Congratulations on finding out you are pregnant!

Image of Pregnant womanSome of you will be old hands to pregnancy having been there and done that before (some of you may even have the tee-shirt!) However  each pregnancy is different. If it is your first pregnancy everything may seem a little daunting, but hopefully you will be able to have plenty of time to rest, especially towards the end of your pregnancy when you are on maternity leave. Those of you who have children already may feel more confident knowing what to expect, but may not get quite as much time to rest especially if your existing family are still quite young.

First Trimester (Weeks 0-12)
For the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy you should aim  to take a folic acid tablet each day (see the local pharmacist for suitable  doses) and try to rest as much as possible. You may feel extremely tired, this  is because your body is trying to work twice as hard as normal to create your  baby. Rest as much as you can during the first trimester (3 months) - it can be  hard especially if you feel unready to tell friends and family that you are pregnant.

Dealing with Pregnancy Sickness and Nausea
Pregnancy Sickness/ Morning Sickness You may feel sick (or even be sick) especially during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy. Bizarrely the best way of avoiding feeling sick is to eat a little snack every few hours. Ensure it is a fairly healthy snack with lots of nutrients. Having a ginger biscuit or banana before you get  out of bed can help as can ensuring that you get your breakfast as soon as you  get up.

If you feel peckish later on you could have some cereal, or some wholemeal toast, or fruit, dried fruit, crackers, flapjack. Often if you  can manage to have something to eat when you are feeling nauseous it can get rid  of the nausea. It can be hard to get your head round especially when normally  when you feel sick the last thing you need to do is eat! In pregnancy this is not the case, often eating helps!!

You may find that nausea and vomiting (being sick) in pregnancy can come and go in waves. You can help prevent pregnancy sickness by eating regularly. You may have a day or two that is bad and then a break, or you might find that you will have it continuously throughout your pregnancy.

However if you are very sick and can’t keep anything down, contact your GP urgently, in severe cases you may need a drip to re-hydrate you. Don’t suffer in silence. You may be suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum http://www.hyperemesis.org.uk/

Can I be pregnant and not get pregnancy sickness (morning sickness)?
Absolutely! Some women find that they are not sick at all throughout their pregnancies, some experience a mild form of nausea and some may be sick during labour but not every woman who is pregnant will suffer from pregnancy sickness.
 

Other symptoms you may experience during the first trimester (first 12 weeks)

Breast soreness or sensitivity - your breasts could be very sore and heavy and sensitive, in a similar way to how they are before your period, maybe a little bit worse) This is fairly normal but if it is very bad or  you have other symptoms do get in touch with your  GP.

Irritability or Weeping Some mums find that the hormones surging around their body makes them feel like they have very bad PMT like  symptoms, sometimes swinging from being happy one minute to being irritable, moody or weepy the next. Again this is fairly common and will settle down generally in the second trimester if not before. It can be hard. If you are suffering do tell your partner how you feel as he will not understand if you  don’t tell him how you are feeling! Be gentle on yourself, do as little as  possible until you feel better

Growing Pains
Some of you will have growing pains in your uterus which feel like period pains. If you are worried, contact your GP or midwife. If you notice any bleeding contact your GP immediately. If not, it is probably just simply a case that your uterus is stretching to make room for your baby and should calm down after a few weeks.
If these pains are severe, sharp or prolonged and /or accompanied by bleeding get medical help

Increase in Vaginal Discharge
Some people experience an increase in their natural vaginal discharge during pregnancy. If this is not  itchy, a strange colour or smelly, then don’t worry, simply use a panty liner

Telling family and friends
Some people like to wait until they have reached 12 weeks before they tell parents and friends (the risk of miscarriage is greatest during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy) However when you tell everyone is up to you. It is nice to tell people in person and make sure that immediate family get told first, there is nothing worse than finding out that someone is pregnant  from someone else :-)

