Congratulations! Having a baby is one of the most natural things in the world - and so is having a lot of questions! We hope that we will be able to answer some of your questions, and you can also feel free to chat to one of our experienced advisors at the AloBebe Careline or e-mail us

on careline@alobebe.com. This is an exciting time for you as expectant parents.

It can also be a very daunting time with so much to learn about your growing baby and things mom requires during pregnancy and birth. You'll have a lot to think about in the next nine months, and your body will change in many ways.

You will have good days and bad days, but the more you understand about all these changes the easier it will be.

Some women seem to know they are pregnant almost immediately. Small changes in their body or how they feel, such as extreme tiredness or nausea from very early on, alert them to the fact that they have conceived. Other women experience no noticeable changes and may find it hard to believe they are pregnant.

• A missed period is the most obvious sign of pregnancy but occasionally a very light and scanty period may occur, which can be confusing. You may want to confirm that you are pregnant by using a home pregnancy test kit or visit your doctor and have them conduct the pregnancy test. Knowing very early that you are pregnant enables you to discuss maternity care with your doctor early as well, and to drink wisely and generally look after your health right from the word go.
• Breasts become tender and increase in size and the nipple area may become more pronounced.
• Some women suffer from morning sickness; others have feelings of nausea which last all day. This can begin early on, but usually starts around six weeks and improves after twelve to fourteen weeks of pregnancy.
• You may have sense of taste changes and may even go off specific foods.
• You may feel tired, even to the point of needing to sleep during the day as well as at night.

Calculating your due date
The first thing you will want to know when you discover you are pregnant is: when am I going to give birth? An egg needs 266 days to grow into a healthy baby. But some babies need 280 days, while others are ready at 240 days. As you may not know precisely when your baby is conceived, the expected date of birth is calculated from the first day of your last period. You simply add up 40 weeks and that is the day you are expecting. But remember that only 4% of all babies are born on the exact day; most are born two weeks beforehand or two weeks afterwards.

Have a look at our handy gestational calendar which will help you know
your expected delivery date.

Looking after yourself
When your pregnancy is confirmed, your healthcare professional will arrange your antenatal care.  This means that you and the baby inside you will be checked at regular intervals.  Your first visit to your healthcare professional may be the longest one, as you discuss any history of illness in your family and all your questions about the birth.  Each time a new appointment will be made, starting once a month and gradually progressing to once a week.

It's important to stay active during pregnancy so that you're able to manage the increasing physical demands on your body.  If your fitness level is good, you should be able to cope better with labour and return to your pre-pregnancy shape after birth that much quicker.  However, this isn't the time to participate in strenuous activities if you've never done so before.  Instead, gentle regular exercise will help you manage the added demands on your body and is an excellent way of preparing you for the months ahead.

Tracking your weight gain
Print the handy weight gain chart in the Early pregnancy:
Mom-to-be’s nutrition section to track your weight gain throughout your pregnancy.