The Most Important ‘To Do List’ in the First Trimester!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! We are sure you have lots of questions about where you go from here now that you are pregnant. The first trimester is the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and is jam packed with lots of wonderful development for your baby and changes for your body.
We have put together a week by week guide for each trimester, where you can track what is happening for yourself and your baby. Click here to get started on the First Trimester Guide. This ‘to do’ list is a helpful guide to keep you on track.
Confirm Your Pregnancy & Visit Your GP
Most of the home pregnancy tests will be able to accurately confirm your pregnancy by the 4th week. You can visit your GP once you’ve had a confirmed home pregnancy test where they will request a blood test consisting of Blood group, antibodies, full blood count, iron stores, thalassemia screen, syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B and C, vitamin D, Varicella status, and Rubella status. A mid stream urine test will be taken, to exclude signs of any infection. During pregnancy you will be offered a number of pregnancy tests and screenings. You’ll be given an EDD (Estimated Due Date), which is only a ‘guess’ date, read about how important it is not to focus on this exact date, click here.
Fill Your Body with Goodness
Your body will need lots of additional support from you to ensure that it has all the nutrition and goodness it needs to function at its optimum. Good nutrition not only supports all the development of your baby, it is important for easier birthing and for health for the remainder of your baby’s life. Fuelling your body with goodness and keeping well hydrated will help support your normal bodily functions and energy levels, and good nutrition in pregnancy is one of the single most important means of avoiding many special circumstances in pregnancy. Find yourself a good prenatal vitamin, and educate yourself on pregnancy supplements, and the best nutrition in pregnancy.
Choose the Best Care Giver & Know Your Options
Choosing the right care provider for pregnancy and birth is hands down one of the most important decisions you will make for this pregnancy. Don’t just choose someone because you have been referred to them. First you need to think about what it is you want for this pregnancy, know all your options on getting what you want, and then choose someone who will support you to reach your goals. If you have health insurance, contact them now to find out what you are covered for.
In the HypnoBirthing program we work closely with couples on this task, as the care provider you choose may determine your birth outcomes. Do your research early, as if you are wanting a midwife to support you, or choose to birth in a birth centre, you may need to have this booked in by 12 weeks of pregnancy to get in.
Get Your Mindset Ready
This may sound a little strange, but this is incredibly important. Our thoughts are the basis for all our behaviour, and our mindset will determine our birth outcomes. Fear and worry are embedded into our culture of pregnancy and birth, but they are fears and worry’s that belong to someone else that has been handed down to you. In HypnoBirthing we work with you to get rid of all those beliefs, blocks and fears that can get in the way of you having the most positive pregnancy, birth and road to parenting. Affirmations are a great place to start, and we have put together a week by week affirmation for you to download and use to help you start getting your mindset where it needs to be. Listening to other peoples horror stories is not helpful, so start filling yourself up with positive and empowering information about pregnancy and Birth. Be mindful of the messages you are reading in pregnancy books that focus on all the things that may go wrong. Our tip is to read books that will empower you. Reading the HypnoBirthing Book and listening to a daily hypnosis track for pregnancy is a great place to start.
Other Things to Consider
- If you are working, look into your maternity leave entitlements
- Work on strengthening your pelvic floor muscles
- Gentle exercise is good for you, so although you may be feeling exhausted in the first trimester, there are lots of benefits to keeping fit in pregnancy, so keep moving.
- Your partner is an incredibly important part of this journey, so take the time to include him/her in all this wonderful new information. Supporting each other will help build a stronger bond, not only between the two of you, but also with your baby.
- Start looking at your finances now, and working out some changes you could make if needed in your lifestyle to ensure that you can afford what it is you need to achieve your birthing and parenting goals. Investing in premium antenatal education is more important than the pram or cot you buy, but making a plan ahead of time will give you many more choices.
