Congratulations! You are Pregnant. Yes, listening to these three words is like bliss for every woman. You must already know about the early signs of pregnancy, as you have faced them now. As happy as the first trimester is, it also brings with it little tension and worry. First Trimester or the starting three months are the base of pregnancy. This is the time when your baby grows rapidly and you need to take utmost care of yourself. There are some Do’s and Don’ts in the First Trimester.
The do’s and don’ts are just so that, nothing hampers in the growth of your little one. At the 7th week, your baby will have a heartbeat and listening to that heartbeat will be the best thing in your life. Till the end of the first trimester, i.e. by the end of 12 weeks, your baby’s bones, muscles and all the organs of the body are formed. This is the reason that the First trimester is termed as the base of pregnancy.
Check out the Do’s and Don’ts of First Trimester-
Do’s of First Trimester
- You are allowed to be extremely happy about your pregnancy. There is nothing stopping in it.
- A little exercise like simple breathing exercise, kegel exercise, and stretching of legs and arms are allowed.
- You can cook, cut, clean and mop, until and unless you are suffering from any morning sickness.
- Choose your doctor wisely, as continuous changing of doctor can lead to conflict of opinion.
- Start taking small frequent meals at regular interval. Do not eat too much at one go.
- Keep yourself hydrated. Drink as much liquid as you can.
- Make good food choices like eat food with good nutrients and antioxidant. Vegetables like spinach, oranges, carrots, apples, blueberries and coconut water should be taken.
- Eat fruits which increase your haemoglobin, as you would need that a lot in your coming pregnancy.
- Walk for atleast 30 minutes, to avoid the problem of constipation and heaviness in lower abdomen. It also keeps your muscles toned and keeps you active.
- Start up your folic acid, this helps to make your pregnancy stable and strong. Folic acid is a type of vitamin B which helps in the formation of red blood cells. It helps to develop baby’s nervous system.
- Take as much rest as your body wants. You will feel tried and fatigue, don’t delay in resting. Your body is going through a huge change; it is making itself ready to develop a new life entirely. So, take proper rest and sleep for 8-9 hours properly.
- Always ear seatbelt when travelling by car.
- Keep your teeth clean. Yes, you won’t believe but many times the germs can go inside your body via your teeth. So, keep a regular dentist checkup and also brush your teeth properly twice a day.
- Ask for help whenever you need. You are pregnant and that’s a big thing, it is obvious you would get tired, and have mood swings too. So, don’t panic and stay calm.
Don’ts of First Trimester
- I agree that the news of you being pregnant make you very happy, but do not start jumping and dancing in the news. Instead, be prepared that from now onwards you need to be extra careful and alert.
- Smoking and alcohol are a strict no-no. There is no safe amount of Alcohol intake.
- Do not eat anything raw, except salad. Avoid eating raw meat, and raw sprouts. Eating raw food can cause miscarriage. Cook your eggs and meat properly before eating.
- Do not visit sauna and hot tub. As it contains risk of dehydration, overheating and fainting every time you use a sauna. The rise in your body temperature can harm the baby also.
- Avoid doing strenuous exercise, which puts pressure on your abdomen.
- No picking of weight, or bending low to pick up any items.
- Avoid drinking caffeine. This point is especially for first trimester, you may feel tired and feel like having a cup of coffee, but caffeine can cross the placenta and affect the baby’s heart rate.
- Do not clean the litter box, if you have pet you may understand this point. Pet’s litter can cause infection which can be very severe and may put baby at great risk.
- Taking stress of anything is a strict no. Stress can severely hamper your baby’s growth. So, avoid any kind of stress. If your work involves stress, it is better to take off from your work.
- Avoid travelling to a long distance. Your body may get tired soon, and it needs rest. So avoid long-distance travel till your first trimester.
- No kind of recreational drugs are allowed in your first trimester of pregnancy, as they can cause birth defects.
- Avoid outside food, processed food, soft cheese and unpasteurised dairy.
- Do not take any self-medication. Always consult your doctor and then have anything.
So, above are some of the Dos and Don’ts of First Trimester. The best thing to remember is your baby is in the developing stage right now, so you need to take care of yourself and your baby. Just enjoy the phase, be happy and remember the above points.