It’s natural to feel a range of emotions, concerns, and fear after getting a positive pregnancy test. Attempt to take a few deep breaths. Whether your pregnancy is intended or unplanned, you still have certain decisions to make.

Now is the time to be ready for the next big things. Ten weeks from now will be more exciting than any of the previous nine. 

Your body will undergo a series of sudden and surprising transformations. 

• The baby’s heartbeat can often be detected as early as six weeks into the first trimester.
• By the end of the first trimester, the fetus is about the size of a lime and has developed tiny fingerprints.
• The second trimester is when the baby begins to hear external sounds, like music or voices.
• Around week 16 of the second trimester, the baby can make facial expressions, including frowning or smiling.
• “Quickening,” the first noticeable fetal movement, typically occurs between weeks 18–22 in the second trimester.
• Hormonal changes in the first trimester can lead to enhanced smell sensitivity, often triggering nausea.

Let’s have a look at some. 

Pregnancy has three trimesters. Every trimester comes up with some unique qualities and characteristics. It’s crucial to take extra precautions and care every trimester to ensure a healthy delivery. Like, in the first trimester, you must be more careful with the fetus. 

Some specific first trimester symptoms include:

It’s a combination of nausea and vomiting that a woman often feels during the first trimester. Certain foods can relieve the signs of morning sickness. 

Some of these may include fresh fruits, hot drinks, and crackers.

As the baby’s growth progresses, it exerts more pressure on the bladder. So, urination occurs frequently, which might disturb a woman.

Hormonal changes are closely associated with pregnancy. Increased pregnancy hormone production makes breasts sensitive, fuller, and heavier. 

So, this time a woman is supposed to replace a bra with a more comfortable one.

This is a common sign of a pregnant woman, particularly in the first trimester. She gets exhausted after doing a mild task. So, it’s essential to avoid doing heavy chores at this stage. 

If you exercise, do it mildly by walking just 30 minutes a day at the start. Take a rest whenever you feel tired.

This is the most common feature of the first trimester. A woman craves certain foods like pickles, lemons, ice, spicy foods, red meat, cheese, potatoes, and many more. Cravings commonly appear in the first five weeks of pregnancy. 

These become stronger in the second trimester and eventually stop in the third trimester. 

Irrespective of these food cravings, a woman should maintain a balanced first trimester diet to ensure the baby’s better nourishment.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy give rise to mood swings as well. A woman feels angry, frustrated, and sometimes over-friendly at this stage. 

But, these mood swings are preventable by taking some exercise or motivating yourself, as it’s a temporary change and it will end on the baby’s arrival.

Pregnancy emphasizes the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Prenatal care is the best way to ensure a smooth pregnancy. It’s the proper medical care you receive during pregnancy. 

At each prenatal visit, your doctor checks your baby’s progress and recommends a follow-up visit. Have the first prenatal visit around 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy.  

Ask about the baby’s condition from the doctor at each visit. Specific congenital abnormalities may appear at the end of the 3rd month of pregnancy by a USG examination. So, consult with the doctor when any unexpected thing occurs.

If a woman is healthy and does not show any complications, she can continue prenatal visits every four weeks until the 28th week of pregnancy. After this, she should try to visit after every two weeks till the 36th week of pregnancy. And after this, have an appointment every week till the baby’s birth.

Lastly, learn about pregnancy, its complications, and features from every source. Knowing the changes in the uterus and the body overall will help you feel safe, satisfied, and comfortable. 

Above all, try to enjoy this bigger body size and turn this experience into a memorable one.

This trimester usually lasts from 13 to 27 weeks. Morning sickness fades away at this stage, so a woman feels much better than in the previous first trimester. It’s the most joyful moment of conception, and a woman feels fully energetic at this stage. She can feel much better than in the first trimester and may do the chores of her choice. 

Despite that, there are some cautions which should be taken during this trimester. Such as;

Compared to the first trimester, a woman’s appetite control improves in the second trimester. Still, you should not opt for overeating because it can be dangerous for the baby. Try to have nutritious foods and avoid junk foods. 

Get more knowledge about the consequences of being overweight during pregnancy, and try to avoid them.

These cramps may appear in the second trimester. So, if you face it, try to lift your leg upward or straight for several minutes. Lifting toes upward and holding for several minutes also eases the cramps.

If you are pregnant, it does not mean you can’t do any exercise. You can do mild or low-impact exercises like yoga, swimming, and walking at this stage. 

You may also request your husband or friends to join you as it improves your interest in physical activity.

Kegels’ performance is done to maintain the fitness of pelvic floor muscles. It simply involves the contraction and relaxation of muscles. This activity should be performed several times daily because the trained muscles make the labor process smooth and more manageable.

Pregnancy is the best time to strengthen the love bond with your husband. So, try to ensure a better connection with your spouse in the second, but in all trimesters. 

It gives you moral support and the courage to go through the delivery process smoothly.

Outside these, there is a fantastic association between the baby and the second trimester. Baby moves in the womb, giving you a pleasant feeling. So, don’t be frustrated at any stage and enjoy all three trimesters of pregnancy.

If you take care of yourself throughout pregnancy, you’ll be able to offer your baby the finest possible start in life. You may improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy by exercising regularly, eating well, and attending your follow-ups. 

So, get this all done to ensure a good start.