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Monday, August 24, 2015

The First Month of Pregnancy



There are plenty of guides out there that tell you about what happens when you are four, five, six, and on up to nine months pregnant. The reason why so few concentrate on the first month of pregnancy is because it is rather uneventful and most women don't know they are pregnant until after this first month has passed. If you are trying to get pregnant, there are some things you can do and think about when you are first pregnant that can lead to a healthier pregnancy.

You probably won't see your doctor during the first month of pregnancy. Some women do not get in until they are three months along unless they are considered high risk. If a miscarriage is going to occur, it happens in the first three months, and there is often nothing that can be done to prevent it and if it is to occur, usually it is for a good reason. However, if you are miscarrying for a reason that can be prevented, your doctor will want to see you as soon as you know that you are pregnant so you can try to keep your pregnancy healthy and going to full term.

What most women don't know is that technically, you are only pregnant for two weeks during the first month of pregnancy, and your total pregnancy is about 38 weeks rather than forty. Those first two weeks of pregnancy is actually the time between when your last period starts and when your egg is fertilized during ovulation. This has always been included in the forty weeks of pregnancy for some reason. Whatever the case, once you have missed your period by one day, you are about four weeks pregnant, even though the egg has only been fertilized for two weeks.

If you know you want to get pregnant, the first month of pregnancy is a great time to make sure you are eating well and taking a prenatal vitamin. You can never start doing this too soon, and if you think you might be pregnant, you have to make extra sure that you are taking care of yourself so you can have a healthy baby. If you are taking any prescription medications, make sure you talk it over with your doctor, as some are not healthy for your baby. You may have to switch to something else.

There are some things that you should do long before the first month of pregnancy. If you smoke, you should quit. There are medications and also nicotine replacement therapies that you can use to stop. You should also stop drinking as soon as you know you want to try to have a baby. You can also start to cut back on your intake of caffeine. Some is okay while pregnant, but not much. Find out what you should be eating and what you should avoid during pregnancy so you are already eating well when the pregnancy test tells you the news you have been waiting to hear.