Welcome to the beginning of your first trimester. You have more than likely taken a home pregnancy test and now congratulations are in order!
Many of the mothers we have had the honor and privilege of supporting throughout the years, all begin with the question…now what?
Missed Period and Wild Hormones
Most people will test for pregnancy after a missed period. That’s about 4-5 weeks pregnant. At this point your little one is about the size of a piece of rice. Lots of changes are taking place in your body. Hormones are rising and your body is responding to that increase with fun symptoms like: nausea, fatigue, tender breasts, headaches and maybe even some bloating. The other fun symptoms start a little later.
You may begin having lots of nausea, vomit and food aversions around 8-14 weeks of pregnancy. Eating small, frequent meals will be helpful. Getting protein of some sort will be ideal during this time. Try to sip water all day to keep yourself from getting dehydrated.
Prenatal Visits
Typically you will see a doctor of some sort. If you have an OBGYN or Midwife already, you may want to call them to set up a confirmation appointment and first prenatal appointment. This appointment usually takes place around 8 or so weeks pregnant. Your little one can then be seen on an ultrasound and you can clearly hear their little heartbeat thumping well into the hundred beats per minute. They look a little like a gummy bear on the ultrasound screen. Your provider will use the measurements from the ultrasound, and your LMP or Last Menstrual Period date to determine your EDD or Estimated Due Date. Your baby is about 1 inch long now, about 20 more to go.
You can plan on seeing your provider about every 4 weeks from about 8 weeks until about 28 weeks, which is the start of the third and final trimester of pregnancy. During these visits, your provider will take your measurements of your fundus, (the top of your uterus in regards to your pubic bone), listen to baby’s heartbeat, want a urine sample from you, blood pressure and weight.
Around 11 weeks of pregnancy, your medical provider will offer an ultrasound test to test for Down Syndrome. They measure the baby’s head and thickness of the baby’s neck. They will share the results with you and have further discussions if it’s needed.
What to begin, now that you’re pregnant.
We recommend you always have open conversations with the medical provider you have chosen about anything that involves your health or of your baby’s. We also recommend beginning these next steps for a healthy pregnancy:
- Prenatal vitamin
- Eating whole foods, full of nutrition.
- Chiropractic care from a Webster Certified Chiropractor.
- Begin seeing a Pelvic Floor Therapist
- Exercise. Walk, run, yoga, lift weights, swim, dance…it’s all good for your body. If you have any concerns if you should be doing a particular exercise, chat with your doctor and seek out a certified pregnancy and postpartum exercise coach.
Things you may want to stop doing now that you’re pregnant.
- Alcohol, yes that includes wine 🙂
- High amounts of caffeine
- Cold lunch meat, hot dogs, soft cheeses, unpasteurized foods.
- Certain medications, fumes, household products
- Emptying the cat litter box
You will also more than likely share your excitement that you are expecting with friends and family during the first trimester. We love hearing the stories of how you told your partner, parents, grandparents, other family and friends. You can comment on this blog or even email us your stories.
We are excited for part 3 of this blog coming soon to go over Trimester 2 of pregnancy.
You can catch up on Part 1 HERE
