For some Pregnancy is the most wonderful time in their lives, for me it's a difficult time with a great reward at the end.
However your feeling we are now on the journey together, it will be challenging and tough and totally exhausting but I can promise it will all be worth it.
I believe knowledge is Power so I am delighted to share with you my favourite weekly Pregnancy guide with you.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
xx Chantel
YOUR WEEK BY WEEK PREGNANCY GUIDE
Weeks 1 and 2 of Pregnancy
Your pregnancy begins as your body gears up for ovulation and prepares for fertilization.
Your Baby in Weeks 1 and 2 of Pregnancy
No, there’s no baby or even an embryo in sight (at least not yet). But in week two of pregnancy, your body is working hard to gear up for the event that paves the way for the baby: the big O — ovulation. The lining of your uterus is thickening, preparing for the arrival of a fertilized egg, while your ovarian follicles are maturing. One of those follicles will release the egg that will travel down the fallopian tube in search of Mr. Right — the lucky sperm that will turn that eager egg into a baby-in-the-making and make your body’s prep work worth all the effort.
Learn more about your body gearing up to ovulate and your baby (in-the-making) in weeks one and two.
Your Body in Weeks 1 and 2 of Pregnancy
Believe it or not, the countdown to delivery day begins in week one — even though your egg and his sperm haven’t even been in the same room (or womb!). So how can you call this your first week of pregnancy if you're not even pregnant? Grab your calendar and take note: Because it's extremely hard to pinpoint the precise moment pregnancy begins (i.e., when sperm meets egg), most practitioners use the first day of your last menstrual period (which you're having right now) as the starting line of your 40-week pregnancy. Confused? Consider it a head start — you're clocking in roughly two weeks of pregnancy before you even conceive!
Learn more about your body in the first two weeks of pregnancy and your last menstrual period.
Weeks 1 and 2 Pregnancy Tip: Impact of Heat on Fertility
Trying to make a baby? Turn off that electric blanket and keep each other warm the good, old-fashioned (and just plain good) way. Studies show that prolonged excessive heat — like that produced by electric blankets or heated waterbeds — can adversely affect those temperamental testes by slowing down sperm production (and you want sperm aplenty right now!). Plus, all that snuggling you'll have to do to stay warm will generate a different kind of heat — the kind that can actually make babies. More ways to increase your odds of scoring a fertilized egg: Refrain from giving your partner oral sex (sorry, guys!) before the main event, since saliva can actually kill sperm…and you want them alive and kicking. Ditto for most lubricants, so lay off the Astroglide while you're trying to conceive.
Learn more about preparing your body for pregnancy.
Weeks 1 and 2 Pregnancy Symptoms
Week 1 — Bleeding lasting five to seven days: This is the last period you’ll be having for a while. Not only will you stop having a period while you’re pregnant, but if you breastfeed your baby that will postpone your period for another few months. If you use sanitary pads, don’t toss them out — you’ll need them after you give birth to absorb the vaginal discharge and bleeding (which for the first week or so after childbirth will be similar to a heavy menstrual period).
Week 2 — Increase in amount of cervical mucus and change in its consistency:If you’ve been monitoring your mucus during these TTC months, you already know that it changes consistency from week to week. Right now your mucus is probably thick, sticky, and creamy, but as you head toward C-day (conception), the volume will increase and it’ll start to look cloudy.
Week 3 of Pregnancy
As sperm meets egg, fertilization occurs and your baby-to-be takes form — as a tiny group of cells.
Your Baby in Week 3 of Pregnancy
The moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived: You’ve conceived and your soon-to-be-baby has started on its miraculous transformation from single cell to baby boy or girl. This week, the fertilized egg — or zygote — divides several times over to become a tiny ball of microscopic cells smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. As it divides, the blastocyst, as it's now called (don't worry, you'll come up with a cuter name soon!), makes its way from your fallopian tube to your uterus, where it will implant itself in the uterine wall and grow for the next nine months.
Learn more about your baby this week and conception.
Your Body in Week 3 of Pregnancy
You probably won't notice as the fertilized egg divides and makes its way to your uterus. But your body is gearing up to play landlord to the blastocyst (and soon-to-be baby) making its way toward the uterus. What does that mean for you? You’re just beginning to produce progesterone and estrogen, the pregnancy hormones that will be responsible for a host of bodily changes (and symptoms like morning sickness!) to come. For now, though, and the next couple of weeks, it’ll be like nothing is happening — at least on the outside!
Learn more about your body this week and ovulation and fertilization.
Week 3 Pregnancy Tip: Ovulation and Sense of Smell
Are smells suddenly stronger to you than ever? It could be a sign that you're ovulating! Scientists aren't quite sure why this happens, though it's been theorized that a heightened sense of smell makes an ovulating woman more sensitive to the lure of her partner's pheromones, those scent-producing chemical compounds that nature releases to put the sex drive into overdrive. The result? You're in the mood for lovin' just when nature (and you) wants you to be (when lovin' is most likely to produce a baby). So take advantage of your ovary-stimulated inner beagle. If you're feeling like you could track a pheasant through the woods (or at least a garlic-roasted chicken), chances are this is a good time to hop in the sack and try to make a puppy…or, rather, a baby.
Week 3 Pregnancy Symptoms
A rise in your basal body temperature: Your basal body temperature (BBT) is lower when your body is heading toward ovulation but rises about a degree when you ovulate. That’s because the hormone estrogen, which lowers your BBT, dominates the first half of your cycle, while progesterone, which raises your BBT, surges once you ovulate (to get the uterus ready to receive the fertilized egg). So this week you’ll see a rise in your BBT if you’ve been keeping track.
