Pregnancy Symptoms

Pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy; however, one of the most significant pregnancy symptoms is a delayed or missed menstrual cycle. Understanding the signs and symptoms of pregnancy is important because each symptom may be related to something other than pregnancy. Some women experience signs or symptoms of pregnancy within a week of conception. For other women, pregnancy symptoms may develop over a few weeks or may not be present at all.

Many women claim that they know they are pregnant as soon as they conceive. While this may be true, only a pregnancy test will be able to tell if you are pregnant. But you may see other signs before you take the test that may prove your suspicions including:

Below is a listing of some of the most common pregnancy signs symptoms. If you have been sexually active and experiencing any of the following symptoms it is important to take a pregnancy test.

PHYSICAL SIGNS OF PREGNANCY
There are many physical signs that can tell a woman if she is pregnant.These signs may not necessarily mean that you are pregnant, but the chances are very good that you are. These signs will vary from woman to woman and in the intensity of which they are felt. But one thing is for sure, you will notice physical changes after you become pregnant.

Implantation Bleeding:

Implantation bleeding can be one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms. About 6-12 days after conception, the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. Some women will experience spotting as well as some cramping.

Other Explanations: Actual menstruation, altered menstruation, changes in birth control pill, infection, or abrasion from intercourse.

Delay/Difference in Menstruation:

A delayed or missed menstruation is the most common pregnancy symptom leading a woman to test for pregnancy. When you become pregnant, your next period should be missed. Many women can bleed while they are pregnant, but typically the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period.

Other Explanations: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal problems, tension, stress, ceasing to take the birth control pill, or breast-feeding.

Swollen/Tender Breasts:

Swollen or tender breasts is a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes in their breasts; they may be tender to the touch, sore, or swollen.

Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to be swollen or tender.

Fatigue/Tiredness:

Feeling fatigued or more tired is a pregnancy symptom which can also start as early as the first week after conception.

Other Explanations: Stress, exhaustion, depression, common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling tired or fatigued.

Nausea/Morning Sickness:

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between 2-8 weeks after conception. Some women are fortunate to not deal with morning sickness at all, while others will feel nauseous throughout most of their pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Food poisoning, stress, or other stomach disorders can also cause you to feel queasy.

Backaches:

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy; however, it is common to experience a dull backache throughout an entire pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Impending menstruation, stress, other back problems, and physical or mental strains.

Headaches:

The sudden rise of hormones in your body can cause you to have headaches early in pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, impending menstruation, eye strain, or other ailments can be the source of frequent or chronic headaches.

Frequent Urination:

Around 6-8 weeks after conception, you may find yourself making a few extra trips to the bathroom.

Other Explanations: Urinary tract infection, diabetes, increasing liquid intake, or taking excessive diuretics.

Darkening of Areolas:

If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker.

Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or may be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.

Food Cravings:

While you may not have a strong desire to eat pickles and ice cream, many women will feel cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant. This can last throughout your entire pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Poor diet, lack of a certain nutrient, stress, depression, or impending menstruation.

Constipation
You may have bouts of constipation during the early stages of pregnancy. This is because of an increased level of progesterone,which can slow down your digestive system.

Body temperature increase
Take your temperature in the morning after getting out of bed. If it slightly higher than usual, then you may be pregnant.

EMOTIONAL SIGNS OF PREGNANCY
Emotional signs that you are pregnant may be harder to see at first. If you are not feeling physically well, then your emotions may be showing that. But if you are in tune with your body and your emotions, you may notice slight changes that may signal that you are expecting.

Mood swings
Depending on your personality, this may or may not be difficult to see.Being Pregnant – Everything You Need to Know - 15But chances are if you are happy one minute and crying the next, there must something going on with your hormones.

Withdrawing from others
Because of fatigue, you may find yourself wanting to be alone more often. This could be a sign that you are pregnant.

Depression
While most people are happy to find out that they are pregnant, if you have not found out yet and are dealing with physical changes, you could become depressed. You should visit your doctor as soon as
possible in order to end your depression and begin celebrating the coming of your new baby.

