Help with your first trimester

If you're planning a baby, or are newly pregnant for the first time, you might find yourself wondering....what is going to happen to me? When will I feel different?

Ok, so it's been confirmed that you're pregnant (the change in your boobs gave that away to you straight away!) - but what happens now? It may be some time until you have an antenatal appointment, so right now you are in a strange no man's land! You're wondering if possibly you'll just potter on as normal for a while.

In this first trimester you'll find yourself getting used to the fact that YOU know you're pregnant, but probably most other people won't! It's a pseudo-pregnancy, you don't feel suddenly all maternal like you thought you might do (except for the the odd peep at baby clothes, perhaps...but who can resist that), and before your twelve week scan, you might be keeping the news to yourselves.

What a funny sensation, knowing little bean is growing inside you and nobody else knows it - it's your little secret!

You may not have a bump yet, but baby has actually grown at its fastest rate of the whole pregnancy! As you carry on with life as normal (minus the cocktails!!) you'll creep closer to the end of your first trimester. Little bean will have grown from the size of an orange pip to about the size of your little finger at this point (wow - already?!), they can swallow and even their finger and toe nails have started to grow!

The rapidly growing baby inside you will probably have stolen most of your energy, leaving you feeling tired - don't worry, you won't feel like this through the whole pregnancy - it will soon pass! Same goes for your up-and-down hormones - it's all normal, don't worry!

So, what should you be doing during this trimester? Once you realise you're pregnant:

- Preferably no drinking or smoking, and drinking less caffeine (yes, sorry girls - your usual morning pick-me-up needs a little more consideration now!)

- Make sure you're taking folic acid supplements, to protect your baby against conditions like Spina Bifida

- Check any medication you may be taking is safe during pregnancy

- Put your feet up and rest like your body is telling you to!

If you find yourself suffering from 'Morning Sickness' (at any time of the day, not just the mornings!) try nibbling on ginger biscuits (keep a stash in your handbag!) or sipping on peppermint tea. This can ease the nauseous feeling that your lovely rollercoaster pregnancy hormones are leaving you with! Again, this should pass soon enough.

Now, let's go back to your BOOBS.

As well as your tender boobs swelling in size, you might find your nipples have become darker and more sensitive. This just means your pregnancy hormones are doing their thing and getting your breasts ready for breastfeeding, and is all completely normal.

If you were already well-endowed in the chest area before you were expecting, and are worried that you're going to keep growing for the remainder of the pregnancy - don't worry, you won't!
Bigger boobs are often one of the first signs of pregnancy, but once you've grown a bit early in the first trimester, things will slow down for you in that area.
But be prepared, towards the end of this trimester and into the second, to start feeling your bras becoming tight around your ribcage...

At this point your body is preparing to house a baby bump, so your ribcage and diaphragm area will expand slightly. Sometimes you can grow up to two back sizes in a bra, but usually it's about one. So if you were a 34 before, you're likely to be fitted for a 36.

Good maternity bras will have many more rows of hooks and eyes on the back, compared to normal bras, to accommodate for growth during pregnancy, so as soon as you start to feel your bras tightening and leaving red marks around your ribcage, do invest in a couple of nice new bras.
They are worth every penny, because you will wear them all the way through the rest of your pregnancy, and you will be comfy and supported at the same time! There are some wired styles out there, but many women opt for non-wired bras during pregnancy so that your growing size is accommodated more easily and you don't have underwire digging in, feeling uncomfortable.

If you're really tender, go for something that you can also sleep in, like the Bravado Seamless bra. It's the comfiest out there, and is so easy to wear with any outfit because of its sleek finish and excellent shape.

Finally, from your boobs to your TEETH!

TOP TIP:

Dental check ups and treatment are FREE for expectant and new mums* (hurrah!) - so see your GP or midwife for a MAT B1 exemption form.

* You won't have to pay for NHS dentists or prescriptions during pregnancy and your baby's first year.

The first trimester can be a challenging one. The tricky things will pass and you will be able to enjoy growing your little bump into trimester two!

Until then, ladies.....

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