Clear cervical mucus with an egg-white consistency: Last week your mucus was getting thinner and looking a little cloudy; this week it’s extra-thin, extra-stretchy, and clear (or whitish) — perfect traveling conditions for sperm heading upstate (toward the egg).
Possible lower-abdominal achiness (mittelschmerz): About one in four women feel a twinge or series of cramps in the lower abdominal area — usually one side (the side they’re ovulating from). This pain, which is thought to come from an ovary releasing an egg, is known as mittelschmerz (from the German word meaning “middle pain”).
Week 4 of Pregnancy
The blastocyst that will be your baby splits to form the placenta and the embryo, and the specialized parts of your baby's body begin to develop.
Your Baby in Week 4 of Pregnancy
No bigger than a poppy seed, the ball of cells that will develop into your baby has completed its journey from your fallopian tube to your uterus. Once settled in its new home, it will undergo the great divide — splitting into two groups. Half will become your baby (or embryo), while the other half forms the placenta, your baby's lifeline until delivery. The multilayered embryo then begins to grow into specialized parts of your baby's body. The inner layer, known as the endoderm, will develop into your baby's digestive system, liver, and lungs. The middle layer, called the mesoderm, will soon be your baby's heart, sex organs, bones, kidneys, and muscles. The outer layer, or ectoderm, will eventually form your baby's nervous system, hair, skin, and eyes.
Your Body in Week 4 of Pregnancy
While the tiny ball of cells that is your baby begins to undergo its magical transformation into a multilayered embryo, your body is going through a magical transformation of its own — from a reliable buddy to a weird and wacky science experiment. You may start exhibiting early pregnancy symptoms like bloating, cramping, and mood swings that feel similar to premenstrual symptoms. You might also experienceimplantation bleeding , a common (and harmless) light pink, red, or brown spotting that can occur when the egg settles into your uterus.You might feel a little pressure in your abdomen (nothing to worry about!) and your breasts may feel a little tender and become even bigger (but get ready for more growth spurts!).
Week 4 Pregnancy Tip: Figuring Out Your Due Date
Think you need a Ph.D. in quantum physics to figure out your due date? Doing the math is actually a lot easier than you think (even if you slept through high school algebra): Your estimated due date is 40 weeks from the first day of your last period. Too easy? Here's the slightly confusing part. If you do give birth on that day, your baby will have clocked in only 38 weeks in utero, not 40. That's because pregnancy counting begins two weeks before your baby is even conceived (making you about 4 weeks pregnant before you can tell you're expecting from a pregnancy test). Want to set your watch to that due date — or at least, plan your maternity leave to it? Not so fast. Remember, your estimated due date is just that — an estimate. Most babies are born between 38 and 42 weeks (with babies of first-time moms more likely to arrive on the later side); only a handful actually make their debut right on schedule.
Week 4 Pregnancy Symptoms
Implantation bleeding (possibly): If you find that you’re spotting this week (right around the time that you would have had your period or a little before), don’t be alarmed. This is usually a sign that the embryo has implanted itself into the uterine wall (and that’s good!). Don’t have any spotting at all? Don’t worry, either — only a small percentage of women experience implantation bleeding, so not having this symptom doesn’t mean that you’re not pregnant.
PMS-like symptoms (breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings) that might not go away: Sore, tender boobs? Check. Trouble buttoning your pants? Check. Feeling grumpy one minute, happy the next? Check and check. Early pregnancy symptoms are sort of like PMS symptoms but a little more exaggerated (think PMS on steroids). So your breasts may be tingly, sore, and feel a little full, thanks to the progesterone and estrogen coursing through your system (and getting your breasts ready — yes, even at this early stage — to feed your baby). And what’s up with the bloating? Well, blame progesterone for that one. It’s helping to slow down your digestion to allow more nutrients to enter the bloodstream and reach your baby. You can also blame your roller-coaster moods on hormones (go ahead — they’ll be a convenient excuse for the next nine months!)
Week 5 of Pregnancy
The heart and circulatory system of your baby are developing, while the hCG hormone level in your body are now high enough to confirm that you're expecting using a home pregnancy test.
Your Baby in Week 5 of Pregnancy
Your baby now resembles a teeny tadpole (complete with a tiny tail) and is about the size of an orange seed. The circulatory (or blood) system, along with the heart, is the first part of that tiny body to be functional; and as your baby's heart starts to form, you may even be able to see it beating on an early ultrasound. Another part of your little tadpole that is under construction: the neural tube, which will eventually become your baby's brain and spinal cord.
Learn more about your baby this week and fetal heart development.
Your Body in Week 5 of Pregnancy
Your body's had all the early pregnancy signs — the missed period, nausea, tender breasts, and fatigue. And now you've got proof as your pee works its magic on that test strip — yup, you're officially preggers! This news will probably elicit a combo platter of emotions ranging from sheer joy to sheer terror as the reality that you're going to be a mom sets in. Mood swings are totally normal (kind of like PMS on overdrive) and you'd better get used to them since they'll be hanging around for the next nine months or so.
Learn more about your body this week and pregnancy hormones.
Week 5 Pregnancy Tip: Telling Your Friends You're Pregnant
Have you or your partner been bursting to spread the good news about your pregnancyever since that home pregnancy test turned positive? Not sure when's the best time to grab a megaphone (or a telephone…or a computer keyboard) and start sharing? Only the two of you can make the call, so to speak, on that one. Some couples can't wait to tell their friends they're pregnant (if they could, they'd shout it from the highest mountain — or scream it on the Times Square JumboTron), while others prefer to keep their happy news a secret until after the third month, when the risk of miscarriage greatly decreases. Still others wish that they could stay mum about becoming a mom (and dad) but can't help blabbing the first chance they get. Talk it over together and remember, it's your private news for as long as you choose.
