Pregnancy is divided up into 3 trimesters. This section of the website will give some advice on things you might want to think about during each of the trimesters.
First Trimester (0-3 months)
Once found out that you're pregnant, you'll start to realise how much you need to learn and do in the next few months. Here are some suggestions for where to start.
- Call your health care provider immediately to set a date for your first prenatal visit. As part of your antenatal care, you'll be offered a range of checks, tests and assessments to monitor your health during pregnancy, as well as the health and development of your baby. It can help predict possible problems with your pregnancy or birth, so action can be taken to avoid or treat them.
- Look at your diet. Make a commitment to taking your vitamins, drinking eight glasses of water daily, and eating small, frequent meals high in protein, iron, and calcium.
- Set aside time to rest. While body changes may not yet be visible, your body is still working very hard and you will feel very tired.
- Exercise moderately. Enquire about pregnancy exercise classes or ask fitness instructors at a local gym for some advice. In general, a reasonable minimum for most pregnant women is a 20-minute walk daily, plus cardiovascular exercise (e.g. brisk walking, aerobics, swimming, or bike riding) for 15 minutes three times per week.
- If you haven't already, stop using alcohol and tobacco. Cut down on caffeine and avoid taking any medications unless advised by your doctor.
- Start envisioning how you'd like to have birth: a home, at a birthing centre, at a hospital. Consider who you would like to be with you.
- Buy or borrow a few pregnancy books.
- Reorganize your long-term calendar to allow for childbirth and the restrictions of a new baby. Determine when you might schedule parental leave from work.
- Start budgeting for life with a baby. Think about how much can you spend on baby clothes and furniture.
- Check your home and make arrangements to make it baby – friendly.
- Decide where the baby will sleep and where you will keep its furnishings. Start clearing out the area, and decide what needs to be done to fix it up. If your home needs renovations, arrange for them now.
Second Trimester (4 – 6 months)
The second trimester can be a particularly enjoyable time as you're probably past most of the discomforts of early pregnancy, and you haven't yet developed the aches and pains of later pregnancy. Now is the best time to complete many of the tasks you'll want to take care of before the baby comes. Here are some ideas of how to use your time. Continue to take care of your physical self:
- Keep up with your prenatal checkups
- Go shopping: for maternity clothes, baby furnishings and clothing.
- Investigate classes on childbirth education, breastfeeding, and infant CPR.
- If you are working, review your company's policies: Verify when and how to request maternity leave and how much you can claim, paid or unpaid.
Third Trimester (6 – 9 months)
As you enter your third trimester, you may begin to panic about how you'll get everything done in time. The truth is, you may not complete all the tasks you've set out for yourself, and particularly your growing body requires more of your energy. Here are some ideas on where to place your priorities. Continue to take care of your physical self:
- Keep up with your prenatal appointments.
- Plan for the event of childbirth. Arrange a tour of the hospital or birth centre. Find out whether you need to pre-register or fill out any paperwork. Think about how you will get to the hospital or centre when labour starts. Decide who will be with you during and after the birth. Remember to pack your bag for the labour room and your hospital stay.
- Prepare your home: Complete your shopping for baby clothes, furnishings, feeding supplies, and other gear. Pick up some disposable nappies and wipes.
- Decide on baby names.
- Take care of your emotional self. Remember that pregnancy may encourage mood swings or emotional responses. Let yourself cry, laugh, and talk to yourself.
- Have fun: Indulge yourself with a facial or pregnancy massage, manicure, or pedicure. Or go to a restaurant, movie, or concert. Once the baby arrives, you won't have the chance to do that for a while!
