8 First Time Pregnancy Tips I Wish I Knew Before

Listen up, Mama! Navigating your first pregnancy is a brand new journey that you are not expected to be familiar with. We have all been there and we have all found ourselves ridiculously unprepared. You will find yourself being bombarded with first time pregnancy tips from everyone (yes, even people who have never been mothers). This can all be very overwhelming. Who do you listen to? Whose advice is actually beneficial and whose advice should you ignore?

You might even be tempted to Google tips for first time pregnancy to figure out just how to traverse this new terrain. Seeing how you already have a lot on your plate, mama, we decided to compile a list of 8 incredible tips to help you out. You absolutely do not have to go through the first time pregnancy experience alone. These helpful bits of advice come from mothers who had multiple successful pregnancies and are more than happy to share their experiences with the rest of us.

ALSO READ: Everything to Know About First Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Avoid, Development, Meals

Let us dive right in, mama! Read through these 8 first time pregnancy tips to navigate your way through the next 9 months with ease.

1. Google is not your friend

Have you ever had a slight fever and decided to Google your symptoms and next thing you know, your life expectancy is down to a few months? Well, that is Google for you. The excessive overload of information that exists on the internet makes it hard to navigate your way through. As a first time mom, you will be tempted to Google every simple symptom you have. Please do not give in to that urge!

We get it! You need answers. But the best way to do so is to stick to reputable sources only. It is not necessary to read through every blog out there. This obsession will overwhelm you and leave you stressing out over every single thing. You are already under a lot of duress, mama! What with the hormones and the new chapter in your life, do you really need to drive yourself up the wall? Give it a rest, mama!

2. Is the pregnancy glow real?

We have all heard the term. We are all a little too familiar with it. If someone tells you that you have that “pregnancy glow”, chances are you need to rinse your face. Yep, you are probably just looking greasy. The hormonal changes you are going through are bound to cause breakouts, pimples, and unnecessarily oily skin.

This does not mean that pregnancy does not exude beauty and nubility. You look absolutely radiant, mama! But that does not mean that first time pregnancy (and also every single pregnancy after) comes without the side effects. Invest in a good skin care routine and make sure you look after yourself. You know how prior to your periods, your face breaks out and your skin truly goes through it? Yes, that happens when you are pregnant as well.

3. Stop believing the myths

There are so many myths surrounding pregnancy. We have all fallen for them. Looking back, it is a little embarrassing to recall how we believed that standing next to a microwave would harm your baby. There is so much fear mongering among first time pregnant mothers. It is very easy to get sucked into it. But, honestly how will scented detergent harm your child in the womb?

Yes, it is important to stay away from hazardous machines and chemicals. However, you should not get sucked into the whirlpool of myths and fads. The chances that your child will emerge as a sub-species of human are literally none. You already have a lot to deal with. You will be doing yourself a huge favor if you stopped letting the myths get to you. Plus, a little research always goes a long way.

4. Navigating maternity shopping

Maternity shopping is just the best. Knowing that you don’t have to worry about sizing or shape and are 100% prioritizing comfort is a great feeling. However, you need to come to terms with just how much maternity shopping you will need to do.

There is a reason your pregnancy journey is divided into three trimesters. That is because your body goes through significant changes within each trimester. One of these changes is weight. You should plan your maternity shopping based on trimester. In the first trimester, you will probably not need to do that much shopping. However, in the second and third trimester, maternity shopping is absolutely necessary.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking your second trimester clothes will fit you in the third trimester as well. Nu-uh, mama! They will absolutely not. Plan out your maternity shopping accordingly. While it may seem excessive to do all that shopping, trust us when we tell you that is a well worth it. Treat yourself, mama!

ALSO READ: 10 Best Morning Sickness Snacks For Your First Trimester 

5. Sex, sex, and more sex

Your raging hormones will raise your level of sexual arousal significantly. As a first time momma, you might find it difficult to adjust to the changes happening to your body. One of the biggest adjustments will be loving your body even as it transforms. You will find yourself feeling gross and unattractive. But, trust us when we tell you that your partner does not care. If you feel like having sex, go for it.

One of the biggest fears and first time pregnancy myths that everyone believes is that sex while pregnant will hurt your baby. There is nothing more false than that. Engage in your bedroom activities as you usually would. No, your baby will not turn out a sexual deviant nor will you hurt them if you have sex. Go get some, mama! We all know you need it.

6. You do not smell as awful as you think you do

Hey, mama! No one (literally NO ONE) thinks you smell as disgusting as you think you do. Yes, you are sweating in places you never thought you would. It makes sense. Your body is going through so many changes. You are acutely aware of every single change. Don’t we know it!

However, you are legitimately the only person who is hyper aware of your smell and appearance. As long as you are regular with showering and washing yourself, you should stop worrying. Invest in some of your favorite beauty products and be mindful of your cleanliness. And most importantly, don’t overthink things.

You have not transformed into Shrek and your odor is not wafting through corridors. You got this, mama!

7. Do your Kegels

We cannot stress this enough but do not, DO NOT, leave your Kegels to the last minute. You cannot fit 9-months of Kegels into one month. Trust us, we have tried. Start your Kegels now and start them early.

Pregnancy and childbirth will undoubtedly weaken your pelvic floor. That is why you need to get into exercising regularly to make sure your body adjusts appropriately. Plus, spacing them out over 9 months makes it much easier for your body to adjust. You do not want to be overworking or exhausting yourself.

It is always better to do your Kegels on an empty bladder. No one enjoys leaking. Get to it, mama! We know you are probably putting it off because you assume you have time. You absolutely do not. Get. to. it!!!

8. Do not lose your cool

You are being bombarded with unsolicited advice, aren’t you? We know. We know! And yes, it gets overwhelming and annoying. If you are not pregnant and are reading this right now, STOP GIVING OUT UNSOLICITED ADVICE. First time pregnancy or not, unwanted advice is the worst. That being said, do not lose your calm if faced with unwanted and unsolicited advice. No, seriously. Repeat after me: “I will not punch anyone who tries to offer me advice.”

We know that it can be quite challenging to resist that urge when the advice is coming from middle aged men. No, it does not matter if your wife went through something similar. We do not care that you have three sisters. No one wants to know how many women in your life have gotten pregnant. No one wants to know how you watched their pregnancies up close. Just stop! Stop it.

As for you, mama… learn to drown out the noise. Everyone will have something to say. But, we cannot let it get to us. Simply block it all out and continue on your merry way. No one is experiencing the same journey as you and no one knows what you are going through. Every pregnancy is a different journey. Even when a mother experiences multiple pregnancies, each one will vary from the other. So really, how can anyone else dictate what your journey is like? Or what you are going through?

These first time pregnancy must knows will help you out immensely. Honestly, we really wish we knew these during out early days. It would have been far easier to deal with things and maintain our peace of mind. But, just because we did not have this advice does not mean that you should suffer, too.

We compiled these first pregnancy tips and tricks for you to have an easier journey. Feel free to add any advice you would like to offer as a mother.