The news about a positive pregnancy is received with mixed feelings, not only by the expectant mother but also by all the other adults in the household! This is but natural since the arrival of the “bundle of joy” is bound to affect the lives of all those connected with it, in some way or the other—be it the mother-to-be (especially if it is her first child), the father-to-be, grandparents, other relatives, close friends, etc. Everyone’s thoughts now center round the stages of pregnancy and what changes to expect in the next few months till the actual birth of the baby.

As far as the expectant mother is concerned, her next step involves a visit to her family physician who will counsel her regarding health and nutrition and so on. The doctor may even send her to a qualified expert to undergo certain tests and examinations. The expert is able to provide better guidance and education concerning the different stages of pregnancy.

For the other members of the household, it is a different situation altogether. If the women have undergone pregnancies themselves or at least come in contact with other pregnant women, they generally know what to expect in the succeeding months following the conception. The others are totally in the dark, however! A brief description about what takes place during the varied stages of pregnancy is therefore presented in the paragraphs below.

Since no glaring changes are visible in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, the mother-to-be may not even know she has conceived! It is only when she experiences feelings of nausea or what is generally termed as “morning sickness” that she is prompted to go to a doctor, who then confirms that she is pregnant. How the news is received is dependent on the expectant mother herself! Anyway, mood swings can be expected during the initial weeks as her body is trying to cope with all the changes taking place within.

Hormonal changes are constant during the first trimester, that is, the commencement of the different stages of pregnancy. The pregnant woman’s body is trying to keep up with the growing fetus within her womb. Without her actually being aware of it, she is subject to vacillating moods and emotions. They stabilize at the end of two months or even more. As a matter of fact, she is already planning ahead and preparing herself to welcome the new arrival into the house! So housecleaning may probably be taken up vigorously and things which have been stored for years are ruthlessly discarded. This is also the time when the mother-to-be starts to gain weight.

During the middle stages of pregnancy, the pregnant woman is more inclined to discuss the pregnancy and what she is experiencing from within. She may even try to complete all the tasks which she might have taken up before becoming aware of her pregnant state.

The last stages of pregnancy usher in a lot of discomfort for the expectant mother and she is eagerly waiting to deliver her child! The discomfort may have been present from much earlier, but she takes notice of it only in the final two months. She tends to feel fatigued all the time. The growing fetus puts pressure on her bladder, causing her to make frequent trips to the bathroom. The baby is actually shifting its position and trying to create more room for itself; so the mother-to-be feels heavier in her front and experiences back pain. To get rid of these feelings of discomfort, she may again indulge in housecleaning!

With the last stages of pregnancy coming to an end and signaling the imminent arrival of the newborn, the expectant mother is too preoccupied to give much thought to other members of the household or even outsiders. This is very normal as she is going to take up a new responsibility and has to plan for her life ahead.

King of Prussia Family Wellness Center talks about different care options available during pregnancy.

I should get my period March 14th but im having alot of early pregnancy symptoms like fatigue mood swings and i have to pee alot, what are some other symptoms and could i be pregnant?

First trimester of pregnancy stages refers to the initial stages of childbearing. It normally lasts up to 12 weeks of gestation from conception. Some doctors calculate the period from the very first day of last menstrual period to the 14th week.   

This trimester normally appears to be very taxing for most of pregnant women. It is because so many hormonal changes start taking place in their bodies suddenly. They also feel an increased emotional quotient. Furthermore, the baby also develops at an amazing pace during this period. All these things confuse the first time mothers and they start wondering how to cope with all this. But all this confusion can be kept at bay by procuring basic information about these first few weeks of Pregnancy.

The first trimester of pregnancy stages is the most crucial phase for it greatly influences the development of the fetus. This is also the time when the mother would have to take maximum care of herself and her developing baby. If the mother retains the pink of her health during this phase, the fetus would definitely develop normally and would be healthy also. It is during these weeks only that the major systems and organs of the fetus start forming. Some developments take place right with the implantation of the embryo into uterine wall. The amniotic sac gets formed. This is followed by secretion of amniotic fluid, which acts as the life guard for the embryo. Made by a membrane covering the placenta from the side of the fetus, the fluid shields the fetus from injuries. It also helps in regulating the temperature of fetus.

