Pregnancy is such an exciting time but as much as it is exciting it can be so daunting. Navigating the first trimester however can be so hard. I was chatting with a friend of mine the other day. She is expecting her second baby and we were talking about how her first trimester feels just as daunting as the first time around. Do you tell people? Who do you tell? You want to vomit all day some days and then some days you feel fine… does that mean the baby isn’t ok. Is that amount of discharge normal? I remember googling every little twinge and change.
The pregnancy test – watch your life change right before your eyes
Isn’t it amazing how peeing on a stick can suddenly change your world in so many ways! When I took my first pregnancy test I almost would have guaranteed it was negative looking at it but I could see this strange shadow when I held the test an arm’s length and to a 39.4-degree angle from my eyes. Then you spend the next two days wondering if that shadow was a figment of your imagination or if you’re pregnant. You wait two more days and test again. There it is clear as can be, two pink lines. And that moment of oh shit! I’m pregnant. It’s a shock even when you’ve been trying and you’re expecting it and a real OH SHIT! if you’re not expecting it. For the following two weeks, you take a test every morning just to set your mind at ease. Well, I did anyway.
Navigating the crazy
Let the googling begin. Can you eat honey when you’re pregnant? What is the best prenatal vitamin? Mild cramping during the first trimester… I can tell you from experience, that is more than likely just gas! Two great resources for me were whattoexpect.com and babycenter.com.au some days they felt like the only thing keeping me sane.
If you prefer a daily update there are some awesome apps out there. Some are free and others you have to pay a subscription for. I have listed three of my favourites.
Ovia is my go-to for all things women health. I track my cycles with it and during pregnancy, I loved how easy it was to track my symptoms and keep up to date with what was happening with my baby.
Flo used to be my go-to I still love it so much though for tracking pregnancy and health. This is now a paid app.
My latest favourite is Pregnancy+ this has 3D renderings and ultrasound images to see exactly how your baby might look during that week. It’s so much fun to flick through and see the changes in real view.
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Shout it from the rooftop
You’re pregnant and you want to shout it from the rooftop. The worry is that things can go wrong, especially during the first trimester. Chatting with my friend she said that she had told a couple of ladies at work so that they could keep her safe in regards to heavy lifting and chemical use and that was it until her ultrasound at 9 weeks, coupled with the fact that it was her second pregnancy and found that she was showing already, she decided to make her news more public knowledge. Another friend of mine didn’t even tell her mother until she was safely past the 12-week mark.
The sleepless nights, sore boobs, emotional outbursts and vomiting is all totally worth it when you have your first ultrasound and you see that sweet blob with a flickering heartbeat or if your patient enough to wait the 12 weeks you see the wiggling squirmy thumb sucking tiny human and you fall so instantly in love.
Right after your 12 week ultrasound is the best time to book your session with us so we have plenty of time to plan your maternity session. Check out our maternity sessions here