Your Pregnancy

Emotional Changes

Pregnancy brings with it a wide range of emotional and physical changes. You may feel delighted, anxious, exhilarated and exhausted — sometimes all at once. Even if you're thrilled about being pregnant, a new baby can add stress to your life.

It's natural to worry about your baby's health or what motherhood will be like. You might wonder how the baby will affect your relationship with your partner or what type of parent you'll be. You might worry about balancing career, education, and family life.

Many moms experience mood swings during pregnancy. This is normal. Take good care of yourself, get plenty of rest and good nutrition, and look to your partner and your friends and family for understanding and encouragement. If the mood changes become severe or intense, see your doctor or Client Advocate at Crossroads for help.

Physical Changes

Some of the physical changes you can expect are Nausea or Morning sickness (which can hit you any time of day), tender or swollen breasts, increased urination, fatigue or tiredness, food aversions or cravings, dizziness, heartburn and constipation, and of course weight gain. If any of these symptoms get too serious, see your doctor about treatments for these symptoms.

Common Pregnancy Terms

Fetal Development = The development of your baby (now called a fetus inside your uterus) may vary due to your health or if you miscalculated your last ovulation. But you can use the following information and estimations as a general guide for healthy pregnancy development.

Gestational age = The age of the pregnancy from the last normal menstrual period (LMP); otherwise known as “how far along you are”. Most references to pregnancy are usually in gestational age. Pregnancy generally lasts a total of 40 weeks, starting from the first day of your last normal period until childbirth.

Trimester= Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters which last about 12 - 14 weeks each.

The first trimester is week 1 through the end of week 13.

The second trimester usually ends around the 26th week and consists of the 4th, 5th and 6th completed months.

The third trimester can end anywhere between the 38th - 42nd week and is the 7th, 8th and 9th completed months of pregnancy.

Prenatal = Refers to the period when you are pregnant. Might be used for prenatal vitamins or prenatal doctor’s visits. On the contrary, post-natal refers to the period of time after you have given birth.

Uterus = a.k.a. womb = a pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen. A fertilized egg can implant itself onto the uterine wall and receive the nurturance it needs throughout the prenatal development phase to become a full grown baby.

HEALTHY PREGNANCY

Ways to make sure you are the best mom you can be – even BEFORE your baby comes out to meet you.

  • Apply for insurance (Medicaid) or let your insurance provider know you are pregnant
  • Make your first and on-going appointments with a doctor (Ob/GYN) that will see you throughout your pregnancy.
  • Schedule a counseling or educational appointment with a Crossroads client advocate to ensure your emotional and practical needs are met.
  • Take prenatal vitamins.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Eat 5-9 daily servings fresh fruits and veggies, 2-3 servings lean proteins, 3-4 servings dairy products, 8 servings whole grain cereals, healthy oils like olive. Limits junk food or fast foods.
  • Remember, eating for two does not mean doubling your food intake. You only need to eat about 300 more calories to nourish that greedy little baby.
  • Exercise moderately but do not start a new, strenuous program or routine.
  • Start saving money for medical costs and costs of parenting.
  • Make sure your emotional and mental health needs are being nurtured, too, by family members, your partner, or a client advocate from Crossroads.