Congratulations on entering the third month of your pregnancy. You are approaching the end of the first phase or the first trimester. There is still a lot to come ahead—lets us have a glance at your pregnancy journey till date.
You Are Transforming
From Getting Morning Sickness To Craving Food
Your pregnancy symptoms may get reduced—for a few it may become slightly intense. By the end of this month, your nausea and morning sickness will take a backseat. You will crave for food, probably a strange combination of food items at odd hours. You might averse towards certain favorites of yesterday’s and like to taste the dishes who hated previously.
Your Body Is Working Hard
Fatigue and dizziness may never seem to leave your side. Even while sitting or standing quickly you could feel tipsy without getting high. That is alright—take things easy. Get enough rest—internally, your body is working hard and it can show on the outside. Feed yourself, even if you don’t feel hungry. The end of this month will surely see some improvements.
Your Hormones Are High
The reins of emotions are no longer in your hand—blame the pregnancy hormones for all of it. Constipation may be an outcome due to the same reason—adding lots of fiber (fruits and vegetables) to your food is recommended.
Physical Changes Become Evident
Your baby bump may be showing now—you may consider it as the right time to break the pregnancy news. By the third month, the risks of a miscarriage are largely reduced—so go ahead and plan to announce that your baby is to arrive soon.
Your breast size is likely to increase—the nipples will get darker and bigger. A faint dark line will appear in the middle of your abdomen till the pubic bone. You will also start gaining weight—which means your baby is growing healthily.
Your Baby Is Developing Too
Your baby’s eyes have developed to quite an extent—though there are no eyelids formed yet. Some tissues have taken the shape of the ears, others are forming the genital organs though they aren’t yet well-defined. The tail bone you see in the graphic drawings of the fetuses is no more—the baby is closer to looking like a little human form. Their head is now half the size of the body and that complex brain within it is developing fast. Your baby’s body is taking rigid shape as the bones have started to develop.
You can hear your baby’s heartbeat by this time using a device called Doppler—it is an amazing experience to hear that tiny heart beat rapidly.
By the end of the third month, your baby is weighing 14 grams and is about 3.54 inches in size.
How To Take Care Of Yourself At This Stage
A lot happens to the mother’s body in the third month. Here are a few quick tips for moms who are in their third month.
1. Eat Well
This applies to all expecting moms. Have a nutritional diet at regular intervals throughout the day. Side-by-side hydrate your body—drink lots of water and other liquids (of course not alcohol, that is toxic for babies). You doctor might prescribe you iron and folic acid supplements at this point. Eating fiber-rich diet can help with constipation.
2. Get Enough Rest
At the start of the month, you may feel exhausted and sleepy all the time. Don’t force yourself up too much—instead, take enough rest. If you are working, you could prefer to take more breaks in between. Naps could also help fight fatigue.
3. Ensure Emotional Well-being
Your mood swings may put you off, but don’t worry, it will pass. Know that your hormones are at play and it is completely natural to feel extreme emotions and mood swings. Talk to your partner or a close one. Don’t hesitate in asking for support when you feel low—a fellow company to listen to you might be your only need right then. Songs and meditation can help in soothing yourself.
4. Practice Exercising
This never goes out of the list. Staying fit is important for a pregnant mother. Practice yoga and light exercises under the supervision of an expert or a close one. Don’t exhaust yourself or exceed your limit. Before you begin, know what exercises are good for you at this time and what must be avoided.
What Not To Do In The Third Month
There are always some “don’ts“ that a pregnant mom has to listen to no matter which month is it. These just can’t be avoided. Some important ones are:
1. Don’t stress yourself, physically and mentally, it can affect your own as well as your baby’s health.
2. Don’t lift weights—that carton may seem light, but heavy weights can put unnecessary pressure on your bump and back. You are inviting risks.
3. Don’t wear tight clothes—your belly will feel suffocated and so will you.
4. Don’t wear heels—avoid them for some time. You won’t want to risk a pride before a fall—common, it is a matter of few more months.
5. Avoid spicy foods—it could give you gas, heartburn or indigestion—why trouble your stomach when it is already going through a lot.
6. Keep your coffee intake in check—find out more about drinking coffee during pregnancy.
7. Most importantly, DON’T forget to enjoy the feeling of approaching motherhood, including the plans you have for your baby. The future is approaching faster than you think.
Pregnancy may seem like a pool of discomforts, but you can still swim through it very well.
