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Pregnancy Articles

I'm Pregnant, now what...... Week 5-6   
by Chandra Lee

Oh, I think I'm gonna puke....Yep, wer'e gonna have a baby. The hormones your baby is secreting may cause you to experience the first symptoms of pregnancy this week, symptoms such as fatigue, tingling or aching breasts, or nausea might lead you to believe your period will be starting any day because the first pregnancy symptoms resemble premenstrual syndrome. You won't know until later that it's your baby causing the symptoms!

Four weeks into your pregnancy, your baby is now an embryo consisting of three different layers. The inner layer, known as the endoderm, will develop into your baby's lungs, liver, and digestive system. The middle layer, called the mesoderm, will eventually be your baby's bones, muscles, kidneys, sex organs, and heart. Finally, the ectoderm, or outer layer, will make up your baby's tissues and organs such as the skin, hair, eyes, and nervous system. A maternal blood or urine test this week would show a positive result because the embryo is secreting human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), the pregnancy hormone. Home pregnancy tests, which test for hCG in the urine, may show a positive result but are not as accurate as blood tests this early in pregnancy

Until now, the embryo has been a mass of cells, but by this point in your pregnancy a distinct shape begins to form. The neural tube, which will eventually form into the spinal cord and brain and is also called the primitive streak, runs from the top to the bottom of the embryo. The top part of the neural tube has begun to flatten out and will eventually form the front part of the brain. A bulge in the center of the embryo will develop into your baby's heart. The use of a home pregnancy tests could be positive this week. If you want to use a home pregnancy test, testing in the morning will give the most accurate results - the first urine of the day will contain the highest levels of the pregnancy hormone, hCG.

Even if you have not felt the onset of nausea yet, you'll want to eliminate certain foods from your diet when you're pregnant. Foodborne illnesses, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis, can be life-threatening to an embryo and may cause birth defects or miscarriage. Here's a list of foods you'll want to avoid: soft cheeses such as feta, goat, brie, Camembert, and blue cheese unpasteurized milk and juices raw or undercooked meats, including hot dogs and deli meats raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse and tiramisu raw shellfish pate Toxoplasmosis can also be spread from soiled cat litter boxes, so if possible have someone else clean the litter box during your pregnancy.

The journey continues into the 7-8 weeks, and you can follow the journey here

I'm Pregnant, now what......Week 7-8   by Chandra Lee


Your pregnancy will come into full force this week and common complaints have just started. You may feel extreme fatigue, even before you know you're pregnant, as your body adjusts to the demands of pregnancy. In addition, tender, aching breasts and nausea and vomiting, or morning sickness, may leave you feeling less than great. Despite its name, morning sickness can occur at any hour or all day, so don't be surprised if your upset stomach doesn't pass by noon. Nausea isn't the only thing that has you running to the toilet, though - the pregnancy hormone, hCG, causes you to urinate more frequently, too.

By week 6, the neural tube along your baby's back has closed over. In addition, there has been major growth in the brain as it grows in size to fill the now-formed, enlarging head. Optic vesicles, which later form the eyes, begin to develop this week on the side of the head, as do the passageways that will comprise the inner ear. Even though it can't yet be heard, your baby's heart will begin to beat around this time. And the beginnings of the digestive and respiratory systems are forming, too. Small buds that will grow into your baby's arms and legs also appear this week. All of your babys developments are taking place on an extremely small scale, though - your baby only measures 0.08 to 0.16 inches (2 to 4 millimeters) from crown to rump!

Week 7 your fetus is now at a length of 0.2 to 0.52 inches (5 to 13 millimeters) from crown to rump and a weight of 0.03 ounces (0.8 grams), your baby is constantly adapting to life inside the uterus. This week the umbilical cord, which provides nourishment and disposes of the baby's wastes, develops from the implantation site of the blastocyst. In addition, the baby's digestive tract and lungs continue to form. Are you waiting impatiently to see your baby's face on his or her birth day? You have a long way to go until then, but in the meantime, your baby's face is taking shape. The mouth perforation, miniature nostrils, ear indentations, and the pigmentation in the irises of the eyes are some of the changes taking place this week. The arm bud that developed just last week is already divided into shoulder segments and hand segments, which look like tiny paddles.

