Pregnancy is a unique experience and one that you will want to enjoy while doing what’s best for your baby. Until recently, however, pregnancy did not always result in a healthy infant and mother. But today great progress has been made – not only in understanding the risks to a baby’s natural development, but also in knowing what a mother needs to do to successfully meet the challenges of pregnancy and delivery.
Normally, the development of a baby takes 38 weeks (8.5 – 9 months) from conception. It is during this time that a lot of hormonal and metabolic changes occur inside a mother’s body.
Pregnancy is typically broken into three periods, or trimesters, each of about three months. While there are no hard and fast rules, these distinctions are useful in describing the changes that take place over time. Let's have a look at all the three trimesters of pregnancy and how a mother can keep herself healthy and her baby safe by avoiding various complications.
The first three months of pregnancy will be exciting for you. It is unlikely for you to put on much weight during this stage as it is during the third week after conception that your pregnancy is confirmed. Contact your doctor or gynecologist and arrange for your first visit to an antenatal clinic between weeks 8 and 12. You will be aware of the speeding up of your metabolism.
You will start noticing the feelings of fatigue and nausea. You may also notice that your hands and feet feel warmer, due to the increase in blood volume. You may also find yourself feeling thirstier than usual, as your body signals that it needs extra fluid. Although you won’t look different, your baby is starting to develop and his/her brain and spinal cord are beginning to form.
By week nine you should be thinking about antenatal tests.
Nutrition for Mother and Baby
The first three months of pregnancy are in many ways the most crucial for your baby’s healthy development. A poor diet may affect the formation of organs and the full development of body systems, as well as leading to a reduced birth weight. Certain vitamins and minerals are particularly important which are mentioned below.
KEY NUTRIENTS: Of the key food types, protein is needed in large amounts by the mother for building and repairing cells, muscles, organs, tissues and hair and for enzyme production. At least half the calories should come from carbohydrates, mainly in the form of starch. Of the key nutrients needed at this time, folate and iron are vitally important. Folate is a B vitamin used for cell division, red blood cell formation, and development of the baby’s nervous system. Iron is needed to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide to make enzymes and to generate energy.
