You are pregnant? Answers to the first doubts

 The pregnancy test was positive, but among the joy that the baby is arriving, many questions are mixed: Can I notice it yet? Will our relationship change due to pregnancy? Here we have the main answers for you.

Is it possible that my pregnancy is already noticeable? An aura that comes from within. The gut, instead of being inserted as usual, is placed, sure of itself, in the starting position. Sometimes the hand touches it while lost in thought... Yes, it is noticeable when women are happily pregnant. Pregnancy hormones change us: estrogen makes the hair shiny, progesterone makes the skin softer and everything is softer and more flexible, both the cervix and the heart. That is why future mothers are more sensitive and cry more easily, but they also have that special aura that does not go unnoticed.

I drank too much before it happened, is it bad?

The rule is that we must give up alcohol from the moment we plan to get pregnant since the embryo receives the harmful substances that its mother takes. These can harm cell division processes and the disposition and development of your organs.

The good news is that, in the first two weeks after fertilization, nature is governed by the principle of all or nothing. Only the good grows. If cells are damaged by alcohol, medications, nicotine, or disease, they do not divide. A very early miscarriage then occurs which looks like a delay in menstruation.

If, on the other hand, the pregnancy continues, it is the best proof that the night of drinking did not harm the fetus. But from now on, the mother should know that the baby eats the same as her, so in the coming months, non-alcoholic drinks.

Is our love strong enough to have a child?

The life that grows inside the belly is such a privilege for women that many men initially feel marginalized. They feel threatened by the exclusivity they had until now in their relationship with the woman they love. They also fear for the freedom that is leaving them. Being responsible for a tiny life that depends on them in everything and for everything is something that initially makes many future parents uncomfortable.

Women, on the other hand, experience pregnancy in a more concrete way from the beginning. However, it also raises many questions: Will he be with me in 20 years? And will the baby 'inherit' her quirks? But don't worry, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks for a reason, and it's enough time for both of you to calm down. Once men process the news, they quickly devote themselves to everything related to the baby, share the desire to make plans for the future, and are equally excited when seeing the first ultrasounds.

When do I say it and to whom?

First of all: no one has the right to know immediately that you are pregnant. But when you give the news of your pregnancy, keep the order in mind: future grandparents often don't react well if you don't tell them personally that a grandchild is on the way. And the boss doesn't like finding out in the hallways either.

The classic variant is future dad, best friend, future grandparents, and boss before the twelfth week, the rest after. Why the boss? Because this way you will benefit from special treatment from the first moment, such as a more comfortable workplace for your body or protection against dismissal. And why a period of three months? Because afterward, the risk of abortion decreases greatly. For this reason, many women prefer to wait: they are afraid that if it happens they will be constantly asked how the baby is doing.

Now I have to eat for two?

No. Pregnant women barely need more calories than those who are not carrying a baby. You only need about 180 more calories, which are provided by a slice of bread with cheese. But for many pregnant women, not even this, since they slow down and take (rightly) more breaks. And thus, they burn fewer calories.

Therefore, more important than how much is what: for the baby to be well supplied, he needs enough milk and dairy products (between half and a liter of milk or dairy products, or between two and three slices of cheese a day), lots of fruit and vegetables and bread and cereals (better if they are whole grain). Folic acid, iodine, and iron are necessary nutritional supplements, which your doctor will prescribe.

Do I need to worry about minor blood loss?

They happen often, it happens to one in five women. Normally, there is no reason to worry. Mild blood loss in pregnancy may be due to a small vein in the cervix or harmless loosening of tissue. However, bleeding during pregnancy is always a good reason to go to the gynecologist, if only to not worry and enjoy pregnancy without headaches.

Why am I always so tired now?

Do you fall asleep before the news starts? Do you leave your friends at the pizzeria after a plate of pasta? The first thing that many pregnant women notice differently is leaden fatigue. Your body is fully focused on the baby's growth, and that takes away a lot of energy. Often, at the beginning of pregnancy, blood pressure is low, which also saps energy.

To do? In the mornings, hot and cold showers. In the office, it is better if you use your lunch break to take a walk and get some fresh air. And take it easy when you're tired. If your body needs a lot of calm, it needs it. That you go to bed at the same time as the chickens? Pregnant women are allowed.

Am I well-fed, even though the nausea barely lets me eat?

Don't worry, in any case, your baby is well-fed. In the first weeks, many pregnant women even lose weight instead of gaining weight, and there is no problem. Your calorie needs do not increase until the tenth week.

Of course, it is important that you eat normally as much as possible, even if you feel sick. Many pregnant women benefit from sautéed carrots, which relieve heartburn and fill you up.

The only exception is if you weighed very little before getting pregnant and then lost weight drastically. In this case, go to the gynecologist or midwife to check if you are well nourished.

Should a two-centimeter embryo already have an affectionate nickname?

Clear! In the end, it is the quintessential topic of conversation for parents. And it is much, much nicer to talk about our little dot, little spirit, little tenant, little thing or little frog than to use the correct medical term embryo or, from the third month onwards, fetus. But be careful, don't get used to it! Parents should ensure that at some point the baby's final name is established in the circle of family and friends. Surely the future Javi or Ana do not want to be called “puppy” all the time.

Why is my waist the first thing to disappear?

Does it seem like you ate too much chocolate instead of being pregnant? Don't worry, it's totally normal that the first thing to disappear is your waist. Because? Because the cervix first grows upward and then forward. This means that at the beginning of pregnancy, it is the size of a pear and is located below the pubis. Afterward, it grows more and more upwards, even you yourself will see how it grows centimeter by centimeter until it surpasses the pubic bone. And once at this point, the waist disappears. Around week 16 there is no longer a trace of it, and the belly begins to grow forward.