Early Pregnancy Week 13

~ Early Pregnancy Week 13 ~

Your baby is now at 10 weeks gestation and is almost 2 1/2 inches long. If your baby is a girl, the Clitoris and labia major are formed. If it's a boy, the glands, penis and scrotum are formed. Your baby is forming urine discharging it into the amniotic cavity. Drink lots of liquids. your baby is now swallowing and absorbing fluids. By now, early fingernails are developing. Your baby's vocal cords have formed in the voice box and the heart is completely developed.

Advice for Mom
Do your Kegels!! They will help with childbirth and after.

If Morning Sickness hasn't settled already, it may this week. Try eating small frequent meals consisting of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to help with any symptoms you have. If you're lucky, you will not experience morning sickness at all!

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Early Pregnancy Week 1

~ Early Pregnancy Week 1 ~

Did you know that a pregnancy is typically 280 days long, starting from the day after the first day of your menstrual period? The first day of your last menstrual period starts 'lunar month one' of your pregnancy. It also starts the first of the fourty weeks of pregnancy! Confused about lunar months, calendar months and weeks? Your not alone! Click here to learn more.

Prenatal Care

Your very first -- and perhaps most important -- job in your new role as mom-to-be is to take excellent care of yourself. Your little one is counting on you!

Stay away from alcohol, cigarettes (even second-hand), drugs, and medications (including herbal ones).

If you aren't already, start taking prenatal vitamins regularly. They're chock full of just the nutrition pregnant women need, including folic acid, a vitamin that helps prevent birth defects. Folic acid is also found in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and juices, enriched breads and cereals, and more. Eat well to ensure 39 more weeks of growing anticipation and great health!

If you haven't already done so, now is a good time to visit with your doctor or midwife so you can plan and begin your healthy journey through pregnancy.

How You Might Be Feeling

You haven't yet ovulated this month, but you may be pregnant (well, technically speaking anyways)! The typical pregnancy lasts for 280 days, or 40 weeks (also known as 10 lunar months). Your doctor starts counting that time from the day after the first day of your last known menstrual period. That means you can be considered officially pregnant right now, even though you haven't yet conceived!

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Early Pregnancy Week 12

~ Early Pregnancy Week 12 ~

The baby is at 9 weeks gestation and is about 5 cm (almost 2 inches) long. By the end of the first trimester, the fetus really looks like a little baby! Your baby has advanced to the stage that its brain can transmit messages.

Advice for Mom
If you're pregnant and working, learn your rights now. What maternity benefits are available? Job security? Unfortunately, some employers will still try to take advantage of you.

Make sure you are getting enough rest. Listen to your body and slow down when you are tired. Reduce the risk of bladder infections by getting Vitamin C, urinating frequently, and drinking eight glasses of water daily. Remember, aspirin, prescription medication and even excessive vitamins can be harmful: ask your doctor before taking anything.

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Early Pregnancy Week 11

~ Early Pregnancy Week 11 ~

The baby is at 8 weeks gestation and is about 30 mm (1 1/4 inch) long. Your baby is free floating in amniotic fluid now. He is kicking and moving about in your uterus! You are not likely feel a kick until around the 18th week though. The baby's genitalia now shows male characteristics if your baby is a boy. The placenta and umbilical cord are completely formed and functional.

Advice for Mom
Eating healthy throughout pregnancy is so important. Skim milk, whole grains, soy products and fruits/veggies provide much needed vitamins, calcium and protein. Take Popeye's advice and eat your spinach!

Heartburn? Try to eat small meals and avoid gassy foods. Or you might want to try this tip -- have a glass of buttermilk or some yogurt 1/2 hour before your regular meal. If this doesn't work, ask your doctor for advice on antacids.

Constipation? Unfortunately it is something many women have at one time or another while pregnant. Drink plenty of fluids and eat high fiber foods. Avoid laxatives of any kind unless prescribed by your doctor.

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Early Pregnancy Week 10

~ Early Pregnancy Week 10 ~

The baby is at 7 weeks gestation and is about 18-20 mm (3/4 inch) long. A Doppler may pick up the baby's heart beat! But don't be discouraged if you don't hear it yet -- it's still early.