Week 5 Pregnancy Symptoms
Frequent urination: Spending too much time in the loo these days? The reason is that the pregnancy hormone hCG is increasing the blood flow to your pelvic area and your kidneys, making them more efficient during pregnancy (after all, you're urinating for two). What can you do about it? Well, what you don’t want to do is cut back on liquids (thinking it’ll keep you out of the bathroom) because your body and baby need a steady supply of fluids to stay hydrated during pregnancy. But you can skip the diuretics like caffeine, which will only make your frequent urination even more frequent.
Fatigue: Pregnancy is hard work, and that can cause a downshift in your get-up-and-go. During the first trimester, a huge amount of energy goes into building a life-support system for your baby (namely the placenta), which can leave you feeling just a bit tired or full-out wiped-out. Also to blame are the hormonal (and emotional) changes that are occurring in your body. The good news: By the end of your first trimester, your body will have completed the Herculean task of manufacturing the placenta, so you might feel a renewal of energy. In the meantime, listen to your body (which is telling you it’s pooped!) and get plenty of rest and eat right (and often!).
Breast tenderness and changes: What’s causing your breasts to grow and become ultrasensitive and tender? That hormonal duo — estrogen and progesterone — deserve most of the blame. Other factors include the good and necessary fat that’s building up in your breasts and the increased blood flow to the area, both of which will help turn your breasts into milk machines for your baby. To help relieve breast tenderness, invest in a good bra (and wear it to bed if you’re uncomfortable sleeping) and ask your partner to handle them with care. (In other words, look but don’t touch, darling!)
Nausea: That queasy feeling in your stomach, which can sometimes lead to vomiting, can hit at any time of the day or night (not just morning!), especially in the first trimester, thanks to some unknown combination of hormones, increased stress, and other body changes (like a keener sense of smell). To keep nausea under control, don’t skip meals (even if the thoughtof eating makes you feel a little sick). Be a grazer instead, sticking to foods that appeal to you, and try to follow a healthy diet.
Excessive saliva: Horrified to find your mouth watering for no reason at all? If so, you might be experiencing early pregnancy’s double whammy: a queasy tummy and excessive saliva (and yes, you can blame those pesky pregnancy hormones for those symptoms, too!). How to deal with the drool? Chewing sugarless gum can help your mouth stay a little dryer.
Food cravings and aversions: Suddenly struck by an overpowering urge to eat a grilled cheese sandwich? Can’t stand the sight of salads (or anything green)? Welcome to the wacky world of food cravings and aversions. Hormones play a role here (as they do in most pregnancy symptoms) — especially in these early weeks when your body is getting used to hormonal havoc. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em — within reason. Indulge your chocolate cravings with a mini bar instead of a king-sized one and find healthy substitutes for the foods you can’t stand (like drinking a V-8 instead of eating salads)
Week 6 of Pregnancy
Your baby's face is taking shape, which is something sweet to think about as you race to the toilet to pee yet again.
Your Baby in Week 6 of Pregnancy
You might be coping with full-blown pregnancy symptoms (sorry), but there's plenty of good news too. Your baby's jaw, cheeks, chin, eyes, ears, and nose are beginning to form what will eventually become one adorable face. In addition, her kidneys, liver, and lungs are developing, and her heart is now beating 80 times a minute (and getting faster every day). All this and she's still no bigger than the length of a nail head (about a quarter of an inch) from crown to rump!
Your Body in Week 6 of Pregnancy
Your body may not yet have changed on the outside, but there's a lot happening on the inside. For one thing, thepregnancy hormone hCG is causing an increase of blood flow to your pelvic area, and your kidneys are becoming more efficient at ridding your body of waste; add to that the fact that your growing uterus is beginning to push down on your bladder and you've got a perfect (pee) storm. What else is going on in there? Bloating, queasiness, and cravings (or food aversions).
Week 6 Pregnancy Tip: First Prenatal Visit
Sure, you already got the news from your home pregnancy test — but it doesn't hurt to hear it confirmed by a doctor — one reason why you're so psyched for that first practitioner visit. Expect this first of many prenatal checkups to be exciting…and long. You'll have a thorough physical, including a pelvic exam, Pap smear (unless you've recently had one) and blood tests to determine your blood type, Rh factor, and whether you're iron-deficient. You'll also be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, immunity to German measles (rubella), and ethnic-specific genetic diseases. Plus you'll need to pee into a cup (no problem with that — right?) so your urine can be tested for glucose, protein, red and white blood cells, and bacteria. One more thing: Be prepared to answer lots of questions (health histories can take a while), but more importantly, to ask some of your own (bring a list so you won't forget any). Wonder whether you and Joe (aka your beloved triple extra foamy mocha cappuccino) will have to part company now that you're expecting? Why your chest suddenly resembles a map of an interstate highway? If your partner's penis can poke the baby in the eye while you're making love? Don't just sit there — ask! Remember no question is silly now.
Week 6 Pregnancy Symptoms
Frequent urination: You’re eating for two and peeing for two these days, thanks to your kidneys, which are getting more efficient about ridding your body of waste (yours and your growing baby-to-be’s). You can blame your uterus too, which is putting pressure on your bladder now. To make sure you empty it all out (and save yourself another trip to the bathroom in ten minutes), lean forward when you pee. Then, when you think you’re done, pee again. (Might as well try — you’re there anyway!)