Many dramatic developments and changes take place during first trimester of pregnancy stages. During this period, the terminologies also change very rapidly. This entails the new life implanted in the mother’s womb is termed an embryo during the first eight weeks. This embryo develops briskly and becomes a fully formed fetus in just three weeks. A full term fetus at the close of the first trimester usually weighs around an ounce and grows around 3-4 inches in length.

Changes Experienced By The Mother

During this phase, the body of the mother-to-be also experiences a lot of changes. The enlargement of the mammary glands causes swelling of the breasts. This is the preparatory step for breastfeeding that starts with tendering of the breasts. It mainly happens because of increased levels of estrogen and progesterone. To counter this, the expecting woman must wear a supportive bra. Darkening of areolas marks the second step of this preparation. The areolas are further covered by Montgomery’s tubercles that are the enlarged sweat glands in the form of white bumps. Furthermore, the veins present on the breasts also become more prominent especially at the surface.

Then the uterus of a pregnant woman also keeps growing rapidly thereby exerting pressure on her bladder. This pressure along with the improved blood flow to kidneys may cause her to urinate frequently. Mood swings, morning sickness, and fatigue are also at their peak during the first trimester of pregnancy stages.

If you’re pregnant, whether you know it or not you need a pregnancy diet plan. Many moms-to-be think, “Oh, good, I’m pregnant;that means I can eat anything I want”. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. A pregnancy diet plan is about ensuring you eat the right things for you and your baby to have a healthy pregnancy, it doesn’t mean “losing weight”.

While you do need SOME extra calories during pregnancy, you only need about 300 extra per day which really isn’t that much, it’s the equivalent of a small sandwich. You can have a treat every so often but, do not consume alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs during pregnancy, these can be harmful to your baby’s development.

Pregnancy and Weight…

It goes without saying that when you’re pregnant, you will gain some weight, for most women, that’s about 30 pounds (13-14kg) as long as you are of normal weight to start with, you should gain a little more if you were under weight when you became pregnant and a little less if you were overweight when you became pregnant. That weight gain, by the way, should come from healthy baby growth and good nutrition on your part, not because you ordered out from Domino’s Pizza every night.

Pregnancy Diet Plan

Your pregnancy diet plan should focus on good nutrition. When you’re pregnant, you need to make sure everything you eat gives you a good nutritional “bang for your buck,” so to speak. Food to include in your diet includes:

Lean meats, chicken and fish (avoid fish high in mercury

Dried beans and Lentils

Nuts and Seeds

Green Leafy Vegetables

Lots of: Fruit, Vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals

Medium amounts of: Low fat dairy foods and lean meats

Small Amounts of: Foods high in fat, sugar and salt

Eating small meals more often is best.

Especially in your first trimester, you may have difficulty eating because of nausea and morning sickness. Therefore, your pregnancy diet plan should include small meals eaten frequently instead of large meals eaten infrequently. In addition, you may have some digestive problems such as heartburn because of your pregnancy, and eating small meals will also help keep this at bay.

If you do suffer from morning sickness, before you get out of bed make sure you eat something light and carbohydrate rich, like crackers or rice cakes. This should help negate the effects of morning sickness and perhaps even keep them under better control.

One part of managing your pregnancy and weight is your pregnancy diet plan. Proper nutritional diet needs to be combined with a well-structured exercise routine to help you keep your weight gain to a healthy level. Of course before you begin or continue any exercise during pregnancy you must get your doctor’s or your family’s health care provider’s approval.

Exercising when pregnant will also keep you healthier during your pregnancy,help make your labor easier and get you back in shape quicker after your pregnancy.

Finally if you keep to your pregnancy diet plan, avoid certain foods which could be potentially harmful to your baby and take exercise approved by your doctor you can look forward to a healthier pregnancy and weight under control.

Be healthy, look good, feel great and enjoy this wonderful time.

Also, what are the chances that they might delay his deployment to be here for the birth of our first child? I know that it’s not promising if myself and the baby are expected to be in good health, but I thought there might be a way..?

How have you been coping since your husband’s arrest and detention last January?
It has not been easy. Everyone knows that in such a situation, things cannot be normal. Moreover, he is the breadwinner of the family. So it has not been easy for me; it has been such a tough time, both for the children and me.

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