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.Pregnancy Week by Week.
Congratulations! You are pregnant. Wondering how baby is growing? Here's a way to find out what is happening inside you - as baby grows. Track your baby's development week by week - from the size of a cherry at 8 weeks to what's causing those kicks and punches at week 20.
Week 1
This is when you had your last menstrual period. Since your expected date of delivery is usually calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period, this week too is part of your pregnancy, though baby was not conceived yet.
Even as you get ready to conceive, you will have to avoid alcohol, drugs and tobacco products. You may also need to discuss with your doctor about any prescription drugs that you are taking and if it safe to continue them. A well-balanced diet with adequate amount of vitamins and folic acid is essential during this phase. You could talk to your doctor about taking a folic acid supplement while trying to conceive, as it reduces the risk of neural tube defects.
Week 2
You are not yet pregnant, but the fertilization of your egg by the sperm is about to take place soon. Your uterine lining, which will nourish the baby, is developing, and your body secretes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates an egg to mature. At the end of this week, you will be at the midpoint of your menstrual cycle (if you have a regular 28-day cycle), and ovulation will occur (your ovary will release an egg into the fallopian tube).
This is when you're most likely to conceive. If you have sexual intercourse without protection around the time that you ovulate, you can become pregnant. After your partner ejaculates, millions of sperm travel through the vagina, and hundreds make it to the fallopian tube, where your egg is waiting. One sperm generally succeeds in penetrating the egg, and fertilization takes place. When that happens, you will be pregnant - although you will not be feeling any body changes just yet.
Even though you may not feel that you're pregnant yet, you have a baby growing and developing inside you! Although your baby was just conceived, he or she is working overtime. The fertilized egg goes through a process of division. About 30 hours after fertilization, it divides into two cells, then four cells, then eight, and continues to divide as it moves from the fallopian tube to the uterus. By the time it gets to the uterus, this group of cells looks like a tiny ball and is called a morula.
The morula becomes hollow and fills with fluid - it is then known as a blastocyst. Near the end of this week, the blastocyst will attach itself to the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This is called implantation. The implantation in the uterus is an essential connection - the endometrium will provide the developing embryo with nutrients and will remove wastes. Over time, this implantation site will develop into the placenta.
Week 3
Your baby (now called an embryo) consists of two layers of cells - the epiblast and the hypoblast - that will eventually develop into your baby's organs and body parts. Two other structures developing now are the amnion and the yolk sac. The amnion, filled with amniotic fluid, will surround and protect the growing embryo. The yolk sac will produce blood and help to nourish the embryo until the placenta takes over that role.
Week 4
This week baby continues to implant in the uterus, burying itself deep into the endometrium and starts producing a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which helps to maintain the lining of the uterus. It also sends a signal to the ovary to stop releasing an egg each month, which stops your monthly periods. hCG is the hormone that is measured in pregnancy tests. So, a home pregnancy test taken now will probably be able to detect your pregnancy!
Some women experience slight cramping and spotting of blood during this week while implantation is taking place, and they may mistake this for a period, as it often occurs around the time their monthly period was due. hCG also causes the symptoms of pregnancy, which can appear this week. Fatigue, tingling or aching breasts, or nausea might lead you to believe your period will be starting any day because the first pregnancy symptoms resemble premenstrual syndrome (PMS). But by the end of this week, your expected period will not take place. Your pregnancy is well on its way!
Week 5
Your baby's brain and nervous system are now developing at a rapid pace. Optic vesicles, which later form the eyes, begin to develop this week on the side of the head, as do the passageways that will make up the inner ear.
Your baby's heart will begin to beat around this time, and it may even be detected on ultrasound examination. And the beginnings of the digestive and respiratory systems are forming, too. Small buds that will grow into your baby's arms and legs also appear this week.
Babies often are measured from the crown to rump rather than from head to toe because their legs are curled up against the torso for much of the pregnancy, making a full-length measurement difficult. This week, your baby only measures 0.08 to 0.2 inches (2 to 5 millimeters) from crown to rump!
Week 6
Your baby is constantly adapting to life inside the uterus. By this week, the umbilical cord has formed. It will be your baby's connection to you throughout your pregnancy, providing oxygen and nourishment for your baby and disposing of your baby's wastes. In addition, your baby's digestive tract and lungs continue to form.
Your baby's face is taking shape too. The mouth, nostrils, ears, and eyes are some of the facial features that become more defined this week. The arm bud that developed just last week has a hand on the end of it, which looks like a tiny paddle.
Common pregnancy complaints may hit in full force this week. You may feel extreme fatigue as your body adjusts to the demands of pregnancy. And tender, aching breasts and nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) may leave you feeling less than great.
Week 7
Baby's tiny fingers and toes are just beginning to form this week, and the arms can even flex at the elbows and wrists. The eyes are becoming more obvious because they've begun to develop pigment (color) in the retina (back of the eye).
Also, the intestines are getting longer and there isn't enough room for them in the baby's abdomen, so they protrude into the umbilical cord until week 12. By now, the beginnings of the buds that will develop into your baby's genitals have made their appearance, although they've not yet developed enough to reveal whether your baby is a boy or a girl.
