Monday, November 9, 2015

2.0 – Month Two (Week 5-8th)




Sources:
1.     The Everything Pregnancy Organizer by Paula Ford-Martin

2.1            Checklist
1.     Start developing a maternity wardrobe.
2.     Make room for your baby.
3.     Create a baby-safe car environment.

2.2            Baby Development

Week 5th
- Your embryo is growing at a furious pace
- 3mm long, size of a sesame seed
- Looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human
- Early version of the placenta and umbilical cord are already at work
Week 6th
- 5mm long, about the size of a lentil
- The nose, mouth and ears are beginning to take shape
- Baby’s eyes and nostrils are starting to form
- His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head
- The arms and legs are by protruding buds
- Baby’s heart rate is beating about 100-160 times a minute
- Blood is beginning to course through her body
- The intestines are developing
- The bud of tissue that will give rise to the lungs has appeared
- The pituitary gland, which later on will secrete hormones, is forming
- The rest of your baby’s brain, muscles and bones are developing
Week 7th
- 1.5cm long, about the size of a blueberry
- Hands and feet are emerging from your baby’s developing arms and legs
- They look more like paddles than the tiny, pudgy extremities
- Your baby embryo has the remains of a small tail, which is an extension of the tailbone which will disappear within a few weeks
- His eyelid folds partially covering your baby’s eyes, which already have some color
- Your baby has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce hormone insulin to aid digestion
- A loop in your baby’s growing intestines is bulging blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from your baby’s tiny body
Week 8th
- About the size of a kidney bean
- Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby’s hands and feet
- Baby’s tail is just about gone
- Baby’s eyelids are practically covering her eyes
- Breathing tubes extend from the throat to the branches of the developing lungs
- In the brain, nerve cells are beginning to connect with one another
- Baby’s external genitals still haven’t developed enough to reveal whether you’re having a baby boy or a girl
- Baby is constantly moving and shifting, though it will be weeks before you can feel it

2.3            My Body

Estimated Due Date (EDD):

Week 5th
Week 6th
Week 7th
Week 8th
Date




Time




My weight





Check off which of the following symptoms you experience this month and talk to your doctor about any of that make you especially uncomfortable:

Frequent urination

Tender, larger breasts

Increased vaginal discharge

Occasional dizziness or faintness

Indigestion or gas
Few things you can do to get relief:
Eat small meals
Chew your food thoroughly and slowly
Sit up while you’re eating or drinking
Wear loose, comfortable clothing
Take some exercise
Cut out frizzy drinks, beers and/or coffee

Nasal congestion and/or runny nose

Increased saliva

Headaches – don’t reach for your usual painkillers. Most headache medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are not the first choice for pregnant women. Paracetamol is considered safe to take occasionally but before you pop any pills, try one of these alternatives:
-       Take a gentle walk in the fresh air
-       Go to bed and sleep or just have a rest
-       Press a bag of frozen peas over the exact focus of the pain
-       Try a warm compress made with a tea towel socked in warm water
-       Have a head massage, using a hair-washing motion

2.4            Activities Recommended
Week 5th

Take a quick walk to boost your energy levels when you’re exhausted

Do some Kegal exercises

Try a relaxation technique – deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation

Have a massage

Start a pregnancy diary

Week 6th

To do pelvic floor exercises

Stock your kitchen with healthy pregnancy snacks

Eat a pregnancy superfood – eggs, salmon, sweet potato, walnuts, yogurt, beans

Track your weight gain

Take a bumpie photo

Enjoy early nights

Cut down on caffeine

Go bananas! They’re an excellent source of B vitamins which are important for your baby’s nervous system.

Week 7th

Keep track of what you’re eating this week

Check in with a friend

Do some stretching

Pack healthy snacks

Get into new music

Join your birth club

Week 8th

Create a mini spa

Take a walk to beat fatigue

Have an early night

Buy some pretty new lingerie

2.5            Concerns and To Read
Week 5th
-       Is it safe to do sit-ups or abdominal crunches during pregnancy?
-       Health: Drinking and smoking
-       Eating Well: Foods to avoid
-       Your Life: All change!
Week 6th
-       Is it safe to change cat litter during pregnancy?
-       Health: Trip to the loo
-       Eating Well: Foods to help with pregnancy sickness
-       Your Life: Planning a holiday
Week 7th
-       Is it safe to jog during pregnancy?
-       Health: Why is the risk of pregnancy loss is higher in the first trimester?
-       Eating Well: Do I need to take a pregnancy vitamin supplement?
-       Your Life: Riding the emotional rollercoaster
Week 8th
-       Is it safe to use a mobile phone while I’m pregnant?
-       Health: Your first antenatal appointment
-       Eating Well: Which cheeses are safe to eat in pregnancy?
-       Your Life: I can finally eat anything I want, and I don’t feel like eating anything at all.


2.6            At the Doctor’s Office
Your prenatal doctor visits will now start to slip into a routine. At the start of each appointment, expect to:
1.     Step on the scale
2.     Give a urine sample
3.     Have your blood pressure checked
4.     Be asked about any new or continuing pregnancy symptoms
5.     Have your doctor feel the outside of your abdomen

Prenatal Visit Notes
Date, Place, Cost

My Weight

Week of pregnancy

Fundal height

Blood pressure

Baby’s heart rate

Baby’s length

Tests
Results
1.

2.

3.

Additional Notes:





2.7            Dressing for Two

Few things to keep in mind while you develop your wardrobe:
1.     Decide how much you want to spend
2.     Consider your laundry threshold
3.     Mix and match
4.     Keep your sense of style
5.     Built to last?
6.     Purchase some nice loungewear or pajamas sets
7.     Think about the time of year when you’ll be delivering
8.     Borrow from your partner’s closet
9.     Ask for loans
1.     Rent a wardrobe
1.     Check consignment shops

Where to shop:


2.8            Modifying your Living Space

Nursery safety:
·      No peeling paint
·      No dangling blind cords
·      No loose flooring
·      No two piece doorstoppers (the rubber bumpers on many models can be a choking hazard)
·      No decorative crib features that could potentially catch on clothing or entrap the baby
·      Crib slats that are a maximum of 2 3/8 inches apart
·      A mattress that fits snugly against the crib sides

2.9            Milestones and Memories
Here is a place for you to record the thoughts, feelings, and physical changes you experience during your first month of pregnancy.
Time until due date:


Firsts:



Concerns:




Looking forward:




Questions for the doctor next month:




Reflections from the Heart:


I found out I was pregnant on


Where I was when I found out


My reaction


Dad’s reaction


How I told him


We celebrated by


Who we told (and their reactions)






Foods that make me queasy


Foods I find comforting


Foods I’ve been craving



I had an early ultrasound on


Our reaction



A message to our baby


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