Life is about to get real. A woman misses her monthly visitor, pees on the stick, and gets a positive - now what? Most doctors won't see her until she's between 8-10 weeks - this is when she'll have your first ultrasound to confirm that she indeed has a bun in the oven. Now, this is more than halfway through the first trimester so I'm sure women are wondering what more she could be doing to promote a healthy pregnancy and best prepare for her little one's arrival.

Waiting for that first OB visit can be tortuous. It's both exciting and nervewracking. In the first trimester, your body will be going through a lot, and even though you might not look pregnant yet chances are that you'll be feeling one or more symptoms of it. Right now you might be excited about a big baby bump but soon enough you'll be ready to have your body back.

There are obviously significant things that you'll want to change about your life right away like not drinking, staying off rollercoasters, and keeping your life as low stress as possible, but there are little things that mamas often forget. These are both things that you can be doing to promote a healthy pregnancy as well as the annoying but ever so common pregnancy symptoms that come along with growing a human. Regardless, if this is your first go around or you're a pregnancy professional and have a tribe of little ones running around, these are good reminders for all moms in their first trimester.

15 Women Need To Drink More Water

Being pregnant sucks a lot out of you. Increasing your water intake is super important. In fact, a lot of times if you are experiencing contractions a little too early, the first thing your doctor will tell you is to drink some water and to make sure you're hydrated. It is recommended that pregnant women drink a minimum of ten 8-ounce cups of water a day. You can tell if you're getting enough water by the color of your urine - the lighter in color, the better!

Some women worry that drinking extra water will affect their water retention, however, dehydration is usually the cause of retraining water, so drink up. It's best to sip the water throughout the day instead of chugging it all at once. You'll want to hydrate your body gradually. You'll be peeing extra anyways so you might as well stay healthy and hydrated along the way to the bathroom.

14 They Need To Screen Their Food First

Chances are that you won't be taking a bite out of a raw chicken breast, but you'll want to take extra caution around raw meat. Practice hand washing and a little extra sanitation in the kitchen when raw meat has been present. Remember to avoid foods like sushi that have raw fish and other types of seafood that have a high mercury content. Raw eggs will be a no-go until your sweet babe comes out. Make sure that you cook those breakfast eggs well done and the yolk all the way through. You might be surprised to learn that it's best to stay clear of deli meats and cheese since there is a small risk of these harboring listeria. Aside from the deli cheese, stay away as well from mold-ripened soft cheeses as these also have the same risk for listeria.

13 They Need To Start Taking Prenatals ASAP

You can start taking your prenatal as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Some women like to take theirs before bed as that's when its least likely to come back up during their morning sickness puke-a-ton. Choosing a prenatal will require a little bit of research on your end. It might take a few brands to find one that agrees with your tummy. Most moms find that the food-based ones are more comfortable to stomach, especially for those moms who are dealing with nausea.

You'll want to make sure that you are consistent with taking your vitamins every day. Set an alarm on your phone. Keep them somewhere where you see them every day, like your nightstand, bathroom counter, or next to the coffee maker. If you're not used to taking a vitamin every day, it can be a hard habit to keep up with. Don't be too hard on yourself if you forget to take it one day, it happens to the best of us.

12 They Need To Plan Out Maternity Leave

It's never to soon to figure out your maternity leave options. It's best to call your HR department to discuss all the details. You will want to have a list of questions ready to ask them as this call can be kind of overwhelming. How much of your leave is paid, how much time can you legally take off, can you use your vacation time, do you have the option to work from home for a bit, what happens if you go on bed rest, etc.

All jobs will be a little different, and every state has its own laws regarding maternity leave for moms. This is also a good time to find out about your SO's paternity leave, if that is something offered by his/her company? Checking out benefits for time off for your SO after the baby arrives can provide you with some insight into what life will look like after the baby comes. Some jobs offer great leaves, others not so much.

11 They Need To Look Into Insurance For Prenatal Care

Have insurance but up till now haven't needed it? You probably picked the least expensive plan because you never go to the doctor. Now you will be at the doctor what feels like every day of your life, for prenatal appointments after prenatal appointments.

Your doctor office will become like that annoying aunt's house you never want to go to but have to because she's family. Call up your insurance provider and see what type of plan you have. Ask them directly about prenatal care. Get information about your deductible. If you can, this might be a good time to shop for a new plan with something that will better fit being in the doctor's office all the time. You will also want to get info on how to add the baby once he/she is born to your family plan and what the timeline for that is.

10 They Need To Tell People Before They Find Out

You are far enough along that you're ready to announce your exciting news to the world. You have at this point told close family and friends. Make sure that everyone super important knows before you go Facebook official with it. You will not want an angry call from grandma because she found out via her iPad "on that facebook thing" that you are going to have her great grandbaby!

Picking and choosing who to tell before you announce can be overwhelming. It's best to just keep it to those super close to you at first. Remember that some people love to talk so even if you tell them not to say anything to anyone it's bound to get out. Most people wait until they are at least twelve weeks along before they make it public knowledge and others don't. It's up to you and your SO when you tell people.

9 They Need To Get Lots Of Rest

Grocery shopping and suddenly you feel like you could fall asleep right there in the produce section? It's that first-trimester fatigue, and it's not fun. It's hard to explain the sheer amount of exhaustion your body will experience. You might find yourself catching some Z's during your lunch break in your car or going to bed extra early.

Being extra tired is entirely normal in the first trimester. It's best to listen to your body and rest when it's telling you to rest. For most pregnant moms, their energy levels pick back up in the second trimester and then drop off again in the third, when they are waddling around like a penguin waiting for their baby to make their appearance into the world. Don't give in to the temptation to drink five cups of coffee and take extra naps!

