The benefits of breastfeeding

Physical changes

Your uterus is pushing up above the pubic bone and you may have trouble fastening your ordinary clothes.
Now is the time to look for maternity clothing. The second trimester is a perfect time to travel and you may be tempted to plan a holiday.

Pregnant women will tell you they experience almost irrepressible cravings for certain foods – salty, sweet, spicy or fatty foods. Some think it’s the body signaling what the growing baby needs. More likely, they’re due to hormones playing havoc (again!) with your senses of smell and taste – and your dietary habits.

The influence of hormonal changes, and the effect of the changes in the size of the growing uterus, can lead to eating complications during pregnancy.

The experience of childbirth and parenthood is an unknown adventure, which results in major changes to your life. 

First trimester

Your fitness is likely to decrease. Listen to your body and only do what you feel comfortable doing.

Second trimester

You may feel more energetic and can exert more effort, but continue to listen to your body.

This stage begins when the cervix reaches complete dilation and effacement, and it ends with the birth of the baby.
Cervical effacement and complete dilation at second stage of labour.

A detailed medical history, of you and your partner, will be recorded at your first prenatal visit.

Physical changes

During the third trimester, your uterus starts to fill up most of your abdomen and probably reaches about 11 cm above your navel. This is when you may start to experience pain from the round ligaments that lie on either side of the uterus.

Your pregnancy: weeks 1-4 – the start of your first trimester. The first signs of pregnancy may be very visible… or not at all. In fact, there are as many different kinds of pregnancies as there are women.

NUTRITION CHECKLIST

Are you eating enough nutritious food with sufficient nutrients, kilojoules, vitamins?

A birth plan or wish list is not a set of commands and demands, and certainly not a contract. It is merely a list of preferences that you have thought about once you have all the information you need.

You may need to consider some personal issues before you become pregnant.

As your pregnancy advances, the uterus exerts an increased upward pressure on your diaphragm. As you near your due date you may find that you breathe less deeply, although more efficiently. You may have a tendency to hyperventilate. To avoid this, breathe more slowly and evenly.

Labour support is a concept that has been around for thousands of years. Throughout human history and across many cultures, women in labour have been assisted by the companionship and aid of another person. The type and amount of support will vary from woman to woman, but every woman can benefit from focused, individualised attention and sensitive nurturing during labour.

Regular prenatal care is most important if you are carrying more than one baby, as the risk to you and your babies is higher.

Attending childbirth and parent education classes is an excellent way to prepare for the birth and develop a support system. 

There are many things you can do to prepare for the delivery of a healthy baby. One of the most important things is eating right to gain the extra weight you’ll need to support another life. Your doctor will keep a close eye on your weight gain during your pregnancy to make sure it’s in the right range.