So, you just discovered your partner is pregnant. You have heard a lot about pregnancy, but now it is happening to you, or rather, your partner. What does this mean for her? What are the pregnancy stages first month and how will the pregnancy affect your life?
First month may be relatively uneventful. In all probability, much of what happens during this time will have been completed by the time you even learn your partner is pregnant. A lot of people think that a woman wont have a menstrual period after she conceives, but this is not always true. She might be in the pregnancy stages first month, or even after that, before she realizes she is pregnant. Most of the behavior changes that occur in pregnant women happen after the fetus has gotten large enough to cause some noticeable weight gain. During the pregnancy stages first month, the fetus is still an embryo and not large enough to cause many changes in how the woman feels.
Sometimes, the first clue that a woman might be pregnant is when she has develops a nausea that doesnt seem to do away. The woman may try a lot of things, because she may think she only has a cold or a bad case of indigestion. If your partner has had several days, or weeks, of nausea and vomiting, it is a good idea to take her to a doctor. She may be sick; however, there is a chance she may be pregnant. Dont be fooled by the name, by the way. Morning sickness can take place any time during the day. It is a good idea if you can make sure your partner eats a healthy diet and drinks a lot of water during the pregnancy, especially now. If she cant keep down all the food she eats, what she does eat should be nutritious. She may also become dehydrated, which is why she will need to drink more water than she usually does.
The next month might be noticeable could be mood fluctuations. Sometimes these really start in the second month, but subtle shifts in her moods might be seen before the end of the first month. These shifts are caused by the change in her hormones. The embryo is also beginning to produce hormones. The mixture of hormones causes many mood fluctuations and frequently even some strange food cravings. Since the embryo hasnt gotten large enough to produce a lot of hormones, these mood swings and food cravings arent noticeable until the end of the month, but they will indicate a new phase of the pregnancy is beginning.
Azzam Sheikh
Facilitator 'Strengthening families, strengthening communities' parent programme.
pregnancy resource center
