The first trimester of a pregnancy is usually considered the hardest, and I have to say that it was throughout both of my pregnancies. When you find out that you are expecting, mixed emotions may arise, whether they be happiness, fear, anxiety, etc. During this time period, many women experience anxiety from what to expect, fear of the unknown, nausea, vomiting, and feel very tired. It is important to find a great OBGYN and to follow all of their advice. Taking prenatal vitamins on a daily basis, enough folic acid, drinking lots of water, and resting are all crucial at this time. If possible, exercising moderately is very beneficial for you and your baby.
I was very lucky to find a group of OBGYNs that I felt were wonderful! During my first pregnancy, they were a group of 4 men, and I had to rotate my visits between them. By the time I got pregnant with my second daughter, the group had expanded even more, and I was greeted with my first four doctors, + 1. At first I wasn't quite sure how I felt about not seeing only one doctor. However, the fact that all of them would know me, my medical history and would follow my pregnancy turned out to be a great thing. My first daughter, Bella, was foot-breached throughout about half of my pregnancy. All that meant was that her feet were down, next to my pelvis, and that she was not in the proper position for a vaginal delivery. I was told by week 32 that she had not turned and probably would not turn since there was not enough room for her to do so. The doctor told me I could wait to see if by delivery she may have turned, by chance, or I could either have a c-section or some kind of a massage in which they could try to turn her around inside of me. There was somewhat of a risk factor in the massage option, so we turned it down immediately and opted for the c-section, unless she did turn around. Bella, very strong willed before birth, did not turn around, and we scheduled our c-section with our "main" doctor. As fate would have it, she was ready and wanted to come out when she wanted...my water broke and she was delivered, via c-section a day before my scheduled surgery. Luckily, all of the doctors knew me and my medical history, and Bella was delivered by another doctor when she was born. Not only did he know me, but I knew him. I have heard various stories about women who go into early labor, and when the time comes, they are presented with a doctor that they have never seen before. I cannot imagine having to go through such an emotional moment with someone that I do not know, and who doesn't know me.
As for pregnancy symptoms, with Bella, the only thing I felt throughout the 1st trimester was tiredness. I felt exhausted, constantly! With Gabi, I felt very tired, nauseous, and had constant heart burn.
Advice:
- drink lots of fluids (try to cut back on all alcohol and keep caffeine to a minimum)
- always carry or have saltine crackers close by (purse, night stand, car, etc) for when you feel nauseous
- eat constantly - if you have an empty stomach, you may feel nauseous and/or light headed
- if you have heartburn, your best friend will be TUMS
- sleep and take it easy
- lastly, don't go crazy trying to plan things such as finding names, planning for a nursery, etc - you'll have plenty
of time to do so
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