What to actually expect when youre expecting from the honeymoon period to the fourth trimester

Red, white and due?Summer is the most popular time to give birth in the US, with July and August consistently ranking as the busiest delivery months.The summer surge is fueled by higher conception rates in the cooler fall and winter months.No matter when you become pregnant, preparing for a baby is a major undertaking that can feel overwhelming at times.Fortunately, most pregnancies — even high-risk ones — follow a predictable path, and understanding pregnancy care can make the journey feel less intimidating.From appointments to screening tests, here’s a look at your 10-month journey by trimester.The first trimester can be a blur of emotions.

The good news is thaty you don’t have to rush to make an appointment with their obstetrician.In many cases, we prefer patients establish care between weeks 6 and 9.However, those who have previously had an ectopic pregnancy, a potentially life-threatening condition where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, should contact their doctor as soon as they learn they’re pregnant.Pregnancy should inspire nutritional changes that support fetal development and maternal health.

We encourage aerobic exercise and other healthy lifestyle activities. One thing we want to make sure you’re doing is taking prenatal vitamins because they contain folic acid, which prevents serious birth defects.In fact, you should start taking prenatal vitamins, or folic acid by itself, several months before trying to conceive.Those at risk of preeclampsia, a dangerous blood pressure disorder, should supplement their daily prenatal vitamin with low-dose aspirin, typically started between 12 and 16 weeks.You should avoid alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs and focus on staying hydrated.

Staying adequately hydrated can be hard for individuals struggling with morning sickness, a common first trimester symptom along with fatigue.Patients who establish prenatal care in the first trimester are offered a range of genetic testing options.T...