Approved by the What’s Up Moms Medical Advisory Board
Baby’s growth is kicking into high gear now. She’s 2 ½ to 3 inches long (muffin sized!) and while she’s been ‘all head’ up to this point, now the body is catching up and things are looking a little more proportional. Organs are forming, and on an ultrasound you may even be able to see baby’s limb movements.
You’ve made it to the end of the 1st trimester! Very big deal. Baby’s not the only one having a growth spurt – your weight gain may speed up in coming weeks, which will be especially noticeable if you had morning sickness that’s now lifting. If that’s you, enjoy the return of your appetite, and try to keep making healthy choices (even though all you really want are McDonald’s ice cream sundaes, which slide down the hatch so easy, don’t they?!) If you don’t eat red meat, make a point to eat other iron-rich foods like legumes, eggs, dried fruit and some soy products; you may still need a supplement to get as much as you’ll need for pregnancy.
2nd trimester is a great time to commit to a regular exercise routine. Need motivation? Exercising preps your body for labor and delivery – among other benefits. A couple rules of the exercise road: don’t start up new physical activities that you weren’t doing pre-pregnancy (like now’s not the time to dive into mastering sea-kayaking). Walking, hiking and swimming are great, and if you do yoga, pilates or weight training, check with your doc about any modifications. Enlist an exercise buddy to help keep you accountable. And don’t sneeze at preg-specific exercise DVDs! They can actually be really useful (and surprisingly challenging), especially in late pregnancy. When you’re a whale. A beautiful whale!
If you’re getting ready to go public with news of your pregnancy, woohoo! Especially with social media, there are so many creative ways to share the news, if that’s your bag. Just remember to be sensitive to those in your circle who may be struggling with infertility — sometimes you know who they are, but sometimes you have no idea who’s aching to be parent. So, as you blast your news to the world, just keep that awareness. Not to be a downer.