Pregnancy Exercise - Yoga

If you are pregnant and concerned about maintaining good health during your pregnancy, there are several options available for you. Yoga is a popular form of exercise among pregnant women. Here are some reasons why:

Yoga can reduce nausea – Many pregnant women experience weeks, if not months of morning sickness. Yoga helps reduce your nausea and can drastically reduce the terrible stretch of morning sickness.

Yoga relieves stress – Yoga is most commonly known as a way to help a person stay centered and relieve stress. This is especially important during pregnancy when both mom and baby should remain stress free at all times.

Yoga relieves fluid retention – Pregnancy causes many women’s hands, feet and face to swell. Practicing yoga during your pregnancy can help to relieve some of that fluid build-up that you experience.

Yoga relieves tension –Some pregnant women experience a great amount of stress. This stress leads to great amounts of tension in your body, particularly in your muscles such as your back and neck. Yoga can help relieve this stress-induced tension and keep you calm.

Yoga stimulates your power of focus – Not only can yoga be a great stress and tension reliever, but it can also help you to get your mind focused. When you are calm, you are better able to focus on the actual birth process. Yoga can enable a faster and much less taxing labor.

Yoga facilitates flexibility – Flexibility plays a large role in the birth process. Yoga enables you to remain flexible during pregnancy, which will help your muscles to be prepared for the birthing process when you go into labor and can help your body recover from the birth.

Pregnancy FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

There are many questions that women have about being pregnant. The following questions are some of the most frequently asked questions

There are many questions that women have about being pregnant. The following questions are some of the most frequently asked questions that the APA receives regarding early pregnancy issues.

Can a woman be pregnant and still have a period?

Pregnant women can have some light irregular bleeding during pregnancy, but it should not be like a “normal” period. Some women can confuse this for their period because often it can come right around the time she was expecting her normal period. The irregular bleeding or spotting that can occur during pregnancy is often a dark brown color or a light pinkish. It should not be enough bleeding to fill pads or tampons over a few days. If you are bleeding enough to fill pads and tampons, then this would be a good indication that you are not pregnant.

What if I have a positive pregnancy test and then start bleeding?

About 25-30% of pregnant women experience some type of spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy. This can be a result of many different factors including implantation bleeding, infection, cervical irritation, ectopic pregnancy or a threatened miscarriage. Many women who have this light bleeding go on to have normal pregnancies and healthy babies. About half of the women who experience some light bleeding will go on to have heavier bleeding that will ultimately result in miscarriage. Unfortunately there is no way to predict whether or not vaginal bleeding will progress to miscarriage. If you experience light bleeding that continues to get heavier, accompanied by painful cramping, back pain or stabbing pains, then you would want to seek medical attention right away.
If you experience some very slight spotting that then goes away, you would want to make sure to share this with your healthcare provider so that they are fully informed of everything you are experiencing in your pregnancy.

What if I have symptoms of pregnancy but then have a heavy period?

If you are having some weird symptoms that made you think you may be pregnant, but then have heavy bleeding, you may want to see a healthcare provider to find out what is going on. This could be caused by a hormonal imbalance, an infection, or a possible miscarriage. But the only way to know for sure is by seeking medical care.

What if I notice some cramping and I am pregnant?

Pregnant women can have some light cramping early in pregnancy. The cramping is often like light menstrual cramps through the lower abdomen or on one side or the other. The cramping is often a result of all the changes that are occurring in the uterus. The uterus is experiencing change as the implanted egg begins to grow and develop.

Some light cramping may also be from the small cyst that can develop on the ovary at ovulation called the corpus luteum cyst. A small cyst forms in the spot on the ovary where the egg pops out before making its journey to the uterus. This cyst then produces progesterone until the placenta has formed enough to begin producing its own progesterone. This small cyst can cause some discomfort for women in early pregnancy.

Can the exact date of conception be determined accurately?

