Pregnancy marks one of the most significant transitions in a woman's life as she ventures into motherhood. It can be exciting yet frightening at the same time, especially if you are expecting your first child. Becoming a parent for the first time involves challenges, adjustments, and learning, but it is not something that readily comes with step-by-step instructions. At the same time, pregnancy will cause you to experience changes with your body, which can feel all new and foreign for you.
Typically, pregnancy will last for, more or less, 40 weeks, which is divided into three trimesters. Weeks 1 to 12 will be the first trimester, weeks 13 to 26 will mark the pregnancy in the second trimester, and week 27 until birth will serve as the third trimester. During each of these phases, you may experience different symptoms and changes within your body. As such, it is important to stay knowledgeable about what to expect and what to do as you go through your pregnancy journey.
If you had recently found out about your pregnancy, congratulations! Get ready for a beautiful nine-month journey involving preparations, adjustments, and changes as you wait for your little one to come. It is natural to feel nervous about your first pregnancy, but with the proper guidance from your doctor and loved ones, you should not feel overwhelmed.
First Trimester
The first trimester is known to be a critical period since major structures and organs begin to develop in this period. You may also experience symptoms like morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting due to hormonal changes in your body. Before visiting the doctor, it is also advisable to talk to your insurance provider to see whether your policy includes pregnancy. You will usually make your first prenatal appointment in the eighth or ninth week to confirm the pregnancy.
As mentioned earlier, this period is critical to your baby's development, so take extra care of your health. Ensure you have a balanced diet and get enough nutrients--taking prenatal vitamins can help you get folic acid, which can help prevent birth defects. If you are also into fitness, ask your doctor about what exercise routine you should follow.
The first trimester is indeed a period of learning and getting to understand what your body is going through. Take this time to read books or download apps that help you track your pregnancy journey. You can also purchase a journal to describe your journey in more detail, so you can look back at it in the future. During this time, you may also want to start thinking of what you need to prepare for your baby.
Second Trimester
The skeleton, muscles, tissues, and other important parts will start to form during your pregnancy in the second trimester. As such, you may start to notice your bump getting bigger, making the pregnancy more pronounced. In most cases, women can sigh a relief during this period since the symptoms, like tiredness and morning sickness, from the first-trimester start to go away. You may continue to experience food cravings, but generally, you should feel much better.
At this time, you can start looking for maternity wear if you find that your clothes are starting to get tight. Once you hit the 20-week mark, you can schedule an ultrasound appointment to check how your baby is developing and find out your little one's gender. If you want to organize a baby shower, now it will be the best time to do it. Another exciting thing that may happen is you may start to feel your baby "kicking" as he or she moves around your belly.
As a whole, this period brings you closer to the end of your journey as you pass the halfway mark. Thus, you can start looking into things like strollers, breast pumps, cribs, and car seats to prepare for your little one. This period may also be the ideal time to start thinking of names since it can take you some time to figure one out!
Third Trimester
As the third trimester enters, you will start to feel the kicks and rolls becoming stronger, so sleeping on your side is more advisable. Since you are preparing for delivery, you can start decorating your nursery or baby room. You will start to visit your doctor more frequently at this time, so it will be best to prepare a hospital bag for your stay. If you are feeling nervous, doing some simple yoga poses or meditation can help ease some of the anxiety as you wait for your baby to arrive.
The last few days of your pregnancy will be busy ones as your doctor keeps a close eye on your fetus to determine when you need to go into labor. Before you know it, you will have your little one in your arms.
