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She worked to keep her emotional ups and downs under control as well. “Emotionally with my first pregnancy, I was excited and anxiously awaited the day I would get to meet our son,” says Annette Rubin, who grew up in a large family of seven. “I was unsure of what to expect and was a bit nervous but still confident. I had assumed I already knew everything a girl would need to know regarding how to care for a baby. I can now humbly admit I had a lot to learn.”

Today Annette Rubin is nearly 5 months pregnant with their second child and is dealing with different emotions. “I found myself in a sea of emotion ranging from not wanting to be pregnant, questioning my abilities to be a good parent to two children, and wondering how it would change my relationships with my husband and son, who will be 8 when the baby is born,” she says.

Their enthusiasm and support quickly melted away her feelings of uncertainly, and renewed her desire to take care of herself and her baby. “I analyze not only what I eat but what I use on my skin topically,” she says. “I want to give my baby the best chance at a healthy start, and that begins in utero.”

Tips to Care for Your Growing Baby
It’s important to keep in mind that during the first trimester, the tiny fetus goes through the critical stages of early development, which includes formation of the brain, spinal cord and major organ systems. “To give your baby every chance at success, you should try to provide the very best possible growing environment,” says Dr. Jason Rubin, a family practitioner in Washington. How can you accomplish this in your early pregnancy?