Your First Trimester

What to Expect During the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Your first trimester of pregnancy is the time of your last menstrual period (LMP) to 13 weeks. Following a missed menstrual period, expectant mothers may experience nausea / vomiting, fatigue, breast and nipple tenderness, mood changes, frequent urination, bloating and constipation.

Nausea / Vomiting (‘Morning Sickness)

Morning sickness is one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. It can begin before a woman even knows she is pregnant! It can occur any time of the day and some women experience even in the second and third trimesters.

Management of morning sickness include: eating small, frequent meals and avoiding foods and smells that trigger nausea. Your healthcare practitioner can prescribe certain medications if the morning sickness is unbearable. Preggie Pops or Pop Drops are commercially available products commonly used to manage nausea. Some women also find relief by drinking ginger tea.

Constipation

Constipation is very common in pregnancy. However, it can be prevented with proper hydration, adding fiber to your diet, and daily exercise. Sometimes, your healthcare professional may need to prescribe medication to help you with this problem. It is not recommended that you take something over the counter until you speak with your provider first!

As soon as you suspect that you might be pregnant, visit your health care provider who can advise you further and will perform any necessary tests to ensure the start of a healthy pregnancy. At this point, your health care provider can confirm your pregnancy using blood tests and determine your estimated due date. Typically a range of blood and urine tests are performed as well as a pap smear if you haven’t had one recently. You will be prescribed prenatal vitamins and possibly other vitamin supplements (i.e. iron, folic acid) to ensure the healthy development of the fetus.

During the first trimester, expect to make monthly prenatal visits to ensure the well being of your unborn baby.

This is also a good time to start finding out about prenatal classes in your area. Your health care provider should have more information on this.

During your first trimester it is healthy to gain between 6 to 11 pounds of weight, depending upon the size of your baby. Speak to your health care provider about any changes you might need to make to your diet to ensure healthy weight gain.

Mild to moderate exercise is considered acceptable in a normal healthy pregnancy. It is strongly recommended to speak with your healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimens. Through a google search you may be able to find exercise classes specifically targeted to expectant mothers (i.e. prenatal yoga).

Most women will experience a normal healthy pregnancy. However, there are warning signs all expectant mothers should be aware of and notify their healthcare professional if they are experiencing any of these signs. The most common complication of the first trimester is miscarriage.

Signs of a miscarriage are as follows: vaginal bleeding, back pain, cramping.

The fetus is rapidly developing at every point of the first trimester. Do not hesitate to ask questions if there is anything you are unsure about. It is important to give you baby the best start!

Diet and Pregnancy

Diet and Pregnancy

As an expectant mother, you will need to make some changes to your regular diet to ensure that your baby is getting all the nutrients he/ she requires as well and the correct amount of calories for his/her normal growth.

While the general notion during pregnancy is that you are “eating for two”, you realistically only need to increase your caloric intake by about 100 calories in the first trimester and 300 calories in the second and third trimesters.

Eat plenty of starches especially whole grain breads, pasta and brown rice. Ensure that you are getting as much fiber as possible in your diet as this will help to avoid constipation during pregnancy. Aim for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. These will provide essential vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.

Proteins are an essential part of the pregnancy diet and you should opt for protein sources that also contain high amounts of iron such as lean meats. While fish and seafood are high in proteins, you should limit your intake to no more that 12oz per week. Fish such as swordfish, mackerel and tilefish contain mercury that can cause birth defects in the unborn child. All meats should be thoroughly cooked before consumption to ensure that all bacteria have been killed. Avoid pates and liver that contains high amounts of Vitamin A.

While you should include dairy foods that are a good source of calcium, there are some dairy products that may be harmful for the baby. These include some cheeses such as Blue cheese, Camembert, Brie as well as unpasteurized milk.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause learning disabilities and physical deformities in the child. Alcohol and smoking is not recommended during pregnancy.

Java junkies are advised to avoid coffee and other caffeine containing products. Caffeine can cause miscarriage, low birth weight and even stillbirth. Tea and coffee also make it harder for our bodies to absorb iron, an essential mineral required during pregnancy. Substitute your coffee with herbal teas that are safe in pregnancy including citrus peel, ginger, lemon balm, orange peel and rose hip teas. Avoid chamomile tea.

Prenatal Vitamins are specially formulated to provide the necessary vitamins during pregnancy and are an important part of your prenatal care. Ensure that you are getting at least 400mcg of folic acid daily in your supplement at least during the first trimester of pregnancy. Ideally you should begin folic acid supplementation about 3 months before conception. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables. However, due to the importance of folic acid in preventing neural tube defects especially during the first trimester, it is essential to take a folic acid supplement daily.

Expectant mothers typically require 30mg of iron during the second and third trimester; iron is found in red meat, pulses, bread, green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals. Since the unborn baby obtains all his/her calcium form the mothers stores, you will also need to ensure that your are getting between 1000-1300 mg of calcium and 200 IU of Vitamin D in your diet or through a dietary supplement.

Remember that too much of a good thing can be bad. While you need a good prenatal vitamin, mega doses of supplements such as Vitamin A can be harmful to your child. Speak to your healthcare provider about the correct supplement for you.

Make sure you are getting plenty of fluids throughout the pregnancy. It is important to stay well hydrated.

Most of all, savor what you eat and enjoy your pregnancy!