Fatigue: Building that baby (and the life support your growing fetus needs) is hard work, so it’s no wonder you feel exhausted. Listen to your body — if it’s screaming at you to take a break, then take five! But do fit in some exercise: Take a walk or a yoga class; the endorphins you release will lift your mood and help you sleep better. Just don’t overdo!
Breast tenderness and changes: No, it’s not your imagination — your nipples aresticking out more than usual. They may be tender too (so definitely warn your partner about what feels good to the touch and what doesn’t). Why the luscious look these days? All the better to see you with, my dear! Your body is gearing up to breastfeed, and the darker areolas (the skin around the nipples) turn your nipples into a bull’s-eye for your newborn, whose eyesight at birth won’t be very good.
Nausea and vomiting: Whether you are experiencing slight queasiness or hurling breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or all three), look on the bright side. (Though admittedly it’s hard to look at the bright side when your view is the porcelain goddess!) Women who experience some nausea are significantly less likely to miscarry than those who don’t. Combat queasiness by eating small snacks that combine protein and complex carbs — cheese and multigrain crackers, yogurt and granola, whatever your stomach can stomach.
Heartburn and indigestion: Here’s the not-so-great news — the chances of getting through the next nine months heartburn-free are nearly zero. That’s because the muscle at the top of the stomach that usually prevents digestive juices from backing up relaxes. But here's better news: you can minimize the symptoms if you don't rush through your meals and avoid clothes that constrict your belly.
Bloating: Blame the progesterone that’s coursing through your body as you read this — this delightful hormone is essential for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, but it also is responsible for your puff mommy-to-be look. Eat lots of fiber and drink plenty of water to avoid getting constipated, which can aggravate bloating.
Increased sense of smell: Now that you’re pregnant, you’ve got a bloodhound’s keen nose. You can smell your coworker’s lunch from across the room, the cologne your office-mate is wearing, and someone’s dirty sneakers (all at the same time!). What’s the deal with your supersensitive sniffer? Blame your hormones again. If your nose is making the queasies worse, surround yourself with some scents that may make you feel better (if there are any). Some to try: mint, ginger, and lemon
Week 7 of Pregnancy
Right now, the only things growing faster than your baby's brain may be your tingly, achy breasts.
Your Baby in Week 7 of Pregnancy
Your baby is now about the size of a blueberry (and about 10,000 times bigger than he was at conception). Most of that growth is concentrated in the head as new brain cells are generated at the rate of 100 per minute. Your baby's mouth and tongue are forming as arm and leg buds sprout, and those little kidneys are getting ready to do their job (pee production and excretion).
Learn more about your baby this week andbaby's development.
Your Body in Week 7 of Pregnancy
Your baby might be the size of a blueberry, but your breasts probably look more like melons. By this point, some expectant moms have grown a full cup size, which might be welcome news if those boobs weren't so darn tender. The culprits? Those naughty (though necessary) pregnancy hormones again, along with an increase in blood flow and a buildup of fat — all essential to the task your body can perform in about eight months: breastfeeding your newborn!
Week 7 Pregnancy Tip: Food Aversions
If one look at a chicken breast is sending you flying out the door these days (or if the smell of Swiss is making your digestive tract yodel with anguish or the taste of fish is leaving you reeling), you're in good company. Pregnancy aversions are not only very common, they are also quite confusing, especially when your once-favorite food suddenly leaves you cold — and ready to puke. My advice: Cater to your new tastes, by all means. Stay bland and boring (not your personality…your food), find substitutes for foods you have an aversion to (think quinoa for protein if you can't stand the sight — and smell — of meat), and rejoice if your aversions are to foods that you're supposed to be avoiding anyway (sushi aversion, anyone?).
Week 7 Pregnancy Symptoms
Frequent urination: Between the nausea and the need to pee, you’re still spending a lot of time in the bathroom these days. The pregnancy hormone hCG is increasing the blood flow to your pelvic area (that’s good news if you’re up for having sex), and that in turn affects the other flow. Don’t cut back on liquids, though (but you may want to cut back on coffee, which is a diuretic). Your body (and baby!) needs a steady supply of fluids during pregnancy.
Fatigue: Of course you’re tired — you’re still engaged in the Herculean task of manufacturing the placenta (your baby’s life-support system) as well as getting used to all those conflicting emotions you’re experiencing. One way to fight fatigue is by eating smaller meals more often. (It’ll help your queasy stomach, too). Eating six mini meals will keep your blood sugar on an even keel, and that in turn will help your energy level. Just make most of those mini meals healthy ones!
Breast tenderness and changes: Are your breasts sprouting blue veins that are beginning to make them look like an interstate highway map? In fact, these veins do act like highways: They transport the nutrients and fluids from you to your baby after he (or she) is born. To minimize sagging and stretch marks later on, invest in a good bra now (maybe even a maternity one that will give you more support).
Nausea and vomiting: Don’t choose the nursery colors just yet, but studies do show that moms-to-be who are severely nauseated in the first trimester tend to be carrying girls, thanks to the interplay of hormones produced by you and the female fetus. But regardless of your baby’s gender and how sick you feel, you’ll still want to keep some food down. Stick to foods that appeal to you, even if you’re only eating fruit salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Your baby’s nutritional needs are tiny at this point, so no worries.)
Excessive saliva: As if feeling queasy wasn’t enough, you may also be contending with extra saliva pooling in your mouth. It should pass by the end of your first trimester (only seven more weeks to go!), but until it does, chew lots of sugarless gum.
