Great Expectations— A Guide to Creating Strong Beginnings

Pregnancy is a beautiful experience. When I learned that I was pregnant with McKenzie, I quit my corporate job and started working at home and I haven't gone back since. My husband and I are blessed because our online jobs and small businesses allow us to be with McKenzie everyday

 

A day before my expected period, we felt the need to test, was going out for some drinks with friends, it came out faint positive but mocktails for me that night

Unknown to many, my blog was born after I suffered an early miscarriage with my first pregnancy. It was one of the hardest times for me. Living outside the city, more than an hour away from my family made it more difficult for me to get out of it. Keeping a blog helped me get over the depression from the loss.

I didn't get pregnant easily after that. We waited for more than a year so when I got pregnant again, I made sure I knew everything that was going on. I equipped myself with everything and anything that I need to keep my body healthy for the baby. 

OB Sonologist and Me during 8th week Ultrasound

It was an overwhelming experience—especially during the first trimester where everything is new.

At this stage, your body will go through numerous physiological and psychological changes that you need to support with certain precautions and habits to make sure that your baby develops properly; because during these first few months, you’re the one in charge of your baby’s health.

In the beginning

The most important developments in your baby happen in the first three months of your pregnancy. During this stage, your baby’s organs and major systems begin to form. Its features, as well as arms and legs start to appear; and through the rest of the trimester, your baby’s digestive, nervous, circulatory and urinary systems develop as well as the external organs.

“The changes you are experiencing are drastic because at this stage in the pregnancy, your baby goes through the most dramatic changes and developments,” explains Ma. Victoria Valmonte-Torres, MD, FPOGS.

 

Baby at 8 weeks 6 days 170 BPM

It’s also the stage that leaves your baby most vulnerable to your lifestyle habits. And to ensure that you’re doing what you can to help your baby stay healthy, it’s important to know what you can do to support its development.

Lifestyle shift

Needless to say a shift in your daily lifestyle habits is essential during this period.

Get lots of sleep, cut down on caffeine, and avoid exposure to environmental pollutants and stressful situtations. Avoid skipping meals and make sure that you eat regular, small meals throughout the day to make sure that you gain weight at a gradual pace.

Exercise also helps, but be sure you choose gentle activity that allows you to ease back pain and help you boost energy and stamina. Drinking lots of water helps increase blood volume and circulation during pregnancy as well, which makes the delivery of nutrients more efficient for yourself and your baby.

Of course, make sure that you don’t miss your prenatal check-ups with your doctor. Your doctor will serve as an important advisor and partner as you go through this journey, who can help you start your journey strong and for a happy and healthy pregnancy.

You are what you eat

“Make sure that you get the proper amount of nutrition needed to support optimal fetal development during this stage,” says Ma. Victoria Valmonte-Torres, MD, FPOGS.

Though the best way to ensure a healthy pregnancy is through proper intake of  food, a lot of expectant mothers still believe that “eating for two” is the way to go. A report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that almost half of expectant mothers in the U.S. are overweight or obese.

You should not just be mindful of what you eat, but of how much you eat. To help ensure that you are getting the right amount of nutrients for you and your baby, the doctor may also prescribe a maternal milk formula, like ProMama, that is nutrient-dense, and has less calories. When paired with a healthy diet, two glasses a day of ProMama can support your nutritional needs and help with the major changes you are going through in pregnancy. These major changes may be quite daunting for some, but with the right support, pregnancy will be a breeze.

“These nutritional needs and the many changes can be challenging, particularly when it comes to the first three months of your pregnancy, when you’re experiencing everything for the first time,” says Diane Lapid, Product Manager – ProMama. “This is why ProMama wants to inspire mothers to start forming good habits that will allow them to have a solid foundation and a strong beginning for this journey—ultimately allowing them to celebrate the joys of pregnancy,” ends Lapid.

For more pregnancy tips and to know more about ProMama, you can log on to www.facebook.com/ProMamaPH or contact Wyeth Careline at 81-WYETH (81-99384) for Metro Manila and 1-800-10-884-222 (toll-free) for provinces.