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Your very first prenatal visit can be a whirlwind experience. But, if you know what questions to ask first, it’ll be a lot easier. These five question suggestions can help guide you to a successful and well-informed relationship with your OBGYN. 1. Can I continue taking my current medications? If not, what alternatives are available? In most cases, you’ll likely be able to continue taking your current medications. However, there are some medications that can harm the fetus in utero. Be up front about everything you’re taking. This includes over the counter meds or supplements. Ask whether you can continue your current treatment regimen and find out what alternatives are available. If you are on medication for depression or anxiety, you’ll want to pay attention to the way the doctor responds to this question. Doctors who aren’t sympathetic to these valid mental health issues at the prenatal stage might not be proactive about postpartum depression either. If you already know you’re prone to this issue, that should be a red flag. Expectant mothers who need to stop taking medication for depression or anxiety should be referred to a therapist rather than simply left without any care at all during pregnancy. 2. Can you recommend any local prenatal classes? Find out from an expert rather than just going to Google. You can follow up on your doctor’s suggestions independently to see which one works best for you. 3. What emergency symptoms should I be aware of and when should I call you or seek emergency care? Your body is going to change a lot over the next several months. You’ll feel physical sensations you’ve probably never experience before. This can even be true if this isn’t your first pregnancy! That’s why it’s so important to know what’s a sign of something serious and what’s merely uncomfortable or weird. Fever, spotting and severe cramps can be warning signs. But don’t just ask about specific symptoms—let your doctor run down a list of what you need to be aware of. Follow that up by making sure you know exactly when the sensations you’re feeling are emergency level and when they’re not so serious that you can’t wait a few hours for an appointment. 4. How often do you recommend a Cesarean? Episiotomy? Labor induction? Find out where your OBGYN stands on issues such as episiotomy and other topics to get a sense for whether you’ll work well together. This question isn’t limited to the topics listed above. If there are any issues that are really important to you in childbirth, whether it’s going the natural route (or not), avoiding the use of forceps, using pain medication after delivery or delivering at home, you should ask about it and see whether the response you get is in line with your priorities. Remember, this is as much an interview as it is a doctor’s appointment. 5. Should I change my daily routine? Ask about specific cosmetic habits like painting your nails or getting spray tans. Include health-related routines like exercise and sex, diet, sleep and anything else that may need to change now that you’ve got a bun in the oven. If you do physical labor at work or anything else that might impact how your pregnancy progresses, be sure to ask about it.

Gestating a fetus is no small feat. From the physical changes and hormonal swings, , to the sense of excitement and even anxiety you may feel during pregnancy. Your entire body is really going through it while you’re waiting for your little one to arrive. However, is your brain really functioning at a lower capacity? Let’s explore the legend of pregnancy brain. Momnesia: Real or Fake? The foggy head some mothers feel during pregnancy was once attributed to an overall decrease in brain function. A 2002 study that seemed to prove the existence of “pregnancy brain” as a reduction in overall functionality has been refuted by subsequent studies, including a 2009 study performed by a female researcher in Australia. This researcher, Helen Christensen, was the director of Australian National University’s Centre for Mental Health Research at the time of the study. She concluded in 2009 that women’s brains actually tend to increase in capability during pregnancy. As with all scientific research, there’s a bit of nuance, and the way the study itself is conducted can affect the outcome. However, given how much mothers are able to accomplish during their pregnancies, it stands to reason that our brains are kicked into overdrive during this time. What’s Really Going On? While brain function may be higher during pregnancy, that doesn’t necessarily translate into a feeling of being alert and energetic. This is normal. During the first trimester, hormonal changes are often to blame for a feeling of fogginess, forgetfulness and fatigue. Anxiety may also play a role in this feeling for some women. The second trimester is often associated with a return of energy. However, not all women experience this. Women who’ve maintained a fairly consistent body weight for most of their adult lives could be feeling the strain of suddenly carrying around some extra weight. Even a few pounds can make a difference when it’s with you all day. In the third trimester, fatigue is often associated with difficulty sleeping and, again, increased weight requiring more physical effort throughout the day. This can be especially tough during hot weather. Throughout the entire pregnancy, many women are trying to maintain their normal lives. This is in addition to taking on massive additional tasks of caring for themselves and preparing their homes and lives for a baby. It doesn’t take a team of researchers to determine that anyone experiencing this kind of extra workload might not be as sharp and on top of things as they ordinarily are. What You Can Do Be compassionate with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with other moms. Every pregnancy is unique, and whether or not yours is “perfect” and “blissful” is mostly a matter of uncontrollable factors. This includes genetics, not a moral or intellectual triumph. Don’t put unfair pressure on yourself, this can make it harder to deal with your feelings. Make written lists to help combat forgetfulness. If you’re feeling tired, give yourself permission to relax. Ask your partner, friends and family members for help picking up the slack. Don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself. You might not be able to do exactly what you used to do before you got pregnant, and that’s OK. Do you have experience with forgetfulness and fatigue associated with “pregnancy brain?” Tell us about it and how you coped with it.