Pregnancy causes many changes in your cervix. By this week you'll have developed a mucous plug, which forms in the opening of the cervical canal and seals off the uterus for protection. You will lose this plug later as your cervix dilates in preparation for labor.
Week 8
The tail at the bottom of your baby's spinal cord has shrunk and almost disappeared by this week. In contrast, your baby's head has been growing - it's quite large compared with the rest of the body and it curves onto the chest. By this week, your baby measures about 0.6 to 0.7 inches (16 to 18 millimeters) from crown to rump and weighs around 0.1 ounces (3 grams). The tip of the nose has developed and can be seen in profile, and flaps of skin over the eyes have begun to shape into eyelids, which will become more noticeable in the next few weeks.
Baby's digestive system continues to develop. The anus is forming, and the intestines are growing longer. In addition, internal reproductive features, such as testes and ovaries, start to form this week. Your baby may make some first movements this week as muscles develop. If you had an ultrasound now, those movements might even be visible, though you won't be able to feel them for several more weeks.
Week 9
All your baby's vital organs have formed by now and are starting to work together. As external changes such as the separation of fingers and toes and the disappearance of the tail takes place, internal developments are taking place too. Tooth buds form inside the mouth, and if you're having a boy, his testes will begin producing the male hormone testosterone.
Congenital abnormalities are unlikely to develop after week 10. This also marks the end of the embryonic period - in general, the embryo now has a distinctly human appearance and starting next week your baby will officially be considered a fetus.
Week 10
From this week until week 20, your baby will be growing rapidly - increasing in size from about 2 inches (5 cm) to about 8 inches (20 cm) from crown to rump. To accommodate all this growth, the blood vessels in the placenta are increasing in both size and number to provide the baby with more nutrients.
Facial development continues as the ears move toward their final position on the sides of the head. If you saw a picture of your baby now, you'd think you had a genius on your hands - the baby's head accounts for about half of the body length!
Although your baby's reproductive organs are developing rapidly, the external genitals of boys and girls appear somewhat similar until the end of week 11- and can be clearly differentiated only by week 14.
Week 11
Your baby's brain continues to develop, and tiny fingernails and toenails start to form. Vocal cords are formed this week, which marks the end of the first trimester.Baby's kidneys are also functioning! After swallowing amniotic fluid, your baby will now be able to pass it out of the body as urine. And the intestines will make their way into the abdomen, since there is room for them now.
Week 12
As you begin the second trimester of pregnancy, your placenta has developed and is providing your baby with oxygen, nutrients and waste disposal. The placenta also produces the hormones progesterone and estrogen, which help to maintain the pregnancy. By now, baby's eyelids have fused together to protect the eyes as they develop. Your baby may also be able to put a thumb in his or her mouth this week, although the sucking muscles aren't completely developed yet.
Increased blood volume and pregnancy hormones work together to give you that 'pregnancy glow'. The greater blood volume brings more blood to the blood vessels and hormones increase oil gland secretion, resulting in a flushed, plumper, smoother skin appearance. Sometimes, though, the increased oil gland secretion can cause temporary acne.
Week 13
By this week, some fine hairs have developed on your baby's face. This soft colorless hair is called lanugo, and it will eventually cover most of your baby's body until it is shed just before delivery.
By now, your baby's genitals have fully developed, though they may still be difficult to detect on an ultrasound examination. In addition, your baby starts to produce thyroid hormones because the thyroid gland has matured. Your baby now weighs about 1.6 ounces (45 grams) and is about 3.5 inches (9 cm) long from crown to rump.
Week 14
Your baby's skin has been continuously developing, and it is so thin and translucent that you can see the blood vessels through it. Hair growth continues on the eyebrows and the head. Your baby's ears are almost in position now, although they are still set a bit low on the head.
Internally, your baby's skeletal system continues to develop. Muscle development continues too, and your baby is probably making lots of movements with his or her head, mouth, arms, wrists, hands, legs, and feet.
Week 15
Your baby now weighs about 3.9 ounces (110 grams) and measures about 4.7 inches (12 cm) in length from crown to rump. Your baby can hold his or her head erect, and the development of facial muscles allows for a variety of expressions, such as squinting and frowning.
It's normal to feel as if you're on an emotional roller coaster (it's due to those raging hormones). You may also be feeling scatterbrained - even the most organized women report that pregnancy somehow makes them forgetful, clumsy, and unable to concentrate. Try to keep the stress in your life to a minimum and take your "mental lapses" in stride - they're only temporary.
Week 16
At about 4.7 inches (12 cm) long from crown to rump and weighing 3.5 ounces (100 grams), your baby is still very tiny. The placenta, which nourishes the fetus with nutrients and oxygen and removes wastes, is growing to accommodate your baby. It now contains thousands of blood vessels that bring nutrients and oxygen from your body to your baby's developing body.
Week 17
Baby's ears now move to their final position and they stand out from the head. Start brushing up on your lullabies as in the coming weeks, your baby will probably be able to hear! The bones of the middle ear and the nerve endings from the brain are developing so that your baby will hear sounds such as your heartbeat and blood moving through the umbilical cord. He or she may even be startled by loud noises! Your baby's eyes are also developing - they're now facing forward rather than to the sides, and the retinas may be able to detect the beam of a flashlight if you hold it to your abdomen. Until now, your baby's bones had been developing but were still soft. This week, they begin to harden, or ossify. Some of the first bones to ossify are those in the clavicles and the legs.