Many women have questions about the date of possible conception, and unfortunately figuring this out is not always so easy. The assumption is that if a woman has pretty regular menstrual cycles, then she will be ovulating during a certain time of the month. Ovulation is the time when conception can take place because that is when an egg is made available. The problem is that most women do not ovulate on an exact date each month, and many women have a different ovulation day from month to month. If you also take into account that sperm can live in the body 3-5 days after intercourse has taken place, this can make figuring out conception very difficult. Most doctors use the first day of the last period (LMP) and ultrasound measurements to gage the gestational age of a baby and determine when the baby was conceived. But these are just tools used to estimate the dates—it is very hard for anything to tell what the exact date of conception really is. Most people do not realize that ultrasounds can be off up to 5-7 days in early pregnancy and up to a couple weeks off if the first ultrasounds are done farther into the second trimester or beyond. Due dates are not an accurate tool for determining conception since they also are only an estimation date (only 5% of women give birth on their due dates).

If you are seeking the estimated date of conception for paternity reasons, and intercourse with two different partners took place within 10 days of each other, we strongly encourage that paternity testing be done; this testing can be done during pregnancy and after the baby is born. It is the only way to accurately know who the father is.

If I have a negative pregnancy test after I have missed my period, does that mean I am not pregnant?

A negative result can mean that you are not pregnant, you took the test too early, or you took the test wrong. Pregnancy tests vary in their sensitivity (how soon they can detect the hormone hCG), and you may not have given your body enough time to produce enough hCG hormones that will show up on the test. Also, if you let a test sit for too long (after the instructions on the box tell you), the test is invalid. It is best to follow the instructions and wait until you have missed a period before taking the test. Some women show up accurately on a test the day they miss a period, while others may not show up positive until 3-4 weeks after a missed period. We encourage women to test after a missed period; if the result is negative they should wait a week and test again if a normal period has not started.

Can a woman be pregnant and still have a period?

Pregnant women can have some light irregular bleeding during pregnancy, but it should not be like a “normal” period. Some women can confuse this for their period because often it can come right around the time she was expecting her normal period. The irregular bleeding or spotting that can occur during pregnancy is often a dark brown color or a light pinkish. It should not be enough bleeding to fill pads or tampons over a few days. If you are bleeding enough to fill pads and tampons, then this would be a good indication that you are not pregnant.

What if I have a positive pregnancy test and then start bleeding?

About 25-30% of pregnant women experience some type of spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy. This can be a result of many different factors including implantation bleeding, infection, cervical irritation, ectopic pregnancy or a threatened miscarriage. Many women who have this light bleeding go on to have normal pregnancies and healthy babies. About half of the women who experience some light bleeding will go on to have heavier bleeding that will ultimately result in miscarriage. Unfortunately there is no way to predict whether or not vaginal bleeding will progress to miscarriage. If you experience light bleeding that continues to get heavier, accompanied by painful cramping, back pain or stabbing pains, then you would want to seek medical attention right away.

If you experience some very slight spotting that then goes away, you would want to make sure to share this with your healthcare provider so that they are fully informed of everything you are experiencing in your pregnancy.

What if I have symptoms of pregnancy but then have a heavy period?

If you are having some weird symptoms that made you think you may be pregnant, but then have heavy bleeding, you may want to see a healthcare provider to find out what is going on. This could be caused by a hormonal imbalance, an infection, or a possible miscarriage. But the only way to know for sure is by seeking medical care.

What if I notice some cramping and I am pregnant?

Pregnant women can have some light cramping early in pregnancy. The cramping is often like light menstrual cramps through the lower abdomen or on one side or the other. The cramping is often a result of all the changes that are occurring in the uterus. The uterus is experiencing change as the implanted egg begins to grow and develop.

Some light cramping may also be from the small cyst that can develop on the ovary at ovulation called the corpus luteum cyst. A small cyst forms in the spot on the ovary where the egg pops out before making its journey to the uterus. This cyst then produces progesterone until the placenta has formed enough to begin producing its own progesterone. This small cyst can cause some discomfort for women in early pregnancy.

Can the exact date of conception be determined accurately?

