I’m pregnant: the first steps, what to do to live it peacefully
Here we won’t talk about exams (for this we refer you to the official list by week of pregnancy) but about choices on how to best enjoy this new adventure. Among these choices is also that of choosing to be followed throughout the pregnancy by a midwife.
Compliments! From the positive test onwards, it will be a new beginning for you, and for your whole family in general. New feelings, conflicting emotions, changes, a real whirlwind that assails you especially in the first few weeks: excitement, joy, trepidation in communicating the news to family members or at work, but also many fears. All these feelings it’s right that there are, don’t hinder them, let them cross you but without letting you overwhelm you!
Here we won’t talk about exams (for this we refer you to the official list by week of pregnancy ) but about choices on how to best enjoy this new adventure.
Among these choices is also that of choosing to be followed throughout the pregnancy by a midwife.
Take folic acid
If you’ve just found out you’re expecting a baby and haven’t started taking folic acid yet, run to the pharmacy right away to get yourself some folic acid to take daily. Your little one’s brain and heart development are especially important in the early embryonic stage and getting enough folic acid can prevent some pretty serious birth defects. By the eighth week , the fetus is structurally complete, even though it is only a few millimeters long . Eating in a balanced and healthy way, assuming the right nutritional principles, helps ensure the correct development of your child…
Read the books
Feast on books about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding , postpartum, and motherhood. All these readings help you understand what is normal and what is not, and prepare you step by step for parenthood.
Decide who you want to follow you during pregnancy
Now that you’ve had the opportunity to think, read, talk to the loved ones around you, you need to choose who will be the person who will follow you along this journey and make an appointment with them. It can be a gynecologist or a midwife.
Don’t rush to book an ultrasound as most healthcare professionals will want to see you between 8 and 11 weeks to be able to visualize your heartbeat, and confirm your due date .
In the meantime, you can meet your midwife or doctor to tell you, explain what your wishes are, say how you feel and fill in a first file with your medical history. Many women know the figure of the gynecologist but you can go to a midwife if your pregnancy is at low risk or if you don’t want to spend so much time between appointments. You can choose a midwife who will support you even if the pregnancy is high risk and you would like to get her point of view or just her support.
Choosing your assistance in the best way will make you safe and calm.
Eliminate harmful substances
Eliminate alcohol and smoking. Too much alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome and other nervous system disorders, so it’s best to avoid alcohol (although many studies show that the occasional glass of wine is harmless).
Talk to your doctor or midwife.
The same goes for cigarettes and other drugs.
Passive smoking can also cause harm! There are also some foods that you need to pay attention to in their intake.
Main foods to avoid :
- raw eggs
- Fish containing large amounts of mercury such as mackerel, shark, swordfish.
- Soft, unpasteurized cheeses like brie, goat cheese, or blue cheese. Pasteurized cheese is ok.
- Raw meat.
- Limit coffee and tea
In general, try to eat well-balanced meals , especially plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
What will your lifestyle be like after the baby is born?
Will you continue to work? Is there a maternity leave policy in the company where you work? Will you have the support of your family once you return home? These kinds of questions can be stressful.
What kind of birth do you want?
If it’s not your first pregnancy, maybe answering this question can be easier, or based on how the first went, more complicated. It is essential to understand what you want for the birth of your baby and for this it can be helpful to prepare a birth plan . No, it’s not early to think about it , because everything else is decided on the basis of this answer.
Being educated and informed about pregnancy, about what happens to your body, your baby and your rights can have very important results for the purpose of childbirth.
Talking and discussing with people who are close to us is useful but it is also essential to talk to midwives, gynecologists and all those figures who revolve around motherhood who can be of support and support if you want it and feel the need.
Celebrate!!!
Go to a nice restaurant with your girlfriends or important women in your life. Talk about everything, your dreams for your family and for the baby.
Welcome to this wonderful journey!
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.