Pregancy: Beyond The First Trimester
Most women know what they are going to face during the first trimester of pregnancy. The biggest change will be morning sickness. Not much else will be noticeable until the woman enters the second trimester. Below, you will find some examples of what to expect during the months beyond the first trimester.
Oftentimes, once you enter your second trimester, the exhaustion and the morning sickness will not be as noticeable. The next three months are likely going to be your most enjoyable during the pregnancy. Try to take advantage of feeling good and get some things done to prepare for the baby. Get the nursery ready, wash their clothes and do all of the shopping for the things they will need once they arrives.
If you haven’t done so already, start shopping for your maternity clothes. You will not need to buy an entire wardrobe if you carefully select the pieces that you purchase. Try to find things that will work well together so you can mix and match them all together. Soon, your regular clothes will not fit and you will be thankful that you have some maternity clothes to wear when you leave the house.
As your pregnancy progresses, you will be required to make more trips to the doctor for regular check ups. You will also need to undergo a glucose test and an additional ultra sound. The glucose test requires you to simply drink an orange flavored drink, wait at the lab for an hour and then have a blood draw done. This will allow the doctor to see if you have developed gestational diabetes. The ultra sound is meant to check the development of the baby. They will check the anatomy, do several measurements and examine the organs.
Your doctor will listen to the baby’s heartbeat at each appointment. It is a wonderful thing for mothers to get to hear the beat of their baby’s heart at every appointment. Your doctor will also measure your belly to be sure that your baby is growing at a healthy rate.
Before you reach the midpoint of your third trimester, you will want to have a complete birth plan. This plan should consist of everything from the routes to the hospital, who will be in the labor room with you and whether or not you would like pain relieving medications during labor. Be aware that there is a good chance that you will have to make changes to your plan as your labor progresses. Not every labor goes as planned, so be sure to have a back up plan and be ready to accept changes that have to be made.
You are likely to experience many more changes than just the ones listed above, but you are now better prepared for your next few months. Keep these facts in mind as your pregnancy progresses and never be afraid to ask your doctor any questions that you have when you have them. He is there to assist you through this time and will happily do so.