Many women have questions about the date of possible conception, and unfortunately figuring this out is not always so easy. The assumption is that if a woman has pretty regular menstrual cycles, then she will be ovulating during a certain time of the month. Ovulation is the time when conception can take place because that is when an egg is made available. The problem is that most women do not ovulate on an exact date each month, and many women have a different ovulation day from month to month. If you also take into account that sperm can live in the body 3-5 days after intercourse has taken place, this can make figuring out conception very difficult. Most doctors use the first day of the last period (LMP) and ultrasound measurements to gage the gestational age of a baby and determine when the baby was conceived. But these are just tools used to estimate the dates—it is very hard for anything to tell what the exact date of conception really is. Most people do not realize that ultrasounds can be off up to 5-7 days in early pregnancy and up to a couple weeks off if the first ultrasounds are done farther into the second trimester or beyond. Due dates are not an accurate tool for determining conception since they also are only an estimation date (only 5% of women give birth on their due dates).

If you are seeking the estimated date of conception for paternity reasons, and intercourse with two different partners took place within 10 days of each other, we strongly encourage that paternity testing be done; this testing can be done during pregnancy and after the baby is born. It is the only way to accurately know who the father is.

If I have a negative pregnancy test after I have missed my period, does that mean I am not pregnant?

A negative result can mean that you are not pregnant, you took the test too early, or you took the test wrong. Pregnancy tests vary in their sensitivity (how soon they can detect the hormone hCG), and you may not have given your body enough time to produce enough hCG hormones that will show up on the test. Also, if you let a test sit for too long (after the instructions on the box tell you), the test is invalid. It is best to follow the instructions and wait until you have missed a period before taking the test. Some women show up accurately on a test the day they miss a period, while others may not show up positive until 3-4 weeks after a missed period. We encourage women to test after a missed period; if the result is negative they should wait a week and test again if a normal period has not started.

Tips for packing the hospital bag

You’re headed into the home stretch of your pregnancy. Now it’s time to pack your hospital bag. Here are some tips for packing your hospital bag:

For the Stay - Pack a nightgown or pyjama set. Remember that you probably will not be the size you were before pregnancy so bring a gown that is large and comfy. Don’t worry about being pretty, go for comfortable.

If you are planning on breastfeeding your baby, be sure to pack a gown that has a button- or snap-up front closure for easy access.

Basic Essentials - Don’t worry about packing everything that you’d pack for a weekend getaway. You’ll be tired from all the hard work of having your baby and most likely won’t feel like primping. Take the bare essentials: comb or brush, toothbrush and paste, barrette or ponytail holder for your hair, undergarments, etc.

For The Baby - Many new mothers pack a huge diaper bag to bring to the hospital. This simply isn’t necessary. Save space and pack the few essentials you’ll need for your new baby in your overnight bag. Some things you might need are: an outfit for the ride home (something comfortable for the baby), socks or booties, and a blanket. That’s it! Hospitals provide you with a pack of diapers, Vaseline and formula to last several days, so there’s no need to pack a diaper bag.

Don’t Forget These! - Here are a few extra items that some expectant mothers sometimes forget to pack in their overnight bag: socks, music, CD player, video tape, something to focus on (if you are going natural), and snacks for Dad. Also, don’t forget the phone book to call family members and friends and cell phone or change for the pay phone and vending machines. In addition, remember to bring your baby’s car seat with you, as the hospital most likely will not allow you to leave without one.

Pregnancy Myths

If penetration only happens for a few seconds, can a woman get pregnant? Anytime the penis comes into direct contact with the vaginal area, there is the chance of pregnancy. The chance may not be as high as if intercourse with ejaculation took place, but there is still a risk. The transmission of STDs can also happen through any type of skin to skin contact like this.

Can pregnancy occur if a woman and a guy have faux sex or dry sex? (This is when there is no penetration, but there is skin to skin contact of the genital area.) Again, anytime the penis and the vaginal area come into contact, there is the slight risk of pregnancy and a risk for STD transmission.

Can a woman get pregnant from pre-ejaculation? Pre-ejaculation is the liquid that seeps out of the penis before ejaculation occurs. Most guys have no control over it and cannot feel it coming out. This type of fluid does have sperm in it and can result in pregnancy. This is part of the reason why the withdrawal method of birth control is not as effective as other methods.

Can pregnancy occur if the woman does not have an orgasm? Yes, pregnancy can occur even if a woman does not have an orgasm. An orgasm is not related to an egg being available for fertilization.

Can sperm travel through clothing or material? If the clothing was completely saturated with semen and was in direct contact with a woman’s vagina, there is a very slight chance the sperm could enter the vagina, but this is highly unlikely. No conclusive studies have been found to give a definite answer on this possibility.