Seeing the Midwife
Some people are surprised to find out that they find they are pregnant and then do not have contact with the Midwife until they are booked in at around 10-12 weeks. This is fairly normal but can be a bit  disconcerting if you have questions you would like to ask. If you are worried at  all or would like to talk about your pregnancy - give your midwife a call. If you would prefer you can contact a midwife at TOMMY’s Campaign (non-urgent  questions only) Click Here

Antenatal tests, scans and screenings
Once you are booked in with the midwife you will be  expected to attend appointments at your local clinic and at your local hospital,  depending on which test you are having. Mums expecting twins or triplets (or more!) will be expected to have more scans and will be more closely monitored - this is very routine and nothing to worry about. Older mums may be offered a wider range of tests to ensure that your baby is healthy. To find out more about antenatal tests and screenings and what they are for, click  here

Eating in Pregnancy

Avoid -
Vitamin pills unless they are specifically formulated  for pregnancy, liver products as they are too high in vitamin A, unpasteurised and soft cheeses and milk products, homemade mayonnaise and  mousses and anything else made with raw or runny egg, shellfish salads unless washed carefully, under cooked food

Do Eat
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, wholemeal  bread, drink plenty of milk, ensure that what you eat has maximum number of  nutrients and minimum levels of salt, sugar, and refined flour

Moderation rules!

Alcohol is still under debate for safety in pregnancy.  Logic suggests that a little, occasionally will probably be ok, but drinking heavily and/or frequently is probably NOT a good idea.

Caffeine again is not good in pregnancy but a little  occasionally will be fine. (going from drinking lots of caffeine to drinking no  caffeine will probably produce withdrawl symptoms so if you want to cut down do so  S-L-O-W-L-Y!)

Tuna should be eaten in moderation during pregnancy due  to the possible link to mercury.

If you take medication discuss the suitability for it in pregnancy with your GP (however do NOT suddenly stop taking it unless instructed  to do so by your GP!)

Things to AVOID doing when pregnant!

Try to avoid doing any heavy lifting- if you need  something heavy moving, ask someone else to lift it for  you!

Cleaning out the cat! Cat poo is a carrier of toxoplasmosis which can cause fetal abnormalities and still birth, so get  someone else to clean out the cat - or teach her to go outside, or if you really  MUST do it, ensure you use a good thick pair of rubber gloves, and disinfect  your hands well after dealing with your cats tray.

Standing up all day or sitting down all day! Try to avoid spending too much time either standing still or sitting down, you need to be able to sit down or walk around to avoid deep vein thrombosis  developing.

Things that are very helpful to DO during pregnancy

Buy the essentials of what you need when your baby is  newborn

Sort out your living space so that the baby can  seamlessly move in, the last thing you want to be doing is setting up your home whilst your baby screams for a feed/ nappy change!

Do it online! Sort out Online Banking and work out how to do your  grocery shopping online!! Most urban and semi rural areas have internet grocery shopping facilities learn how to use them when you are pregnant and keep using them when your baby is born- it will save you loads of time (and if you have a toddler in tow, probably lots of money!)

Make a list of addresses
Make a list of addresses/ e-mail addresses/ telephone numbers of people who you would like to contact to tell them about the birth so  that you or your partner can tell everyone :-)

Organise someone to   care for your existing children/ feed your pets / houseplants whilst you are in hospital

Second Trimester (Weeks 13-27)
The weeks 13-27 are often when mums begin to bloom having the makings of a bump, glossy and thick hair, and fast growing nails.  Often mums look radiant during this part of the pregnancy. This is a good time to organise your baby’s nursery (or clear out a corner of your room to make way  for the cot!) as well as get plenty of rest. Some people however do not feel quite as radiant and if this is the case with you, contact your midwife for help :-)

You may feel your baby move from around 17 weeks (maybe a little earlier if you already have children, maybe a little later if it is  your first baby or twins) This may feel a little like fluttering, or wind at first but will get stronger. Most mums enjoy lying in bed, snuggling up to their partners back, letting the baby kick dad! Eventually you will feel elbows knees, heads and bottoms moving and it is sometimes possible to find out which bit of your baby is where.