Food cravings and aversions: Stuck eating the same thing night after night because very few foods appeal to your picky palate now? Don’t worry — you’re not robbing your baby of precious nutrients by eating the same (healthy) thing over and over. If cravings are driving you crazy, give in to them once in a while — then eat well for the rest of the day.
Heartburn and indigestion: If you’ve got a burning sensation from the depths of your stomach to your mouth after you eat, then you’ve got pregnancy-induced indigestion and heartburn. Avoid your heartburn triggers (spicy or fatty foods, caffeinated drinks, whatever does it to you) and drink either before or after you eat — too much fluid mixed with too much food will distend your stomach and aggravate the burn.
Constipation: If pregnancy has clogged up the works for you, you’re not alone. The muscles in your bowels have relaxed so the food you eat can stay around your system longer. That’s good for your baby — more nutrients for her (or him) — and bad for you since sluggish bowels can leave you feeling, well, sluggish too. A good way to get things moving is to get your fill of the good bacteria found in probiotics. Find yogurts that contain active cultures and eat one a day (or take a probiotics supplement after checking with your practitioner). Probiotics will stimulate the intestinal bacteria to break down food better and help your digestive track keep things moving
Week 8 of Pregnancy
As your baby starts moving in the womb, morning sickness (which doesn't just strike in the morning) may have you moving to the bathroom.
Your Baby in Week 8 of Pregnancy
Your baby is growing at an amazing rate — about a millimeter every day — and now is the size of a large raspberry. Your little berry is looking a lot less reptilian (even though she has webbed fingers and toes, her tail is just about gone) and a lot more baby-like these days, as her lips, nose, eyelids, legs, and back continue to take shape. Her heart is beating at the incredible rate of 150 times per minute — about twice as fast as yours! And even though you can't yet feel it, she's now making spontaneous movements as she twitches her tiny trunk and limb buds.
Your Body in Week 8 of Pregnancy
While your raspberry-sized babe isn't exactly causing you to show yet, chances are your clothes are feeling a little tight around the tummy and you might need a bigger bra. You may also be feeling perpetually queasy. But take heart — your baby feels just fine even while you're hugging the bowl with morning sickness. Try to eat often, but only a little at a time. That should also help your body battle another stubborn woe coming your way soon: pregnancy heartburn. Most likely, you'll find relief as you move into your second trimester, but for now, try to focus on the positive: Morning sickness is usually a sign that your pregnancy is going well.
Week 8 Pregnancy Tip: Eating Fruit During Pregnancy
Fruit is always your friend — but consider it your best friend while you're expecting. Not only does nature's sweetest bounty contain essential vitamins and other nutrients that are good for you and your baby, but it plays a starring role in keeping you regular (pass the prunes, please!). More sweet news: The right fruit can stand in for just about any vegetable you're shunning when pregnancy aversions and nausea may be keeping you from bellying up to the salad bar. (For instance, opt for dried apricots when you can't stomach broccoli.) A good rule of nutritional thumb when it comes to fruits (and veggies): Stronger colors spell better nutrition. But more often than not, it's what's inside that counts. So while a cantaloupe pales in comparison with a red apple on the outside, the inside tells a different story; the deeply hued flesh of the melon way outscores the white apple in vitamin and mineral content. Select your produce, then, by the color of its “inner” rainbow when shopping and you'll find nutrients worth their weight in gold.
Week 8 Pregnancy Symptoms
Fatigue: What’s making you so tired these days? Try everything! Pregnancy is hard work, and you should ask for help — from your partner, from your family, and from your friends. Having your partner (or a pal) lend a hand means you might have enough energy to go out for a walk (and then go to bed!).
Nausea and vomiting: Those queasy feelings may still be sticking around this week. Try eating foods with ginger (many studies show it works for reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy) — ginger cookies, real ginger ale, or ginger candies. And try taking your prenatal vitamin during dinner rather than on an empty stomach. The chewable kind might also make you feel less queasy.
Food cravings and aversions: Craving weird substances such as clay or laundry starch? Call your practitioner. These types of cravings are called pica and could be a sign of a nutritional deficiency, especially of iron.
Flatulence: Along with the bloating and constipation comes that other common scourge of pregnancy: flatulence (aka farting). The (aptly named) hormone relaxin, along with progesterone, is working to relax the muscles in your body, including those in your gastrointestinal tract. This causes food to move along more slowly, which leads to indigestion and gassiness. What can you do about it (except apologize to those around you)? Try to relax when you eat — tension can cause you to swallow air along with your food, which can form gas pockets in your belly.
Bloating: Those swell pregnancy hormones may cause you to swell as they slow down your metabolism. Try to drink lots of fluid and follow a healthy diet to avoid constipation, which only aggravates your bloated feeling.
Constipation: Fiber can be your BFF in the fight against those sluggish intestines, so add some fiber to every meal. But pace yourself if you’re not used to a fiber-rich diet or you’ll find yourself gassier than ever before: For instance, replace that white rice with brown and serve it along with your roasted chicken and veggies but don’t overload your system with a dish of brown rice, tofu, and broccoli.
Increased sense of smell: If your heightened sense of smell is making mealtime preparation unbearable, switch to foods that you don’t have to cook or, better yet, have your partner pitch in. If there’s a window in the kitchen, leave it open. Or just cook the foods you can stand to eat.
Increased vaginal discharge: Yet another bodily fluid introduced to you courtesy of estrogen — leukorrhea, a thin, milky vaginal discharge. (When estrogen increases blood flow to the pelvic area, it stimulates the body’s mucous membranes.) Leukorrhea protects the birth canal from infection by maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria, so don’t try to douche or wash it away.