Can a woman get pregnant from having sex in water? If actual intercourse takes place in any type of water, pregnancy is definitely a possibility. This is because intercourse will allow the sperm to be directly deposited in the girl’s vaginal area, and the water on the outside of the body would not interfere with this.

Can pregnancy occur if ejaculation takes place in water? It is not likely that tiny sperm could travel through the vast area of water that would fill a pool, bath tub or hot tub to reach a girls vagina and result in pregnancy. If ejaculation occurred in plain warm water, sperm could survive for a few minutes. If ejaculation occurs in very hot water, or water filled with pool chemicals, bubbles or other substances, sperm would not be able to survive for more than a few seconds. Pregnancy occurring from this is very unlikely and in most cases is not possible at all.

Can pregnancy occur from having anal sex? Pregnancy cannot occur from the act of anal sex, but because the vaginal opening and the anus are very close together, there is the chance that sperm could leak into the vagina and travel to fertilize an egg.

Can ejaculating numerous times lessen the chance of pregnancy occurring? The number of times ejaculation takes place does not affect the chance of pregnancy. Each ejaculation contains about 300 million sperm, and only one is needed to fertilize an egg.

Is sperm dead once it reaches the air? Does oxygen kill sperm? No, this is a myth that many people believe in, but it is not true! Once sperm is DRY it is dead and cannot travel to fertilize an egg. Sperm can live for 3-5 days if it is in a warm, moist environment such as the cervix of a woman. Sperm cannot come back to life once it has dried, even if it is remoistened!

Wondering about pregnancy, what do I do next? You may have just discovered that pregnancy is a possibility in your particular circumstance. Don’t panic; as noted above, in most cases the possibilities of pregnancy are rare. Your next step is to begin watching for early pregnancy symptoms If you experience any of these symptoms then you will want to take a pregnancy test. You can take an over the counter test, or you can contact the Association to locate a testing center in your area.

If penetration only happens for a few seconds, can a woman get pregnant? Anytime the penis comes into direct contact with the vaginal area, there is the chance of pregnancy. The chance may not be as high as if intercourse with ejaculation took place, but there is still a risk. The transmission of STDs can also happen through any type of skin to skin contact like this.

Can pregnancy occur if a woman and a guy have faux sex or dry sex? (This is when there is no penetration, but there is skin to skin contact of the genital area.) Again, anytime the penis and the vaginal area come into contact, there is the slight risk of pregnancy and a risk for STD transmission.

Can a woman get pregnant from pre-ejaculation? Pre-ejaculation is the liquid that seeps out of the penis before ejaculation occurs. Most guys have no control over it and cannot feel it coming out. This type of fluid does have sperm in it and can result in pregnancy. This is part of the reason why the withdrawal method of birth control is not as effective as other methods.

Can pregnancy occur if the woman does not have an orgasm? Yes, pregnancy can occur even if a woman does not have an orgasm. An orgasm is not related to an egg being available for fertilization.

Can sperm travel through clothing or material? If the clothing was completely saturated with semen and was in direct contact with a woman’s vagina, there is a very slight chance the sperm could enter the vagina, but this is highly unlikely. No conclusive studies have been found to give a definite answer on this possibility.

Can a woman get pregnant from having sex in water? If actual intercourse takes place in any type of water, pregnancy is definitely a possibility. This is because intercourse will allow the sperm to be directly deposited in the girl’s vaginal area, and the water on the outside of the body would not interfere with this.

Can pregnancy occur if ejaculation takes place in water? It is not likely that tiny sperm could travel through the vast area of water that would fill a pool, bath tub or hot tub to reach a girls vagina and result in pregnancy. If ejaculation occurred in plain warm water, sperm could survive for a few minutes. If ejaculation occurs in very hot water, or water filled with pool chemicals, bubbles or other substances, sperm would not be able to survive for more than a few seconds. Pregnancy occurring from this is very unlikely and in most cases is not possible at all.

Can pregnancy occur from having anal sex? Pregnancy cannot occur from the act of anal sex, but because the vaginal opening and the anus are very close together, there is the chance that sperm could leak into the vagina and travel to fertilize an egg.