You may notice that your breasts have changed considerably since your pregnancy began. Hormones are preparing your breasts for milk production - more blood is flowing to the breasts and the glands that produce milk are growing in preparation for breastfeeding. This can increase your breast size (many women increase one to two cup sizes) and cause veins to become visible. Buy supportive bras in a variety of sizes to accommodate your breast growth during pregnancy.
Week 18
Your baby is now covered with a white, waxy substance called vernix caseosa, which helps prevent delicate skin from becoming chapped or scratched. Premature babies may be covered in this cheesy coating at delivery.
Your baby is still tiny, but this week brings the development of brown fat, which will help keep your baby warm after birth. During the last trimester, your baby will add more layers of fat for warmth and protection.
Week 19
Baby is moving! And, you are half-way there! It's great to feel your baby's first movements, which often happens between weeks 18 and 20. These first movements are known as quickening, and they may feel like butterflies in your stomach or a growling stomach. Later in your pregnancy, you'll feel kicks, punches, and possibly hiccups! Each baby has different movement patterns, but if you're concerned or if the movements have decreased in frequency or intensity, talk to your doctor.
Twenty weeks into your pregnancy, your baby has grown significantly from that first dividing cell and now weighs about 9 ounces (260 grams) and measures 5.5 to 6.3 inches (14 to 16 cm) from crown to rump. The baby is taking up increasing room in your uterus, and continued growth will put pressure on your lungs, stomach, bladder, and kidneys. Under the vernix caseosa (a protective, waxy coating), your baby's skin is thickening and developing layers, including the dermis, epidermis, and subcutaneous layer. Hair and nail growth continues this week.
Week 20
The amniotic fluid that has cushioned and supported your baby in the uterus now serves another purpose. The intestines have developed enough that small amounts of sugars can be absorbed from the fluid your baby swallows and will be passed through the digestive system to the large bowel. Almost all of your baby's nourishment, however, still comes from you through the placenta.
Until now your baby's liver and spleen have been responsible for the production of blood cells. (The fetal liver stops producing blood cells a few weeks before birth and the spleen stops by week 30.) But now the bone marrow spaces are developed enough to contribute to blood cell formation as well, and bone marrow will become the major site of blood cell production in the third trimester.
Week 21
The senses your baby will use to learn about the world are developing daily. Taste buds have started to form on the tongue, and the brain and nerve endings are formed enough so that the fetus can feel touch. Your baby may experiment with this newfound sense of touch by stroking his or her face or sucking on a thumb, as well as feeling other body parts and seeing how they move.
Your baby's reproductive system is continuing to develop, too. In boys, the testes have begun to descend from the abdomen, and in girls, the uterus and ovaries are in place and the vagina is developed.
Week 22
Even though fat is beginning to accumulate on your baby's body, the skin still hangs loosely, giving your baby a wrinkled appearance. Your baby's daily workout routine includes moving the muscles in the fingers, toes, arms, and legs regularly. As a result, you may feel more forceful movements.
By now your baby weighs nearly 460 grams. If preterm labor and delivery were to occur this week, a baby could survive with expert medical care, but might have mild to severe disabilities. With increasing research and knowledge in the field of fetal medicine, the long-term prognosis for premature babies (preemies) is continuously improving every year.
Week 23
Your baby is still receiving oxygen through the placenta. But once birth occurs, his or her lungs will start taking in oxygen on their own. In preparation for that, your baby's lungs are developing the ability to produce surfactant. Surfactant is a substance that keeps the air sacs in our lungs from collapsing and sticking together when we exhale, allowing us to breathe properly.
Because the inner ear - which controls balance in the body - is now completely developed, your baby may be able to tell when he or she is upside down or right side up while floating and making movements in the amniotic fluid.
Week 24
You may notice that your baby has resting and alert periods. You'll notice fetal activity more readily when you are more sedentary. Your baby's hearing has continued to develop too - he or she may now be able to hear your voice!
An important prenatal test, glucose screening, is usually performed sometime during weeks 24 to 28. The glucose screening test checks for gestational diabetes, a temporary type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in the newborn, such as low blood sugar. Gestational diabetes may also increase the chances that a woman would need a cesarean section because it can lead to the growth of very large babies.
Week 25
Your baby, weighing a little less than 2 pounds (907 grams), still looks wrinkly but will continue to gain weight steadily over the next 14 weeks until birth. If your baby is a boy, his testicles will start their descent into the scrotum, which takes about 2 to 3 days.
Pregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects when it comes to digestion. Not only does the hormone progesterone slow the emptying of the stomach, but it also relaxes the valve at the entrance to the stomach so that it doesn't close properly. This allows acidic stomach contents to move upward into the esophagus - resulting in indigestion or heartburn. The expanding uterus also puts additional pressure on the stomach in the last few months of pregnancy. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid spicy and fatty foods.
