Month 1: You've just found out

The exhaustion of early pregnancy can be difficult to cope with ? but rest assured, there is nothing wrong with you. In fact, there is something going on inside your body that is very right. As your body steps up its creative works, it also moves into a position of defense to protect what it is so furiously creating.

Fatigue is one of the first signs of pregnancy. During the first few weeks, the most important time of your baby's development is under way so your body will be taxed to its utmost. Once the placenta is fully established and the hormones have settled down, the exhaustion lets up and gives way to a feeling of all-over well-being.

Take action

• Get as much sleep as you can. As obvious as this may sound, many women actually disregard what their bodies are trying to tell them. At this stage you are probably still working, so napping during the day is not possible. Try going to bed earlier. Getting at least eight hours sleep will stand you in good stead.
• Limit your intake of caffeine and stop drinking alcohol altogether. Alcohol destroys vitamin C and B, which are both needed for stamina. Tea and coffee can also interfere with your absorption of iron. This can result in anaemia.
• Snack on healthy energy-boosting foods such as dried fruits. Apricots are a rich source of betacarotene and can boost your circulation and combat tiredness. Eat more starchy foods, such as potatoes, pasta and rice. These foods will give you a slow, more constant release of energy throughout the day.

Month 2: Morning sickness go away

Up to 80% of pregnant women experience nausea in pregnancy, so don't feel alone. Along with fatigue, it is one of the early system warnings of pregnancy. It may last up to 16 weeks. Some women suffer for the full nine months, but this is quite rare.

Morning sickness is believed to be the result of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). This hormone is only produced during pregnancy and is measured in pregnancy tests.

Take action

• Get as much sleep as you can, as fatigue and stress will make you feel worse.
• Eat small meals more often and don't skip meals or have an empty stomach for long. A lowered blood sugar level will make you feel tired as well as nauseous.
• Deep breathing always helps, not only for nausea, but also for stress in general. A brisk walk does the world of good.
• Avoid smells that may set it off. These include cigarette or tobacco smoke, petrol, certain foods and sometimes even the fragrances of your favourite flowers or perfume. Place a drop of peppermint oil on a handkerchief and sniff it when you are feeling 'queasy'.
• Ginger is said to speed up the digestive process and is a natural remedy to combat nausea. Take 250mg capsules four times a day.
• Drink plenty of water.

Month 3: I'm so dizzy

As your body adjusts to the demands of a growing foetus, the amount of blood in your body increases. To help you cope with the extra volume, your body produces the hormone progesterone. This causes the blood vessels to become more stretchy.

This amazing adjustment means you won't have to walk around with soaring blood pressure. It also slows blood circulation, so blood may pool in the legs. This is what causes the dizziness. You will notice this when you stand up quickly or when you get out of bed.

Take action

• Get up slowly and use the proper muscles of the legs and buttocks to help yourself up.
• Lie down on your side rather than on your back, especially in the latter part of your pregnancy.
• Avoid eating high sugar snacks when you feel dizzy, as this will only make you feel worse. Rather eat a banana or another type of carbohydrate. Eating something slightly salty may also help.

Month 4: Keep regular

Many women suffer from constipation at some point in their pregnancy. Once again, this is because of those hormones that act on all the smooth muscles in your body. Digestion also slows down during pregnancy to allow the placenta more time to absorb the nutrients moving through your digestive system. Being constipated can make you feel bloated and unattractive and will make tiredness even worse.

Take action

• Increase your intake of fluids, but not tea and coffee. This will keep things 'flowing' in your digestive tract. A glass of warm water taken before going to bed and first thing in the morning will wake up a sluggish system.
• Step up your intake of fibre and eat more fruit.

Month 5: Feeling fit

For most women, the fourth and fifth month of pregnancy is the time they enjoy the most. Your pregnant tummy is noticeable, the feelings of nausea have passed, the pregnancy is well established and the most vulnerable time is over. Your energy levels have also started to pick up and your body is pumping feel-good hormones through your system. You may be feeling more attractive and your libido returns with a vengeance.

Take action

• If you haven't been exercising, now is the time to get going again. Join a specialised antenatal class where you will be with other pregnant women, or walk, swim or attend yoga classes.
• Use aromatherapy to help you relax but be sure to speak to a qualified aromatherapist about what is safe to use.
• Start thinking about decorating the nursery and start browsing in the paint shops. Now's the time to keep moving. You won't feel like walking later on in your pregnancy.

Month 6: Eat right

Anaemia is once of the most common complications in pregnancy and causes extreme tiredness.

Anaemia is caused by a fall in your haemaglobin (the oxygen-carrying component of your blood). This is normal during pregnancy, but if it falls below a certain level, your caregiver may send you for tests to check your iron. Taking supplements may be recommended, especially if you are a vegetarian.

Take action

• Eat iron-rich foods such as red meat, oily fish, dark green vegetables and wholegrain cereals.
• Do not take your supplements with tea and coffee, as this will inhibit the absorption. Taking iron with a vitamin C food or drink will enhance absorption.
• Check with your doctor if you suspect that you may be anaemic.

Month 7: Back basics

It is not surprising at this stage of your pregnancy to start feeling a little backache. Those good old hormones are to blame again, as they cause your ligaments to soften and relax to accommodate your growing baby.

This is a good sign that your body is already preparing for the birth. But the downside is that the joints become loose and don't hold you so tightly. Watch your posture. This could increase your risk of joint strain and injury.

Take action

• Focus on your posture and correct it. Think long and tall. Pull your poking chin in and align the back of your head with the top of your back. You may wish to speak to your exercise instructor about helping you develop better postural awareness. Or speak to a physiotherapist about exercises to improve your posture. Contact someone who teaches the Alexander Technique and have a few sessions.
• Try not to sit at a desk all day. Get up and walk around and do some simple stretching exercises.
• Avoid carrying heavy parcels and make sure that you lift objects from the floor correctly. Squat and use the large leg muscles to assist you rather than bending over and overstressing the lower back muscles.

Month 8: Breath work

Now you are really starting to sound tired as breathlessness sets in. This is understandable. In later pregnancy your lungs become more restricted and cannot expand fully. This is because the uterus has displaced the lungs and the diaphragm. In fact, the baby is squashing all the internal organs.

And if that's not enough, the hormones have caused the tiny blood vessels in the respiratory tract to swell and the muscles and bronchial tubes to relax, plus you're now breathing for two.

Take action

• Improved posture will help.
• Exercises done with your arms up and out to the side will alleviate breathlessness.
• Be aware of your breathing and avoid taking short shallow breaths. Try and breathe as deeply as is comfortable for you.
• Add about eight drops of frankincense essential oil to your bath.

Month 9: It's almost time

Now, even though you want to sleep, insomnia is one of the biggest problems of the last month. If it's not wild crazy dreams while you're asleep, it's thoughts about what still needs to be done. Leg cramps and frequent trips to the toilet seem to be nature's way of preparing you for what's to come. Tiredness can seem overwhelming!

Take action

• Sleep as much as you can, whenever you can. Catch those forty winks during the day if possible.
• Avoid drinking stimulants like tea or coffee at least four hours before you go to bed. Try herbal teas or warm milk.
• Mix a few drops of lavender essential oil with a base oil and use it for massage, or to add to your bath water before bed.
• Play soft classical music.
• Use some relaxation techniques and breathing awareness to calm your thoughts.
• Calcium is a natural sedative, so take calcium supplements at night instead of in the morning.
• Use pillows to get comfortable and to support your back and neck while you sleep. Make sure your pillow is not too low or too high, causing you to strain your neck.
• Go to bed early and avoid watching television for too long before turning out the lights.