4.0 – Month Four (Week 13-16th)

Sources:

1.     The Everything Pregnancy Organizer by Paula Ford-Martin

2.     http://www.babycenter.com/

3.     familyeducation.com

4.1            Checklist

1.     Treat yourself to a special day out.

2.     Begin keeping a food log.

3.     If you don’t have one, shop for a crib

4.     Create a prenatal exercise routine

4.2            Baby Development

Week 13th - More than 7cm long, the size of a pea pod - Weighs around 23 gram - Look like a real individual - Fingerprints have formed on tiny fingertips - Baby’s body is starting to catch up with that oversized head, which makes up just a third of the body size - Veins and organs are clearly visible through still-thin skin

Week 14th - Baby measures nearly 9cm, about as long as a lemon - Weighs around 43 gram - Her body is growing faster than her head - She now has a more distinct neck - Baby’s arms will have grown to a length that’s in proportion with the rest of her body by the end of this week - Her legs still have some catching up to do - Baby can squint, frown, grimace, pee and possibly suck her thumb - Baby’s facial muscles are getting a workout as her tiny features form one expression after another - Her hands and feet are more flexible and active - Kidneys are producing urine, which she releases into the amniotic fluid around her - Liver starts making bile this week and the spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells - All over baby’s body an ultra-fine, downy layer of hair, called lanugo, is starting to develop

Week 15th - Measures 10cm long, crown to rump, about the size of an apple - Weighs in at about 70 gram - Baby frequently gets the hiccups, which babies learn to do before breathing - Babies don’t make any sound because their windpipes is filled with fluid rather than air - Baby’s legs are growing longer than his arms now - He can move all those tiny joints and limbs - Although baby’s eyelids are still fused shut, he can sense light - He is forming taste buds - You may be able to find out whether your baby’s a boy or a girl if you have an ultrasound

Week 16th - About 12cm from head to bottom, about the size of an avocado - Weighs around 100 gram - Get ready for a growth spurt and baby will double her weight - Baby’s legs are much more developed, her head is more erect than it has been - Her eyes have moved closer to the front of her head - Baby’s ears are close to their final position - The pattern of hair on her scalp has begun to develop, though you can’t see any actual hair yet - Baby has even started growing toenails - Baby’s heart is now pumping about 28 litres of blood each day

4.3            My Body

Estimated Due Date (EDD):

	Week 13th	Week 14th	Week 15th	Week 16th
Date
Time
My weight

1.     Your uterus is about the size of a head of cabbage

2.     You start to have better appetite

3.     Heartburn may start to become a persistent problem. Some tips to relieve:

-       Avoid greasy, fatty and spicy foods

-       Stay away from alcohol and caffeinated drinks

-       Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large ones

-       Drink plenty of water between meals to reduce stomach acid

-       Don’t eat just before you go to bed or lay down to rest

-       Pile a few extra pillows on the bed to assist gravity in easing heartburn while you sleep

Check off which of the following symptoms you experience this month and discuss relief with doctor:

	Hemorrhoids
	Nausea
	Fatigue
	Frequent urination
	Tender and/or swollen breasts
	Bleeding gums
	Excess mucus and saliva
	Increase in vaginal discharge
	Mild shortness of breath
	Lightheadedness or dizziness
	Gas and/or constipation
	Skin and hair changes
	Feeling warm or easily overheated

4.4            Activities Recommended

Week 13th
	Taking vitamin D supplements
	Talk to your partner about parenting
	Drink water
	Eat a pregnancy superfood
	Go to bed early

Week 14th
	Writing down a pregnancy memory
	Take a bumpie
	Enjoy a girls’ day out
	Make a list of questions to ask your doctor at your next appointment
	Find out about antenatal classes

Week 15th
	Give your hair a treat
	Record the moment!
	Keep track of the nutrients you need
	Take a quick walk to boost your energy levels when you’re exhausted
	Track your weight gain
	Do something nice for yourself

Week 16th
	Go for a walk
	Take a bumpie
	Have a fling
	Do some financial planning
	Spend time with your partner

4.5            Concerns and To Read

Week 13th -       Is it safe to do extreme sports or activities during pregnancy? -       Health: Why do I have more vaginal discharge than usual? -       Eating Well: Calcium and vitamin D -       Your Life: Taking time off for antenatal appointments