Week 26
By this first week of the third trimester, your baby looks similar to what he or she will look like at birth, except thinner and smaller. The lungs, liver, and immune system still need to fully mature, but if born now, your baby would have a very good chance of surviving.
As hearing continues to develop, your baby may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's. Sounds may be muffled, though, because the ears are still covered with vernix, the thick waxy coating that protects the skin from becoming chapped by the amniotic fluid.
Week 27
Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds, 2 ounces (1,000 grams) and measures about 10 inches (25 cm) from crown to rump. At your next prenatal appointment, your health care provider may tell you whether your baby is headfirst or feet- or bottom-first (called breech position) in the womb. Babies who are in the breech position may need to be delivered by cesarean section. Your baby still has 2 months to change position, though, so don't worry if your baby is in the breech position right now. Most babies will switch positions on their own.
The folds and grooves of your baby's brain continue to develop and expand. In addition, your baby continues to add layers of fat and has continued hair growth.
Week 28
Your baby continues to be active, and those first few flutters of movement have given way to hard jabs and punches that may take your breath away. If you notice a decrease in movement, do a fetal kick count: your baby should move at least 10 times in an hour. If your baby moves less, talk to your doctor.
When your doctor recommended those blood tests early in your pregnancy, one thing that was measured is the Rh factor, a substance found in the red blood cells of most people. If you don't have it (if you're Rh negative) but your baby does (is Rh positive), there is potential for your baby to have health problems, such as jaundice and anemia. Your doctor can prevent these problems by giving you a vaccine called Rh immune globulin at 28 weeks and again after delivery.
Week 29
Now weighing about 3 pounds (1,400 grams) and measuring about 10.8 inches (27 cm) from crown to rump, your baby continues to gain weight and layers of fat. This fat makes the baby look less wrinkly and will help provide warmth after birth.
In preparation for respiration after birth, your baby will mimic breathing movements by repeatedly moving the diaphragm. Your baby can even get the hiccups, which you may feel as rhythmic twitches in your uterus.
Week 30
By now your baby is urinating approximately several cups of urine a day into the amniotic fluid. He or she is also swallowing amniotic fluid, which is completely replaced several times a day. Excess fluid in the amniotic sac (known as polyhydramnios) may mean that the baby isn't swallowing normally or that there is a gastrointestinal obstruction. Inadequate fluid in the amniotic sac (oligohydramnios) may mean that the baby isn't urinating properly and could indicate a problem with the kidneys or urinary tract. Your doctor will measure your levels of amniotic fluid as part of your routine ultrasound.
Week 31
The final touches are being placed on your baby masterpiece. Eyelashes, eyebrows and the hair on your baby's head are evident. The lanugo hair that has covered your baby since the beginning of the second trimester is falling off, although some may remain on the shoulders and back at birth.
At about 4 pounds (1,800 grams) and 11.4 inches (29 cm) from crown to rump, your baby would have an excellent chance of survival outside the womb if you delivered now. The milk glands in your breasts may have started to make colostrum by now. Colostrum is the thick, yellowish milk that will provide your baby with calories and nutrients for the first few days before your milk comes in. If you notice your breasts leaking colostrum, you can buy disposable or washable breast pads to protect your clothing.
Week 32
In these last few weeks before delivery, the billions of developed neurons in your baby's brain are helping him or her to learn about the in-utero environment - your baby can listen, feel, and even see somewhat. Your baby's eyes can detect light and the pupils can constrict and dilate in response to light. Like a newborn, your baby sleeps much of the time and even experiences the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, the sleep stage during which our most vivid dreams occur!
Your baby's lungs are almost completely matured. Fat will continue to be deposited on your baby's body for protection and warmth. Babies gain a good deal of their weight in the final few weeks before birth.
Week 33
The vernix coating on the baby's skin is becoming thicker, whereas lanugo hair is almost completely gone.
By now most babies will be in position for delivery. Your health care provider can tell you if your baby is positioned head- or bottom-first. Babies born at 34 weeks usually have fairly well-developed lungs, and their average size of 5 pounds (2,250 grams) and 12.6 inches (32 cm) from crown to rump allows them to survive outside the womb without extensive medical intervention.
Maternal calcium intake is extremely important during pregnancy because the baby will draw calcium from the mother to make and harden bone. If a pregnant woman doesn't get enough calcium during pregnancy, it can affect her own bones because the developing fetus will take minerals from the mother's skeletal structure as needed.
Week 34
Your baby already weighs about 5 pounds, 5 ounces (2,400 grams), but this week begins your baby's most rapid period of weight gain - about 8 to 12 ounces (226 to 340 grams) each week! Fat is being deposited all over your baby's body, especially around the shoulders.
Because of this increasing size, your baby is now cramped and restricted inside the uterus - so fetal movements may decrease, but they may be stronger and more forceful. If your baby is in a headfirst position, his or her head will rest on your pubic bone in preparation for labor.
Fatigue is a common complaint of late pregnancy. Difficulty sleeping, aches and pains, weight gain, and anxiety about labor, delivery, and taking care of a newborn may contribute to your exhaustion. Rest as much as you can and take naps if possible.
