The first trimester, from 0-12 weeks 

The Dos and Don’ts of Pregnancy

If you’re thinking of getting pregnant or you’re still a bride-to-be who wants kids, those around you will eventually find out and start flooding you with advice. From friends to family to co-workers to neighbors and even strangers! But don’t worry, we’re here to help you with all the confusion.

First of all, you have to know that the dos and don'ts of pregnancy begin before marriage. When you meet “the one” and decide to get married, you should sit together and discuss your future.

One of the necessary first steps is that both of you have to have a medical checkup. Every young couple should have one as advised by the Ministry of Health in Jordan.

The next step is you should discuss having children with your partner. One important piece of advice for the young bride is to avoid getting pregnant during her honeymoon. You and your spouse should spend more time living together and getting to know each other better before you decide to make the big decision of bringing life into this world.

Before getting married you should visit a gynecologist to learn about birth control together. You should also make sure that you have immunity to childhood diseases, namely “Rubella,” the German measles. If you had German measles as a child then you would be immune. If not, you should get vaccinated at least three months before becoming pregnant. The virus of German measles, if contracted during pregnancy, can damage the sight, hearing, heart and brain of an unborn child. Also, do let your gynecologist know if you’re taking any other medication. After getting married when you ”lovebirds” decide that the time is right to have a baby, then it is advisable to visit the gynecologist again. One of the best ways to avoid problems during pregnancy and its complications are regular medical exams.

When you decide to have a baby, there's a variety of things you should consider to give the little human a good start in life. If you and your husband smoke, now is the time to quit. If your husband does not quit smoking, you should definitely stop. Smoking during pregnancy puts the fetus at risk. Each cigarette a pregnant woman smokes reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the baby. A pregnant woman should stay away from people who smoke as well; second-hand smoke poses the same dangers during pregnancy. So say goodbye to those shisha cafes and restaurants!

Alcohol is a no-no as well. Alcohol goes through the placenta to the baby and has a variety of harmful effects on the developing fetus. Sometimes it may cause mental retardation, birth defects and dysfunction of the central nervous system.

If you’re overweight, it's better to lose some excess weight before becoming pregnant, since you main gain between 10 and 14 kilos during pregnancy. Any excess weight may exhaust you throughout the pregnancy. On the other hand, if you’re underweight then it is good to gain a few extra kilos.

When you’re pregnant, your gynecologist will advise you on the following:

• Getting regular medical checkups is one of the most important things a mommy-to-be should do.

• Maintain a balanced diet of three meals a day, whether she is pregnant or still trying to conceive.

• Eat more folic acid-rich foods, such as green leafy vegetables and breakfast cereals. Hello, kale and Weetabix!

• Don’t drink too much coffee and limit your consumption of caffeine-containing drinks, like Pepsi.

• Be careful about consuming liver and liver products.

  They contain very high levels of Vitamin A that can potentially lead to abnormalities in a developing baby.

• Do moderate exercise.

If you are used to doing high impact exercises every day, then it is advisable to cut it down to three times a week and do low impact for half an hour. If you get tired and short of breath you should stop. It’s important to listen to what your body is telling you.

• Avoid a drastic rise in your body temperature.

  by exposing yourself to the sun on a hot day and you should not use a sauna, hot tub or take a hot bath.

Safety During Pregnancy When a woman is pregnant her head is probably full of safety-related questions. But safety does not only apply to food. Many things around the pregnant woman could affect her and the baby. Things to consider for a pregnant woman's safety around the house:  

We’ll start with house plants. A modern house is full of hundreds of chemicals that are emitted by paints, stains, household cleaners and so on. One of the best ways to filter and remove these chemicals is with house plants.

If she does the housework, she should stay away from cleaning products or fumes from paint (now the husband has to help!). They could have harmful effects on the developing baby.

If there is a cat around the house, a pregnant woman should not come in contact with cat feces, which can lead to miscarriages, stillbirth and birth defects.

Electric blankets should be avoided by pregnant women, too as they give off low levels of electromagnetic fields that may harm a developing baby. The same applies to heaters in waterbeds. A pregnant woman should always keep an eye out and question herself whether a specific thing can cause harm to her or her baby.

Tips for working pregnant women: Pregnancy is tiring enough, so women who also work while pregnant: bless you! Most women continue to go to work during pregnancy. Working during pregnancy is not always easy, some women suffer from morning sickness, so don’t be hard on yourself. Give yourself extra time to get ready for work, rushing around can contribute to nausea.

Here are six tips to help you ease through this phase:

• Have some dry crackers.

  Many pregnant women swear by it!

• Stay away from strong smells.

  Many smells might trigger nausea.

• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

  If you have a job that requires sitting down a lot then try to find a way to move around when possible to stimulate the circulation in your body. It is also a good idea to cut back on activities, especially in the early month of pregnancy, and try resting as much as possible when the workday ends.

• Go to bed early.

   aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. After all, when your baby arrives you won’t have this luxury! In the first few months at least… or if we're being honest, years!

• Start Yoga classes, but consult with your doctor first.

  After 12 weeks of pregnancy, you could ask your doctor if you could start prenatal yoga classes. Yoga during pregnancy will teach you how to relax, how to maintain muscle tone and helps control the mood swings due to hormonal changes in your body. It also teaches breathing exercises to deal with the pain of labour and delivery.

• Join childbirth preparation classes.

  These classes usually take place after 28 weeks of pregnancy, but you should take your doctor’s permission on this. You will learn everything you need to know about labour, delivery, how to take care of your baby and how to take care of yourself during pregnancy and after delivery.

Here are four simple exercises you can do while at work to help:

• Put your feet up:

  Accept your condition and the stresses and strains pregnancy puts on your body during the working day. Put your feet up whenever you can!

• Take things slow:

  Although you once briskly walked up the flights of stairs, you may find the progress now somewhat slower. Stop whenever you feel fatigued and rest.

• Squatting:

  Whenever you have to bend down or if there is no chair available, squat instead. Incorporate the squatting position into your working day. It will strengthen your thighs.

• Leaning:

  Lean against a wall and stretch your legs backward.

If you have persistent fatigue, talk to your doctor and try to rest as much as you can. You’re pregnant! Use the pregnant card! 

Wishing you a safe, harm-free pregnancy!