Taking a pregnancy test is filled with so many emotions – excitement, joy, and wondering what you do next. But don’t worry, I’m here to help. Here are 12 things to do in the first trimester of pregnancy!
1. Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
This is so important! Prenatals help your growing baby get the nutrients that are essential for healthy development. Folic acid is particularly important and helps prevent neural tube defects. Iron is another important nutrient that supports the development of the placenta and fetus. Prenatals are usually over the counter but your doctor may recommend a specific brand.
2. Make an Appointment with Your OBGYN
Call your doctor once you take a pregnancy test at home or suspect you are pregnant. Most doctors will see you between weeks 6 to 8 but some may be able to see you right away. At your first appointment, the doctor will confirm the pregnancy and usually do an ultrasound. Be prepared for lots of information at this appointment!
3. Cut down on Your Caffeine Intake
Most doctors recommend no more than 200mg of caffeine per day or about two cups of coffee. Some studies have shown that high levels of caffeine can pose a risk to the unborn baby which is why doctors recommend limiting your intake.
4. Download a Pregnancy App
There are so many pregnancy apps out there but The Bump is my personal favorite. You just plug in your due date plus some basic info and every week the app provides you with tons of information about your growing body and baby for that specific week.
5. Tell Your Support People
This is such an exciting part of pregnancy! Revealing your little secret to your family and close friends is such a magical time. My only regret is not telling my family sooner about my son!
6. Decide How to Announce Your Pregnancy
If you’re a social media person then you can get really creative with this! There are so many fun ideas on Pinterest too. Most women like to wait to announce their pregnancy publicly until they are through the first trimester but there’s really no right or wrong time.
7. Take a “Before” Picture
I highly recommend taking a picture or two once you find out you’re pregnant and then every few weeks. Even if you just save them for yourself, it’s really cool to be able to look back and see your growing belly every week.
8. Take Care of Yourself
Get as much sleep as you can, increase the amount of water you drink, keep up with an exercise routine (with doctor approval) and eat the carbs! But most importantly, give yourself grace through the journey. You’re going to gain weight and will probably feel some aches and pains, but self care can make such a big difference.
9. Make a Pre-Baby Bucket List
Life as you know it is about to change when your baby arrives. So it’s time to decide what your priorities are during pregnancy. Now is the time to go on a few extra date nights with your husband, soak up a solo Target run or two and maybe even get a few small projects done at your house.
10. Start Thinking About Baby Names
You probably don’t know the gender of your baby yet but it doesn’t hurt to start talking about baby names. Chances are you and your spouse won’t agree on many names at first so talking about it early can help. I recommend having lists for both boys and girls names!
11. Start Buying Maternity Clothes
It’s no fun when your clothes are tight one morning. Some pregnant women are able to comfortably stay in their pre-pregnancy clothes through the first trimester… but I wasn’t one of them. It’s common to experience a lot of bloating and discomfort early on so I highly recommend maternity jeans early on. They might be a little big when you first buy them, but you will grow into them in no time.
12. Think About Maternity Leave
I know you just found out about your little growing baby, but your pregnancy is going to go by in the blink of an eye. Trust me. Talking to your employer, knowing what your options are and having a rough plan in place is one less thing to have to stress about when you’re feeling exhausted during the 3rd trimester.
What other questions do you have about the first trimester? Comment them below and I’ll answer ASAP!
xx, Lexi
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