Week 35
The wrinkly, tiny fetus you may have seen on earlier ultrasounds has given way to an almost plump baby. There is fat on your baby's cheeks, and powerful sucking muscles also contribute to your baby's full face. Your baby now weighs a little under 6 pounds (2,721 grams).
The bones that make up your baby's skull can move relative to one another and overlap each other while your baby's head is inside your pelvis. This phenomenon is called molding, and it helps the baby pass through the birth canal. Don't be surprised if your baby arrives with a pointy or misshapen head! After a few hours or days, your baby's head will be back to a rounded shape.
Week 36
This week, your baby is considered full-term! But your baby hasn't stopped growing yet. He or she continues to develop fat at the rate of half an ounce (14 grams) a day. In general, boys weigh more than girls at birth.
Your baby has developed enough coordination to grasp with the fingers. If shown a bright light, your baby may turn toward it in your uterus.
Starting this week, you may begin to see your doctor every week - who may give you an internal exam to determine if cervical effacement (thinning of the cervix) or dilation (opening of the cervix) has begun.
You may experience engagement (also known as lightening), which is when the baby drops into the mother's pelvis in preparation for labor. Your appetite may return because the baby is no longer putting as much pressure on your stomach and intestines, and if you've been experiencing heartburn, the baby's descent may somewhat alleviate it.
Week 37
Your baby weighs about 6 pounds, 6 ounces (2,900 grams) by now and measures about 13.4 inches (34 cm) in length from crown to rump. Fat is still accumulating, although growth is slower now. You may notice that your weight gain has decreased or ceased.
Since your baby has had the muscles to suck and swallow amniotic fluid, waste material has been accumulating in his or her intestines. Cells shed from the intestines, dead skin cells, and lanugo hair are some of the waste products that contribute to meconium, a greenish-black substance that constitutes your baby's first bowel movement. If you're having a boy, his testicles have descended into the scrotum, unless he has a condition called undescended testicle. If you're having a girl, the labia are now completely developed.
After this week, you may lose the mucous plug that sealed off your uterus from infection. The mucous plug can be lost a few weeks, days, or hours before labor and is thick, yellowish, and may be tinged with blood (the mucous plug is also called bloody show). As the cervix dilates in preparation for the labor, the plug is discharged from the body. Be sure to discuss with your doctor about any discharge you may be having.
Week 38
Most of the vernix that covered your baby's skin has disappeared, as has the lanugo. Your body has been supplying the baby with antibodies through the placenta that will help the baby's immune system fight infection for the first 6-12 months of life.
Umbilical cords, which carry nutrients from the placenta to the baby, vary in size but average about 22 inches (55 cm) long and half an inch (1-2 cm) thick. Sometimes the umbilical cord can become wrapped around a baby's neck. Generally, this doesn't cause problems, although a cesarean delivery could be required if it causes pressure on the umbilical cord during labor or delivery. A true knot in the umbilical cord is much less common, occurring in only about 1% of pregnancies.
Week 39
After many weeks of anticipation and preparation, your baby is here! Or maybe not. Only 5% of women deliver on their estimated due dates, and many first-time mothers find themselves waiting up to 2 weeks after their due date for their baby to arrive.
The rupture of your amniotic sac could happen any day now. When their water breaks, some women experience a large gush of water and some feel a steady trickle. Many women don't experience their water breaking until they're well into labor. Others need to have their water broken by their health care providers to get their labor started or to speed it up. If you think your water has broken or you are experiencing regular contractions, contact your health care provider.
A baby born at 40 weeks weighs, on average, 7 pounds, 8 ounces (3,500 grams) and measures 19 to 20 inches (48 to 51 cm). Don't expect your baby to look all chubby and cute right away - newborns often have heads temporarily misshapen from the birth canal and may be covered with vernix and blood. Your baby's skin may have skin discolorations, dry patches, and rashes - these many variations are completely normal.
Week 40
This week you'll experience the moment you've been anticipating - your introduction to your baby! Before you can meet your baby, though, you have to go through labor and delivery. Labor actually consists of three stages. The first stage of labor works to thin and stretch your cervix by contracting your uterus at regular intervals. The second stage of labor is when you push your baby into the vaginal canal and out of your body. The third and final stage of labor is when you deliver the placenta.
Right after birth, your doctor will suction mucus out of your baby's mouth and nose, and you'll hear that long-awaited first cry. Your baby may then be placed on your stomach, and the umbilical cord will be cut. A series of quick screening tests, such as the Apgar score, will be performed to assess your baby's responsiveness and vital signs, and he or she will be weighed and measured. If your pregnancy was high risk, or if a cesarean section was necessary, a neonatologist (a doctor who specializes in newborn intensive care) will be present at your delivery to take care of your baby right away. If your baby needs any special care to adjust to life outside the womb, it will be given - and then your newborn will be placed in your waiting arms.
If you do not go into labor within a week of your due date, your health care provider may recommend you receive a nonstress test, which monitors fetal heart rate and movement to be sure that the baby is receiving adequate oxygen and that the nervous system is responding. Talk to your doctor to find out more about this test.
Sometimes mother nature may need a little coaxing. If your labor is not progressing, or if your health or your baby's health requires it, your doctor may induce labor by artificially rupturing the membranes or by administering the hormone oxytocin or other medications. If your pregnancy is high risk, or if there are any other potential complications, you may require a cesarean section delivery.