8 They Won't Only Be Sick In The Morning

Morning sickness might have you running back and forth to the bathroom starting in the morning and going all day long. Yes, you read that right - I said all day. Most pregnant moms notice a huge decline in their morning sickness by 12 weeks, but some other moms have it through the entire pregnancy. If you are experiencing morning sickness, you'll want to make sure that you are staying rested and hydrated. Some women say that crackers and small snacks in the morning help.

Smells will trigger some nasty feelings. You'll soon dislike any co-worker that thinks tuna is an excellent choice for lunch because it's not. Your snout will be extra sensitive and this can lead to the ever so fabulous puking, so make sure that you are keeping any smelly triggers far away. Don't leave those Brussell sprouts in the fridge to go rancid.

7 They Might Start Spotting

You think pregnancy and blood don't mix, and well they don't. Of course, seeing any type of spotting or blood during pregnancy is grounds for a call to your OB, but about 20% of pregnant moms will report some type of spotting or bleeding in the first trimester. Implantation bleeding is the most common cause of bleeding in the first few days of pregnancy. This is when the fertilized egg implants itself in the lining of the uterus. Spotting can also occur after intercourse throughout the entire pregnancy.

Even though any sight of blood while pregnant can be alarming and a cause for panic, it's best to try to stay calm. It's a good idea to get your doctor on the phone right away to see what he/she would like you to do. Sometimes, they may want to see you right away or even have you go to the closest ER to get things checked out.

6 Being Emotional Is Normal

In the first trimester, your hormones will be a little out of whack. So it's entirely normal to feel like you're experiencing the worst PMS of your life. The sound of your SO's chewing may annoy you a little more than normal. You might even find yourself tearing up at sappy commercials that you'd otherwise find corny. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Aside from the surge of hormones you'll be experiencing, you've just found out that you're going to have a baby. Having a baby can bring up all kinds of mixed emotions: fear, worry, happiness, and excitement, etc. So these feelings alone can make you feel a little crazy. If you end up crying for no reason out in public, totally use the pregnancy card to your benefit, you'd be surprised at how understanding people are.

5 They Will Experience Ligament Pain

If you are having sharp pains or an annoying jabbing feeling in your lower belly or even the groin area on one or both sides, you are likely experiencing round ligament pain. This is your body getting ready to gear up to make room for your growing baby. Your body is about to go through a lot of changes physically to prepare for this - your organs are shifting, while your uterus expands and your ligaments are stretching out.

To help minimize the pain, you'll want to take it a little easier if you're having a rough day pain-wise. Try laying down for a bit and not overexerting yourself. Even though this pain is totally normal in pregnancy, there can be other things that are cause for concern. Only you know your body so if you feel like something isn't right make sure to give your OB a call.

4 They Will Always Have To Pee

When you think of pregnancy, you often think of a big belly on a mama who always has to pee. The urge to have to pee 24/7 starts before you are even showing a bump. The hormone changes that your body is growing through can actually affect your bladder.

Even though running back and forth to the bathroom all day will be super annoying, you'll still want to keep up with your water intake. To avoid excess trips to the bathroom at night time, try and drink most of your water throughout the day and not right before bedtime. If you feel like you have to pee, don't hold it. Make it a priority to go even if it's not a good time as holding your urine can lead to issues.

3 Their Hair & Nails Will Change

Many pregnant mamas-to-be will notice a change in their hair & nails during the course of their pregnancy. Once again, hormones are behind this with some help from your fabulous prenatal vitamins that are providing extra nutrients. During pregnancy, your hair and nails are likely to grow a little faster and become thicker. Some women say that their hair even gets shinier and the texture changes.

Even though these changes are something you'd love to get used to, don't. Because of your hair going through changes, you might find that the products you were using earlier may no longer work the same way. it might be time to check out some other products. Hair loss is very common after childbirth because, oh you guessed it, hormones! Enjoy your thick locks while you have them, soon you'll be scooping them out of your shower drain.

2 The Girls Will Be Sore

Some women say that sore tatas are one of the first signs that they are expecting. Extra blood flow caused by those pregnancy hormones will cause some changes to your breast tissue, oftentimes resulting in discomfort. Many moms complain that their girls are feeling swollen, are sensitive to touch, experience pain from bras, and are generally super sore and heavy. Soreness in breasts can occur as soon as one week after conceiving and can last for the entire pregnancy.

As soon as you conceive, your body, including your girls, is prepping for your baby. Some things to help with this uncomfortable symptom of pregnancy is wearing a supportive bra without underwire, drinking plenty of water and laying off super salty foods. Some mamas recommend a hot compress cloth as well, to help with the pain.

1 They Can't Lift, Overheat, Or Take X-Rays

Though there are no studies that show that women shouldn't lift more than 25 pounds in the first trimester, most doctors will tell you to stay away from heavy lifting. You will want to take it as easy as you can as your body is gearing up to go through a lot of changes.

No heat, and I'm not talking about ignoring your jalapeno pepper cravings - you'll want to avoid things like hot tubs and saunas. Hot tubs and saunas will raise your body temperature. Raising your body temperature too much puts your baby at risk.

Ever wondered why the dentist asks you if you're pregnant before x-rays? It's because x-rays result in radiation exposure which is not good for a fetus. If you need an X-ray for a serious health reason it's okay to get it, but it's best to avoid any type of x-rays while pregnant.

Sources: WebMD, baby center, today, what to expect.