Dos And Don’ts During The First Trimester

Did you just find out that you are pregnant? Are you excited to welcome your little one into this world? Along with the excitement, are you also worried and anxious? What foods can you eat? What to avoid? Can you exercise? Can you go to work? Can you travel? These are just a few of the many questions that may be running through your mind at this stage.

In this article, we will shed some light on the dos and don’ts that will help you sail smoothly through the first trimester of your pregnancy.

The entire duration of pregnancy is divided into three trimesters.

The first trimester extends from the 1st day of your last menstrual period to 13 weeks of pregnancy
Second trimester – 14th week to 28 weeks
Third trimester – 29th week to 40 /42 weeks.

DO’S:

1. Prenatal appointment: Are you jumping with joy on seeing those two red or blue lines in the home pregnancy test kit? Well, it definitely is an occasion to rejoice & celebrate. But, remember to fix an appointment with your gynaecologist ASAP so that you can have a healthy & a comfortable pregnancy. In order to prepare for your visit to the doctor, get a few things in order first:

• Make a note of the first day of your last period.
• Write down and make a list of all the questions that you may have. This is very important because when you meet the doctor, you may get engrossed in the discussion and might forget to ask a few things that might be bothering you now.
• Remember to inform your doctor if you are under medication for any medical condition and also inform them how severe the medical condition is. Make sure to carry all your previous test reports & prescriptions with you to the clinic.
• Inform them about the other herbs, vitamins, over the counter medications etc. that you consume

2. Take Folic Acid: The first thing your doctor will advice you is to start taking folic acid.

The recommended daily dose of Folate in pregnancy is 400 micrograms/day. For certain women such as those with diabetes, epilepsy or those having a history of babies with spinal defects or brain defects in the family, the dose is a little higher i.e upto 5 milligrams/day.

CDC recommends to start taking Folate supplementation at least 1-3 months prior to conception so as to prevent brain defects like anencephaly ( absence of skull bones & brain tissue ) and Spina Bifida( Defect of the neural tube) in the baby.

If you just found out that you are pregnant and have not started Folate supplementation prior to pregnancy, don’t panic, simply start the medication as soon as you learn about your pregnancy. You should also consume green, leafy vegetables, fortified cereals & flour to minimize any risks.

3. Eat well: Eating well during pregnancy does not mean that you double up your diet now that you’re eating for two. It simply means that now you should be:

- Eating enough,
- Eating at regular intervals and
- Eating healthy.

Eating less can make you feel very weak and tired and overeating will make you feel nauseous & uncomfortable.

Your diet should include seasonal fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables, sprouts, lentils, cereals, milk & milk products etc. As long as it’s home cooked food that is not spicy and oily, you can enjoy and try different things. Stay away from foods that would make you feel sick. Also make sure that you consume at least 2.5 to 3 litres of liquids everyday. For more details, you can read- Diet in pregnancy at Maitri.

4. Get exercise: In pregnancy, remember one rule- Exercise, but don’t over exercise.

Everything is good when it is done in moderation, even exercise. Make sure that your exercise doesn’t end up making you feel very tired. If you have never exercised before, try doing simple exercises at first. The pace of your workout should be such that you are able to talk freely when you are exercising. This means, you are not straining and draining your body too much. You can go for a walk, slow jogging, swimming, dancing, yoga, Pilates, etc. You can read our article on exercises for the first trimester to get a deeper understanding of the different types of exercises that can be done during pregnancy.

5. Get good sleep: A good sleep is very important when you are pregnant.. Sleepless nights can make you feel fatigued & drowsy during the daytime. The best thing you can do when you feel tired is to get a good sleep. Try to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep during the night & a half an hour’s nap during the afternoon to get adequate rest.

Practice good sleep hygiene to get adequate sleep. This includes:

• Make it a priority to sleep at a scheduled time everyday. Stick to the routine
• Switch off all digital devices 2 hours prior to your sleeptime
• Avoid taking caffeine or tea late in the evening
• Avoid eating very spicy/oily or fried food that can cause gastritis & lead to disturbed sleep.
• Have plenty of fluids during the day but restrict fluid intake late in evening to avoid getting up multiple times for peeing in night
• Read a good book or write a journal to organise your thoughts before bedtime

6. Stay hydrated: Make sure that you consume at least 2.5-3 litres of fluid in a day. If you feel nauseous, you can try sipping over small amounts of water at frequent intervals rather than consuming a whole glass of water/juice at one go. Staying hydrated not only means having lots of water, but it also means including foods in your diet that are water rich. Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumbers, ash gourd, tomatoes, kiwi, oranges, etc. Staying hydrated helps prevent preterm labour, headaches, kidney stones, dizziness, constipation, etc.

7. You can have sex: As long as you don’t have any severe complications like placenta previa, cervical incompetence, Sexually transmitted infections or a high-risk pregnancy, it is completely safe to have sex. If you still have any doubts or worries, feel free to ask your gynaecologist. Note that you can have sexual intercourse right until the last days of the pregnancy. However, remember that it should always be done in a position that is comfortable for the pregnant woman & should not be too aggressive or vigorous.