Week 14th -       Is it safe to come into contact with chemicals? -       Health: Second trimester antenatal appointments -       Eating Well: Artificial sweeteners -       Your Life: Antenatal classes

Week 15th -       Is it safe to dye, perm or chemically straighten my hair during pregnancy? -       Health: Feeling your baby move -       Eating Well: Antioxidants -       Your Life: Strange dreams

Week 16th -       Is it safe to fly in pregnancy? -       Health: Easy breathing -       Eating Well: Crazy cravings -       Your Life: Too big for my fat trousers; Too small for my maternity trousers

4.6            At the Doctor’s Office

Women who have chosen to take an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test will have their blood drawn sometime between weeks sixteen and eighteen.

Prenatal Visit Notes

My Weight
Week of pregnancy
Fundal height
Blood pressure
Baby’s heart rate
Tests	Results
Additional Notes:

4.7            Exercise

Exercise will make you feel better, and it can tone muscles that will be getting a workout in labor and delivery. For women in regular pregnancies and not high-risk, 30-minute of moderate exercise daily is ideal. It’s best to avoid exercises that can cause you to become overheated or that involve bouncing, jarring, sudden change in direction, lifting, or a risk of falling.

The benefits a regular workout may provide:

1.     Keep energy up

2.     Relax

3.     Get postpartum weight down

4.     Ease your aches and pains

5.     Foster a positive mental attitude

Here are some generally safe pregnancy exercise ideas:

Hiking, Golf (sans cart), Yoga, Swimming, Walking, Stairs climbing, Stationary biking, Stretching exercises with a pregnancy ball, Light weight lifting, Water aerobics

Exercise Class Information

Consider these questions before you sign up for an exercise class:

1.     Do the time of the class fit your schedule?

2.     What is the missed-class policy?

3.     Are postpartum women in the class as well? If so, does the class include different exercises for them?

4.     What type of pregnancy training does the instructor have?

Class name:	Class name:
Class location: Phone number: Operating hours: Instructor: Instructor’s tel: Class time:	Class location: Phone number: Operating hours: Instructor: Instructor’s tel: Class time:

Pre-natal yoga classes in Singapore:

http://www.ihayoga.com.sg/classes/

http://beautymumsbabies.com/pre-natal-yoga.html

http://www.motherandchild.com.sg/yoga.php

http://www.pure-yoga.com/en/singapore/index.php

http://www.mominbalance.com/singapore/en/

http://www.inspiremumbaby.com/Pregnancy-and-Mums

http://www.breathepilates.com.sg/classes.html

http://www.upsidemotion.com/

http://www.aquaspin.sg/about/classes/

http://www.trueyoga.com.sg/faq/yoga-for-pregnant-women

http://www.comoshambhala.com/singapore/classes/yoga/pre-natal-yoga

4.8            Spreading the Word

Here are some ideas for sharing the news with family and friends:

·      Give them an ultrasound picture

·      Send out birthday invitations for the estimated due date

·      Take out a “Help Wanted: Grandparents” advertisement in their local classifieds and point them to it

·      Invite them to dinner (at home or out) and serve a frosting-inscribed “It’s a Boy/Girl/Baby,” “Congratulations Auntie,” or “We’re Pregnant” cake for dessert

·      Ask them to go shopping with you and take them to your four-month doctor’s appointment instead

·      If this isn’t your first, let your kids spread the news in their own special way

·      The old standby – “Guess what?” – works well, too

Here you can make a list of people you want to alert early on about your pregnancy. Consider family, friends and coworkers.

People to Tell Early	People to Tell Early
Name: Address: Phone number: Email:	Name: Address: Phone number: Email:

4.9            Working Through Pregnancy

Make sure that your employer hears about your pregnancy from you, and not around the water cooler, first. Accompany the news with your tentative schedule for maternity leave so that your manager can plan accordingly.

If this is your first child, it can be hard to fully assess the new career direction you’re taking. But there are probably some basic decisions you can make with a degree of certainty. For example, late shifts and double-overtime may be out of the picture for you now.

You should also ask questions to determine whether your company is even worth sticking with through your pregnancy and beyond. Comment in the spaces below to see how your company stacks up in the family-friendly category.

Flexibility: Does the company have written policies on options like flex-time, job-sharing, and telecommuting?