The fetus' upper limbs are growing longer and are bent at the elbows. The fingers are more distinct now too.

Sex?? The fetus' testes or ovaries are distinguishable now, but you may not be able to tell until the second trimester. Did you know that the baby's intestines form outside baby first (on the umbilical cord) because they can't fit inside?

Advice for Mom
Your breasts may be sore, and if you are suffering from "morning sickness" you probably haven't been able to keep down a decent meal in the past few weeks. You may not be feeling up to doing much, but now is the time, if you haven't already, to begin an exercise program for pregnancy. Maybe Yoga is for you? Always check with your doctor though before beginning any program

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Early Pregnancy Week 9

~ Early Pregnancy Week 9 ~

You are starting Lunar Month 3! The baby is at 6 weeks gestation and is about 1/2 inch.

Here's looking at you kid! The eyelids are beginning to form and pigment has formed in the retina.

Cute little button nose! The tip of your baby's nose is now distinct.

Boy or girl??? Who knows, but the buds of genitals are beginning to form. Now your baby's trunk is elongating and straightening out some. Your baby has graduated from being called an embryo and is now called a fetus!

Advice for Mom
Did you know that dental problems can occur during pregnancy? A visit to your dentist may be in order, but make sure you let them know you are pregnant before any ex-rays or medications are given to you.

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Early Pregnancy Week 8

~ Early Pregnancy Week 8 ~

This week, your baby is at 5 weeks gestation and measures about 1/3 inch. An ultrasound can usually detect a fetal heartbeat around this time. If you have an ultrasound scheduled, you may want to ask about pictures or a video tape of it!

Your baby's oral and nasal cavities are forming, the cerebellum and spleen begin to develop and the baby's facial features are becoming more defined. If you are going for an ultrasound around now, you should get a good view of the baby's profile!

Your baby's head to rump is now approximately 9mm. Although all the major organs have formed, they are not fully developed. Your baby's upper lip is likely formed. Also, the upper limbs bend at elbow and what will be the baby's fingers are developing.

Advice for Mom
Make sure you are eating properly and getting lots of rest -- helping that baby grow is hard work!

Medications (even vitamins or herbal medications & teas) can be harmful. Please check with your doctor before taking anything.

Some cramping can be normal throughout pregnancy as the uterus contacts and enlarges. But please check with your doctor if it becomes painful or severe.

Your hormones may cause moodiness, and you may be noticing changes in your breasts about now.

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Early Pregnancy Week 7

~ Early Pregnancy Week 7 ~

Welcome to the start of week seven! Your baby is now called an embryo, is at 4 weeks gestation and measures about 1/4 inch. The embryo continues to develop rapidly -- the rate of growth is phenomenal really. The embryo resembles a little tadpole now; with a head, arm and leg 'buds', a trunk and a tail. He is curled up with his head on his chest.

Advice for Mom
Wearing out a track to the bathroom? You may find you are having to urinate a lot more now.

Mild, infrequent headaches are common throughout pregnancy, but if a headache persists, or is accompanied by blurred vision, dizziness, or fainting, please report it to your doctor immediately.

Smoking during pregnancy is known to be detrimental to your baby's health and is associated with miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. If you are a smoker and haven't already quit, there's no better time to stop.

Pamper yourself a little. relax, put your feet up, and let others help you around the house.

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Early Pregnancy Week 5

~ Early Pregnancy Week 5 ~

Even though you may not even know you are pregnant for sure yet, you are starting Lunar month 2. The next month is crucial in the development of the baby's nervous system and heart. Chorionic villi, the tissue lining the placenta, begins to develop. The ovum is now called an embryo and is about 1/10 of an inch long. The amniotic sac is now visible on an ultrasound and contains only a drop of fluid.

Take good care of your baby by taking good care of yourself. Be sure you are taking your Folic Acid as your baby will need it while his brain and spinal cord are beginning to develop.