Occasional headaches: All that exhaustion, stress, and hunger (or nausea) you’re experiencing (plus those pesky hormones) can make your head ache — literally. Some women get headaches more often during pregnancy, and others don’t. Make sure you’re getting enough rest to ward off fatigue-triggered headaches and keep eating to prevent your blood sugar from dropping and triggering them as well.
Occasional faintness or dizziness: You might find yourself light-headed these days. That’s because your body isn’t producing enough blood to fill your rapidly expanding circulatory system, which is gearing up to meet the needs of that other (little) body. Let your practitioner know if it happens a lot; otherwise, lie down as soon as you feel light-headed. If that’s not possible, then sit and bend as far forward as you can and put your head between your knees
Week 9 of Pregnancy
Your baby is busy building muscle, but all you may want to do these days is take a nice long nap.
Your Baby in Week 9 of Pregnancy
Your baby, now the size of a green olive, has grown about an inch since last week. Tiny muscles are beginning to form, so while he might not be ready to pump iron, he's gearing up to move his arms and legs. It's still too soon to feel anything in your belly, but you might be able to hear something at your next checkup. Try listening for your baby's heartbeat via a Doppler device — that welcome sound should be audible anytime now.
Your Body in Week 9 of Pregnancy
Chances are you've never felt so tired in your life and for good reason: Your body is working overtime preparing for motherhood as it develops the placenta, your baby's lifeline. At the same time, your metabolism and hormone levels are surging, which triggers a decrease in blood sugar and blood pressure. The result of all this: pregnancy fatigue. Relief is around the corner as your energy level increases (and morning sickness decreases) over the next few weeks once placenta construction is completed.
Week 9 Pregnancy Tip: Healthy Snacking
Dealing with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy isn't easy — but it's especially hard when you're anxious to start feeding yourself and your baby well. Don't worry. As challenged as your tender first trimester appetite is right now, it's still up to the challenge of filling your baby's nutritional needs (since he's just a little bigger than a pea right now, those needs are pretty tiny, too). In the meantime, if big meals are a big turnoff, eat at least six smaller, but nutrient-packed mini-meals and snacks throughout the day. Not only will the mini-meals be easier for your queasy stomach to…um…stomach, but keeping your tummy a little bit filled is the best way to keep it from emptying out (over the toilet). Right now, focus on foods you find less offensive (even if it's crackers, crackers, and more crackers), choosing a healthy option whenever your stomach doesn't protest (make those crackers whole grain, and serve them up with a slice of mild cheddar). And don't forget to tap into the soothing power of ginger!
Week 9 Pregnancy Symptoms
Frequent urination: If your sleep’s being interrupted by that gotta-go feeling, try double-voiding when you pee — when you think you’re done peeing, pee again. This will help empty out your bladder completely and maybe buy you an extra hour of shut-eye during the night.
Fatigue: It’s a drag when you’re dragging yourself through the day. Make a point of getting your sleep — yes, it’s obvious, but between racing to the bathroom at midnight to pee and your mind racing with all those pregnancy worries, you may find it difficult to comply with your body’s ever-rising request for rest. So turn away from the computer (which can leave you too wired to fall asleep), turn in earlier (maybe after reading a book or magazine), and linger in bed longer. That extra sleep should give you some staying power.
Breast tenderness and change: Another thing that may be keeping you up at night? Your bigger breasts, which are not just larger but more tender too. The increased blood flow and their larger size can make them ultrasensitive — and make you more uncomfortable at night. You can wear a cotton sports bra to minimize the discomfort.
Excessive saliva: You may be feeling as if you’ve got enough spit to fill up a spittoon (and then some!). Using a minty mouthwash and brushing your teeth as often as you can make your mouth dryer.
Heartburn and indigestion: Need a quick trick for banishing your next bout of heartburn? Chew some sugarless gum (it's perfectly safe in moderation for pregnant women — check out these facts on artificial sweeteners and pregnancy). Chewing increases saliva, which then neutralizes the acid in your stomach. Tums or Rolaids also eases the burn (and gives you a calcium boost to boot).
Flatulence: Got enough gas to rival a frat boy? Don’t worry — you’re not the first mom-to-be mortified by a sudden expulsion of gas (at either end) in a public place. But if you’d like to keep those embarrassing explosions to a minimum, try opting for small meals that won’t overload your digestive system as much as large meals do.
Bloating: Who knew pregnancy could spawn so many uncomfortable symptoms! To keep that gassy, bloated feeling to a minimum, eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation (see below), which can aggravate bloating.
Constipation: To avoid even more bloating, try to get those bowels moving at their normal (or prepregnancy normal) pace. Besides drinking lots of water, have a go at fruit and vegetable juices to make you go. You could try hot water and lemon first thing in the morning (or last thing at night) — some pregnant women swear by it!
Increased sense of smell: If that keen sense of smell is making your life an olfactory ordeal, try leaving windows open (to banish musty bedroom odors or cooking smells) and washing your clothes more often (fibers tend to hold onto smells).
Week 10 of Pregnancy
On your baby's to-do list this week: Build bones and cartilage. On your agenda, increase your fiber intake to cope with constipation.
Your Baby in Week 10 of Pregnancy
Your baby (now the size of a prune) has small indentations on his legs (soon to be knees and ankles!), and his tiny arms even have elbows that bend (how is that for magical?). Inside that little mouth, tiny buds of baby teeth are forming under the gums. His stomach and kidneys are kicking into gear, producing digestive juices and urine, and if it's a boy, his testes are making testosterone (how manly!).
