So, you have decided to take your married life up a notch! Well, congratulations, pregnancy is one of the most magical journies of your life, and at the end of it, you will have created the wonder of life itself! Overwhelming, isn’t it?
Pregnancy in itself can be a ride!
So, to help you ease into this transformation, we have compiled a list of seven important things that you need to know before you begin your journey toward planning a family:
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1. Your body will change:
This is the foremost thing that you need to know about stepping into a pregnant woman’s role! In the very first trimester of your pregnancy, you will notice a lot of changes happening in your body. As the estrogen and progesterone levels in your body rise, you will begin to notice that your areolas start expanding and getting darker in color.
You may also experience vomiting, headaches, and stiff joints. Furthermore, venturing toward the second semester of your pregnancy, you may also start to notice a change in your belly size.
By the time you reach the third trimester, your belly with keep on increasing every day. you may also notice your skin texture and your hair quality changing. A lot of hormonal changes happen frequently during pregnancy, and you need to prepare yourself for it!
2. Sleeping would be difficult:
Not only does pregnancy come with a huge belly, but it also comes with severe backache from the second trimester’s inception. As your pelvic bones make way for the uterus to expand, the pressure falls upon your backbone and your hips to support you as well as your child’s weight. What this means is that these backaches may keep you up at night.
For those who are used to sleeping on their stomach, well, you may need to change that habit ASAP!
Even after childbirth, there would be sleepless nights and waking up to your crying baby. Finding a sleeping cycle that suits you and your family members can help you manage the baby by taking shifts.
(See also: Is Your Family Ready for Baby #2? The Questions You Need to Ask)
3. You would need to change your diet:
Do we need to tell you that your baby deserves only the best nutrients you can find?
It is important that you cut down on all your junk foods, alcohol, and smoking habits, and provide your baby with good food. To know the right diet for you, you should consult an Obstetrician.
4. You will have a lot of mood swings:
All these drastic hormonal changes can make you feel a lot of things. Pregnant women often complain of mood swings, and pregnancy is truly an emotional rollercoaster ride!
The best way to regulate your mood swings is to communicate, to try and avoid stress as much as you can, and to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
5. You will have a lot of happy days also:
Now, this is something that you have not been told, right?
During the second trimester of your pregnancy, the secretion of happiness chemicals in your body increases. What this means is that the hormone that directly reduces your pain, stress, and sadness, and increases your happiness would now be flowing through your system more frequently and in great volume.
Self-esteem and confidence are naturally going to go up!
This is going to be a good phrase, as long as you can look past the physical and minor mood discomfort. So, when you enter the journey, make sure you enjoy it.
6. You will be uncomfortable:
During pregnancy, your body changes quickly and vastly. Not only are you under physical stress, but you also have significant mental stress to ensure your as well as your baby’s health. So, it is normal for you to experience physical discomfort and emotional stress as well.
However, you must not let it get over your head or it can hamper your as well as your baby’s growth.
Therefore, relaxing massages, laughter therapy, mild workouts, and frequent visits to an expert gynecologist are recommended.
7. Choose only the best:
Every woman goes to a doctor during pregnancy. However, you mustn’t just settle for nearly any doctor, you must only choose the best.
If you are not comfortable with male doctors, you can find perfectly fine female gynecologists as well. You should ask around, do some research on the Internet, or simply sample them out for yourself before finalizing one gynecologist.
We hope these few tips have helped you understand a few things that you need to keep in mind before taking the first step toward family planning.
About The Author:
Stacey Smith is a freelance health writer. She is passionate about writing about women’s health, dental health, diabetes, endocrinology, and nutrition and provides in-depth features on the latest in health news for medical clinics and health magazines.
