First Trimester Pregnancy - What's happening with you and your baby

First Trimester Pregnancy

A developing baby is one of many miracles. As a mother, you get to experience every stage of this phenomenal event. Often, when women are asked to name what the most empowering moment of their lives was, the most common answer is giving birth. Here is what's happening as your baby develops, month by month.

In the first month of your pregnancy, your baby is about the size of a dime. He or she has developed eyes, mouth and head and his legs and arms are growing. Your new baby's heart and lungs have begun to beat and his lungs have begun to form. He is about have an inch long at the end of the first month of pregnancy.

In the second month of pregnancy all of your baby's organs are present. He is about an inch long and weighs about an ounce.

In the third month of pregnancy you will be able to hear you baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope. Your baby has developed fingers, toes, and soft nails. By the end of the third month, he is four inches long and weights a little over an ounce.

During these first months, you will also notice many changes in your own body due to increased levels of hormones. Read on to discover how your body is adapting and how to react.

The first trimester of your pregnancy occurs from 0-12 weeks. In this stage you will see your body undergoing many changes as it adjusts to your growing baby. However, don't worry too much, many of the initial discomforts go away as your pregnancy progresses. In addition, you may not even experience all of these symptoms. Some women are just lucky. Below are some of the most common symptoms and how to deal with them.

Breast changes

Even if you're not telling anyone you're expecting yet, your baby certainly is. One of the early pregnancy signs that is hard to miss are your breasts swelling to unheard of proportions. You may very well be wondering... Are these really mine? You many notice some swelling and tenderness in your breasts. This is due to an increased amount of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in your body. These changes prepare you to feed your baby when he or she arrives. A supportive bra will minimize stretching and sagging.

Tiredness

You may experience fatigue due to the physical and emotional demands of pregnancy. This is perfectly normal. Don't worry, the tiredness will pass over time and be replace with a feeling of well being and increased energy.

Be sure to get eight hours of sleep every night and take a nap during the day if possible.. Once your body adjusts, you should feel your energy returning. Until then, don't feel bad to work a few less hours while your body is adjusting. This would be the perfect time to pull in the husband for some extra help.

To avoid fatigue be sure to :

• Get plenty of sleep each night


• Eat a proper diet


• Get some exercise... walking is one of the best exercises during pregnancy

Just over half of all expectant women experience some degree of morning sickness. Morning sickness is caused by increased levels of hormones. This can lead to feelings of nausea and sometimes even vomiting. Unlike its name, morning sickness does not always occur in the morning. Luckily, the symptoms usually aren't felt much beyond the third month.

Tips for Morning sickness:

- Eat 6 to 8 small meals a day instead of 3 large meals. An empty stomach can contribute to morning sickness symptoms. Always be prepared with nutritious snacks on the go.

- Eat a diet that is high in protein and complex carbohydrates.

- Drink lots of water. Get in the habit of carrying a water bottle with you.

- A prenatal vitamin supplement may help alleviate unwanted symptoms.

- Avoid the sight, smell and taste of foods that make you nauseous.

Frequent urination

Do you find yourself sprinting to the bathroom every five minutes? The increased volume of body fluids may very well be causing you to urinate more often. By leaning forward when you urinate, you will ensure that you empty your bladder completely and reduce trips to the bathroom.

Dizziness

You may feel some dizziness due to extra blood going down towards your uterus and legs. This causes a lock of blood supply to fill the rapidly expanding circulatory system.

Tips on how to avoid dizziness:

To help curb these dizzy spells, be sure to get up very gradually and eat plenty of protein at every meal.

Leg Cramps

You've probably heard that calcium is important for women. This is especially true during pregnancy. During pregnancy, you may experience leg cramps due to a change in the way your body processes calcium. To avoid these cramps, be sure to get plenty of calcium through nonfat or lowfat milk and other calcium-rich foods.

Increased Appetite and Cravings

Do you suddenly crave apples and pretzels (or any other unusual food for that matter). Due to your body's increased need for more nutrients and energy to sustain your growing baby, you may find that your appetite increases during the first trimester. In addition, you may also find your taste buds changing. This is mainly due to hormone changes. All of this is completely normal and will probably continue until birth.