Breast milk is best for your baby

Breast milk is best for babies. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding or other food and drinks will have a negative impact on breastfeeding. At around six months of age (but not before 4 months), infants should receive nutritionally adequate and age-appropriate complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Consult your doctor before deciding to use infant formula or if you have difficulty breastfeeding.

Abbott Singapore fully recognises breast milk’s primacy, value and superiority and supports exclusive breastfeeding as recommended by the WHO.

The content on this website is intended as general information for Singaporean residents only and should not be used as a substitute for medical care and advice from your healthcare practitioner. The HPB recommends that infants start on age-appropriate complementary foods at around 6 months, whilst continuing breastfeeding for up to 2 years or beyond to meet their evolving nutritional requirements. If no longer breastfeeding, toddlers can switch to full cream milk after 12 months. This should be complemented by a good variety of solid foods from the four main food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and alternatives). For more information on the nutritional requirements of infants and young children, please visit www.healthhub.sg/earlynutrition.

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Pregnancy symptoms: What's normal and what's not?

Are you a new mum-to-be? Congratulations! Your first pregnancy marks an exciting new chapter in your life.

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We know you're looking forward to the journey ahead, but you're probably feeling nervous too about the changes your body will be going through. These changes bring about side-effects and symptoms, which may seem alarming at first.

But fret and fear not - if you know what to expect, then you can save yourself from feeling overwhelmed. Though pregnancy symptoms can be a source of discomfort, they're simply the side-effects to your body growing a new life.

It helps to prepare yourself for the next nine months step by step. Let's start with the symptoms you'll have to deal with in the next few weeks. Here's what you can expect in your first trimester, as well as the warning signs that you'll need to watch out for.

First Trimester Symptoms of Pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy begins on the first day of your last period.1 It lasts for 12 weeks.

For many pregnant mums, the earliest symptoms of pregnancy show up at weeks 4 to 5. To start with, you're likely to notice these first few symptoms:1-3

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Missing your period

If you've recently had unprotected sex, missing your period means fertilisation and implantation of the egg cell in the uterus may have taken place. You can take a pregnancy test on the first day of your missed period to be certain.4

Light spotting

The fertilized egg cell implants in the uterus at weeks 4 to 5. This may cause light spotting, also called "implantation bleeding." Unlike your regular period, implantation bleeding consists of only a few drops of blood. The colour should look light pink to dark brown.5

Fatigue

Hormonal changes - namely, an increase in progesterone - can lead to feeling tired or lacking energy.

Tender, swollen breasts

Your breasts may grow larger and feel tender, the areola or skin around the nipples may grow darker, and veins may be more prominent through the skin.

As your pregnancy progresses, you'll likely see more symptoms crop up, thanks to the increase of pregnancy hormones in your body.

Further Symptoms In Your First Trimester Include1-3:

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Nausea (With or Without Vomiting)

Almost 70% of pregnant mums experience nausea, also called morning sickness. Despite the term used, morning sickness can strike at any time of the day.6

Heightened sense of smell

Rising levels of estrogen in the body makes you more sensitive to smells.

Food cravings or aversions

Your nutritional needs change once you get pregnant. Expecting mums may find that they're craving foods rich in calories and calcium. You may also develop a distaste for or aversion to certain foods, even ones you used to like.

Frequent urination

By week 7, the embryo will have grown into the size of a grape, and the womb into the size of a lemon.1 The amount of fluid in the body increases and your growing uterus will start to press against your bladder. You will likely find yourself urinating more often than normal.

Other Common Symptoms In The First Trimester

Early pregnancy symptoms vary from one mum to the next. Apart from the common signs and symptoms above, mums-to-be may experience the following1:

  • mood swings
  • backache
  • breathlessness
  • constipation
  • bloating or feeling bloated
  • burping or passing gas
  • heartburn
  • tingling and numbness in the hands
  • varicose veins in the legs
  • mild swelling in the fingers or legs and feet
  • a milky, white discharge from the vagina
  • haemorrhoids
  • swollen or bleeding gums
  • itchy skin
  • leg cramps
  • a metallic taste in the mouth
  • darkened skin or darkened patches on the face
  • thicker and shinier hair

These symptoms are considered normal and should cause you no worry, as long as they’re mild and don’t significantly affect your day-to-day activities. Talk to your doctor to learn how you can manage or minimize these symptoms if need be.

Pregnancy Symptoms That Are Not Normal

It's important to stay in tune with how you're feeling. If certain symptoms cause pain or more discomfort than usual, it's best to bring it up with your doctor.

In particular, watch out for the following:

Urine Problem

Problems with urination. Pregnant mums tend to pee more often than usual. However, if you feel pain or a burning sensation while you're peeing, or if you see signs of blood in the urine, you may have a urinary tract infection.7

High Temperature

High body temperature. Your core body temperature rises during pregnancy. However, a temperature above 39 degrees Celsius may indicate a fever.8 Take note of any symptoms that came with this rise in temperature and speak to your doctor if it doesn't subside.

Sudden Swelling

Sudden swelling. The amount of fluid in the body increases during pregnancy, which may lead to mild swelling in your fingers, legs, ankles, and feet. However, a sudden increase in swelling, especially in the face and/or hands, may be a symptom of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure caused by pregnancy.9

Weak And Faint

Feeling constantly weak and faint.10 It's normal to feel fatigue during pregnancy, but if these symptoms are constant, and if they persist in spite of lots of rest, they may be a sign of nutritional deficiency or an underlying condition.

Pregnancy Symptoms That Need Urgent Care

Seek medical care at once should the following symptoms show up:

Severe Bleeding

Heavy bleeding and painful cramps. Up to 80% of miscarriages happen in the first trimester.11 Heavy bleeding accompanied by painful cramps in the lower belly may be signs of a miscarriage.12

Severe Nausea

Severe nausea and vomiting. If you're feeling extremely nauseous, dizzy, faint, and when you can't seem to keep anything down, you may have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness.13

Ectopic Pregnancy

Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include severe tummy pain, vaginal bleeding, pain in the shoulder tip, diarrhea and vomiting, and feeling faint and lightheaded.14

 

Things To Keep In Mind

Symptoms of pregnancy vary from person to person, and from one pregnancy to the next. Some individuals may experience all the common symptoms. Some may experience only a select few. Some may show no symptoms at all.1

If you didn't notice the common symptoms of the first trimester, or if you feel like some symptoms came earlier or later than usual - don't panic. Stay in tune with your body and how you're feeling. If what you feel seems out of the ordinary, talk it over with your doctor.

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