Pregnancy causes many changes in your body and particularly in your cervix. As part of this weeks physical changes you'll develop a mucous plug, which forms in the opening of the cervical canal and seals off the uterus for protection. Eventually you'll lose this plug as your cervix dilates in preparation for labor. You may experience slight cramping and spotting of blood during this week as the embryo implants firmly into the wall of the uterus. Some women even mistake this bleeding for their missed periods. Consult with your health care provider if you are concerned about the amount of blood or if the cramping is particularly severe.Fun Huh...the journey is only beginning and your body is growing daily, continue the journey into the next week to see what miracles are taking place in your body...

I'm Pregnant, Now What...Weeks 8-9   by Chandra Lee


The weeks are moving slowly as your baby begins developing at a faster and faster rate,marveling over a baby's tiny fingers and toes is one of the joys of the first day of life. Those fingers and toes are just beginning to form this week, and the arms can even flex at the elbows and wrists. In addition, more facial developments such as the formation of the tip of the nose and the upper lip take place, and flaps of skin over the eyes begin to shape into eyelids. Blood begins to flow through a rudimentary circulatory system, and the digestive tract continues to grow, especially the intestines. The beginnings of the buds that will develop into your baby's sexual organs make their appearance this week, although they have not yet developed into either male or female organs.

Symptoms such as a missed period, nausea, extreme fatigue, or tight clothes due to the swelling of your uterus have probably prompted you to wonder whether you're pregnant. Once you have confirmation of your pregnancy from a home pregnancy test or blood or urine test at the doctor's office, you should call and schedule your first prenatal visit. Your pregnancy may be monitored by one of several health care professionals, including an obstetrician, nurse practitioner, midwife, or family doctor. If your pregnancy is considered high risk (for example, if you have had multiple miscarriages, are older than 35, or have a history of pregnancy complications), your doctor may want to see you as early as possible and more often during the course of your pregnancy. Good prenatal care is extremely important for the health and safe delivery of your baby, so be sure to make prenatal appointments a top priority.

The Baby's Development

The tail at the bottom of your baby's spinal cord has shrunk and almost disappeared by this week. In contrast, your baby's head has been growing - it's quite large compared with the rest of the body and it curves onto the chest. By this week, your baby measures about 0.9 to 1.2 inches and weighs around 0.14 ounces(4 grams). The digestive tract continues to develop. The anus is formed, and the intestines are growing longer. In addition, internal reproductive features, such as testes and ovaries, form this week. Your baby may make some first movements this week as his muscles develop. If you had an ultrasound now, those movements might even be visible, but you won't be able to feel them for several more weeks. Another thing the ultrasound or Doppler could detect? Your baby's heartbeat!

Your Bodys Development

In preparation for your first prenatal visit, take the time to familiarize yourself with your family's health history and to review your medical records. Have you had any chronic illnesses, allergies, or surgeries? Are you currently taking any prescription medications? Does you family have any history of genetic disorders?" Has your menstrual cycle been regular, and have you had any past pregnancies? Do you smoke or drink alcohol? What are your exercise habits? These are the things your health care provider will want to discuss with you, so it will help to have this information at your fingertips when you go. And if any reason you are still maintaining any poor health or dietary habits, it is imperative that they are stopped immediately to give your baby the best possible chance for good health. Remember, while you may only carry your child for 9 months, those 9 months, and the care that you give your baby will affect him/her for the rest of their lives. Think of it as your health legacy to your children...for more info on your babies development check out the links in the authors bio.

About the Author

Chandra is a freelance contributing writer to http://www.pregnancy-resource-guide.com and http://www.joyofpregnancy.com online guides to pregnancy and birthing. She is also a frequent contributor to websites on parenting and raising your children. More articles can be viewed at the links above...


* This website does not intend to give medical advice. You should consult a competent physician with important questions about your health.

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