TIPS FOR FIRST TIEMER PREGNANCY

The first trimester of the pregnancy is the most difficult. You are going through a range of changes, emotionally as well as physically. You will be filled with mixed feelings, especially if you have suffered a loss previously. Fear, dread, happiness, worry, love, they are all feelings that I experienced when I was pregnant with my daughter. If hadn't been for the tips that my mother, mother-in-law and friends passed onto me I don't think I would have survived the pregnancy and come out the other side sane and balanced!

1. Ginger helps with morning sickness. Morning sickness is usually caused by a drop in blood sugar, but a sensitivity to hormones can also make you feel nauseous especially first thing in the morning. Try a gingernut biscuit with a mug of boiled water and a slice of lemon to calm your stomach before taking on the day.

2.Peppermint tea will ease bloating. During the first trimester you will experience trapped wind, water rentention and bloating. A mug of peppermint tea can help with indigestion and trapped gas, which in turn can settle any bloating you have.

3. Rest when you can. In the first trimester your body is working over time, and especially in first pregnancies it is coming to turn with some big changes. You will find yourself becoming tired more quickly so it is important to take small naps when you can.

4.You can take paracetamol and codiene in pregnancy. Everybody thinks that you should avoid taking painkillers whilst you are pregnant, and to a certain extent they are right. It is best to avoid cigarette smoke, drinking alcohol and taking medication or drugs of any form when you're pregnant. However, when you first become pregnant all of your muscles and ligaments start to stretch in your pelvis, getting ready your womb to grow. This stretching can hurt, so take some paracetamol regularly (1g every 4 - 6 hours is the maximum you should take) and if that doesn't help try some small amounts of codiene. Check with your doctor before taking any other form of painkillers.

5. Drink plenty of water. You should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day anyway, but when you're pregnant you can become dehydrated more quickly, especially if you suffer with morning sickness so it is important to keep your fluid levels up. Water can also help with constipation, a common problem during pregnancy.

6.Let people help you. If someone offers to get something of a shelf, or carry a heavy box, let them. The biggest mistake I made was becoming too independant and telling everyone "I'm pregnant, not ill". I ended up over doing it before the doctors put me on bed-rest, which I duly ignored and at 32 weeks had an emergency cesarian section after completely exhausting myself out.

7.Don't get ahead of yourself. Being pregnant for the first time it is easy to start planning your labour, packing your bag and buying everything you need. Pregnancy lasts nine months (usually) so you have plenty of time. You will change your mind several times before packing and repacking everything, changing the nursery around etc etc. Labour plans are usually pointless too. It never goes as you expect, so don't let it worry you, especially in the first crucial 3 months.

8. Take the pregnancy multi-vitamins. Folic acid and iron are extremely important to help with growth of vital organs and the spine. But, multi-vitamins you can buy normally contain high amounts of other minerals like Vitamin A, which can actually harm the baby. The first trimester is when the babies spine, brain and heart are formed and if you do not have a good, varied diet, deficiencies can hinder their growth.

Pregnancy is a wonderful miracle, and it is important to enjoy yourself. Do not let yourself get worried and upset, and do not become hung up on following the advice you can find in books and on the internet. Take it easy, eat healthily and drink plenty of water and you will be absolutely fine.