New Beginnings: Pregnancy Guides - Mission Health

First
Trimester
PREGNANCY GUIDE
Months 1, 2 and 3
New Beginnings
In the Beginning
M OM
Conception to 4
weeks
Finding out you are pregnant can be
exciting and maybe a little scary. Your
first clue may be a missed period. In the
first weeks your body begins to change
because of female hormones. A basic
pregnancy test checks for the hormone
called hCG (human chorionic
gonadotropin). This hormone is found
in your blood and in your urine.
4 to 8 weeks
You may begin to feel the changes in
your body as early as 6-8 weeks after
you have become pregnant. The most
common changes are:
• Feeling tired most of the time
• Tender breast and nipples
• Urinating a lot
• Nausea and maybe vomiting
• Bleeding gums and nose bleeds
• Dizzy or fainting spells
• Headaches
• Big changes in your moods like being
upset, crying a lot or feeling scared
These changes can last a few weeks up
to 20 weeks. To help you deal with these
changes, try these tips.
• Plan to rest during the day or after
you get home. Rest is very important
for you and your growing baby.
• Go to bed earlier.
• Get help with chores or do fewer
chores for a while.
• Wear a bra that fits and supports you.
You may want to wear it to bed.
• Empty your bladder regularly.
• Eat small meals every 2 hours. Keep
crackers next to your bed to eat
before you get up.
• Don’t drink liquids when you first get
up or with your meals or snacks.
• Try taking B6 vitamin, 25mg at
breakfast, lunch, dinner, and at
bedtime. This takes about 4 days to
begin helping.
• Wear loose clothes; nothing tight
around your belly.
• Use a cold mist vaporizer close to
your bed.
• Drink peppermint or ginger tea.
• Ginger capsules 500 mg 4 times a day.
• Avoid greasy or spicy foods.
• Move slowly when you get out of the
bed or stand up.
• Use a soft bristle child’s toothbrush.
Avoid brushing gums too hard. Floss
your teeth once a day.
• Talk with your family, friends, or care
provider about how you feel.
• Ask questions and read books to
help you understand and cope with
these changes.
8 to 12 weeks
During this month your body may
begin to change shape. Your breasts
may get bigger, clothes may feel tight
around your waist and low abdomen.
You may have gained 3-4 pounds by the
end of the 12th week. Your uterus is
about the size of a grapefruit. Your
1
chances of early miscarriage are less
after 12 weeks.
I MPORTANT T HINGS TO
K NOW
Abdomen: The part of
the body in a woman
that contains her
intestines, stomach,
bowels, and uterus.
Amniotic fluid: The
fluid that surrounds the
fetus inside the uterus.
Amniotic Sac: A thin membrane inside
the uterus that surrounds the fetus and
amniotic fluid. This is also called the
bag of water.
Care Provider: In this pregnancy guide
“care provider” will refer to a health
professional who is licensed to provide
medical care to pregnant women and
newborn infants.
• OB Gyn Medical Doctor
• Certified Nurse Midwife
• OB Gyn Nurse Practitioner
• Family Practice Medical Doctor
• Pediatric Medical Doctor
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Cervix: The lowest part of the uterus
that opens and shortens for birth.
Conception: Fertilization – the union of
the sperm and egg.
Fetus: The medical word for a developing
baby in the uterus. The baby is a fetus
after 8 weeks of development.