Being pregnant is one of the most exciting times in a woman's life. The moment that you realize you are pregnant you understand instantly that your life is about to change. In a split second a million things go through your head. What do I need to do? Is it a boy or a girl? What am I going to name it?



Many people even start stressing in the first trimester about who would be the easier person to offend - Mabel or Mary when you are thinking about the baby name factor alone. Pregnancy is a time where your thoughts are constantly running a mile a minute about what this new change will bring for you.

The first thing you need to do when you realize you are pregnant, is stop for a moment and think about your health and what you need to do about it. A woman's health requirements when she is pregnant are much higher than normal. You are under demanding physical and emotional stress.

Most of your nutrition will be carted off to a whole other person. Keeping fit and ensuring you get enough nutrients are much more important during pregnancy than any other time in your life. Put aside the other issues, although not of lesser importance, like baby names until you have created an action plan to make yourself healthy.

It is critical that you establish regular visits to a health practitioner such as an OB-GYN or midwife. You will need to work this in your schedule if you work out of the home. Your health practitioner will monitor your entire pregnancy from beginning to end and advise you of all of the routine testing you will need.

Put your questions on paper for every visit. Especially if you are a first timer, you will have questions for every visit. It is good to know now as well that you may have some waits when you visit your OB-GYN. These are on call doctors and babies are not always born after business hours as those in the waiting room would like. There are more full waiting rooms with empty doctor's office at the OB clinic than in any other practice. Now would be a good time to think about baby names, when you have the time. Chances are your clinic will have a few books sitting around as well.

Prenatal vitamins are another must. And here, you need to purchase actual prenatal vitamins. Your little bambino needs them as much as you do, so you will be doubling up on the things you normally take. Folic acid is a biggie as well. Research shows that in folate deficient moms, there is a higher occurrence of spina bifida in babies. Start these as well before you pin down a baby name. That can wait, these can't.

There are so many other factors involved in a woman's health when she is pregnant. The time is now to get a doctor and start taking your vitamins. All of the other factors will fall into place eventually with both of these support systems in play.