Pregnancy

You are expecting a baby! You will become a mum soon; can you think of anything more exciting than that? Probably not, but it can also feel a little overwhelming. There is a lot to consider, and a lot of things are going to change in your body and in your life. So let’s go step by step. 

First of all, take a pregnancy test if you haven’t already and check for early signs of pregnancy, such as sore breasts, fatigue, bloating or a heightened sense of smell. Some women can also experience nausea, even if that’s more common a couple more weeks into the pregnancy.

You will probably want some details on what is going on inside your tummy – After all, you are in fact building a person! Check out how your baby is developing in our series of pregnancy week by week articles, where you will find detailed information on every week of pregnancy, from week 1 to week 42.  

Your doctor and your midwife will be a constant presence throughout your pregnancy. Don’t forget to make an antenatal care calendar and go to all your visits. Besides the ultrasounds and the tests, antenatal appointments are also the perfect time to ask questions!

Preparing for the birth, preparing for the baby 

Pregnancy is also a time for making plans: decorating the baby’s nursery, buying baby essentials and discussing baby names is the fun part, but you will also need to come up with a birth plan. You have many options here, from natural birth to the epidural. Giving birth is no easy task, so don’t hesitate to ask for help – you can check our forums and read experiences from other mummies who already went through it. Captain Mums tries to make it a little bit easier for you with our Pregnancy Calculator, that will help you determine your due date, and our Baby Names directory, where you’ll find a lot of ideas.

You can also join antenatal classes to prepare for labour. Read carefully about signs of labour like contractions so it doesn’t catch you by surprise! 

Pregnancy is both a wonderful and a difficult time. Pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, food aversions or backache won’t make it any easier, but you will have the best of rewards: a beautiful baby!