Lactation facilities: Are there appropriate, comfortable areas dedicated to breastfeeding or breast milk pumping? If not, is your employer willing to provide an appropriate, private space?

Paid paternity leave: Are dads given time off for a new baby with pay, or at least without prejudice? If a policy is in place, is it used successfully?

On-site child care or child care assistance: If your workplace doesn’t have on-site or sponsored child care, does it offer enrollment in a tax-free flexible spending account that allows you to save up to $5,000 tax free to pay child care expenses?

Time-saving perks: These may run the gamut from on-site dry cleaning and retail services to employee concierge services that can run small errands for you.

Value placed on education: Corporate-sponsored scholarships for children for employees, tuition assistance, and mentorship programs with local schools are a few ways a company may express the value of education.

Career Future Sheet

Ask yourself the following questions to assess the career direction you may want to take and decide what are feasible goals for your job future.

1.     Do you want to move into a supervisory position at your next review? Do you see your company promoting people who work excessive overtime? If so, are you capable of committing extra hours after your baby is born?

2.     Will you require an extremely or moderately flexible job?

3.     Is your partner’s job flexible enough to allow your job to be less so?

4.     Do you intend to continue advancing in your current career so as to be the primary earner in your family, or will your partner take on that role?

5.     Are you a single parent who will be relying on your own income after your baby is born?

6.     Do you have options for affordable child care for when your baby is born? How does this affect your postpartum working schedule?

7.     Is your job adaptable so that you can work from home? If not, would you like a job that is?

After completing the previous questionnaire, you can use your answers to create career goals based on what job characteristics you will be looking for once your child is born.

Career/Lifestyle Goal	How to Achieve My Goal
Have afternoon off	Become a part-time speech therapist instead of a full-time speech therapist.

Maternity Leave

It’s good idea to put all maternity leave plans in writing for your supervisor and to make an extra copy for placement in your personnel file. Lay the groundwork for your maternity leave so there won’t be too many questions or crises in your absence. If appropriate for your position, delegate some tasks to coworkers and arrange coverage by others.

            Check and double-check that all appropriate benefits paperwork has been filled out, signed off, and sent in well in advance of your planned departure. Maternity leave should be a low-stress time, not one that requires twice weekly contact with human resources to find out the status of your disability claim.

            So just how much, or how little, maternity should you take? Certainly the benefits your company provides will play a major factor in your decision. Factors to consider include:

Flexibility: Does the company have written policies on options like flex-time, job-sharing, and telecommuting?

Money: How much time off can you afford if your maternity benefits are minimal or non-existent? Don’t forget to factor any money you’ll be saving – such as dry cleaning bills, lunches out, and transportation expenses – into your equation.

Management: Even though you may be legally within your rights, in some organizations an extended leave may be frowned upon by those above you. What might management think, and more important, what kind of priority do you place on their disapproval?

Morale: Are your coworkers and subordinates happy and motivated or disillusioned and bitter? Employees who work as a team and feel invested in their workplace are more likely to rise to the challenge in your absence.

Malleability: Does it have to be all or nothing? Think about offering some creative proposals for extending your leave, such as reduced part-time schedule or telecommuting.

Full-Time at Home

Finally, for the woman who wants it all and wants it close to home, consider the possibility of forging your own family-friendly path. Many occupations lend themselves to home-based work, such as:

·      Writing

·      Income-tax preparation

·      Desktop publishing

·      Web design

·      Refinishing antiques

·      Creating crafts for retail

·      Sewing

·      Painting

Additional ideas for a home-based business:

Benefits Paperwork Checklist

Necessary Form	Deadline for Submission	Date Turned In

Maternity Leave Planner

Estimated due date:
Employer insurance benefits offered:
Total leave requested:
Amount of paid time off:
Amount of unpaid time off:
Estimated cost of unpaid time off:
Replacement arrangement (temporary help, coworker replacement, etc):
Responsibilities to take care of before leave:

4.10            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 started to show on When I started to show, I felt When I started to wearing maternity clothes, I felt The nicest thing my partner said to me My strangest pregnancy symptoms Foods I can’t get enough My prediction of baby’s gender Dad’s prediction My latest exciting pregnancy moment My latest embarrassing pregnancy moment My latest funny pregnancy moment My latest weird pregnancy dream