Some women know ahead of time that they will be delivering via cesarean section and are able to schedule their baby's "birth day" well in advance. If you are one of them, you have probably been able to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for the birth - which can help to lessen the feelings of disappointment that many mothers who are unable to deliver vaginally experience. But even if you have to undergo a cesarean section that wasn't planned, rest assured that you will still be able to bond with your baby. It might not be the birth experience you imagined, but your beautiful newborn has arrived nonetheless. The months of waiting are over! Good luck with your babies!
From India, Coimbatore
733.Pregnancy Week by Week.
Congratulations! You are pregnant. Wondering how baby is growing? Here's a way to find out what is happening inside you - as baby grows. Track your baby's development week by week - from the size of a cherry at 8 weeks to what's causing those kicks and punches at week 20.
Week 1
This is when you had your last menstrual period. Since your expected date of delivery is usually calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period, this week too is part of your pregnancy, though baby was not conceived yet.
Even as you get ready to conceive, you will have to avoid alcohol, drugs and tobacco products. You may also need to discuss with your doctor about any prescription drugs that you are taking and if it safe to continue them. A well-balanced diet with adequate amount of vitamins and folic acid is essential during this phase. You could talk to your doctor about taking a folic acid supplement while trying to conceive, as it reduces the risk of neural tube defects.
Week 2
You are not yet pregnant, but the fertilization of your egg by the sperm is about to take place soon. Your uterine lining, which will nourish the baby, is developing, and your body secretes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates an egg to mature. At the end of this week, you will be at the midpoint of your menstrual cycle (if you have a regular 28-day cycle), and ovulation will occur (your ovary will release an egg into the fallopian tube).
This is when you're most likely to conceive. If you have sexual intercourse without protection around the time that you ovulate, you can become pregnant. After your partner ejaculates, millions of sperm travel through the vagina, and hundreds make it to the fallopian tube, where your egg is waiting. One sperm generally succeeds in penetrating the egg, and fertilization takes place. When that happens, you will be pregnant - although you will not be feeling any body changes just yet.
Even though you may not feel that you're pregnant yet, you have a baby growing and developing inside you! Although your baby was just conceived, he or she is working overtime. The fertilized egg goes through a process of division. About 30 hours after fertilization, it divides into two cells, then four cells, then eight, and continues to divide as it moves from the fallopian tube to the uterus. By the time it gets to the uterus, this group of cells looks like a tiny ball and is called a morula.
The morula becomes hollow and fills with fluid - it is then known as a blastocyst. Near the end of this week, the blastocyst will attach itself to the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. This is called implantation. The implantation in the uterus is an essential connection - the endometrium will provide the developing embryo with nutrients and will remove wastes. Over time, this implantation site will develop into the placenta.
Week 3
Your baby (now called an embryo) consists of two layers of cells - the epiblast and the hypoblast - that will eventually develop into your baby's organs and body parts. Two other structures developing now are the amnion and the yolk sac. The amnion, filled with amniotic fluid, will surround and protect the growing embryo. The yolk sac will produce blood and help to nourish the embryo until the placenta takes over that role.
Week 4
This week baby continues to implant in the uterus, burying itself deep into the endometrium and starts producing a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which helps to maintain the lining of the uterus. It also sends a signal to the ovary to stop releasing an egg each month, which stops your monthly periods. hCG is the hormone that is measured in pregnancy tests. So, a home pregnancy test taken now will probably be able to detect your pregnancy!
Some women experience slight cramping and spotting of blood during this week while implantation is taking place, and they may mistake this for a period, as it often occurs around the time their monthly period was due. hCG also causes the symptoms of pregnancy, which can appear this week. Fatigue, tingling or aching breasts, or nausea might lead you to believe your period will be starting any day because the first pregnancy symptoms resemble premenstrual syndrome (PMS). But by the end of this week, your expected period will not take place. Your pregnancy is well on its way!
Week 5
Your baby's brain and nervous system are now developing at a rapid pace. Optic vesicles, which later form the eyes, begin to develop this week on the side of the head, as do the passageways that will make up the inner ear.
Your baby's heart will begin to beat around this time, and it may even be detected on ultrasound examination. And the beginnings of the digestive and respiratory systems are forming, too. Small buds that will grow into your baby's arms and legs also appear this week.
Babies often are measured from the crown to rump rather than from head to toe because their legs are curled up against the torso for much of the pregnancy, making a full-length measurement difficult. This week, your baby only measures 0.08 to 0.2 inches (2 to 5 millimeters) from crown to rump!
Week 6
Your baby is constantly adapting to life inside the uterus. By this week, the umbilical cord has formed. It will be your baby's connection to you throughout your pregnancy, providing oxygen and nourishment for your baby and disposing of your baby's wastes. In addition, your baby's digestive tract and lungs continue to form.
Your baby's face is taking shape too. The mouth, nostrils, ears, and eyes are some of the facial features that become more defined this week. The arm bud that developed just last week has a hand on the end of it, which looks like a tiny paddle.
