What to expect when your expecting!
Life has been hectic lately with work, Covid-19 and my little one being out of childcare and working from home. He’s in the terror dactual three’s as I like to all it. One minute he can be the sweetest thing and saying ‘I love you Mummy now’, us doing silly toddler dancing watching Cocomelon (on YouTube and very educational) to the next minute being incredibly cheeky and running away from me with something he shouldn’t have (he’s a very fast runner for a two year old), to then having a major melt down over something.
It’s so much fun and rewarding especially when they are giggling like crazy, but also very challenging especially at times when your trying to work from home or get stuff done around the house.
Now let’s talk about that first trimester and announcing your pregnancy. The first trimester can be a breeze for some people. I didn’t really have any major issues and just snacked on a regular basis to keep the nausea at bay and going to bed early, as I was generally more tired than normal. I found the time I felt most nauseous was at 10pm at night a few hours after eating dinner. I found making homemade popcorn and snacking on it during the day was the best.
This period dragged a bit for me, as you don’t want to tell anyone other than your closest friends and family. My mum was the worst at keeping the secret, as I think she was so excited to be a grandmother for the first time. I was in my first trimester and it was the Xmas party period as well, so another major challenge pretending your having a fancy looking cocktail, when you’re just drinking a mocktail. Being around people drinking while your tired and straight as an ox isn’t much fun.
While you don't really majorly show during your first trimester, you'll start to notice small changes in your stomach and your clothes will start to feel tighter around the waist. I found this all very exciting watching my body slowly change and my tummy growing.
Here’s a useful list of first trimester to-do’s from what to expect when your expecting:
- Start a prenatal vitamin. If you haven’t already, start taking a prenatal vitamin immediately — doing so in the first trimester has been shown to greatly reduce the risk of neural tube defects (like spina bifida).
- Choose your practitioner. There are a number of different practitioners you can choose for your pregnancy, from your local doctor who specialises in maternal health, gynaecologist to midwife. So take time to consider your options and pick the right way forward for your needs.
- Book your first visit with your local doctor. Your doctor will review your medical history and perform a thorough physical exam. You'll likely undergo a battery of tests, including a Pap smear, urinalysis and blood work to determine your blood type and Rh status, hCG levels and the presence of any infections. You'll likely have an initial ultrasound to confirm a heartbeat, date your pregnancy and be sure things are progressing as they should. You might also be screened for genetic illnesses or diabetes, depending on your family history. While your practitioner will ask lots of questions, be prepared to ask plenty of your own: Now's the time to inquire about the safety of any medications you’re currently taking, help for quitting smoking or anything else that’s on your mind.
- Consider genetic tests. You’ll likely have a nuchal translucency screening (between weeks 10 and 13 of pregnancy) to look for Down syndrome and congenital heart defects; based on your risks, your practitioner may also recommend NIPT around week 9 (a noninvasive blood screening that looks for chromosomal abnormalities) and/or invasive but more definitive prenatal tests (chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis).
- Make a budget. Growing your family is an excellent — and necessary — time to re-evaluate your monthly expenses. So learn the cost of having a baby, then set up your monthly budget.
- Eat right. Now’s the time to cut down on caffeine, as well as to learn which foods to avoid and which to feature in your pregnancy diet so you can stock your kitchen accordingly.
- Carve out time for fitness. There are lots of benefits of exercise during pregnancy for you and baby — which can be good motivation to get your 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Not sure where to start? Try these pregnancy-friendly workouts.
- Have sex, if you feel like it. It’s fun and safe for baby — plus it has benefits for both of you.
- Start thinking about baby names. If you don’t have a baby name in mind, it’s never too early to start tossing around ideas. Check out these 10 tips for naming your baby for guidance.
- Plan to announce your pregnancy. Think about how and when you want to tell your friends and family the good news, and if and when you’ll announce on social media. Most women wait until the end of the first trimester to do so, when the risk of miscarriage is lower. And if you’re employed, start thinking about when to tell your boss your pregnant and what to say; do your research in advance to understand your company’s maternity leave policies.
There is definitely a lot to think about during this first twelve weeks while your body is adapting to your pregnancy, so take it easy and enjoy the ride, if your not too sick. Doctor google is very helpful in keeping you informed and apps like Babycenter and What to expect can help you track your babies progress and keep you informed about What to expect when your expecting!
Chat to you again soon.
Wow Baby Mumma xx