Advice for Mom
If you are feeling really tired, it's normal! Listen to your body and get lots of rest. Exciting things are going on!

If you own a cat, you'd better have someone else take over cleaning out the litter box to avoid toxoplasmosis.

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Early Pregnancy Week 6

~ Early Pregnancy Week 6 ~

The baby's heart begins to beat. But don't be discouraged if it cannot be heard yet -- this usually happens later.

Peek-a-boo! The baby's eyes and inner ears are starting to develop. It is about now that your baby's major organs (heart, lungs liver, spleen, and kidneys) are beginning to develop. Your baby's digestive system is becoming more refined as the stomach and intestines develop. Remember the Folic Acid you should be taking? Well, since the Neural tube (later known as spinal cord) begins to fuse, folic acid is important in preventing neural tube defects.

Advice for Mom
Some women experience an increase in vaginal discharge. While this is normal, please call your health care provider if it causes burning, itching, or odor. Some other new symptoms you may feel include:

• Morning Sickness (if your morning sickness is severe, you may have Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) )
• Dizziness or faintness
  
• Clothing will feel tighter
  
• Slightly enlarged abdomen

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Early Pregnancy Week 4

~ Early Pregnancy Week 4 ~

The cells making up the ovum are beginning to differentiate and specialize in areas of development. Some cells will make up the embryo; others the amniotic sac and placenta etc. The ovum, which has been floating around in your uterus, will implant into the wall of the uterus. Now comes an exciting time of rapid growth! The amniotic sac, amniotic cavity and yolk sac are developing. The placenta is beginning to form now too.

Advice for Mom
Many women do not experience any symptoms this early. But you may start experiencing some early symptoms of pregnancy such as:

• Fatigue and tiredness
• Frequent Urination
• Nausea vomiting - Morning Sickness
• Heartburn Indigestion Flatulence bloating
• Craving and aversions to certain foods
• Breast tenderness soreness, and enlargement the areola (pigmented area that surrounds the nipple) will darken

If you are feeling weepy, irrational or have mood swings, take heart -- this is perfectly normal!

A home pregnancy test may show positive, but you may want to wait a few days for more accurate results. Some women will wrap a positive test result up as a gift to their partner!

Morning sickness could set in anytime now: you might not know you're pregnant yet, but your body sure does! To ease the symptoms of this common problem, remember to:

• Keep crackers, preggie-pops candy, or other bland food in your purse for frequent snacking, which may help settle your stomach
• Avoid nausea-triggering odors.
• Eat smaller meals and eat frequently throughout the day. An empty stomach often triggers nausea
• Take your prenatal vitamins with food or before going to bed, rather than in the morning or on an empty stomach when nausea may be worse

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Early Pregnancy Week 3

~ Early Pregnancy Week 3 ~

It is now two weeks from your last menstrual period. Conception may occur today! Well, at least in the previous few or next few days, depending on the length of your cycle. The egg and sperm will meet, creating a single cell organism called a zygote will start to divide. You may want to start preparing for the psychological part of pregnancy now. Around now, if the egg was fertilized, it will drop into your uterus. Now that the fertilized egg (or zygote) is in your uterus, fluid will enter dividing it into two. One will be the placenta, the other will be the baby.

Advice for Mom
If you haven't already found a doctor or midwife, you should begin looking now. Make sure you feel a sense of trust and comfort with your health care provider, to have an informative and healthy pregnancy. A blood pregnancy test may show positive as early as today.

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Early Pregnancy Week 2

Early Pregnancy ~ Pregnancy Week 2 ~

Advice for Mom
One week has passed since the start of your last menstrual period. Do you chart your cycles to know when you ovulate? In a few days, your ovaries will open and release an egg! If you are using ovulation prediction kits, this may be when you should start testing. Be sure to read the package insert carefully.

Make sure you are getting enough calcium. Dairy products and leafy green vegetables are good sources. It is very important to stay away from alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and medications (including herbal ones) if you are trying to conceive. On average, ovulation occurs at this time, but it is different for every woman. Now is the time to 'babydance' as the egg gets ready to travel down the fallopian tube.

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