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Suggested reading: Taking Charge of Your Fertility, Toni Weschler | If you're trying to get pregnant a Folic Acid supplement before conception is a good idea | Prenatal vitamins are a good supplement both before and during pregnancy | ||||
Suggested reading: How to Get Pregnant, Sherman Silber | If you're thinking of becoming pregnant, visit a healthcare provider for a preconception visit | There are lots of low-tech ways to help you conceive a child | Week 1. | If you have not already, find a clinic that specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology. They handle both infertility and pregnancy | Family doctors are another choice. They take care of the entire family before, during, and long after the birth | |
In 3-4 days, ovaries will open, releasing an egg: ovulation kits show positive 12-40 hours before ovulation | Egg travels down the fallopian tubes |
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A fun night begins the adventure | Week 2. One of millions of sperm finds the egg: FERTILIZATION! | Certified midwives are a nice alternative to Ob/Gyn doctors | Cells are dividing... | Egg falls into uterus | ||
Egg implants and sheds outer wall | You've grown a "blastocyst" -- it looks like a space alien | Stop smoking, or at least cut down. This is easier if dad quits smoking too (hint)... | Week 3. Early pregnancy symptoms include sore breasts, cramping, mild nausea, fatigue, increased irritability or, sometimes, nothing | Blood-based pregnancy test should show positive | Morning sickness could set in: your brain might not know you're pregnant but your body sure does | The blastocyst contacts the endomentrium |
The blastocyst is growing | Suggested reading: What To Expect When You're Expecting, Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway | Blastocyst firmly attached to the endometrium | Week 4. | Now you know you're pregnant: drink 6-8 cups of water each day and see a midwife or doctor | Two "prongs" of the blastocyst separate: one becomes the head, the other a baby tuchas | Nerve development begins |
Your hormones are going crazy: back rubs help | Blastocyst becomes an embryo | The embryo is beginning to develop a face, though it still looks outworldly | Week 5. The embryo becomes three layers. The outer layer becomes the brain, nerves, and skin. The placenta becomes fully functional. | The middle layer becomes the bones, muscles, blood vessels, heart, and sex organs. | The inner layer becomes the stomach, liver, intestines, lungs, and urinary tract. | Have a cat? Make someone else change the cat litter: it can cause toxoplasmosis which can harm the baby |
Don't forget: alcohol and drugs are bad for the baby (they're not good for mommy either) | Asprin and prescribed medication can also be harmful: ask a healthcare provider before taking anything: even vitamins | Hello in there! The inner ear is forming: cynics say it doesn't matter but singing to baby is fun | Week 6. Babies heart starts to beat, though it's almost impossible to hear |
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Stop smoking if you haven't already. Smoking has been connected to lots of pregnancy-related problems | Vitamin A can be harmful during pregnancy: ask your healthcare provider before taking anything | Embryonic sack continues to grow millions of villi attach to placenta | ||||
Some cooking and beauty oils can be harmful during pregnancy: always ask your healthcare provider | Buds on ends of embryonic arms and legs grow into webs that will become fingers and toes | Blood circulates throughout the embryo | Week 7. | Cells of the liver, pancreas, stomach, and lungs begin to take shape | Unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise, you can continue to have sex throughout pregnancy | Embryonic sack continues to fill with amniotic fluid to protect baby |
Men -- Massaging your pregnant partner makes her feel better | Exercise and frequent short breaks at work help the fatigue: it will pass later in the pregnancy | Suggested reading: Seasons of Change: Growing Through Pregnancy & Birth, Suzanne Arms | Week 8. | Baby weighs about 1 gram; 4 cm. in length | Learn about pregnancy by reading books, talking to friends, and surfing the web: knowledge cuts down the anxiety | He's not making it up: couvade is a condition that causes weight gain, nausea, mood swings and all the rest in daddy |
Remember, smaller meals help heart-burn and water, fiber and exercise help constipation | Embryo becomes a fetus. All organs necessary to sustain life are formed | Douching during pregnancy could rupture membranes or cause infections: it should be avoided | Week 9. Brain can be seen in fetal photography | Highly Suggested reading: The Pregnancy Book: A Month-By-Month Guide, William and Martha Sears et. al. | Intestines have formed outside baby (on umbilical cord) because they can't fit inside baby | Baby weighs 5 grams and is about 6 cm. in length (.15 of an ounce; 2.3 inches) |
