended to heat deli meat until it is steaming before eating.
- Cheese and milk: Say “no” to eating unpasteurized cheese and milk, which also can contain listeria.
- Raw foods: Eating uncooked meats, shellfish, or eggs can expose you to bacteria such as salmonella or toxoplasmosis.
- Pica: Pica is the name for an eating disorder you may have if you want to eat things that aren’t considered food like ice, cornstarch, hair, laundry detergent, and dirt. Pica can occur during pregnancy and is dangerous because the items eaten cause you to severely lack the nutrition needed to maintain a healthy pregnancy and baby.
- Alcohol: There is no known safe amount of alcohol that can be consumed during pregnancy. Alcohol crosses the placenta during pregnancy and passes through breast milk. If you need help to stop drinking alcohol while pregnancy, talk with your pregnancy care provider.
Learning that you’re pregnant is a memorable experience that you won’t soon forget! Every week, you’ll feel the many changes that your body goes through as it starts to make a tiny new person. While your body is busy designing your baby, fill up with healthy foods and vitamins so it can do its very best! Congratulations mama!
