Pregnancy Month by Month

Pregnancy Month By Month Month 2 Month Take a pregnancy test, calculate your due date, start taking prenatal vitamins, find an obstetrician. Schedule prenatal screening tests Weight Height Size Weight Height Size About 2.54cm (1 inch) long and weighs about 9.45g (½ ounce). About 6-7mm (4 inch) long - about the size of a grain of rice! What's Happening What's Happening During the first month, your baby's head, brain, spinal cord, lungs and heart begin to form and the placenta begins to develop. By the end of the first month, your baby's heart begins to beat. During the second month, your baby's organs, muscles, bones, arms and legs begin to grow. Your baby's face is also developing, but the head is large compared to the body. What to expect What to expect Signs of pregnancy such as bloating, mood swings, mild cramping, tender or sore breasts, sensitivity to food and smells. You may feel tired, frequency of urination, morning sickness, constipation and emotional turmoil. Month 3 Review your physician/midwife obstetric fees, laboratory and special test charges. Month 4 Now is a good time to sign up for prenatal classes. Weight Height Size Weight Height Size About 7.6 -10 cm (3-4 inches) long and weighs about 28g (1 ounce). About 15 cm (6 inches) long and weighs about 113g (4 ounces). What's Happening What's Happening Your baby's arms, hands, fingers, feet, and toes are now fully formed and your baby can open and close his/her fists and mouth. Fingernails and toenails are beginning to develop and the ears are formed. Your baby's reproductive organs also develop, but your baby's gender is still too difficult to distinguish on ultrasound. With your baby's facial features now fully developed, he/she can smile and frown, yawn, stretch, and make faces. Plus reflexes such as sucking and swallowing are developing too. Your baby's gender is now identifiable. What to expect What to expect You can now add feeling faint to the list! As your appetite improves, food cravings may develop. Good news: you will now be able to hear your baby's heartbeat on ultrasound! This is an exciting time as you may feel "quickening" (start to feel the baby move) - it will feel like a slight fluttering sensation. Your sex drive may begin to return, but your waist will begin to expand. Month 5 Month 6 Most women are tested for gestational diabetes at this time. Complete the hospital pre-admission. Review your health care coverage. Go ahead and flaunt that bump! Weight Height Size Weight Height Size About 25 cm (10 inches) long and weighs from 227 to 455 g (½ to 1 pound). About 30 cm (12 inches) long and weighs just less than 1 kg (about 2 pounds). What's Happening What's Happening Your baby now has fingerprints and footprints, eyebrows, eyelids and eyelashes and can suck his/her thumb. Hair is beginning to grow on your baby's head and soft woolly hair called lanugo covers baby's body. Your baby can now hear and respond to your voice and music. Your baby's teeth are beginning to grow and his/her eyes can now open and he/she can hiccup. What to expect What to expect Heartburn and constipation may now kick in and you may feel your baby move quite a lot from now on. Your belly button may pop out. You may experience“Pregnancy brain" - forgetfulness! Backache, leg cramps, bleeding gums, hemorrhoids, constipation, heartburn and vaginal itching may become a problem. The skin on your stomach may feel itchy as it stretches. Month 8 Month 7 Time to start thinking about maternity leave and birth plans Make arrangements to tour the facility you will be delivering at. Childproof your home. Weight Height Size Weight Height Size Between 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 inches) long and weighs between 1 to 1.8 kg (2 and 4 pounds). About 41 to 46 cm (16½ to 18 inches) long and weighs about 1.8 to 2.7 kg (4 to 6 pounds). What's Happening What's Happening He or she changes position frequently and responds to stimuli, including sound, pain, and light. Your baby's skin is still wrinkled, red and translucent. The taste buds have developed. The wrinkles on your baby's skin are filling out with fat reserves. His/her lungs are still developing, but all the other organs are complete. Most babies settle in an upside down position, ready for birth. Baby's brain is developing rapidly at this time. What to expect What to expect Many women start experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. Stretch marks may appear as your skin continues to stretch. You may feel discomfort as baby pushes on your rib cage or organs. Pelvic pressure may increase as baby drops into this area. Indigestion and heartburn may become more intense. Month It's smart to have the hospital suitcase mostly packed by the time you are 37 weeks, maybe even earlier. Install car seat correctly. Month 9+ Plan ahead and schedule something to do everyday. Weight Height Size About 46 to 53 cm (18 to 21 inches) long and weighs about 2.7 to 3.6 kg (6 to 8 pounds). What's Happening What to expect Most babies are born between 266 Your baby's lungs are now fully developed. Your baby's reflexes are coordinated so he or she can blink, close the eyes, turn the head, grasp firmly, and respond to sounds, light, and touch. Baby is definitely ready to enter the world! and 294 days (38 to 42 weeks). If you're overdue, don't worry. A lot of women go past their estimated due date. Your doctor will arrange regular checks to make sure you and your baby are ok. What to expect Sleep will become more difficult due to your size. You may notice that your baby moves less due to tight space. Lightening - baby settles into the pelvis, making it easier for you to breathe. May have false labor pains. Watch out for signs of labor: a "show", your waters breaking or frequent and painful cramps (contractions). Sources: http://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HPM00341.pdf http://www.hunterdonhealthcare.org/pregnancymonthbymonth http://www.babies.sutterhealth.org/babygrowth/fetaldev/ http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/pregnancy/hic-fetal-develop ment-stages-of-growth.aspx By firsttimepregnancy.org