8. Visit your dentist: This might sound weird, but don’t skip on your regular dental visits. Dental infections & diseases can be an important cause of sepsis & preterm labour and hence they should be treated at the earliest to avoid complications. Teeth cleaning and dental imaging are safe even if you are pregnant, of course the dental X-rays are supposed to be done after covering the abdomen with a lead shield.

9. Limit stress: Long stress can result in a premature birth. It can also risk the physical and mental development of the growing foetus as well as cause behavioural problems.

10. Reach out to your doctor in case of any complications: If you notice any vaginal water leakage, spotting or bleeding, immediately reach out to your doctor. It could be a sign of some complications which need to be tackled at the earliest to avoid any damage to the unborn baby.

DON’TS:

1. Don’t smoke: If you are a smoker, this is the best time to quit. Both active and passive smoking must be avoided. This will not only protect your health but will also ensure that your baby is safe. Women who smoke during pregnancy are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage. The babies who are born to women who smoke are at a higher risk of developing birth defects, premature births, low birth weight, and infant deaths. They are also at a risk of developing learning disabilities. You must also avoid use of recreational drugs.

2. Don’t take alcohol: Stop consuming alcohol when you are pregnant. There is no safe limit to consume alcohol or smoke during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption can lead to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, where the baby can develop serious physical, mental or behavioural problems.

3. Don’t self-medicate: Many medications are not safe for consumption during pregnancy. Some of them can lead to serious birth defects & complications in the baby. Hence, it is advisable to consume any medication only after your doctor’s advice. Even if you have been consuming any medicines for a long time, it is better to discuss with your doctor first before taking them in pregnancy.

4. Don’t eat spicy or oily foods: Pregnant women are prone to having acidity and nausea. This is due to increased reflux of gastric contents into the food pipe which is common in pregnancy. Additionally, the pregnancy hormones lead to nausea & vomiting in the first trimester. Hence, it is best to avoid spicy and oily foods as they can worsen your nausea & vomiting. The best remedy for this is to take frequent, small meals & maintain good hydration. You can ask your doctor if you need any medication for acidity and nausea and they will prescribe a basic anti-vomiting or antacid tablet in case you need it.

5. Don’t stand or lay on your back for prolonged periods: Standing for long duration can lead to stasis & pooling of blood in your legs which leads to varicose veins, blood clots & also decreases the return of adequate blood to the heart for circulation. So keep moving your legs, especially the calf muscles when standing to maintain good circulation. Lying down flat on your back can lead to compression of the large blood vessels in the abdomen by the weight of the enlarging uterus after 16-20 weeks. This leads to decreased return of blood to the heart, a fall in blood pressure & decreased blood supply to the baby. So always lie down on your right or left side once you have crossed 20 weeks of pregnancy.

6. Don’t eat raw /partially cooked eggs or meat: If you are an eggitarian or a meat eater, cook them very well before eating. Eating raw/partially cooked food can cause food poisoning due to infections like Salmonella and Listeria. This can severely affect the foetus and cause miscarriage and birth defects. So always wash & cook very properly before consuming in pregnancy.

7. Restrict caffeine intake: There are a lot of speculations about caffeine intake in pregnancy. Let’s clear that out first. Taking caffeine drinks is safe during pregnancy as long your caffeine intake is less than 200mg per day. Note that caffeine is present not only in coffee, but also in tea, chocolates, energy drinks, tea, etc. So, make sure to keep a check on the caffeine intake. You can safely have up to 2 small cups of coffee or 2-3 cups of tea in a day.

8. Don’t handle the litter box: If you have pets at home, especially a cat/cats, be very careful while cleaning the litter box. Cat faeces are known to contain harmful bacteria & parasites like Toxoplasma which can be dangerous for pregnant women. These parasites can cause a condition called Toxoplasmosis which can cause abortions, birth defects, seizures, mental disabilities and vision problems in the baby.

9. Don’t sit in a sauna or hot tub: Sitting in a sauna, hot tub or steam room can make you feel too hot, faint & dehydrated. A sauna or hot tub can increase your body’s internal temperature and risk your baby’s development. When you are in a sauna or a hot tub, the blood vessels of your skin dilate to lose the excess heat gained from the hot water/ steam. As a result, the blood flow to the brain & internal organs decreases making you feel faint & also decreasing the blood supply to the baby. This is more troublesome in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Moreover, the body is unable to lose enough heat while sitting in a sauna/hot tub and as a result, the core temperature of the body rises which can pose a threat to the pregnancy. If at all you have to use a waterbath or hot tub, make sure that the temperature of water is less than 32

These dos and don’ts are an assimilation of facts that you need to be careful about especially in the first trimester of your pregnancy. If you face any difficulties or you have any doubts, please reach out to your doctor for advice. Do not take actions & medications as per your assumption or on popular beliefs/myths. We hope you found this article helpful and we hope we could clarify your doubts.