1St time pregnant
Everything you need to know about the first trimester (weeks 1 to 12)
Tommy's PregnancyHub
You’re pregnant: congratulations! The first weeks of your pregnancy are a vital time as your body gets busy building a baby. How exciting!
First trimester: key stages
The first trimester begins on the first day of your last period and lasts until the end of week 12. This means that by the time you know for sure you're pregnant, you might already be five or six weeks pregnant!
A lot happens during these first three months. The fertilised egg rapidly divides into layers of cells and implants in the wall of your womb where it carries on growing. These layers of cells become an embryo, which is what the baby is called at this stage.
During this trimester, your baby grows faster than at any other time. By six weeks, a heartbeat can usually be heard and by the end of week 12, your baby's bones, muscles and all the organs of the body have formed. At this point, your baby looks like a tiny human being and is now called a fetus. He or she will even be practising swallowing!
Try our Healthy Pregnancy Tool to find out everything you need to know about your pregnancy
When am I due?
Find out your due date using our due date calculator!
When will I see a midwife?
Your first midwife appointment (also known as antenatal appointment) is the 'booking' appointment. This usually happens between week 8 and 10 of your pregnancy. Find out how to register with a midwife and when your appointments will be here.
Keeping your baby safe
There are some things that you can do during pregnancy that have an effect on your baby. Find out about them by clicking the link below.
Find the complete list of pregnancy dos and don'ts (and reasons why) here
Not sure whether you are pregnant?
Find out about the symptoms that mean you may be pregnant here.
Your physical and mental health in pregnancy
We also have lots of useful tips for coping with everyday pregnancy niggles. It’s common for women to experience symptoms such as morning sickness, cramp and indigestion during the first trimester.
Don't forget that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. It's normal to feel some anxiety and stress but it shouldn't be ongoing. If what you’re feeling isn’t normal for you, talk to your GP or midwife about it. They are there to help.
Exercise, such as yoga, has been shown to reduce anxiety and is a great way to stay active during your pregnancy, too.
Read more about mental wellbeing in pregnancy
Read more about diabetes and pregnancy
Read more about pregnancy with a high BMI
Read more about exercise and pregnancy
Read about the symptoms to look out for in pregnancy
Track your baby's development
Sign up to a free pregnancy email from our midwives to track your baby's development and give you reminders of all you need to know through the 9 months of pregnancy. Click here to sign up.
Review dates
Reviewed: 28 June 2018 | Next review: 28 June 2021
This content is currently being reviewed by our team. Updated information will be coming soon.
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First trimester | Pregnancy Birth and Baby
First trimester | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content5-minute read
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From the moment you get the news that you are pregnant, you will probably be filled with a rush of emotions – and most likely a flood of questions too. While the first trimester of pregnancy is filled with a host of changes for you and for your baby, many will be invisible to the outside world. Read on to find out what happens to your body and how to stay healthy.
What is the first trimester?
A full-term pregnancy lasts around 9 months, and most people (including your doctors and midwives) will break this up into 3 ‘trimesters’. Although you are pregnant from the moment of conception – when a male sperm fertilises your ovum (egg) – the first trimester of pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period through to week 12. This is because most women who conceive naturally won’t know the date of conception.
Trimesters are a helpful way to think about pregnancy because the changes that happen to you and your baby fall into the 3 broad categories of early, middle and late pregnancy, called first, second and third trimesters.
What happens to your body?
For some women, the first trimester is characterised by nausea (often called ‘morning sickness’, although it can occur at any time of day). But remember that every pregnancy is different and while some women have food cravings, others experience food aversions, and some have no change in appetite at all.
Other changes in the first trimester include changes to your breasts as they become tender, larger and heavier, while your uterus will grow and put pressure on your bladder so that you need to urinate more often.
Your emotions
You might feel a range of emotions during your first trimester. Hormone changes may make you feel moody or irritable, and tiredness is common in the early months. These feelings are normal, so discuss how you feel with you partner or with a close friend. If you feel down or anxious, speak with your doctor or midwife.
