The first trimester of pregnancy often gets a bad rap, and I’ll be honest between the nausea and fatigue, the first trimester isn’t exactly a party. But, what the first trimester does have going for it is all the fabulous firsts that you will experience. So today I’m going to talk to you about all the perks you can expect during your first 14 weeks and give you my secrets for how to handle all those pains that give the first trimester it’s bad rap.

Perks:
1: The first ultrasound: One thing you can look forward to is seeing the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. The baby’s first sonogram will be between 6 and 9 weeks, and that’s typically when you’ll be able to see the heartbeat and find out your due date.

2: Telling your family: The first trimester may also be the time you decide to tell your family. Many women even wait until the second trimester when the risk of miscarriage decreases. There are a ton of creative ways you can tell your partner and family. You can say it with food, or wear it on a t-shirt, surprise your partner in a photo shoot, and capture the moment on video. No matter when and how you decide to share the news, you can make it fun!

Pains: As for the pains, there are many tips and tricks to help you handle them and feel more comfortable.

1: Morning sickness: First of all, morning sickness is a terrible name because it can last all day long. As your morning sickness worsens, you can try eating several small meals and spacing them apart throughout the day. Having a bland diet can help. Ginger and citrus are known to help with nausea, so you might like to incorporate those into your meals. Make sure to talk to your doctor as always because there are safe prescription medications to help with the symptoms of morning sickness.

2: Mood swings: You might also be familiar with the mood swings that many women experience in their first trimester. While you may not be able to avoid these because of the hormonal changes your body is experiencing, they sure will keep things interesting, and hopefully your loved ones will be up to the challenge.

3: Cravings: As for the cravings, sometimes they’re not as bad as they seem. When I was pregnant, I had cravings all the time for anchovies and now I love them. I’m a part of the anchovy club, so the cravings weren’t so bad after all. A word of caution is to make sure you don’t give into too many anchovies, they can be high in sodium. And if you’re into hot fudge sundaes, those can be really high in calories and you’ll want to make sure you’re not gaining too much extra weight. While it’s important to not overdo any cravings during the first trimester, you don’t have to feel guilty about giving into the occasional craving. Who knows?

You might love it like I did.

Thanks so much for joining us on Health in Heels today! I hope this video was useful. For more information about the health and services we offer, go to OceanOasisDaySpa.com and until next time, this is Dr. Lisa reminding you to be well and be fabulous!