Between now and week 12 is the time for a CVS test, if you need one | Kidneys become functional and baby urinates into amniotic fluid. Sex organs begin to develop. | Baby may begin moving, though it's much too early for mom to feel it | Week 10. There is about one ounce of amniotic fluid | Some women experience sciatic-nerve pain (a pain in their butt or legs): see a healthcare provider | Fingers and toes become more distinct | Exercise will make you feel better, but take it easy; keep heartrate below 140 beats per minute |
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Be careful when exercising: your center of gravity is changing -- watch your balance | Hands are more developed than feet, and arms are longer than legs | The ongoing process of baby's organ development is called organogenesis | Week 11. Baby's back straightens | Kegel exercises keep you strong and help you maintain bowel and bladder control during birth | Mother's develop a large increase in blood content to help the baby: eat foods with lots of protein and iron | Eyelids are shut over developing eyes |
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and cook meat well | You'll probably receive ABO/Rh blood typing to check for blood compatibility between you and baby | Bones begin to grow. Ribs and backbone are soft: they'll harden later | Week 12. | Baby weighs 20 grams and is about 9 cm. in length (.64 of an ounce; 3.5 inches) | By now external sex organs have usually differentiated | Umbilical cord, carrying nutrients to baby and waste away, is well formed |
Suggested reading: Eating Healthy for a Healthy Baby : A Month-By-Month Guide to Nutrition During Pregnancy, Dana, M.D. Cernea, Fred Plotkin | Placenta weighs about an ounce: it will weigh about 1 1/2 lbs. at birth | Week 13. | Buds on the side of the head begin to form into the outer ear | Suggested reading: The Pregnancy Cookbook, Ricciotti, Connelly | Skim milk, bread, and vegetables provide vitamins, calcium and protein: eat your spinach | |
Many woman develop a dark line on their abdomen. This is called a linea nigra | Vocal cords develop: AGOOOOO! | Baby weighs 60 grams and is about 12 cm. in length (1.9 ounces; 4.7 inches) | Week 14. | Your first trimester is over: mommy's belly should begin popping out | Place the lap belt of a seat belt UNDER your abdomen | The rest of baby's face begins to form |
Some say massaging your belly with Vitamin E helps minimize stretch marks after pregnancy: this is a good job for dad | The tail has disappeared and the head makes up about half baby's size |
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Waterbirth is a new and interesting delivery method | Week 15. Nausea gets better. The triple-test, when deemed necessary, is normally done between week 15 and week 18. | Suggested reading: Your Pregnancy Week-by-Week, Glade B. Curtis, MD | Internally, testes form in boys and ovaries in girls; externally they look the same | The chance of miscarriage gets much lower after this week | ||
High fevers, persistent vomiting, severe back pain, and discharges are reasons to call your healthcare provider immediately | Be careful when lifting: if your job demands this check with your healthcare provider | Amniocentesis is usually done between Week 15 and Week 17. | Week 16. | Baby weighs 120 grams and is about 16 cm. in length (3.85 ounces; 6.3 inches) | Pregnancy produces a hormone called Relaxin, which loosens the pelvis for birth | Relaxin can cause coordination problems, clumsiness, or the "pregnancy waddle" |
Talking about the baby on the way is good for both parents | Sleeping on your left side is recommended: try not to sleep on your back or stomach. Your growing uterus can restrict blood flow | Your breasts are growing: time for a new bra for support | Week 17. Too much caffeine found in coffee, chocolate, and some soft-drinks is harmful to your baby | Suggested reading: The Expectant Father: Helping the Father-To-Be Understand and Become a Part of the Pregnancy Experience, Marshall | Your friends will understand if you're too tired to entertain: be honest | Babys body is growing quickly |
Bladder infections are common. To prevent infection, call your healthcare provider immediately if it hurts to urinate | Baby's neck is long enough to lift the head from the body | Doing squats and stretching are good strength building exercises while pregnant | Week 18. Now is the time for an AFP screening, if you want one | Baby continues to grow fat and muscle: filling out and growing stronger daily | Baby weighs about 220 grams and is about 20 cm. in length (7 ounces; 7.8 inches) | Wearing flat, comfortable shoes and not crossing your legs can help prevent varicose and spider veins |
Baby's blood cells take over for liver in producing blood | Sign up for pregnancy classes: they fill up quickly | The money will work its way out when the baby comes. Worrying causes unnecessary stress | Week 19. Gallbladder becomes functional, producing bile which is needed for digestion | Suggested reading: The New Well Pregnancy Book, Mike & Nancy Samuels |
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Baby continues moving, but bones are too soft for mom to feel anything | Suggested reading: Pregnant Fathers: Challenges and Discoveries on the Road to Parenthood, Jack Heinowitz | |||||
Ultrasound equipment can usually see the difference between a girl and a boy at this point | Ears position to side of the head and stick out | Baby weighs 330 grams and is about 25 cm. in length (10.6 ounces; 9.8 inches) | Week 20. | Consider a doula to help during childbirth | Milk teeth begin to form under gums | |
