Missing your menses and wondering whether you are pregnant for the first time is an exciting time for most mummies! You probably rushed to the pharmacy to get a home pregnancy test kit and if confirmed positive, you will be calling all your relatives or friends to recommend a suitable obstetrician for you!
Excited, joyful feelings may occasionally be mixed with nervousness and stress. The road ahead is uncertain because you have never gone this way before. There may be insecurity too, wondering whether, am I really pregnant? How come I dont’t feel anything? Is my baby ok? What is I am not pregnant? (if the test kit is wrong)
Here are some tips for new mummies to be:
1)Relax, calm yourself down and get the support of your husband. Let him know that you need his support right now although he may not feel like he is a daddy yet.
2) Speak to trusted relatives or friends and ask for obstetrician recommendation. Preferably choose an obstetrician that suits your temperament. So relatives or friends with similar preferences, temperament and likings may be a good source of referral.
3) Book an appointment with the obstetrician to confirm your pregnancy. This takes the insecurity away!
4) Rest as much as you can because a lot of changes are happening to your body at this time, even though you may not look physically pregnant yet. Sleep as much as you need to.
5) Communicate with your husband your need for rest and his understanding if you are tired. He may not understand how you are feeling because he cannot see the baby bulge yet. He may not understand your cravings for unusual foods too. To reduce stress on your husband’s part, get him to speak to some friends who are already fathers.
6) Eat healthily and normally if possible. If you have morning sickness or crave unusual foods, do not worry too much or feel too stressed about it. Go with the flow and eat whatever you feel like eating, unless that particular food is proven to be harmful for baby.
7) Avoid smoking and alcohol.
8) Smile as much as possible and keep yourself cheerful. A happy mum equals happy baby! Remember that all the baby’s vital organs are formed during the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] trimester so your body is doing a lot of work. Do not over stress yourself physically or emotionally.
9) Confide and share with your mum, mum-in-law or trusted friends who have gone through pregnancies
Smilingmum
