Body Shop: How you’ll change
Don’t worry if, during the first weeks, you don’t really feel pregnant yet. You may, however, feel tired and experience some of the same stuff as the first month, like frequent urination and nausea.
Your emotions may also be unpredictable and take you from being irritable one minute to elated the next.1 Whether you experience some of these or none at all, don’t worry-you’re normal!
Mommy-Do List: Things to do this month
- Stock your kitchen with healthy foods.
- Drink at least six to eight, eight-ounce glasses of water every day, plus another eight ounces per hour of light activity.2
- Look for prenatal exercise classes in your area.
- Find out about your health insurance maternity coverage.
Nutrition Watch: Eating right for two
What you eat while you’re pregnant is important, but what you don’t eat is too. Take of this list of foods to beware of:
- Some seafood: Fish can be a great protein source, but some contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury. Avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Stay away from raw fish and shellfish, especially oysters and clams, to avoid taking in harmful bacteria or viruses. Refrigerated smoked seafood should also be off limits unless it’s an ingredient in a casserole or other cooked dish.
- Meat and poultry: During pregnancy, you may be more susceptible to bacterial food poisoning, so be sure to fully cook all meats and poultry and check them with a meat thermometer before eating. Use the same caution with hot dogs and deli meats by cooking until they’re steaming hot, or avoiding them completely.
- Unpasteurized dairy products: You definitely need dairy in your pregnancy diet, but anything made with unpasteurized milk can lead to food-borne illness. Unless they’re clearly labeled as being made with pasteurized milk, don’t eat brie, feta, camembert or Mexican-style cheeses, or blue-veined varieties such as Roquefort.
- Herbal tea: Unless your health care provider says it’s okay, stay away from herbal teas. Drinking a lot of peppermint, red raspberry leaf and other flavors can cause contractions and raise your risk of miscarriage or pre-term labor. To help stay hydrated, drink plenty of water instead.
1 “Pregnancy, Month by Month” University of Michigan Health System Web site at www.med.umich.edu
2 “Ask the Experts: How Much Water Should I Drink While I’m Pregnant?” www.babycenter.com
The information on this Web site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding you or your child's health.