Body hair, including eyebrows and lashes, begin to grow | Small hairs called lanugo covers baby body and face: it falls out before birth | Week 21. Walking, biking, and swimming help keep mom fit and make the delivery easier | Suggested reading: The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, Vicki Iovine | Baby's getting strong: mom may feel movement. This is called quickening | Avoid hot-tubs, tanning booths, and hot showers: keep body heat low | |
Baby weighs 460 grams and is about 28 cm. in length (14.8 ounces; 11 inches) | Amniotic sac contains a pint of amniotic fluid | Many healthcare provider's administer ultrasounds about this time | Week 22. Baby continues to urinate and drink amniotic fluid, which is exchanged every three hours | A heartbeat can be heard without specialized listening equipment | Childproofing your house is a good idea: it's easy to forget to do after baby arrives | Real hair and toenails are beginning to grow |
Baby girls have developed eggs in their ovaries that will grow into other babies in later years | Now is a good time to contact La Leche League for information about breastfeeding after birth | The brain is rapidly developing: fatty sheaths that transmit thought are forming. Eating protein is very important | Week 23. Vernix, which protects baby's skin from amniotic fluid, covers its skin | Meconium, the baby's first stool, is developing | Baby can hear the mother's heart and stomach | A special type of fat called brown fat develops that keeps baby warm at birth |
Baby begins to suck its thumb |
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Suggested reading: Soul Trek : Meeting Our Children on the Way to Birth, Elisabeth Hallett | Baby weighs 650 grams and is about 30 cm. in length (1.43 pounds; 11.8 inches) | Week 24. | Baby is almost fully formed: he finally looks like a miniature human | Bones solidify and baby kicks: sometimes it feels like a lurch | Most babies turn upside-down around this time but will continue to rotate until about week 31 | |
The heartbeat is very strong | Moodiness tends to go away but you still might feel spaced-out | This is a good time to plan the best route to the place of birth. This is especially easy for home-births | Week 25. | Baby is growing bigger and stronger | Suggested reading: Preparation for Birth: The Complete Guide to the Lamaze Method, Savage, Simkin | Suggested reading: Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, McCutcheon, Ingraham, Burningham |
Keep exercising: your baby is growing and you'll need strength to deliver her | Your bigger body is beautiful: feel good about yourself | Baby weighs 850 grams and is about 32 cm. in length (1.87 pounds; 12.6 inches) | Week 26. | You should be able to feel baby move from the outside | Unless you're having a home birth, research the hospital where you want to deliver | You might experience discharge called leukorrhea |
If baby doesn't move 10 times within a 5-hour period (during a regularly active time) call a healthcare provider | It's common to be bored with pregnancy: don't worry -- things get exciting again later. See movies, take walks, play with the dog | Do not allow a dentist to take x-rays or administer nitrous oxide | Week 27. | If baby moves slower each day call a healthcare provider | Hearing continues to develop | Babies born prematurely at this time have been known to survive |
Call a healthcare provider if you have vaginal bleeding, menstrual cramps, or low-backache that doesn't go away | Baby hears the outside of the world over the sound of moms heartbeat well | Baby weighs 1,100 grams and is about 35 cm. in length (2.4 pounds; 13.8 inches) |
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Week 28. | Baby assumed "fetal position", with its legs tucked up to its chest | It's common to be tested for gestational diabetes about this time | Braxton-Hicks contractions continue. The uterus hardens for a moment then returns to normal | |||
Baby's eyes open and baby is able to sense light changes | Hormonal changes may cause grouchiness to come back: just remember, you're almost done | Congestion sometimes sets in as hormones continue to change | Week 29. | Baby's is getting fatter, and the skin is less rumpled | Sleeping with pillows under your belly and between your legs relieves back stress | |
Baby can make grasping motions, and likes to suck its thumb | It is common to dream and fantasize about the baby (he'll look like Rock Hudson but be as smart as Einsten!) | Baby weighs 1,420 grams and is about 38 cm. in length (3.1 pounds; 14.9 inches) | Week 30. Baby's brain is developing well, with different sections taking shape | Couvade often returns to men, bringing depression, fatigue and weight gain. Increased communication helps | This is a good time to start thinking about methods of childbirth | Baby's body continues to grow quickly |
