You just found out you’re pregnant! Maybe you are excited, worried, or concerned. Whatever you are feeling, there are some specific changes in your body you can expect as you progress through the first trimester and some actions you can take to help you have a healthy pregnancy.
Pregnancy lasts 40 weeks and is divided into 3 trimesters, with each trimester lasting about 13 weeks. For many women, they find out they’re pregnant by a missed period. Your health care provider will want to know the first day of your last period in order to determine your estimated due date.
Your Body:
Here are a few things you might expect in the first trimester:
- Fatigue and feeling tired
- Morning sickness
- Tender and swollen breasts
- Food cravings or food aversions
- Heartburn
- Constipation
- Mood swings
- Headache
- More frequent urination
Your Baby:
During the first 13 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is growing and changing very quickly.
- The first month, the baby is the size of a poppy seed and is just implanting in the uterus. By the end of the third month, baby will be the size of a plum.
- The second month, the baby develops the most basic parts of each system- neural tube (the precursor to the nervous system), heart tube, blood cells (which form and begin circulating), arm nubs, leg nubs, cartilage (that will later solidify into bone), genitalia, eyes, and ears.
- The third month, every system of the baby’s body is present. The baby continues to grow very quickly and all the systems continue to mature.
Your Schedule:
- It is important to contact a health care provider as soon as you know you are pregnant.
- Your provider will let you know how frequently to schedule your visits. Usually a first appointment is scheduled between 6-12 weeks, with early pregnancy appointments occurring every 4 weeks.
- Your provider will order labs for you including blood, urine, and infection labs.
- There is also the choice to do first trimester prenatal testing. These genetic tests are designed to identify if your baby has an increased risk for a chromosomal abnormality, neural tube defects, and potentially other developmental abnormalities. For any test that you have done, you should ask yourself “what will I do if the results are not what I expect?” It is your choice whether you do or do not have genetic testing. It is not a requirement. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-testing/art-20045177
As you progress through your pregnancy, make sure to write down any questions you have for your provider to discuss at your appointments. There are also apps that are a fun way to see how your baby is developing each week and month. Some also have checklists for actions that may be important to do each month.
The team at Heart to Heart Pregnancy Center is available with pregnancy tests, pregnancy ultrasounds, STI/STD testing, free prenatal vitamins, and consultations to discuss your pregnancy and your options going forward. The Center offers many free resources, including parenting and child development classes, life skills classes through Bright Course, car seats through courses on Bright Course, and material resources such as wipes, diapers, and clothing. To schedule a free consultation or test, click here.