FINDING out you’re pregnant can be an exciting, confusing and overwhelming time – all in one.

It’s a time when lots of changes happen all at once and it's easy to turn to Dr Google if something unexpected pops up.

But, it can be a minefield that leaves you more worried than when you started your search.

So, we asked one midwife to clear up a few queries and answer some of the most common questions women and their partners raise at their first appointment.

Speaking to The Sun, registered midwife and co-founder of My Expert Midwife Lesley Gilchrist said most women aren’t aware they aren’t likely to be seen by their midwife until they are at least eight weeks pregnant – or even later.

“This may feel like a long wait and many women and couples arrive at their first appointment with a long list of questions they’ve been patiently waiting to ask,” she says.

Here are the five of the most common questions women put to their midwife…

Read more on pregnancy

I wrote goodbyes to my kids after ‘pregnancy headaches’ became more sinister

I’m a midwife and these are the items I’ve found lost inside pregnant women

1. I drank alcohol before finding out I was pregnant and now I’m worried. Will my baby be ok?

Lesley says that most women don’t realise they are pregnant until they miss a period, or at least until several weeks after – especially if your periods aren’t regular and you don’t track your cycle.

With this in mind, it’s highly likely you might have had a glass of wine or beer while being pregnant.

Lesley says if you have done this, it’s important not to panic.

Most read in Health

She explains: “It is unlikely that having a few drinks during the first few weeks of your pregnancy will have harmed your baby. 

“The UK Chief Medical Officers and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) agree with this and call for women not to worry unnecessarily.

“They also strongly advise that you avoid alcohol as soon as you find out you are pregnant and for the rest of your pregnancy.”

She explains there are no known safe limits of consumption of booze during pregnancy, which is why most pregnant women avoid alcohol altogether.

But what is known, Lesley says, is that the risk of harm to the baby increases the more alcohol is consumed.

She explains: “Some of the risks include miscarriage, low birth weight, premature birth and ‘foetal alcohol syndrome’.

“If you are worried about having consumed alcohol before you were aware you were pregnant, or you would like further information and support regarding your drinking habits, do make an appointment with your own midwife or GP to discuss your concerns.”

2. I’m scared that something might be wrong. How do I know if everything is ok?

During the first trimester of pregnancy, women are usually as worried about the absence of symptoms as they are about experiencing symptoms, Lesley says.

Most of the time though, neither the absence or presence of certain symptoms is indicative of anything being wrong.

She explains: “Every woman is an individual and every pregnancy is different, so how a woman felt during her first pregnancy may be very different to how she feels during her second or third (or more!) pregnancies.

“Although you may hope to be reassured that all is well by hearing your baby’s heartbeat, the hand-held Doppler or Sonicaid used to listen in to your baby’s heartbeat during pregnancy cannot reliably detect this until the pregnancy is over 10-12 weeks and, even then, it may not always be audible.”

If you have chosen to have a dating scan, this will usually happen at around 12 weeks of pregnancy and this also marks the end of your first trimester – after which the risk of miscarriage decreases, Lesley says.

“Although both of these events can offer reassurance, for many couples the wait to reach this benchmark can be an anxious one – especially if they’ve experienced a pregnancy loss before. 

“Self-help methods such as guided relaxation, mindfulness and walks in nature, to name but a few, can help parents-to-be manage worries and uncertainty,” says Lesley.

Lesley also outlines the reasons why you might need to contact your midwife, GP or early-pregnancy unit:

• You have strong cramping pain in your lower tummy or lower back which is not eased by rest, warmth or simple painkillers like paracetamol.
• You are bleeding from your vagina. Spotting can be common and harmless in pregnancy but any heavier bleeding, particularly if accompanied by pain, should be investigated.

3. I’m feeling really sick. Sometimes all through the day and night. Is this normal?

Another question Lesley says many new mums ask, is if feeling nauseous all the time is normal.

She explains this is a common sign and that some women may also vomit and feel motion sickness, while other women may feel as though they have a tummy bug.

Lesley says for most women, symptoms of morning sickness usually ease after the first 12-16 weeks of pregnancy, but everyone’s experience is different and symptoms can sometimes carry on into later pregnancy. 

She adds: “Although it is often referred to as ‘morning sickness’, symptoms can happen at any time of day or night.

“Up to 80 per cent of women experience some nausea and/or vomiting during their pregnancy and at least 30 per cent of women will need some time off work during their pregnancy due to this. 

“If you experience morning sickness, it’s important that you do not to feel guilty if you are unable to complete everyday tasks or if you are too tired to do much exercise. 

“Listen to your body. And remember, you are not alone,” Lesley adds.

Lesley says there are ways to manage symptoms, like eating little and often, avoiding rich foods and favouring blander foods in smaller portions.

Lesley says this will help keep heartburn, bloating and stomach acid levels in check, diminishing feelings of sickness.

Over the counter self-help remedies including supplements (usually containing ginger), motion-sickness bracelets, and morning-sickness sprays containing anti-nausea essential oils like ginger, peppermint and/or lemon could also help.

But there are some instances in which you might have to contact your midwife or GP and these are: 

• You have tried self-help remedies and nothing has eased your symptoms
• You haven’t been able to keep down food or fluids for 24-48 hours
• You are not passing any or very little urine and it is dark in colour
• You feel weak or faint and not able to stand up for any length of time

4. I’m so tired. I feel like I could sleep all day. Is that normal?

While you likely won’t have any physical signs of pregnancy until after your second trimester, it’s during your first trimester that your body is working the hardest and changing the most to ensure your baby is developing and is safe and nurtured, Lesley says.

“To provide an optimal environment for your baby to live and grow until they are born, your hormones need to work overtime and it is these hormonal changes that can cause you to feel tired and fatigued. This is normal.

“For some pregnant women this sense of tiredness goes way beyond the odd yawn, and just putting one foot in front of the other may be more than she can imagine doing. 

“Growing a new human is exhausting and this is why it is important that partners and family step up and take over as many of the jobs around the house as they can. 

“Resting and sleeping as much as possible during the first trimester of pregnancy can be essential for the wellbeing of both mum and baby,” Lesley explains.

5. Is it safe to have sex?

Everyone is different, and Lesley says some women will report feeling extremely aroused during pregnancy – while others couldn’t think of anything worse.

She says: “Your libido (sex drive) may increase or decrease during pregnancy and both of these changes are normal.

“Hormones, tiredness, changes in body image or physical symptoms can affect how we feel about ourselves and towards our partner. 

“Yet, medically, there is no reason not to have sex during your pregnancy, unless you don’t feel like it or it makes you feel uncomfortable (or there is a specific medical reason to be cautious). 

Read More on The Sun

Bloodthirsty Putin ‘has ‘roid rage’ from CANCER treatment’ Western spies say

Where soaps’ bad boys are now – Sheridan Smith love triangle to cancer battle

“Penetrative sex will not hurt your baby or cause your waters to break.

“As long as it is consensual, you don’t feel uncomfortable or in pain and there is no medical reason why you should abstain, there’s no reason not to indulge,” Lesley adds.

We pay for your stories!

Do you have a story for The Sun news desk?

Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4104. You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours

Click here to get The Sun newspaper delivered for FREE for the next six weeks.

Source: Read Full Article