Common pregnancy complaints may hit in full force this week. You may feel extreme fatigue as your body adjusts to the demands of pregnancy. And tender, aching breasts and nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) may leave you feeling less than great.
Week 7
Baby's tiny fingers and toes are just beginning to form this week, and the arms can even flex at the elbows and wrists. The eyes are becoming more obvious because they've begun to develop pigment (color) in the retina (back of the eye).
Also, the intestines are getting longer and there isn't enough room for them in the baby's abdomen, so they protrude into the umbilical cord until week 12. By now, the beginnings of the buds that will develop into your baby's genitals have made their appearance, although they've not yet developed enough to reveal whether your baby is a boy or a girl.
Pregnancy causes many changes in your cervix. By this week you'll have developed a mucous plug, which forms in the opening of the cervical canal and seals off the uterus for protection. You will lose this plug later as your cervix dilates in preparation for labor.
Week 8
The tail at the bottom of your baby's spinal cord has shrunk and almost disappeared by this week. In contrast, your baby's head has been growing - it's quite large compared with the rest of the body and it curves onto the chest. By this week, your baby measures about 0.6 to 0.7 inches (16 to 18 millimeters) from crown to rump and weighs around 0.1 ounces (3 grams). The tip of the nose has developed and can be seen in profile, and flaps of skin over the eyes have begun to shape into eyelids, which will become more noticeable in the next few weeks.
Baby's digestive system continues to develop. The anus is forming, and the intestines are growing longer. In addition, internal reproductive features, such as testes and ovaries, start to form this week. Your baby may make some first movements this week as muscles develop. If you had an ultrasound now, those movements might even be visible, though you won't be able to feel them for several more weeks.
Week 9
All your baby's vital organs have formed by now and are starting to work together. As external changes such as the separation of fingers and toes and the disappearance of the tail takes place, internal developments are taking place too. Tooth buds form inside the mouth, and if you're having a boy, his testes will begin producing the male hormone testosterone.
Congenital abnormalities are unlikely to develop after week 10. This also marks the end of the embryonic period - in general, the embryo now has a distinctly human appearance and starting next week your baby will officially be considered a fetus.
Week 10
From this week until week 20, your baby will be growing rapidly - increasing in size from about 2 inches (5 cm) to about 8 inches (20 cm) from crown to rump. To accommodate all this growth, the blood vessels in the placenta are increasing in both size and number to provide the baby with more nutrients.
Facial development continues as the ears move toward their final position on the sides of the head. If you saw a picture of your baby now, you'd think you had a genius on your hands - the baby's head accounts for about half of the body length!
Although your baby's reproductive organs are developing rapidly, the external genitals of boys and girls appear somewhat similar until the end of week 11- and can be clearly differentiated only by week 14.
Week 11
Your baby's brain continues to develop, and tiny fingernails and toenails start to form. Vocal cords are formed this week, which marks the end of the first trimester.Baby's kidneys are also functioning! After swallowing amniotic fluid, your baby will now be able to pass it out of the body as urine. And the intestines will make their way into the abdomen, since there is room for them now.
Week 12
As you begin the second trimester of pregnancy, your placenta has developed and is providing your baby with oxygen, nutrients and waste disposal. The placenta also produces the hormones progesterone and estrogen, which help to maintain the pregnancy. By now, baby's eyelids have fused together to protect the eyes as they develop. Your baby may also be able to put a thumb in his or her mouth this week, although the sucking muscles aren't completely developed yet.
Increased blood volume and pregnancy hormones work together to give you that 'pregnancy glow'. The greater blood volume brings more blood to the blood vessels and hormones increase oil gland secretion, resulting in a flushed, plumper, smoother skin appearance. Sometimes, though, the increased oil gland secretion can cause temporary acne.
Week 13
By this week, some fine hairs have developed on your baby's face. This soft colorless hair is called lanugo, and it will eventually cover most of your baby's body until it is shed just before delivery.
By now, your baby's genitals have fully developed, though they may still be difficult to detect on an ultrasound examination. In addition, your baby starts to produce thyroid hormones because the thyroid gland has matured. Your baby now weighs about 1.6 ounces (45 grams) and is about 3.5 inches (9 cm) long from crown to rump.
Week 14
Your baby's skin has been continuously developing, and it is so thin and translucent that you can see the blood vessels through it. Hair growth continues on the eyebrows and the head. Your baby's ears are almost in position now, although they are still set a bit low on the head.
Internally, your baby's skeletal system continues to develop. Muscle development continues too, and your baby is probably making lots of movements with his or her head, mouth, arms, wrists, hands, legs, and feet.
Week 15
Your baby now weighs about 3.9 ounces (110 grams) and measures about 4.7 inches (12 cm) in length from crown to rump. Your baby can hold his or her head erect, and the development of facial muscles allows for a variety of expressions, such as squinting and frowning.
It's normal to feel as if you're on an emotional roller coaster (it's due to those raging hormones). You may also be feeling scatterbrained - even the most organized women report that pregnancy somehow makes them forgetful, clumsy, and unable to concentrate. Try to keep the stress in your life to a minimum and take your "mental lapses" in stride - they're only temporary.
