Are you becoming a mother for the first time? Anxious? Nothing to worry about, make sure you keep in mind a few precautions regarding weight and diet. What should you weigh?

Not being of normal weight at the beginning of your pregnancy may effect your recommended weight gain. The ideal should be a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 25. BMI = weight (kgs)/ height (meters). Weight gain during the first quarter of your pregnancy is very little, 3-4 lbs. The second quarter would be a little better at 12-14 lbs and the third quarter should see a gain of about 8-10 lbs.

Don't worry if you are a vegetarian. Make sure you eat eggs and have a lot of milk. If you do not eggs and dairy products, you need to take care of meeting the nutritional needs through other means. Grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables and vitamin B should be able to compensate the nutrient not gained form meat, eggs and diary products.

Morning sickness is very common during pregnancy. The following are a few tips to handle it:

1. Keep away from strong odors and smells. Make sure the rooms including the kitchen in your house are well ventilated.

2. Keep track of foods that cause reactions.

3. Keep nausea easing foods or flavors handy at home and work place.

4. Get over the nausea as quickly as possible.

5. Do not eat heavy meals, eat more frequently but lighter.

6. Consume more fluids like water, ginger tea, lemonade fruit juices etc.

7. Have a snack before leaving bed in the morning. It will keep the nausea down

8. Avoid greasy and rich foods.

Alcohol: When you have a drink, your baby is also doing the same. Avoiding all forms of alcohol is recommended, since it could have side effects causing low birth weight, physical deformities, retardation and other complications. There is no way to determine a safe alcohol level for pregnancy, avoiding it altogether is a safer bet. Pregnancy resources are abundant on the internet and print media. Keep yourself abreast.

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