Everyone’s pregnancy is different, but there are some experiences that all mothers tend to share in common during those all-important nine months (and after). Here are a few of the most common/eventful, and also the most major milestones of pregnancy! https://youtu.be/vo1BVzxs5jw First Trimester Getting positive confirmation that you’re pregnant from a home test or a doctor. Sharing your exciting news with your partner. If you choose, sharing the news with your friends and family. Having your first moment of unusual exhaustion. Seeing firsthand what morning sickness is all about—and realizing that it can happen at any time of day. Experiencing strange appetite changes, whether it’s a craving for weird flavor combos or a sudden distaste for something you ordinarily don’t mind, Finding your OB/GYN and going through the information flood that is your first few visits. Seeing your baby for the first time with an ultrasound and hearing its tiny heartbeat. Noticing some changes in the shape of your body, though not necessarily a pronounced baby bump. At the end of the first trimester, you’ll realize that you’re one third of the way done with your pregnancy! Second Trimester Feeling a bit more comfortable as the morning sickness and fatigue of the first trimester starts to subside. Making the announcement to friends, family and coworkers who don’t already know—many couples choose to wait until the second trimester to reveal the big news because the first trimester is the period of greatest risk for miscarriage. Starting to show more dramatically after the relatively mild bloating or bump development of the first trimester and buying maternity clothes to fit your new belly. Noticing that other people are noticing and reacting to your growing midsection, potentially including unwelcome comments and unexpected well wishes. Feeling your baby move around, kick and generally make his or her presence felt. Seeing more detailed ultrasound images and even learning the gender if you choose to do so at this point. At the end of your second trimester, you’ll be more than halfway done with pregnancy and will have just a few more weeks left before you meet your new little one! Third Trimester Tying up loose ends and finalizing details around the house and your life, from picking out the right car seat to finishing the decor for your nursery. Attending a baby shower and receiving gifts from loved ones and friends, then arranging and organizing those gifts. Seeing your OB/GYN on a more regular basis—you could even have weekly appointments. Packing a hospital bag and coming up with a plan for when you go into labor. Watching the days to your due date tick away and, most likely, being surprised on the actual day of arrival. Learning the difference between real contractions and Braxton-Hicks. Meeting your little one after your delivery or c-section! These milestones may come with their own ups and downs, and some of them may be more significant than others. That’s normal, so don’t worry if your pregnancy ends up looking a little bit or even a lot different from the typical path described here. What’s important is that you’re prepared and healthy!