Your Body in Week 10 of Pregnancy
All clogged up? For many moms-to-be, those pesky pregnancy hormones cause the smooth muscles of the large bowel to fall down on the job — they get sluggish and you get constipated. Whole grains and veggies can help, as can drinking lots of water and exercising regularly. You might also be coping with headaches and newly visible veins as your body's blood supply ramps up (it'll increase by 20 to 40 percent over the course of your pregnancy!).
Week 10 Pregnancy Tip: Cures for Constipation
Constipation is an all-to-common first-trimester pregnancy symptom. What can you do about it? First, steer clear of foods that'll clog up the works (refined breads, cereals, pasta, and rice). Second, fixate on fiber: Whole grains (especially fiber-rich cereals), fresh fruit (think kiwis, a fine, furry friend to those who are constipated), dried fruit (and don't stop at that geriatric favorite, prunes — try all your favorite fruits dried, from apricots and peaches, to pears, apples, blueberries, cherries…you name it!), raw or lightly cooked vegetables, and nuts and seeds. Third, wash that fiber down (and through your system) with plenty of fluids, particularly water and fruit and vegetable juices (close your eyes and V8 tastes just like champagne! Well, sort of…if you really use your imagination). And finally, remember that getting moving can keep things moving (another good reason to put exercise on the agenda). If the situation doesn't improve in a couple of days, swallow your pride (if you haven't already) and call your practitioner, who may have a few special tricks up that white-coated sleeve. (Don't use any over-the-counter remedies without consulting him or her first.)
Week 10 Pregnancy Symptoms
Fatigue: You probably still feel as if your get-up-and-go has gotten up and gone, but don’t worry — in about a month you’ll be feeling less tired. In the meantime, don’t be super mom-to-be. Ask for help, get some rest, and work in some exercise when you can. Yes, it seems counterintuitive to go out for a walk when you want to crawl into bed, but you’ll feel peppier (promise!) — and you’ll sleep better.
Nausea and vomiting: What’s the worst thing you can do if you’re feeling queasy? Skip a meal. (Missing a meal just makes those queasy feelings more intense.) But if eating anything is really turning your stomach, try acupressure or seasickness bands. And sucking on ginger candy (or drinking real ginger ale) will help, too.
Food cravings and aversions: Between those queasy feelings and food aversions, you’ve probably kept your weight gain down. And that’s okay — your baby’s nutritional needs are minuscule at this point. But even so, you don’t want to go crazy on the cravings. It’s okay to indulge once in a while, or eat a bite-sized piece of chocolate instead of a brownie, but if your cravings are getting out of hand, try some distractions: Call a friend, read a book, head to the gym, or go for a walk.
Heartburn and indigestion: A good way to prevent heartburn? Don’t eat while you’re lying down — or don’t lie down right after eating a big meal (even though the bed beckons you!). And use pillows to prop up your head (about six inches) when you sleep. That should keep those gastric juices down.
Flatulence: As your hormones continue to relax all your muscles, the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract are relaxing too, which means more indigestion (see above) and more intestinal gas. Your best bet is to stay away from foods that produce the most gas. You may find it helpful to keep a record of what you eat to see whether there’s a connection between certain foods — whether it’s fried foods or broccoli or beans — and gas. Then you can avoid those triggers (or at least warn your partner!).
Increased vaginal discharge:You’ve got more blood flowing to the pelvic area (good for your sex life) thanks to the pregnancy hormone estrogen, as well as more mucus. The result is a thin, milky-white discharge that you may be seeing now. It’s harmless, so don’t bother with special wipes or washes — these could change the delicate balance of your genital tract and lead to irritation.
Occasional headaches: What accounts for these new pregnancy headaches? Blame hormones (they’re a convenient scapegoat!), but other triggers include fatigue (check), hunger (check), and stress (check).Your doctor will probably okay acetaminophen but not ibuprofen. It’s also worthwhile to try other ways to soothe your savage head: Lie down in a dark room, put a cold compress on your face or neck, or take fresh-air breaks.
Occasional faintness or dizziness: Your body is still getting used to all that blood pumping through it, so it’s no wonder you feel dizzy occasionally. Be sure to sit or lie down as soon as you feel light-headed (so you don’t fall). To decrease dizzy spells, carry healthy snacks around for a quick blood-sugar boost and stay hydrated.
Visible veins on your body: That increased blood supply is also responsible for the road map of veins crisscrossing their way across your belly and breasts. Those veins are doing the important work of taking nutrients and blood to your baby. So there’s nothing you can do but wait. They will disappear though!
Lower abdominal achiness: Like so many pregnancy symptoms, round ligament pain (which is just a fancy name for those growing pains in that burgeoning belly of yours) is probably something you never expected. What’s causing them? The ligaments that support your belly are stretching out (and getting thinner); and as your belly gets heavier, the weight pulls on the ligaments, causing pain (sharp or dull). The best thing to do is get off your feet and get comfy
Week 11 of Pregnancy
That adorable little alien inside your tummy is starting to look human about now, as you start feeling a bit more human yourself.
Your Baby in Week 11 of Pregnancy
Your baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes (meaning good-bye to those froglike webbed hands and feet). Hooray!
Your Body in Week 11 of Pregnancy
Hungry? Good — that's a sign your morning sickness is easing and your appetite is gearing up to help you nourish your body…and your baby. But don't go overboard just because you're eating for two: Try to gain efficiently by choosing the most nutritious foods during pregnancy and minimizing the junk. More smart nibbling tactics: Minimize bloating and gas (caused by digestion-slowing progesterone and your growing uterus) by grazing instead of gorging and steering clear of notorious gas producers, such as beans, fried foods, soda, and sweets.