What happens to the baby?
Through the first trimester, your baby goes from being a fertilised ovum to a fetus of about 6cm in length at 12 weeks. By the end of the first trimester, your baby’s heart is starting to beat, and the brain, stomach and intestines are developing. There are little bumps known as 'buds' where arms and legs are starting to grow.
What can be expected from the doctor and midwife?
Your antenatal (pregnancy) health checks might be with your GP, a midwife or an obstetrician, depending on where you will give birth. During your first antenatal health check, you will probably have your pregnancy confirmed with a urine or blood test. These are more reliable than home pregnancy tests. First trimester antenatal health checks usually happen every 4 to 6 weeks, but this can vary, based on your health and how your baby develops.
Many women are offered an ultrasound scan at around 12 weeks – you might hear the baby’s heartbeat at this scan. This ultrasound will also show if you are having a multiple birth (e.g. twins) and can help estimate the baby’s size and due date, as well as check for some health conditions.
Other health checks during the first trimester include:
- urine tests to detect urinary infections, a common but manageable condition that if left untreated can trigger pre-term labour
- blood tests to check your blood type (particularly Rh status), iron levels, blood sugars (for gestational diabetes), rubella (German measles) immunity, and other infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis
- general maternal health and wellbeing checks, including a discussion of concerns you might have about your pregnancy or general health, and a medication review (including natural or alternative medicines) to check for safety during pregnancy
How to stay healthy
Staying healthy is doubly important during pregnancy. If you are a smoker, this is a great time to quit – speak with your doctor or pharmacist for support.
It is safest not to drink any alcohol while you are pregnant, since even low-level drinking, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy, can have long-term negative effects on your baby.
Try to eat a variety of nutritious foods during pregnancy since this will help meet your baby’s nutritional requirements, as well as your own. While the amount of food you need to eat during your first trimester won’t increase by much, you will need more of some nutrients. Most women will also need folic acid and iodine supplements because it's difficult to get enough of these from food alone.
It’s important to keep up regular physical activity during your pregnancy because of the many benefits both for you and your baby. If you experience any discomfort or complications, speak to your doctor or midwife.
Things to consider in the first trimester
- Book your antenatal appointments for the whole trimester – they are important for tracking your health and your baby’s growth.
- Get support – ask your partner, a friend or a family member to go with you to health checks.
- Are your vaccinations up to date? Immunisation is important, and several vaccines are funded for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program. Speak to your doctor for guidance.
- Your doctor or midwife can help you access a range of support services, not just for medical concerns - for example, if you feel you are at risk of violence or you are feeling vulnerable during your pregnancy.
Your pregnancy journey
Follow your pregnancy week-by-week to find out how your baby is growing and what is happening to your body.
Sources:
NSW Health (Having a baby), Royal Women's Hospital (Pregnancy and birth), Raising Children Network (Pregnancy week-by-week), Women's and Children's Health Network (The first 3 months of pregnancy: the first trimester), Better Health Channel (Pregnancy - prenatal tests)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: May 2021
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Related pages
- Pregnancy week-by-week
- Third trimester
- Second trimester
Need more information?
Pregnancy at week 7
Your baby is now about 1cm long and if you haven’t seen your doctor yet, now is a good time to start your antenatal care.
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Antenatal care during your pregnancy
You receive antenatal care from your GP, midwife or obstetrician. You’ll be offered tests and scans and your health and your baby’s will be checked.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Men’s feelings in early pregnancy | Raising Children Network
In early pregnancy, it’s normal for men to feel uninterested or just ‘not into it’. Read more about men’s feelings during pregnancy in our Dads Guide.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Week by week pregnancy- antenatal care at 7 weeks pregnant
Your doctor can look at your foetus’s features to determine how old they are – find out how. You need to talk to your doctor if you experience very severe morning sickness as you may not be getting all the nutrients you and your baby need or early pregnancy spotting (spot bleeding) as you may be at risk of miscarriage.