In this day and age, women can manage the many ins and outs of pregnancy with the touch of a button. No longer do you have to scramble through note pads and papers to try to remember Doctor’s appointments, keep track of pregnancy progress or even manage your contractions. With the introduction of iPhones and apps, staying organized (and well informed) during pregnancy is easier than ever before. Here are some of our favorite apps to use during pregnancy: What to Expect ‘What to Expect’ is one of the most complete pregnancy apps available. Heidi Murkoff, author of the world’s best selling pregnancy book, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, brings moms a day-by-day and week-by-week guide through their pregnancy. The app is easy to navigate, user friendly and offers a variety of features such as: Daily tracker shows your week and day of pregnancy, baby’s development measured in fruit sizes, and countdown to your due date. Weekly videos, personalized tips, and week-by-week information help you understand your changing body and your baby’s development. Active and supportive community makes it easy to meet Moms due in the same month as you. Photo journal to capture moments each week that create a visual memory of baby’s journey. Weekly inspiration and shareable milestones make it easy and fun to celebrate your little one’s progress with family and friend. The only app that tracks your pregnancy as well as your other children in one place. Syncs photos, content, and preferences across your devices. This app is available for iPhones, iPads and best of all, it’s free! Click here to get the app. My Labor Bags This app has been called ‘The ultimate bag preparation tool for your family’ and it really is! It is a complete guide and tracker to help you get yourself and your family ready for the big day. My Labor Bags is extremely flexible and easy to use with 3 primary labor bags: Mommy’s Bag, Daddy’s Bag & Baby’s Bag. Some of its features include: Pre-loaded with nearly 100 of the must-have items preloaded to help get you started! 2 full sets of labor bag databases. (Default & Custom) 3 Individual Labor Bags: Mommy’s Bag, Daddy’s Bag, & Baby’s Bag. Convenient “All-Bags” button allows you to manage all of your labor bags in one view. Manage any item’s Description, Location, Cost, Quantity, Packed Status and Notes! MyDueDate, the powerful due date information extraction tool provides, Day of Week, Time Remaining in Weeks & Days, Pregnancy Week, & Trimester. This app is available for iPhones, iPads and it’s FREE Click here to get the app. Contraction Master The Contraction Master app is the easiest and most accurate way to time your contractions. Just tap once at the start of the contraction and tap again at the end. Contraction Master automatically keeps track of the start time, duration, strength, and frequency of each contraction. At any time, you can switch to the History screen to see a log of all contractions that have been timed. When contractions are close enough together and long enough Contraction Master will automatically alert you that it’s time to go to the hospital and even display a button you can tap to call your Ob/Gyn! If you want to share your contraction history with your doctor or nurse, Contraction Master makes that easy by allowing you to email it at anytime. This app is available for iPhones, iPads and it’s $1.99 Click here to get the app. Baby Names by Winkpass Baby Names by Winkpass is one of the best baby name apps out there. It has a simple and intuitive interface and includes a massive database of more than 25,000 names along with their meanings and origin. You can easily browse names by origin, popularity, alphabetically and by gender. You can also save a list of your favorites and share it across your Social Media. This app is available for iPhones, iPads and it’s absolutely free! Click here to get the app. Positive Pregnancy The Positive Pregnancy app is a guided meditation audio program intended to help expecting mothers become deeply relaxed and focus on a positive and successful pregnancy. It can be listened to at any time during your pregnancy and its relaxation techniques, visualizations and positive affirmations ensure you have a more comfortable, natural and enjoyable pregnancy. Benefit associated with guided meditation during pregnancy include: Boosting your energy and well being. Deepening your sleeping patterns. Reducing physical discomfort. Building a connection with your baby. This app is available for iPhones, iPads and it’s $2.99 Click here to get the app. Baby Kicks Monitor From about 28 weeks or when you feel your baby’s kicks regularly, your doctor may suggest that you keep track of the kicking daily to make sure that your baby is doing well. Baby Kicks Monitor will record the start date, duration and times of kicks of each test with an easy to use interface. When the kicking reaches 10 times or the time reaches 2 hours, the kick session will stop automatically. If you wish to redo the test or end the test, you can press the X button in the upper-right corner to stop it. Other great features include: Share sessions or one individual kicking test with your doc or friend by email. Continue the kicks counting where you left off in the condition that you make a call or play other apps while doing the kicking session. Input your last menstrual period, Baby Kicks Monitor with show your Delivery Due Date and the days remains to that big day. Help documents to provide you more information about fetal movement. This app is available for iPhones, iPads and free for a limited time. Click here to get the app mPregnancy – For Men With Pregnant Women Men tend to be a little sensitive to the realities of pregnancy that their partner is going through. This app is created to bridge that gap and keep men in the loop in terms that they can relate to. mPregnancy contains useful facts for men of before and during pregnancy, not only about the baby but also about what is going on with your partner and yourself. Men will learn about making their partner’s pregnancy a pleasant experience. It contains great illustrations of how the baby develops and describes the size in terms that men understand, e.g. similar to the size of a football, or a bottle of beer. Other great features include: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) which among other things lists foods that are not safe to eat during pregnancy A Gestational Age Tracker trimester Days Left of Pregnancy Tracker And explanations of all the weird counting tricks that are used during pregnancy This app is available for iPhones, iPads and it’s only $2.99 Click here to get the app. Having a healthy and safe pregnancy is something that all expectant moms want. The apps we suggest above are to help you stay organized and have daily insights to your journey through pregnancy. You should always consult with your doctor about your prenatal care, decisions and advice in regards to your pregnancy.

