I have some tips that helped me when I was expecting. They may not work for everyone though.
First things first, when you find out you are expecting a little miracle, please go to your doctors to sort out your care/antenatal/pre-natal appointments.
Morning sickness
Most women experience this in varying levels, usually in early pregnancy and I'm not going to lie. It's ghastly. Thankfully most of the time it vanishes around 12-27weeks depending.
I had it pretty bad, I had to travel to the horses a lot on buses and trains (I also commuted to london) which was a trigger. I found sucking crystallised ginger really helped to prevent any vomitting when I was bad.
If you find you are really ill then head to the doctors as they may be able to help.
Another trigger for me was strong smells. I found that the only way to help this was to try and ignore the offending scent and carry something strong and pleasant smelling with me.
Nutrients
As soon as you find out that you are pregnant then it is advised to take folic acid supplements, specialised for pregnancy is best fortified with omega, calcium and iron, avoid vitamin A as this is harmful to your little one. If you look online there is a list of things to avoid eating, please pay attention to it as they are listed to prevent harm to the growing fetus. Also avoid alcohol especially. Do not eat loads more than you usually do, you don't need to eat more until your last trimester unless your midwife/doctors says otherwise.
Tired?
Take a rest when you need, especially during the first and third trimester. Due to university and my horses I couldn't get the rest I needed and with a 36 hour labour I was shattered.
Bleeding
Red bleeding, particularly heavy or more than spotting is not usually normal. Please go to the doctors as soon as possible, A&E if you have to. Sadly miscarriages are common in the first trimester. (We sadly lost two babies this way - miscarriage I mean)
Perineal massage
This may seam very strange but I will swear by this. I had a natural birth and no tears what so ever so I guess it helped me. Best to get your partner to do it but it can be done alone. Look it up.
Pain
Back, muscle, hip, leg and ligament pain is very common during pregnancy. Back supports can help and the doctor might have some suggestions. If you get severe unrelenting pain in your shoulder blade (particularly in only one) then it might be worth a trip to A&E/doctors to check its okay. I had this and thankfully it was all okay. However this resulted in physiotherapy once a week to try and relieve it.
Relaxation
Very very important; stress is your enemy. It's harmful for you and your baby. When you hit the third trimester back your baby and labour bags ready, one less stress. I was travelling round and performing all the way up till Ophelia was born so it was important to have this organised.
Gentle massage thoughout the pregnancy and labour helped so much.
Also take a nice soak in the bath, not hot! You will hurt your baby, but warm is fine.
I will post a list of the pampering items I used during my pregancy.
Appointments
Attend all your appointments and if you can attend any birthing courses offered to you. They give important information at the birthing classes, such as labour choices and others, including Caring for your newborn and reducing SIDS risk (sudden infant death syndrome). The antenatal appointments check your health and that of the baby. If you think there is a problem (we were told there was a fetual arrhythmia so I went to the women's hospital to check and it was completely fine - false alarm).
Personally I hate hospitals so I chose to have my baby in the birthing suite not the obstetric unit. My next will be a home birth. Choose what is best for you and your risk assessment. (I was very low risk)
Going out
We still went clubbing and indeed I was performing. Of course I was very careful yet I actually enjoyed it. Not everyone feels up for this though which is fair enough. The getting dressed up made me feel quite good in honesty. This leads to another point. You don't have to pay loads of money on clothes for going out. I actually found some lovely normal clothes that were my normal size but stretchy... And quite flattering for bumps. Look around not just at maternity clothes. In fact I only owned a few maternity things,which I made. I would love to make some more quirky and comfortable maternity clothes. Message me if interested.
Intercourse
Some women and men really go off sex during pregnancy, which is reasonable. Some however (myself and my partner included) found that they aren't phased at all and don't mind having intimate moments whilst expecting. This actually can be relaxing for you and some ladies find that they can reach orgasm easier due to the increased blood flow to the vagina and not having to worry/stress about getting pregnant. It does not harm your baby in any way.
Helping hands
Remember, your doctor is there to help you, if you are ever worried then call them or your midwife. It's better to be safe than sorry. Also support from your partner (if you have one), friends and family can be invaluable. If you happen to have any who are also pregnant or have young babies/children then even better. Don't be afraid to talk about things to those close to you. I'm always happy to chat for example if any of my friends so wish.
Knowing it's time
This is a bit of a vague. I am writing this because for first time mums it's confusing to know what's a real contraction and what's a Braxton hicks. Trust me you will know! Sadly I was unfortunate enough to have random occurances of false starts for a month. This is basically where started having really strong contractions (not Braxton hicks) but nothing actually moved along such as cervix dilation. It's stressful to say the least. My best advice if this happens to you is wait and relax. Don't stress. If in doubt contact your midwife.
I hope some of this helps. I may of forgotten something. If I think of something I will add another post for it.
Take care now.
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