Read more on Parenthub website
Routine antenatal tests
During pregnancy, you'll be offered a range of tests, including blood tests and ultrasound scans. Each test can tell you something about you and your baby’s health.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Pregnancy care for migrant and refugee women | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
While many migrant and refugee women experience healthy pregnancies, issues associated with resettlement can contribute to poorer perinatal outcomes than those experienced by women in general.
Read more on Department of Health and Aged Care website
Second trimester
During the second trimester, your baby’s organs will develop and they will start to hear sounds. Any morning sickness will likely ease off around this time.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Third trimester
The third trimester is the last 3 months of your pregnancy – an exciting time, but with some discomforts too. Learn more about what to expect before the birth.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
The challenges and benefits of antenatal tests for aboriginal mothers | Know Pathology Know Healthcare
For many pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women poor health and social disadvantage contribute to poorer perinatal outcomes than those of non-Indigenous women.
Read more on Know Pathology Know Healthcare website
A guide to blood tests in pregnancy | Know Pathology Know Healthcare
The following guide outlines the different pathology tests available throughout each trimester, and the purpose of your prenatal blood tests.
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First pregnancy - only pluses
Lifestyle
Pregnancy will teach you to appreciate and plan time. After all, during these nine months you need to have time to do a lot of really urgent things. This includes medical supervision, choosing a maternity hospital, buying a dowry for children, possibly registering a marriage, preparing your work files in order to transfer them or continue after the end of maternity leave. All this will ensure the well-being of you and your baby. If before pregnancy you repeatedly tried to "go on" a diet, but it didn’t work out for you, then during pregnancy, proper nutrition will become simply necessary. Moreover, it will not be such a far from harmless diet, which includes a leaf of lettuce for breakfast, a boiled egg for lunch, and a glass of water for dinner. Pregnancy is a time of rational, proper, balanced nutrition. In addition, as you know, the onset of pregnancy is often accompanied by early toxicosis, one of the manifestations of which is a change in taste preferences. At the beginning of pregnancy, you will be able to afford to satisfy these addictions. Then, by about week 16, your tastes are likely to become normal, and this is just the time when you need to be especially strict about the rules of rational nutrition.
Perhaps, in this regard, you will be able to introduce into your diet products that you have not used before, for example, a variety of vegetables, cereals (by the way, you can get acquainted with such products in the “Delicious Health” section). Pregnancy will push you to new culinary achievements - cooking delicious and healthy dishes that will satisfy your new needs and the tastes of your family.
If before pregnancy you each time postponed the start of physical exercises on Monday, then during pregnancy the number of such "Mondays" is strictly limited - the entire pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. From these 40 weeks, you need to take away the first 12-16 - this is the time of the onset of pregnancy, when physically unprepared women should not start exercising. The classes started in recent weeks have no special meaning either. In addition to a fairly limited period for starting physical exercises, it is also a favorable fact that during the period of bearing a baby it is impossible that the loads are excessive, you cannot get tired, and such tireless exercises will only give you pleasure. One of the options for exercise during pregnancy can be classes in the pool. If you begin to systematically exercise during pregnancy, physical education will become an integral part of your life. Thus, you will acquire another useful habit.
Walking is another pleasant activity that you can indulge in during pregnancy. And they must also be logged in. Walking is a kind of training for the respiratory, cardiovascular and muscular systems of a young mother. They contribute to the prevention of certain complications of pregnancy, ensure the good condition of the fetus.
For good health, women, and even more so expectant mothers, need to sleep 8-10 hours a day. You can also afford this pleasure with a clear conscience during pregnancy, because it is not only a pleasure, but also a necessity. In the first trimester of pregnancy, drowsiness is especially pronounced. This is due to the action of the hormone progesterone, which "dominates" in the body of a woman during this period. By the end of the first pregnancy, most women experience some difficulty falling asleep, waking up several times during the night, but still allowing themselves to rest during the day.
Appearance
Many women are afraid of the changes that can happen to their appearance. But there are a lot of advantages here too. Yes, indeed, changes will certainly occur, and among them - an increase in breast size, improved hair and nail growth.
