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ORIGINAL POST:
Week 1 Mother:
Doctors start counting your pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period. You will not have another period for at least nine months (possibly as long as as year and half if you are nursing exclusively). Most women have no idea of the exact date they conceived, so using your menstrual cycle allows doctors a fairly accurate calculator for a due date.
This due date is only an estimate, it could change as you have your ultrasound or if you are measuring bigger or smaller than you should be. An average pregnancy is from 38-40 weeks.
Week 2
Mother:
Your uterus is preparing to make baby's home for the next nine months by cushioning itself with a fresh layer of endometrium to nourish the new life form.
It is at this time your ovaries are preparing for ovulation. Due to the increase in estrogen many women report a rise of energy, enjoy this burst because soon you will begin to wonder where that extra energy went!
Week 3
Mother:
Ovulation occurs during this week. If it is fertilized by one of the 140 to 350 million sperm you are officially pregnant! Some sperm can live up to 5 days and fertilization can occur anytime within this five day period. If you are going to be carrying twins, or multiples 2 or more sperm reach the same egg to produce identical twins or if your body has released more than one egg and these get fertilized you will be carrying fraternal multiples.
Once you are pregnant your body produces higher than normal leels of progesterone which which relaxes your uterus and prevents your period. When the fertilized egg arrives in the uterus (within 3-7 days of conception) it implants itself into the endometrium. Some women bleed a little at this time, this is know as implantation bleeding.
Week 4
Mother:
Avoid Medications, unless you have checked with you doctor or caregiver to see if they are baby safe.
Baby:
Your baby is not wasting any time in growing. The egg is now becoming a blastocyst, a ball of cells and is deeply embedding itself into the wall of the uterus. The placenta is also being formed.
Week 5
Mother:
This is the week you were expecting your period. You may have already gotten a positive result on a home pregnancy test. If you took a test and it came out negative and your period still has not come try again in a few days. These tests measure the level of the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), and it might have been too soon for the test to pick it up.
You may notice you are more tired than usual, your breasts may be very tender, and you may experience a need to urinate more frequently. You may also feel nauseaus and might even begin to experience vomiting. Some women feel this way only in the morning and it has been nicknamed, "morning sickness" Snacking frequently may help to ease this.
Baby:
Your baby is 1/16 of an inch long (barely visible to the human eye) and has the beginnings of a brain, spinal column and heart. We now call it an embryo.
Week 6
Mother:
You have been pregnant for 1 month. Some women have a "full" feeling in their waist, but if this is your first you are probably still waiting to see the outward signs.
If you have sexually transmitted disease now is the time to get it treated, it could be harmful to the baby.
Baby:
Your baby is now about 1/2 inch long and has a heart beat! The average baby's heart beats about 150 beats/minute. She has a head evidence of mouth, eyes, and ears as well as buds where the arms and legs will develop.
Your baby is growing so much, if you have not already stopped smoking or using drugs and alcohol now is the time to do so as it can interfere with proper growth and development.
Start your prenantal care now, you may want to pick up a generic pre-natal vitamin to ensure you and your baby are getting the nutrients you both need.
Week 7
Mother:
Constipation may set in. You can ease this by eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Your skin may brake out, or you may have the clearest complexion of your life. It all depends on what the new levels of hormones do to your body.
You will most likely weigh close to your same weight, some women have gained a few pounds, others have lost a few due to morning sickness. You probably still have just a full feeling in your tummy and are not showing visibly yet.
Baby:
Your baby is still about 1/3 an inch long, but the brain and intestines are developing. The face is forming rapidly and the arm and leg buds begin to grow. You can not tell at this point whether you baby is a boy or a girl.
Week 8
Mother:
You are probably experiencing one or more of the following symptoms: frequent urination, larger, more tender breasts and possibly a little heartburn (antacid medication is safe for baby). Your uterus, which was the size of your fist has grown slightly bigger now to be the size of a softball, or both fists put together. Most doctors like to schedule your first prenatal visit sometime between 8-12 weeks.
Baby:
Your baby is only about an inch long, but is 10,000 times larger than it was at conception. The baby is busy developing the tip of it's nose, eyes and eyelids, gonads (they will become testes or ovaries), and the arms and legs continue to grow.
Week 9
Mother:
Some women may experience a small amount of spotting this week, as this is when you would have had your second monthly cycle. You should be on a steady weight gain pattern now, if you are still losing weight from morning sickness speak with your doctor. You may notice your gums are tender and swollen and my bleed when you brush, this is because of the high levels of estrogen and progesterone which cause swelling almost everywhere. Be sure to schedule regular check ups with your dentist to keep your teeth healthy.
Baby:
Congratulations! Your baby is no longer an embryo, it is a fetus this week (The little embryonic tail has disappeared). Your baby's bones and cartilage are just starting to form, the fingers also are forming, but are webbed at this point.
Week 10
Mother:
Weight gain seems normal now...make sure you are following a healthy diet plan and continue taking a prenatal vitamin. Getting the proper nourishment during these early weeks is essential for the development of your baby. Due to the increase of blood volume you may feel abnormally warm, your veins may becom more pronounced. Most women report moodiness. Moderate exercise is very healthy, but do not over do it.
Baby:
Your baby is about the size of safety pin and weighs almost as moch as 4 safety pins (1 3/4 inch and 1/4 oz.). Almost all of the baby's joints are formed and all her organs are visible, but they are not fully functional.
Week 11
Mother:
For most women morning sickness is coming to a close, but you are not abnormal if it persists a little longer. Your doctor will measure from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus (just under your ribs) to see how your pregnancy is progressing. Make sure you are getting plenty of calcium, as your growing baby is taking a lot from your body.
Baby:
The baby will double in length this week! The little fingers begin growing nails, and the irises in the eye are beginning to form. Your amniotic fluid is replaced every 3 hours, this keeps it fresh for your baby.
Week 12
Mother:
Hopefully you begin to feel some of your energy returning, for a few weeks at least. You may experience some relief from the frequent urination because the uterus shifts upward slightly and will not be pressing directly on the bladder. The placenta is now producing all the necessary hormones. Some women develop patches of dark skin, these are called the "mask of pregnancy" and should disappear after you have the baby. The linea nigra, a dark line on your abdomen might also appear, this will also fade after you deliver the baby.
Baby:
Your baby is beginning to practice breathing and the chest will rise and fall. Baby's kidneys are up and running. The baby now swallows amniotic fluid and excretes it. The intestines are also practicing contracting movements as if he were digesting food.
Week 13
Mother:
You are probably noticeable showing now. Your stomach may feel achy due to the stretching of the ligaments around your uterus. You may begin to develop stretch marks, and unfortunately there is not much that can be done about it. If you are genetically disposed to get them, you will. You may be craving some interesting combinations. Occasionally women crave things that are harmful, like dirt,clay, nail polish, or kerosene. This should be discussed with your doctor. It is a disorder called "Pica".
Baby:
Your baby is getting some whispy hair, and no matter what color it is when he is born, all babies have white hair at this stage. The 20 baby teeth are formed and the vocal cords have begun developing.
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