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What are some things that are incredibly important to do during your first trimester?
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Get enough sleep
This is a big one. Your little one needs you to be getting all the sleep you can, so that you can both grow and develop healthily. Sleep is important when you are not pregnant, but when you are it is vital.
You will start to notice that you are tired ALL THE TIME.
That is because of the hormone progesterone, which your body is making a lot more of now. It is also your body telling you to take a break, and let your body do its thing.
Always have dry foods on hand
When I say always, I mean ALWAYS. You need to have cheerios by your bedside for early morning nausea, as well as a baggie of them in your purse for when you are out or at work.
Make sure you have saltines at home, and to eat something like toast first thing in the morning.
Your body likely does not want anything with sauce, oil or cream. Even just thinking about condiments would nearly send me to the toilet during my first trimester. This may not be exactly true for you, or maybe it is, but be sure to have plain, dry foods on hand at all times.
Related Content: How to Beat morning sickness when you feel like crap.
Eat when your body tells you too
During the first trimester, it can be hard to want to eat. Your growing baby needs all the nutrients they can get though, so make sure that when your body is telling you to eat, EAT.
Some foods that are really easy to process, even when you feel sick, are:
- Watermelon
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Soups
- Broths
- Dry cereals and breads
You can also try drinking fruit juices and smoothies. The one time I tried doing a smoothie, I found out shortly after that Squish-Bean (as we affectionately refer to baby as) is NOT fond of apples. You may have a great experience with smoothies though, and its something I recommend trying especially if you have a hard time eating.
Ditch caffeine and alcohol
This is a pretty obvious one that most women are aware of from an early age. Drinking either caffeine products or alcoholic beverages is something no one that is pregnant should be doing.
Caffeine
Some may think that caffeine isnt “that bad” for you or your baby during pregnancy, but something that you may not know is that Caffeine can cross the placenta to your baby, causing your baby to have trouble sleeping, and can keep you both awake. This is bad for the babies heart and body, as they need to be resting too.
Studies have also shown that a low amount of caffeine per day shouldn’t have too much adverse effect during pregnancy (less than 200mg), but it is still suggested that pregnant women stay away from it as much as possible.
Side effects of drinking caffeine during pregnancy:
- Premature birth
- Premature labor
- Birth defects
- Reduced fertility
- Increased risk of low birth weight
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption is an absolute NO during pregnancy. Alcohol consumed during pregnancy goes straight from your blood stream, and into the babies umbilical chord. This is can cause hard to the growing babies brain and organs. This is still true even before you know you’re pregnant, so if you think that there is a chance you could be pregnant, you should be cautious an keep away from the wine till you know for sure.
Side effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy:
- Premature birth
- FASDs (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)
- Birth Defects, including heart and hearing problems
- Brain Damage
- Low birth weight
- Or even Miscarriage or still-birth
None of these side effects to your little one are worth it.
Take a GOOD prenatal vitamin
A good prenatal vitamin is essential to give your baby all the nutrients they need. You may be lacking in some things in your diet, especially during your first trimester when food just doesn’t sound appealing.
Make sure that you buy one that has a good amount of folic acid, as this vital nutrient will help your baby’s brain and spinal chord.