Many of the fair sex dream of having a slightly larger breast; during pregnancy, this dream will come true. The size of the mammary glands often increase in the first trimester of pregnancy. This is due to an increase in the volume of glandular tissue, that is, the tissue that will produce milk. Along with an increase in volume, the breast becomes elastic.
Changes in the hormonal background, characteristic of pregnancy, will lead to increased hair growth and slow hair loss. Therefore, your hair will become thicker, shiny, attractive. These same hormonal changes will lead to the rapid growth of nails, reducing their fragility.
A mysterious look, turned as if inward, gives a pregnant woman a unique charm. All these changes in appearance, of course, can be classified as positive.
If you have problematic, oily or combination skin and before pregnancy you did everything to prevent the appearance of pimples, then during the period of bearing a baby, you will most likely forget about this problem, because the skin becomes dry at this time.
It would be foolish to deny that not all women have oily skin, that after childbirth there comes a time when the hair begins to fall out intensively, that the breasts after breastfeeding will acquire “pre-pregnant” sizes, but may change shape. In addition, there is still a chance of gaining excess weight, “getting” stretch marks, the advantages of the first pregnancy are age spots. These phenomena can hardly be attributed to positive ones, but they also conceal an indisputable plus. The likelihood of these changes just makes it necessary to improve skin and body care, but isn't it nice to dedicate as much time and effort to yourself as possible?
Health
It is a well-known statement that doctors often use: there are no healthy people - there are underexamined. During pregnancy, one way or another, you will have to pass a number of tests and visit doctors of various specialties. This will allow you to find out all the details about your state of health, if necessary, undergo treatment. We emphasize once again that this is not an inconvenience brought by the first pregnancy, but a plus, because otherwise, you might have been going to the doctor for a very long time. Of course, you will be in a somewhat more advantageous position if you pass all the necessary examinations before pregnancy. In any case, the baby will make you pay attention to your health. Remember how many times you put off visiting the dentist, and only the realization that the first pregnancy sometimes contributes to significant changes (and not for the better) in the state of the oral cavity led you to the dentist. So do not miss such a great opportunity to “pull up” your health.
If smoking was one of your habits, then now is the time to quit. And if earlier you could give up on your health by reaching for another cigarette, then during pregnancy this habit harms not only you, but, first of all, your baby. It is during the period of bearing a child that many women once and for all refuse this addiction.
Relations with others
New acquaintances are another plus of the first pregnancy. After all, while carrying a baby, you will regularly attend a antenatal clinic, possibly a school for pregnant women, a fitness club. Internet users, as a rule, make new acquaintances on profile sites for future and young parents. By the way, often such acquaintances develop into family friendships.
In the most positive way, the first pregnancy can affect relations with relatives. The husband will somehow take care of the expectant mother - and this will not necessarily be expressed in the fulfillment of your (sometimes very changeable) desires. Perhaps the future dad will help you around the house, take on some of your responsibilities, or, on the contrary, go headlong into work in order to properly provide for the growing family. Believe me, the vast majority of future fathers take progressive and positive actions in anticipation of the baby, it is only important to be able to see them.
In a positive way, family relationships can also be affected by the renewal of intimate relationships. After all, during pregnancy there is no need to use contraception, and the pregnant position requires the search for new forms of intimate communication.
During this period you will understand your parents better. In addition, you will have a very responsible and not very easy period of life - the first year of a baby's life, when the help of parents will be far from superfluous - this is another reason to get close to them. In the end, everyone benefits from good family relationships.
Work, study
Exams are usually easy for pregnant students, there is a great incentive to pass everything ahead of schedule, to pull up all the “tails”.
At work, pregnancy also has many benefits. Anticipation of future expenses is a great incentive to move up the career ladder. In addition, pregnancy is a whole 10 weeks of legal prenatal leave. During this time, you can complete some serious long-term project (thesis, book), pass the exam session ahead of schedule, etc.