Can ejaculating numerous times lessen the chance of pregnancy occurring? The number of times ejaculation takes place does not affect the chance of pregnancy. Each ejaculation contains about 300 million sperm, and only one is needed to fertilize an egg.

Is sperm dead once it reaches the air? Does oxygen kill sperm? No, this is a myth that many people believe in, but it is not true! Once sperm is DRY it is dead and cannot travel to fertilize an egg. Sperm can live for 3-5 days if it is in a warm, moist environment such as the cervix of a woman. Sperm cannot come back to life once it has dried, even if it is remoistened!

Wondering about pregnancy, what do I do next? You may have just discovered that pregnancy is a possibility in your particular circumstance. Don’t panic; as noted above, in most cases the possibilities of pregnancy are rare. Your next step is to begin watching for early pregnancy symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms then you will want to take a pregnancy test. You can take an over the counter test, or you can contact the Association to locate a testing center in your area.

Healthy Pregnancy Diet

As an expectant mother, your top priority should be healthypregnancy diet. Many women use their pregnancy as an excuse to “eat for two.” This is the worst possible thing you could do to yourself and your baby.

Here are a few healthy pregnancy diet tips:

Healthy Diet Tips for Expecting Moms - The American Dietetic Association says that a pregnant woman needs only 300 calories a day more than she did before she became pregnant. This means, on average, you should consume about 2,500 to 2,700 calories per day.

The best foods for a healthy diet are of course fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and dairy products. You should try to include something from each of these food groups in every meal.

Caffeine should be avoided at all costs, as it may have an effect on your unborn child. Junk food like chips and chocolate that will affect your weight gain should be eaten in moderation as well. Some pregnant women keep fresh fruit, like red seedless grapes, on hand. They claim these fruits that are naturally sweet help to curb their sweet-tooth cravings for things like chocolate.

Why a Healthy Diet is Important for You - Your body is adjusting to carrying this new life inside you. While you will need extra nutrients, you don’t need to eat double. The best thing you can do is incorporate a pre-natal vitamin regimine into your daily life. Taking vitamins will help precisely feed your body the extra nutrients you need.

All too often, pregnant women pack on pounds unnecessarily. They eat in excess, thinking that after they have their baby, all the weight will magically disappear, too. It doesn’t work that way. If you wouldn’t ordinarily eat fast food five times per week, then don’t assume that kind of lifestyle just because you’re pregnant. Adopt well-rounded and balanced meals instead and treat yourself once a week to that craving you’ve had.

This way you’ll be able to keep your weight gain to a healthy level and also provide your baby with all the nutrients he or she needs for the best start in life.

Introduction - Pregnant Momz

Being pregnant is one of the most exciting, but stressful times you will ever go through. While there will be many emotions you will experience in the time leading up to the big day, you will also have to focus on making room or the new baby. Not only to you need to get the room ready and buy baby supplies, you will also need to stay focused on eating healthy, not overexerting yourself, and creating a happy home for your baby.

While you are pregnant, you will go through many hormonal and emotional changes. You will carry your baby for nine months, so you will also need to limit your stress levels which can be done through eating healthy and exercising when you can. Even though your physical activity can be limited, studies have shown that women who exercise while they are pregnant have easier births and will be able to lose the extra weight faster than those who do not. If you are under a doctor’s orders not to perform even the simplest pregnancy exercises, then you should not. But if you can, exercise will help you control your stress and add balance to your life.

After the baby arrives, you will have to make choices concerning sleeping positions, breastfeeding, and getting to know your baby. This can take time,but most new mothers create a routine by following their baby’s sleeping and eating habits. You will feel overwhelmed at first, but over time you will begin to learn more about your baby and what they need from you. For in those first few months (even first few years of life), your baby will be helpless and will depend on you. In this blog you will learn ways to get pregnant, what it will be like during three trimesters, what you should eat, ways you can exercise, and how to breastfeed or use formula once your baby arrives. Being prepared is more than painting the room and buying new furniture. Knowing what will take place over the next few months will help you cope with stress and will allow you to make good nutrition choices when it comes to feeding you and your baby.