The first month of pregnancy is special because this is when you discover that you will soon become a mommy. Emotions are riding high and you may feel excited, anxious, nervous…all at the same time.
The first month of your pregnancy is also a time when you should start preparing yourself for the long journey ahead. By equipping yourself with the right knowledge, you will be able to care for your baby and yourself in the best possible way.
Here is everything you should know about the first month of your pregnancy journey!
11 Common Symptoms In The 1st Month Of Pregnancy
Most likely, you will not be experiencing many major signs of pregnancy in the first month. It is not until the second month that you actually start to ‘feel pregnant’. Here are a few first month of pregnancy symptoms you may notice.
- A missed period is perhaps the most important sign of early-stage pregnancy, especially if you have a regular menstrual cycle.
- 1st month pregnancy symptoms also include mood changes owing to changing hormone levels.
- Bloating is caused by the surge of pregnancy hormones.
- Some women also complain of light uterine cramping or belly pain in the early weeks of pregnancy.
- Among the first month of pregnancy symptoms, you may also notice some spotting or ‘implantation bleeding.’ This light spotting occurs during early pregnancy when the fertilised egg implants itself in your uterine lining.
- The need to pee again and again is one of the most common and most annoying 1st month pregnancy symptoms.
- Soreness or tenderness in breasts. This symptom goes away when the body gets accustomed to hormonal changes.
- Tiredness and fatigue are also the common first month of pregnancy symptoms.
- While most soon-to-be moms experience nausea only after the first month, others may get this symptom early on.
- Constipation because your digestive system has slowed down owing to the rising hormone levels.
- Food aversions are also common 1st month pregnancy symptoms. Certain foods and smells may even make you feel nauseous.
Baby Development In the First Month Of Pregnancy
Wondering how your baby is developing when you are one month pregnant? To understand that in a better way, let’s start from the beginning.
The first 2 weeks of your pregnancy are the first 2 weeks of your menstrual cycle. During this time, you have your periods and about 2 weeks later, ovulation occurs. Once the egg is released, it makes its way to the uterus, travelling down the fallopian tube. If this egg meets up with a sperm, the two will combine. This process is known as fertilisation.
Let’s see what happens in what is technically the third and fourth week of your pregnancy. After fertilisation, the egg moves down the fallopian tube, dividing into more and more cells. It takes about 3 to 4 days to reach the uterus. After that, these dividing cells form a sort of ball, which floats around in your uterus for 2 to 3 days.
Your pregnancy starts when implantation occurs, i.e. when this group of cells attaches to the uterine lining. Implantation usually happens almost a week after fertilisation and takes around 3 days to be complete.
The egg then divides into a group of rapidly growing and multiplying cells. While the inner layer of the cells will become the embryo, the outer layer will become the placenta. The umbilical cord forms between the placenta and the embryo. In the upcoming month, your baby is going to grow rapidly and begin forming limbs, bones, and internal organs.
Size Of The Baby In The First Month
During the first month of pregnancy, your baby is very tiny (just a few millimetres). By the time you enter the second month of your pregnancy, it will be about ¼ of an inch in length.
7 Changes Your Body Will Experience In the First Month
Don’t expect a baby bump to peek through your clothes when you are one month pregnant. The first month is more about internal changes rather than visible ones.
- During the third week of your pregnancy, your body releases a hormone known as the Early Pregnancy Factor or EPF. The job of the EPF is to stop your body from rejecting the baby as an invader.
- The fourth week of your pregnancy might be the beginning of several 1st month pregnancy signs and symptoms that may last almost through all of the 1st trimester.
- During the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy, a hormone known as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or hCG is released. The hGC hormone is linked to symptoms like nausea, vomiting and mood swings.
- You will then conceive.
- You will experience food cravings or aversions as signs of pregnancy in the first month.
- It is not until week 5 or 6 that you really start to ‘feel’ pregnant.
- There is no pregnancy 1 month belly. You will not start to show until later.
10 Things That Should Be A Part Of Your First Month Pregnancy Checklist
Here are a couple of things you need to tick off your checklist during the first month of pregnancy.
- Take a home pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy.
- Do your research and choose a prenatal healthcare provider.
- If you already have an OB-GYN, schedule a visit. Discuss the precautions during the first month of pregnancy.
- Work on fixing your sleeping schedule and rest up whenever possible.
- Begin working on the first month of pregnancy diet chart and exercise plan.
- This is a good time to bid adieu to smoking and drinking, if these habits are a part of your life.
- You can consult your doctor about the food to avoid in the first month of pregnancy.
- Make sure your first month pregnancy food chart includes healthy and nutritious food items.
- Start taking prenatal vitamins. You can go with over-the-counter ones, just make sure it has 400 micrograms or more of folic acid.
- If you are feeling overwhelmed emotionally while you are one month pregnant, speak to your loved ones. You may also seek the help of a counsellor if you are feeling scared or scared or anxious. They can also help you in understanding what to expect in the first month of pregnancy.
The best thing you can do to take good care of your soon-to-arrive baby is to look after your physical and mental health. This is the time to connect more with your near and dear ones and let them support you in your journey. Also, make sure to #BeALittleMore cautious about how you are feeling. Consult your healthcare expert right away in case of any doubt or confusion regarding the signs of pregnancy in the first month. You can also seek the help of a nutritionist to prepare a first month pregnancy food chart.
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