New clothes, purchases
Undoubtedly, a pleasant event is the purchase of a child's dowry. Even if you are superstitious and do not want to buy a dowry in advance, before the birth of the baby, then you must choose a stroller, crib, baby clothes before giving birth, because then there simply will not be time for this, and it is not always possible to rely on the taste of relatives. And how much fun it will give you the choice of tiny children's things and everything that is necessary when caring for a baby. Therefore, you should not put off going to the children's store and the children's fair on the back burner. It is most practical to do this in the second trimester of pregnancy, when the physical condition is optimal for sufficiently long shopping trips.
Pregnancy is a great time to update your wardrobe, as most "pre-pregnancy" clothes will not fit the rounded shapes of the expectant mother. Already at the very beginning of pregnancy, breast size often increases, a rounded tummy begins to appear by the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, so you will need special maternity clothes for at least two seasons. When updating your wardrobe, do not forget about shoes - among comfortable models with low heels, you can always pick up a beautiful, stylish pair.
At the end of the second - the beginning of the third trimester of the first pregnancy, expectant mothers have the so-called "nesting instinct", which is also embodied in the desire to create a nest for the baby. It can be just the equipment of a crib, and the arrangement of a children's room, or it can be a renovation in an apartment or even the construction of a new house. Creation is always fun. Don't get bogged down in the problems associated with these changes - extract the best for yourself.
In addition to all of the above, the very fact of pregnancy gives a woman the right to a lot of concessions. This is a place in public transport, and a democratic approach on the part of the authorities, and the full right to make comments to smoking colleagues, and the forgiveness of female quirks at home. After all, these quirks have a physiological justification - the hormones of pregnancy act on the nervous system of a woman in such a way that the mood becomes changeable, so pregnant women are usually sentimental and tearful.
But of course, the main plus of the first pregnancy is that very soon you will have to know the joy of motherhood and for the first time meet the dearest person - your baby.
Source http://www.9months.ru/beremennostbase/3016/pervaya-beremennost-tolko-plyusy
Second pregnancy: what you need to know?
A Harvard University study found that women who drank three glasses of apple juice every day were 15% more likely to develop type II diabetes. In the case of orange juice, the likelihood of illness increases by 25%, plus there is a risk of obesity.
Remember how you were inexperienced, and every little thing seemed like a mystery during your first pregnancy? Is it possible to eat this piece of cheese, has the baby moved or is it just gases? When you are pregnant for the second time, you always compare the sensations with the 1st pregnancy.
It turns out that there are some aspects of subsequent pregnancies that may surprise you. But being prepared can help you prepare for your second pregnancy and take steps that will be good for both your health and your unborn baby.
What is the optimal and safe term for a second pregnancy
It is better to wait 12-18 months after the first birth to get pregnant again. A new study has shown that a gap between pregnancies of less than 6 months can have problematic and sometimes dire consequences: it can increase the likelihood of preterm birth, as well as increase the risk of serious illness for the mother.
If you have had a caesarean section, it is recommended to wait even longer and delay trying a second child by 18 months.
You can become pregnant with your second child even if you are still breastfeeding your first.
Women who only breastfeed may experience delayed fertility. Why? Because prolactin, the hormone that stimulates breast milk production, also inhibits estrogen production, and low estrogen levels can stop ovulation.
If you are exclusively breastfeeding and introduced formula or food, there is no guarantee that you will not ovulate. If there is a shortage of milk, this means that the hormone prolactin is not produced enough, therefore, ovulation is not suppressed.
Second pregnancy not like first
Every pregnancy is different, so it's hard to predict how easy or difficult it will be to get pregnant with your second child. If you and your partner have frequent, unprotected sex and you don't get pregnant within a year, see your doctor.
This may be due to a number of factors such as:
-
Violation of sperm production;
-
endometriosis;
-
Complications caused by a previous pregnancy;
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Risk factors like age or weight.
Your doctor can help determine if you should be treated for infertility.
Baby movements
Moms tend to feel fetal movement earlier in their second pregnancy than in their first, but not because their baby starts moving earlier.