Have you ever seen those neat time lapse photos of pregnant women and thought to yourself "I would LOVE to do that?". Well, now that you are pregnant you can! Take the time to catalogue the progression of your pregnancy by following these simple steps of a DIY photographing your pregnancy experience. Setup Choose a well lit area of your home where you can setup a tripod. You can leave the tripod there for the next 9 months, or you can mark the spot to make sure you place it in the same location every time. Setup your camera on the tripod with a self-timer so that you don't have to depend on anyone else's availability to photograph you. Choose a pose that is comfortable and shows the contour of your baby bump. Try to do a similar pose every time you take a photograph for this project. Wear form fitting clothing or if you are comfortable, lift your shirt to show your belly. This will ensure that the progression of your growing belly is accentuated. Specifics Before you begin this fun project, decide how often you will photograph yourself. Will you do it weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly? Choose a day of the week when you know you can commit to taking the photo. Keep it as your guide so that you don't forget and are able to complete this project. Setting a reminder on your phone is a great idea to ensure you remember. When you edit the photos you take, choose the same filter (if you're using one) and crop your photos in the same orientation. This will allow you to make a seamless photo collage or slideshow at the end. If you want to get creative, choose a theme that you can use throughout your pregnancy to make your photos pop. Make prints of the finalized project to share with your family and friends or make a video slideshow as a keepsake for many years to come.

During pregnancy, most women experience queasiness and nausea especially during the first trimester and for some women, the nausea returns during the third trimester. There are cases when pregnant women don't experience any nausea at all, for the rest of us; it's a reality we have to deal with. The reason why pregnancy nausea occurs is not very clear but some believe it may be linked to higher levels of hormones during pregnancy. Plus, consider that your sense of smell is heightened and your digestive tract relaxes during pregnancy. This causes the muscles guarding the esophagus to be less efficient thus inducing an increased flow of acid from your stomach into your esophagus. The increased flow of acid is better known as heartburn, and that is common trigger for pregnancy nausea. So now that you have the long explanation, here are some helpful ways to deal with pregnancy nausea aka morning sickness. Take Your Time Waking up/Getting Up Have ease in your movements, especially when waking up or standing up. Your body is working harder than ever before, consider that as you wake up in the mornings and get up slowly to give your body time to adjust between positions. Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day Eating smaller meals throughout the days as opposed to 3 large meals means your stomach won't be too full at any given time. This will reduce the chances of food finding its way back up through your relaxed esophagus. Eat Slowly Eating slowly gives your food more time to go through the initial digestive journey. Chew everything really well and take your time during each meal. It will be worth it to avoid feeling nauseous. Stock Up on Whole Grain Crackers There is something about whole grain crackers that seems to ease nausea in pregnant women. Have a baggie of these little lifesavers handy at all time. Avoid eating buttery crackers, which are yummy, but can have a nauseating effect on you rather quickly. Get Some Tums Acid reflux as a result of a relaxed digestive tract is very common during pregnancy. For a pregnant woman, getting a taste of acid can be a trigger to nausea. Have a bottle of Tums Smoothies handy to help the acid reflux subside and avoid feeling nauseous. Hydrate With a Juicy Watermelon The hydration that is found in eating a juicy watermelon can be of great help to help nausea subside. Just remember to not over do it and fill up your stomach too much! Avoid Smells That You Dislike When you are pregnant, chances are that there are smells that you find repulsive. Try to avoid having to smell these scents since they too can trigger unexpected nausea. Avoid Greasy Foods Although it is very important to stay hydrated during pregnancy, there are some women who experience nausea with certain drinks, including water. If this is your case, try to find alternatives to ensure that you are drinking enough fluids. Avoid Drinks That Gross You Out Although it is very important to stay hydrated during pregnancy, there are some women who experience nausea with certain drinks, including water. If this is your case, try to find alternatives to ensure that you are drinking enough fluids. Keep Calm< Stress can be a huge trigger of nausea. Remain calm throughout your pregnancy as much as possible. We know it's easier said than done. If you know that you are easily stressed out, work out a support system with your loved ones and learn what causes you to feel overwhelmed so you can avoid it and remain calm as much as possible.

