Having a baby is a big decision. For some parents, it is a welcomed event. For others, it is an accident. Yet, once the sperm and the egg fuse in the woman’s body, travel down the Fallopian tubes and get embedded in the uterus, it triggers off many hormonal changes that take over the woman’s body to enable her to support the growing foetus and allow the foetus to grow and develop rapidly.
Some women know it immediately… they are uniquely sensitive to every change in their body; it almost seems like an uncanny sixth sense that helps them predict that they are carrying their precious child. Other women, especially with irregular periods, may not feel a thing and need a ‘pregnancy test’ to confirm the event. If you are planning to have a baby or if you have just discovered that you are expecting, you may want to know the common signs of pregnancy. We asked 250 women in Singapore “What was your first sign of pregnancy?” and this is what they told us:
| I missed my period. | 52% | This is the universal biological confirmatory sign for most! |
| I just knew. | 11% | Told you! The uncanny 6th sense!! Hope it stays with you through motherhood… you may need it. |
| I felt constantly nauseous. | 10% | Welcome to the uncomfortable world of pregnancy. Luckily, it lasts for about three months for most. A few women continue feeling nauseous throughout. |
| My breast felt enlarged and sore. | 9% | And, here is more evidence of your body going off sync. The pregnancy hormones work towards preparing your breasts to feed your baby. Overtime, you will need to get a comfortable and supportive maternity bra. |
| I kept feeling the urge to pee. | 3% | Not a common sign. Many women need to pee more often later on in pregnancy as the uterus enlarges and presses against the bladder. |
| Others | 15% | Here’s a sneak peak at the other ‘signs’ of pregnancy:
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Hope that has been helpful! Some of us like to know that we are just ‘normal’ even though we feel so different through this phase… and, of course the beginning is the most intriguing time and the period during which you are even more curious about what is happening to your body.
Now that you are pregnant, the best thing you can do for your little child is to eat well and take good care of yourself. Nutrients are literally the “blocks” that help “build up” baby. And, you are the only source of nutrients as your baby receives oxygen and nutrition through the placenta alone.
Here is simple Food Primer to help you get your diet in line as you begin to explore and enjoy your pregnancy. Bon Appétit!
| Food Group | Daily Food Servings Recommended | Examples of 1 serving | Be on the quest for the best… | |
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| First Trimester | Second & Third Trimester | |||
| Rice and Alternatives | 5 – 6 | 6 – 7 |
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| Fruit | 2 | 2 |
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| Vegetables | 2 | 2 |
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| Milk and Milk Products | 1 | 2 |
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| Meat and Alternatives | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 |
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• Limit the “extras”
Soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, cheese, whole fresh milk, and fatty meats contain a lot of fat and/ or sugar. Moderating intake of these foods should help you gain the right amount of weight through pregnancy — not too little or too much.
• Include an appropriate maternal nutrition supplement
During pregnancy, your needs increase for several vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, calcium, iron and zinc among many others, as well as DHA and choline. This makes it difficult to get all that you need from food. Take a prenatal supplement such as maternal milk instead of individual vitamins or minerals. This ensures that you and your baby get balanced amounts of the vitamins and minerals you need.
Find out more about Similac® Mum™ today.
If you’re trying Similac® Mum™ for the first time, click here for a free sample.
To learn more about pregnancy, visit smartmums.com.sg!
For expert advice on paediatric nutrition, please contact Abbott Nutrition Careline at 62786220.