In the first trimester, you and your baby are going through a lot of changes. Your body has just received the egg through the fallopian tubes and has nestled into the lining of the uterus, ready to grow and develop. You might have the classic signs of pregnancy ? nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and breast tenderness. But all of these signs are a good thing, showing you that your body is indeed changing hormonally to support that new life in you.



But what is your baby going through? In these first 12 weeks, the baby is growing rapidly, developing the amniotic sac that it will rest in to the placenta, even growing fingers and toes. Within a couple of weeks, the new little egg is known as an embryo and it's growing rapidly. During this time, it is crucial that you're taking care of your body, feeding it right, and making sure to eliminate as much stress as you can.

By the eighth week, the embryo is considered a fetus and it's beginning to look like a baby human. The fetus is becoming very active in the womb, though it's only three and a half inches long, so the mother may not feel anything from the baby. Even the sex organs of the child have now developed and you can find out the gender of your child during a doctor's visit. The placenta is in place to nourish the baby and the umbilical cord is working to create a link between mom and baby.

While many mothers find that this is the most tiring time for the pregnancy, it's only because the child is developing so quickly that it needs more resources from its mom to maintain its growth. By the second trimester, things are beginning to slow a little and you'll begin to feel a bit more energetic.

Even though this first trimester may seem difficult it is still a great time to be excited about the pregnancy. It's time to start caring for this little life inside of you. You want to begin reading as much as you can about fetal development and pregnancy in order to learn everything that you can. At times, all of this information will be overwhelming, but it's good that you start to educate yourself outside of the doctor's office. When you have questions, don't be afraid to call your doctor, your mother or your best friend for help.

And start taking care of your new life by eating right and exercising moderately. If there was ever a time to make sure that you're getting the right fruits and vegetables in your diet, this is it. Start drinking more water and take the time to rest when you get tired. If you're suffering from morning sickness, you might want to talk to your doctor about ways to alleviate the symptoms naturally ? motion sickness bands and ginger might be some suggestions that you receive.

But before you start to delve too much into your pregnancy, tell someone! This is your time to celebrate your becoming a mother. Talk to your family, your friends, and whoever else will listen about your pregnancy. You will find that you will have an easier time in pregnancy when you tell more people as they can give you advice as well as a person to talk to if things become difficult.

Pregnancy is a joyous time that's also filled with responsibility. For you and your unborn child, you need to begin to take care of yourself immediately. In fact the end of the first trimester is a perfect time to pick out the colors for the nursery.

Copyright 2006 WomanCentric Inc.