Congratulations on your new pregnancy! As you embark on the journey of pre-motherhood for the next 9 months, you will notice a multitude of changes taking place in your daily life. Here are 7 things you need to know about the first trimester to help you have smooth beginnings during your first 12 weeks. 1.You Will Not "Look Pregnant" Yet In your first trimester it's very likely that you will not "look pregnant" yet. What does this even mean? Well, since your baby/fetus is just starting to grow you will not have a prominent baby bump yet which is usually the most telltale sign of pregnancy. You will, however, start to notice your breasts growing and your body changing slowly. Most women don’t reveal their pregnancy to their friends and family until they reach the 12-week mark, so if you decide to keep it a secret, by the time everyone knows, you will be closer to having a noticeable baby bump. 2. Nap Time Please! To say you will feel tired during your first trimester is an understatement. Your body is going through a tremendous transition form sustaining yourself to creating a brand new person from scratch. So you can expect feeling: Tired Sleepy and Low in energy Give in to the urge to take a nap every now and then and allow yourself to recharge your batteries when your body calls for rest. If this means adjusting your bedtime to an earlier time, then go for it. Before you know it, your second trimester will be here and you will start to feel more energetic then. 3. Morning Sickness Is Not Just in the Morning This one's a doozy! Pregnant women often wonder why it's called morning sickness instead of All-day sickness. Although nausea for pregnant women is most common in the morning time, be ready to accept that it can happen at anytime, anywhere. Take some precautions and always have a couple of sickness bags in your purse, car, and desk. You can also try eating some goodies that are known to help nausea subside such as: Watermelon Tums Nausea Lollipops 4. Hello Heartburn Ugh, heartburn is gross and chances are it will find its way into your daily life during your first trimester. In fact, heartburn is one of the most common tell-tale signs of pregnancy. It makes it difficult to: Brush your teeth Eat Sleep Even just relax Not all women get heartburn, but if you happen to be one of the unlucky ones, you can help the throat acid subside by keeping a bottle of Tums smoothies handy. These magic little chewables take care of heartburn quickly, safely and are loaded with calcium supplements to keep you strong. It's a win-win. 5. Some Foods Are a Big No-No Unfortunately, you will learn that there are some foods that are a BIG no-no in your first trimester because they can be harmful to a fetus in its most crucial development stage. Refrain from consuming products made with unpasteurized milk such as soft cheeses & certain juices. If eating raw vegetables and fruit always make sure that they are washed properly. By all means, avoid eating rare temperature meats, Sushi & raw eggs. Keep your fish consumption to a minimum since most fish today are known to contain mercury which when consumed in large amounts, can be harmful to your fetus. Don't worry, the list of the foods you CAN eat is much bigger than this one and as your pregnancy progresses and your fetus grows stronger, you can have all the foods you love in small portions. Having a healthy diet is a sure way to give your baby the best chance at a healthy growth. (Always consult with your Doctor to be sure). 6. Some Scents Will Gross You Out When you are pregnant and especially in the first trimester, there are some scents that will gross you out pretty badly. It seems like the spike in hormones cause women to have negative reactions to certain smells and although there isn’t a real solution to this issue, you can try to avoid those smells once you identify them. You can also keep a scarf handy that is soaked in a subtle perfume that you really love or even a little jar of coffee beans which can be a natural scent cleanser. 7. You Will Learn Where All the Bathrooms Are Lets close with the most common effect of the first trimester of pregnancy, having to pee ALL THE TIME. Your bladder is slowly being pushed aside as your uterus expands to make room for baby. This gentle squeeze increases the sensitivity to liquid in your bladder thus giving you the urge to urinate more often. Before you know it, you will become a professional Google map of clean public restrooms. To avoid any unnecessary accidents it's recommended that you wear panty liners for those times when the trickle is faster than your leap to the restroom. Bellefit Products