The news of your pregnancy is cause for great celebration, but it is also brings along a ton of new fears. It’s only natural to worry about your baby, and the first several weeks can be especially stressful. We help you get to the bottom of your fears, so you can face them head on, and focus on the bigger picture.
“I’m going to lose my baby!”
Reality check:
Fewer than 20% pregnancies result in a miscarriage, and with each passing week, the odds lower even further. Most miscarriages happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, and most often due to random genetic abnormalities, so worrying about it won’t do you any good.
Our Advice:
This is a completely valid worry among expecting parents, especially in the first trimester. To lower your overall risk, you should stop smoking and drinking, and cutting down on your intake of caffeine. If you notice any abnormalities like bleeding or excessive pain, you should report it to your doctor immediately.
“I’ll never be able to lose my pregnancy weight!”
Reality Check:
It is normal to put on extra weight during your pregnancy, and as long as you eat healthy and stay active, it will be easy to get your pre-baby body back.
Our Advice:
Eat five to six small meals a day to keep you energized, and maintain an active lifestyle. Around 30 minutes of easy to moderate levels of exercise a day is ideal to remain healthy and keep from putting on those extra kilos. The key is to eat twice as healthy, and not twice as much.
“My baby will have a birth defect.”
Reality Check:
1 in every 200 babies is born with a chromosomal birth defect. Age and family history definitely put the mother at a higher risk, but even otherwise, the stress of a modern lifestyle and work pressure could pose a certain degree of risk to anyone.
Our Advice:
Take an NIPT test. It is an accurate screening test for detecting chromosomal birth defects. With a simple blood draw from the mother’s arm, it provides information about your baby’s genetic health from as early as 9 weeks of your pregnancy.
“What if I roll over in my sleep and hurt the baby?”
Reality Check:
It’s important to remember that your foetus is protected by plenty of amniotic fluid, and small bumps and other daily movements are unlikely to harm your baby.
Our Advice:
Take it easy! Rolling on your stomach in your sleep should not be a cause for worry. However, it is possible that sleeping in this position will not be comfortable and you may not enjoy it very much.
“I’ll eat or drink something wrong, and harm the baby.”
Reality Check:
Diet plays an important role in your pregnancy, and eating well balanced, nutritional meals are crucial. But most of the warnings about certain foods are to prevent an infection, and might not affect your baby as badly as you imagine.
Our Advice:
Even though it might be tempting, try not to take nutritional advice from the internet. At your first prenatal visit, your gynaecologist will tell you all the big no-nos, and you can address all your food-related concerns then.
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