Week 11 Pregnancy Tip: Feeling Tired During Pregnancy
Are your two favorite positions these days sitting and lying down? Pregnancy fatigue is normal. That's because you're running a baby-making factory that's in business 24/7 (and since you're the only employee, you're on the clock around the clock), causing your pregnant body to work harder at rest than your nonpregnant body did on the run. And for the next few weeks, a baby's not the only thing in production — so is the placenta, the magnificently complex mission control that will serve as your baby's life-support system until delivery. The result? You feel tired and overworked, even when you're not doing a darn thing. Your energy should pick up once the placenta is up and running and your system adjusts (as best as it can) to the hormonal changes of pregnancy — probably early in the second trimester. In the meantime, keep your blood-sugar level up with frequent snacks of complex carbs and protein (cheese and crackers; nuts and dried fruit), try a little exercise (which can actually give you an energy boost), and most of all — listen to your body. When it calls for a break, take one.
Week 11 Pregnancy Symptoms
Frequent urination: Blame that pregnancy hormone hCG (which increases blood flow to the pelvic area and kidneys) for making you feel the need to pee nearly all the time. But don’t be tempted to cut back on your fluid intake since you (and your baby-to-be) need to stay hydrated — instead, cut back on caffeinated drinks (they just increase your need to pee).
Breast tenderness and changes: Your growing breasts may be a turn-on for your partner, but your achy boobs are a turnoff for you. Warn your partner about your extra-sensitive breasts so that he knows why you may not be up for lovemaking — or even heavy-duty hugging.
Nausea and vomiting: Still feeling “morning sickness” — morning, noon, and night? Don’t despair since the odds are good you have only a week or two left of queasiness — most moms-to-be get over their nausea by weeks 12 to 14.
Excessive saliva: While experts aren’t entirely sure what causes this symptom, the most likely explanation is those darned pregnancy hormones. Keep your mouth as dry and minty-fresh as possible by brushing your teeth more often.
Food cravings and aversions: Are you still gagging at the smell of what used to be your favorite food — or jonesing for meat even though you were practically a vegetarian? The good news is that these freaky food preferences may lessen by your fourth month.
Bloating: How can your belly feel so inflated when your fetus is still only about two inches long? The progesterone in your system has caused your gastrointestinal tract to relax, which slows digestion and leaves you feeling bloated.
Occasional faintness or dizziness: Your body isn’t producing enough blood to fill your expanding circulatory system, which can lead to dizziness and fainting. Stave off light-headedness by keeping your blood sugar stable with regular, small meals throughout the day — and by keeping a stash of healthy snacks nearby at all times
Week 12 of Pregnancy
While it may seem as if you've doubled in size over the past few weeks, it's your baby who actually has!
Your Baby in Week 12 of Pregnancy
By now, your baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements necessary for eating, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so.
Your Body in Week 12 of Pregnancy
If all those changes in your baby sound dizzying, that may just be you dealing with yet another problematic pregnancy symptom: Lots of women experience occasional dizzinessand/or feel faint due to progesterone, which causes increased blood flow to your baby by relaxing your own blood vessels. The decrease in blood flow to your body and brain, along with typically lower blood-sugar levels during pregnancy, can set your world a-spinning. Do your part to keep your equilibrium by eating regularly, getting adequate rest, and standing up slowly.
Week 12 Pregnancy Tip: Sex Drive
Your best friend says being pregnant turned her into a sex kitten — but you feel more like a dead fish (and just about as bloated…which makes you feel even less sexy). What's the deal with your sex drive? Hormones hit every woman differently, turning up the heat for some and throwing ice water on others. Pregnancy symptoms can also stand between you and a good time — after all, it's hard to purr when you're busy gagging on dinner, or to get busy when you barely have the energy to get undressed, or for your partner to take advantage of those extra-large breasts when you have a strict look-but-don't-touch (ouch!) policy in effect. Rest assured, whatever you’re feeling is normal. Just stay emotionally connected with your partner, and remember — and remind your partner — that many women who've lost that lovin' feeling in the first trimester get it back in the second, in spades…so don't be surprised if a very warm front moves into your bedroom soon.
Week 12 Pregnancy Symptoms
Decreasing need to urinate frequently: That gotta-go feeling may finally be starting to wane. But be sure to practice your Kegel exercises throughout the next several months to help prevent pregnancy-induced incontinence down the line.
Fatigue: Throughout this first trimester your body is working overtime to build the placenta, which is likely zapping your energy. So let yourself rest when you feel the need, and take advantage of any opportunities to sleep now — before your baby arrives and demands three a.m. feedings.
Excessive saliva: This annoying pregnancy symptom will likely go away as you head into your second trimester. Minimize your discomfort (and distaste) by chewing sugarless gum or swishing mouthwash.
Flatulence: One way to decrease this embarrassing pregnancy symptom is to slow down when you eat. Scarfing down food can cause you to swallow air, which creates gas pockets in your already-overtaxed belly.
Increased sense of smell: If your nose knows a little too much lately (you can tell what your hubby ate for lunch the moment he walks in the door), try opening the windows. Or keep a lemon wedge nearby, and sniff it when you start to smell a nausea-inducing odor — citrus can quell queasiness.
Increased vaginal discharge: Extra discharge is completely normal during pregnancy — thanks to increased estrogen, which stimulates your body’s mucous membranes. Stay dry by wearing panty liners.
Occasional headaches: Be sure to eat regularly throughout the day — skipping meals causes low blood sugar, which can trigger headaches. Also, remember that it’s usually okay to take acetaminophen during pregnancy (but make sure your medical practitioner gives you the go-ahead first)
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