During the first trimester your body undergoes many changes. Hormonal changes affect almost every organ system in your body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the very first weeks of pregnancy. Your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Some other changes may include Extreme tiredness, swollen breasts, mood swings, cravings, Need to pass urine more often, headache and heartburn. Fortunately, most of these discomforts will go away as your pregnancy progresses. And some women might not feel any discomfort at all! As each woman s different, so is every pregnancy, and MaaMatters shall serve as your very own solution to gain courage during all these times.

Staying active and fit during pregnancy is quite essential for both mother, as well as the baby. 

Some points that can help maintain a fit routine during and post pregnancy are as follows:-

• Always warm up and cool down to keep you from pulling any muscles.

• Stay hydrated - drink lots of water.

• Other good activities to try while pregnant include walking, yoga, pilates, aerobics and pelvic floor exercises.

• Some exercises, like running and weight training, will need to be modified as your belly grows.

• The best combination of exercise is aerobic and muscle-strengthening, as this helps you breathe properly and allows to deal with the increased weight you'll be carrying around.

• Avoid anything that risks you falling, for example: horse riding, skiing and gymnastics.

• Contact sports are not a good idea either – things like squash, tennis, martial arts, football and rugby. where there's a risk of your bump being hit.

You don't need to spend lots of money, or go on a special diet – you just need a balance of the right types of food. These include:

Fruit and vegetables

Aim to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. Fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced can be part of your daily allowance – try to avoid anything with added salt or sugar.

Starchy foods (carbohydrates) 

These types of food are an important source of energy, certain vitamins and fibre. They include bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta and noodles.

It's best to start taking folic acid as soon as you start trying for a baby, or as soon as you find out you're pregnant. Folic acid is very important for your pregnancy, as it can prevent birth defects known as 'neural tube defects', including spina bifida.

Vitamin D

To keep bones and muscles healthy, we need vitamin D. From late March/early April to the end of September, most people make enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin. However, between October and early March we should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement because we cannot make it from sunlight.

How are you feeling today? Good mental health before, during, and after your baby is born is vital. Your mental health is as important as your physical health – but it's easy to overlook when there is so much going on. 

Start the day with the words “I am amazing,” “I am beautiful” or “I am powerful.” How would doing this change the way you look at yourself throughout the day? Pregnancy can be hard at times, but talking yourself through it by using kind words can be so powerful and help to shift your mindset. 

Also, couples or family therapy can be really crucial for supporting your loved ones during the transition to welcoming a new baby. Pregnancy can be overwhelming and busy, but don’t let that stop you from staying connected to the important people in your life. Our relationships with friends and family are essential to helping us feel supported and maintaining a sense of identity and normalcy during the transition into motherhood. Many studies have shown that strong social support during pregnancy is protective against postpartum depression. Although face-to-face time with key people is really wonderful, a quick phone check-in with loved ones can also help boost your mood.