Colostrum may begin to form in your breasts. It is the predecessor of milk | You may have contractions: don't worry about one but call a healthcare provider if there are more | Swelling, high-blood pressure, headaches, and/or changes in vision might be pre-eclampsia: call your healthcare provider immediately | Week 31. Taste buds develop | Baby is typically head-down at this point but don't panic if your baby isn't: there is still plenty of time to turn | Baby boys testicles drop from his abdomen, where they grew, to his scrotum | |
It's time for childbirth classes: sign up if you haven't already | Baby weighs 1,750 grams and is about 40 cm. in length (3.85 pounds; 15.7 inches) | Week 32. | Fetus may hiccup, cry, taste sweet and sour, and respond to pain, light, and sound |
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Baby's brain and nerves are developing, and directing bodily functions | ||||||
The volume of amniotic fluid begins to diminish | Pregnancy is not permanent. The mood swings will disappear eventually | Baby's bones get stronger, limbs get fatter, and skin takes on a healthy glow | Week 33. The placenta, which feeds the baby and acts as a barrier between her and mom, continues to grow | Baby's fingernails are growing long | Ignore the formula samples you're getting: breast is best for baby and saves money for mom and dad | |
A surfactant, which helps baby breathe after birth, coats the air sacks (alveoli) in the lungs | There is about two pints of amniotic fluid, an amount that will begin to decline as birth nears | Baby weighs 2,080 grams and is about 42 cm. in length (4.6 pounds; 16.5 inches) | Week 34. The rapid flow of blood through the umbilical cord keeps it taut, preventing tangles | Mother's antibodies to disease begin flowing rapidly to baby through the placenta | Baby begins to develop sleeping patterns | Babies born prematurely on or after this date have a good chance of survival |
Now is a good time to start perineal massage | Baby sometimes gets the hiccups: you'll feel rapid, jerky movements | Suggested reading: The Baby Book : Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two, Martha, R.N. Sears , William Sears | Week 35. | If you've been drinking or smoking, stopping even now will help the baby | Fetal movement diminishes as the uterus fills up | Things are getting cramped inside for baby! It's soon time to come outside |
Don't forget to get a car seat to bring baby home in: even if it is legal to drive without one it is very dangerous | Some cultures have baby showers; others have parties for mom but wait until baby is born to buy her/him gifts | Rubbing cocoa-butter or vitamin E gel on your belly soothes itchiness | Week 36. | Baby weighs 2,420 grams and is about 45 cm. in length (5.3 pounds; 17.7 inches) | This is a good time to purchase nursery items: a crib, cradle, changing table, and clothing are all good ideas | Suggested reading: The Expectant Parent's Guide to Preventing a Cesarean Section, Carl Jones |
Pack a bag to take to the hospital: don't forget clothes for dad to sleep in |
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Dad: Accentuate the positive. Remind her she is beautiful and that you will both make good partners and parents | Baby grows over 1/2 ounce of fat per day | Week 37. Earliest date of a full-term birth: get ready! | Baby's lungs are mature | It's time to find a pediatrician: referrals are a good way to find one you are comfortable with | Baby settles into under moms pelvis, a process called "lightening" which makes breathing for mom easier | |
Baby's new position doesn't stop her from kicking and punching | If you are using a diaper service, this is the time to call them to arrange for service to begin | Only ten-percent of women's water break, but if yours does call your healthcare provider immediately to prevent infection | Week 38. Baby weighs 2,900 grams and is about 48 cm. in length (6.4 pounds; 18.9 inches) | Baby might begin to drop farther towards the cervix. You'll walk easier but have to urinate more often | Birthing rooms are a nice alternative to regular hospital rooms: ask for one if they're available | Go home! It's time to rest at home and prepare for birth: take it easy -- you have a lot of work ahead |
Research baby-related products carefully before buying: even baby food can be deceptive | Suggested reading: "The User's Manual": Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care, Benjamin Spock, Michael Rothenberg | Rest: you'll appreciate why in a couple weeks | Week 39. | Progesterone levels in the mother decrease | Suggested reading: Fathers and Babies: How Babies Grow and What They Need from You, from Birth to 18 Months, Marzollo, Trivas | Only five-percent of babies are born on their due date so birth could happen any time |
The weight of the original fertilized egg has increased six billion times! | It is very common for first pregnancies to last longer: some sources say a week past due date is average | Labor begins: contractions happen more frequently and last longer | The umbilical cord is 20-inches and will support baby through birth until the lungs take over | Baby is born! She weighs 3,250 grams and is about 50 cm. long on average (7.1 pounds; 19.7 inches) | All baby's systems become functional: we welcome baby to the world. | If you haven't already, contact La Leche for information on breastfeeding. |
Participate in the SIDS Project 2000 to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome |
