Читать книгу Blooming Birth: How to get the pregnancy and birth you want - Lucy Atkins - Страница 48

YOUR BODY | You may feel tired, nauseated, constipated, bloated, achy (pelvis and breasts). You may notice more vaginal discharge, more prominent veins, crave odd foods and have an acute sense of smell. Sickness usually peaks about Week 8. You may have fainting spells and headaches. Your waistband may feel tight as early as Week 4 (especially if this is not your first pregnancy, you may look five months pregnant at three months if you’ve stretched before). Your breasts may tingle, ache and the nipples may get darker and bigger. For most women, sickness abates around Week 12. You may be disconcerted that you ‘just look fat’, not pregnant. This won’t last.

YOUR EMOTIONS | Mood swings can shock you and your partner but should level out around the end of the trimester. Erratic feelings are common: elation, anxiety, hope, panic, ambivalence, fear of miscarriage or gaining weight, depression. As you approach your second trimester your hormones calm down and you should think more clearly. First trimester may seem to drag on but enjoy the feel of a non-elasticated waistband while you can.

BIRTH PREPARATION | Think about your carers: change your GP if you are not happy with him/her, look at what options are available for antenatal care/birth in your area (see Chapter 5: Your Options). If you are booking an independent midwife, you can see her throughout all antenatal checks etc., so do this now. Otherwise, it is really too early to be obsessing on the birth itself. If you feel scared of the birth, write down all the things you fear: you’ll deal with these later.

EXPERIENCED MOTHERS ADVISE | Give yourself a break. Go to bed at 7pm if you want to. Don’t be afraid to whinge or cry. Take time off work if you need to. Let yourself be pampered (or pamper yourself if no one will do it for you).

YOUR BABY | Month 1 The size of a little grain of rice. It’s developing a spinal cord, nervous system, gastrointestinal system and heart and lungs. Your placenta is forming and creating the umbilical cord. You may spot a heartbeat on an ultrasound, but it could be too soon even for this. Month 2 Less than one inch long. Her face is forming with tiny eyes, ears, mouth and tooth buds. Her arms and legs are moving (you won’t feel them yet). Her brain is forming and you can see her heartbeat on a scan. Month 3 Three inches long and 1 oz, with wiggling fingers and toes and even tiny fingerprints. She can even pee. Unbelievably, scans can show smiles, frowns, swallows and sucking.