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ORIGINAL POST:
WEEK 1
Mother:
Doctors start counting your pregnancy from the first day of your last mentual 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 concieved, so using your menstual 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 caryying 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.
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