Talking to your partner about what he is able to do after the birth is a good idea, and discuss whether you would like to breast feed or bottle feed and how you would like the birth to progress, including whether you want pain relief (no pain relief/ some pain relief/ every type of  pain relief going!) and possibly write a birth plan. A birth plan simply outlines what you would LIKE to happen during the birth (if possible) however  nothing is set in stone, you can change your mind at the time and often peoples birth plans do not make it out of the labour ward bag!

Third Trimester (weeks  28-40)
The final three months of your pregnancy is where you  might find that you are increasingly tired, and unfortunately you may find it  hard to sleep towards the end of the pregnancy. Getting plenty of rest and help with your other children is vital during the last part of your pregnancy.

Ensure that you stock your freezer up with plenty of easy to prepare meals, and get some loaves of bread and pop them into your freezer too. Stock up your cupboards so you have plenty of tinned products, and tea bags, and coffee etc.

Pre-eclampsia
Towards the end of your pregnancy watch out for symptoms of Pre-eclampsia (mainly high blood pressure and protein in your urine but may  include severe headaches, swelling of wrists, ankles, pain in the upper abdomen.) You may be advised to remove your rings by around 7 months, this is to prevent them having to be cut off should you have oedema (swelling) of your hands/ feet in the later stages of pregnancy.

Heartburn is very common in the latter stages of pregnancy this can be dealt with by drinking milk, eating yoghurt, drinking  peppermint tea, propping yourself up on pillows. If you are suffering with  heartburn you should mention it to your GP who might be able to prescribe a  remedy (don’t just take your regular preparation without talking to your  GP/Pharmacist first)

Constipation
Having a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and drinking plenty of water can help with constipation.

Getting Comfortable in Bed!
It can help to prop your tummy up with pillows. This takes the weight off your bump

Frequency of urination (need to pee!) towards the end of your pregnancy you may find that you constantly need to wee, purely because your baby is pressing on your bladder. Keep on drinking plenty of water, it is  important to keep your fluid levels up

Braxton Hicks Some of you may start having practice contractions in  later pregnancy (which are not as intense but involve a tightening of your abdomen which generally come and then go again) These are fairly normal and nothing to worry about.

Expecting Twins or More?!

Pre-natal Depression / Pregnancy Blues in later pregnancy
When you are in the later stages of pregnancy you may experience a form of pregnancy blues or pre-natal depression. This is fairly common, especially as your body is working extra hard and doing even small chores can tire you out quickly. You may find it hard to sleep on a night which can leave you feeling low. If you have a toddler or older children to cope with as well, you may find it increasingly hard to cope. The thought of having a baby to cope with can seem overwhelming. You are not alone, many people go through similar experiences. Try to get plenty of help with your other children and the chores, and get a small amount of gentle exercise each day. Invite your friends round to cheer you up.

Often THINKING about having a baby is WORSE than actually having one, so try not to stress too much about it. Thinking positive thoughts about your baby can help, tell yourself repeatedly that you WILL cope, that having a baby is manageable, and can even be fun. If you need any help and reassurance about how to cope with your new baby please either e-mail mail@dontwakethebaby.co.uk or check out the birth to one page where there is some useful advice about coping with a newborn baby.

If you feel very depressed however please do contact your GP or Midwife who may be able to help you.

Signs of Labour
You will know that you have gone into labour if you  experience any of the following symptoms

Who can I call if I am unsure if I am in Labour? phone tiny

If you have any doubts call your hospital delivery suite for advice. Their number should be on your notes

 

 © Don’t Wake the Baby 2007 All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: Any advice you take you do so because you believe in your own mind that it is right for you and you do so completely at your own risk. Always get immediate medical help if you have any health concerns.

www.dontwakethebaby.co.uk

Don’t Wake the Baby is a UK based Parenting and Pregnancy information Website and Online Shop

 
 

Don't_Wake1