Pregnancy & Birth

Pregnancy and Birth

The more you know about your pregnancy and your options, the more you are likely to feel in control. With this in mind we hope to offer you a comprehensive guide to the stages of your pregnancy along with some great advice to keep you healthy and happy throughout.

Pregnancy begins on the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). This date helps determine how far along you are in your pregnancy and is about two weeks before actual conception. It might seem strange, but this date is important for calculating your due date. Your healthcare provider will ask for it to track your pregnancy progress and set your due date. Your due date is usually 40 weeks from this date, but it’s common to give birth up to three weeks early or two weeks late. Also, your due date might change based on measurements from an ultrasound.

Many people think pregnancy lasts nine months, but this isn't always true. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks or 280 days. Since some months are shorter and others are longer, your pregnancy might last either nine or ten months, which is completely normal and healthy.

• Exercise – Women who exercise regularly are less likely to have uncomfortable pregnancy side effects like back pain, piles, and swollen ankles. They are also less likely to gain too much weight and more likely to feel positive about their changing bodies. A healthy, fit body can also handle childbirth better. However, it’s important to find the right balance, as too much exercise can cause fertility issues, such as irregular periods and cycles where ovulation does not happen.
• Caffeine - Caffeine is believed to inhibit the growth of a foetus by narrowing blood vessels and decreasing blood flow to the uterus. The current recommendation is to keep caffeine consumption under 300mg each day, which is comparable to 4 cups of instant coffee, 3 cups of brewed coffee, or 6 cups of tea.
• Keep taking Your Vitamins and Supplements – Folic acid doesn’t just help you get pregnant but it helps to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Speak with your GP or midwife to find out which supplements will work best for you.
• Eat Healthy – Don’t forget you are eating for two now, the vitamins and minerals in your food are also going to your baby who needs them to develop healthily. Whilst cravings happen, try and maintain a balanced diet. If all you eat is junk food, then that is all your baby gets too. Dieting itself, especially crash dieting is not recommended as this would rob your child of essential nutrients.
• Keep up-to-date with your available pregnancy vaccinations - More information about the available vaccinations can be found HERE.  

It’s important to try and be as healthy as possible during your pregnancy. You should:

• Stop smoking if you smoke: Click HERE for more information. 
• Limit your caffeine intake: Click HERE for more information. 
• Avoid drinking alcohol: Click HERE for more information.
• Do not eat undercooked meat or unpasteurised dairy products
• Take folic acid (until you’re 12 weeks pregnant) and vitamin D supplements throughout your pregnancy
• Speak to your GP and midwife about any lifestyle changes you could make.

To read a flyer about vaping in pregnancy please follow the link below

Tommy’s: Vaping In Pregnancy Flyer (PDF)

For some helpful advice about staying healthy before and during pregnancy please check out the links below.

• Tommy’s: How To Have A Healthy Pregnancy Film Channel
• Tommy’s Nutrician In Pregnancy
• Tommy’s Healthy Diet In Pregnancy Guide
• Tommy’s Exercise In Pregnancy
• Education Authority: Health During Pregnancy 
• NHS: Keeping well in pregnancy
• Safer Pregnancy - Good advice based on evidence and links to specialist guidance. 

• Feelings and relationships
• Advice for partners
• Maternity and paternity benefits and leave 
• If you have a long-term condition (such as diabetes or high blood pressure)
• Pregnancy-related conditions
• When pregnancy goes wrong

Pregnancy is roughly divided into 4 stages known as trimesters of about 3 months each:

• First trimester - 1-12 weeks
• Second trimester - 13-27 weeks
• Third trimester - 28-40 weeks
• Fourth trimester - post-birth

What weeks are most important for foetal development?

Every trimester of pregnancy has its own risks. The first 13 weeks, or the first trimester, are very important for foetal development. During this time, the risk of miscarriage is higher, but it significantly decreases after the first trimester, when the baby’s major organs and systems are formed and starting to work.

This does not mean that your pregnancy is less important after 13 weeks. It simply means that many key developmental milestones have already happened. Most serious birth defects also occur during the first trimester.

If you have any concerns at any time during your pregnancy, please contact the midwife or your GP.

Please take a look at the flyer below for signs that you should call. Our clinicians also offer antenatal services alongside the community midwives to offer help and support throughout your pregnancy to ensure that you and your baby receive the best possible care

Tommy’s: When To Call Your Midwife or GP Flyer (PDF)

More information about the stages of pregnancy and beyond can be found on our website via the links below.