Week 16
At about 4.7 inches (12 cm) long from crown to rump and weighing 3.5 ounces (100 grams), your baby is still very tiny. The placenta, which nourishes the fetus with nutrients and oxygen and removes wastes, is growing to accommodate your baby. It now contains thousands of blood vessels that bring nutrients and oxygen from your body to your baby's developing body.
Week 17
Baby's ears now move to their final position and they stand out from the head. Start brushing up on your lullabies as in the coming weeks, your baby will probably be able to hear! The bones of the middle ear and the nerve endings from the brain are developing so that your baby will hear sounds such as your heartbeat and blood moving through the umbilical cord. He or she may even be startled by loud noises! Your baby's eyes are also developing - they're now facing forward rather than to the sides, and the retinas may be able to detect the beam of a flashlight if you hold it to your abdomen. Until now, your baby's bones had been developing but were still soft. This week, they begin to harden, or ossify. Some of the first bones to ossify are those in the clavicles and the legs.
You may notice that your breasts have changed considerably since your pregnancy began. Hormones are preparing your breasts for milk production - more blood is flowing to the breasts and the glands that produce milk are growing in preparation for breastfeeding. This can increase your breast size (many women increase one to two cup sizes) and cause veins to become visible. Buy supportive bras in a variety of sizes to accommodate your breast growth during pregnancy.
Week 18
Your baby is now covered with a white, waxy substance called vernix caseosa, which helps prevent delicate skin from becoming chapped or scratched. Premature babies may be covered in this cheesy coating at delivery.
Your baby is still tiny, but this week brings the development of brown fat, which will help keep your baby warm after birth. During the last trimester, your baby will add more layers of fat for warmth and protection.
Week 19
Baby is moving! And, you are half-way there! It's great to feel your baby's first movements, which often happens between weeks 18 and 20. These first movements are known as quickening, and they may feel like butterflies in your stomach or a growling stomach. Later in your pregnancy, you'll feel kicks, punches, and possibly hiccups! Each baby has different movement patterns, but if you're concerned or if the movements have decreased in frequency or intensity, talk to your doctor.
Twenty weeks into your pregnancy, your baby has grown significantly from that first dividing cell and now weighs about 9 ounces (260 grams) and measures 5.5 to 6.3 inches (14 to 16 cm) from crown to rump. The baby is taking up increasing room in your uterus, and continued growth will put pressure on your lungs, stomach, bladder, and kidneys. Under the vernix caseosa (a protective, waxy coating), your baby's skin is thickening and developing layers, including the dermis, epidermis, and subcutaneous layer. Hair and nail growth continues this week.
Week 20
The amniotic fluid that has cushioned and supported your baby in the uterus now serves another purpose. The intestines have developed enough that small amounts of sugars can be absorbed from the fluid your baby swallows and will be passed through the digestive system to the large bowel. Almost all of your baby's nourishment, however, still comes from you through the placenta.
Until now your baby's liver and spleen have been responsible for the production of blood cells. (The fetal liver stops producing blood cells a few weeks before birth and the spleen stops by week 30.) But now the bone marrow spaces are developed enough to contribute to blood cell formation as well, and bone marrow will become the major site of blood cell production in the third trimester.
Week 21
The senses your baby will use to learn about the world are developing daily. Taste buds have started to form on the tongue, and the brain and nerve endings are formed enough so that the fetus can feel touch. Your baby may experiment with this newfound sense of touch by stroking his or her face or sucking on a thumb, as well as feeling other body parts and seeing how they move.
Your baby's reproductive system is continuing to develop, too. In boys, the testes have begun to descend from the abdomen, and in girls, the uterus and ovaries are in place and the vagina is developed.
Week 22
Even though fat is beginning to accumulate on your baby's body, the skin still hangs loosely, giving your baby a wrinkled appearance. Your baby's daily workout routine includes moving the muscles in the fingers, toes, arms, and legs regularly. As a result, you may feel more forceful movements.
By now your baby weighs nearly 460 grams. If preterm labor and delivery were to occur this week, a baby could survive with expert medical care, but might have mild to severe disabilities. With increasing research and knowledge in the field of fetal medicine, the long-term prognosis for premature babies (preemies) is continuously improving every year.
Week 23
Your baby is still receiving oxygen through the placenta. But once birth occurs, his or her lungs will start taking in oxygen on their own. In preparation for that, your baby's lungs are developing the ability to produce surfactant. Surfactant is a substance that keeps the air sacs in our lungs from collapsing and sticking together when we exhale, allowing us to breathe properly.
Because the inner ear - which controls balance in the body - is now completely developed, your baby may be able to tell when he or she is upside down or right side up while floating and making movements in the amniotic fluid.
Week 24
You may notice that your baby has resting and alert periods. You'll notice fetal activity more readily when you are more sedentary. Your baby's hearing has continued to develop too - he or she may now be able to hear your voice!
An important prenatal test, glucose screening, is usually performed sometime during weeks 24 to 28. The glucose screening test checks for gestational diabetes, a temporary type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in the newborn, such as low blood sugar. Gestational diabetes may also increase the chances that a woman would need a cesarean section because it can lead to the growth of very large babies.
Week 25
Your baby, weighing a little less than 2 pounds (907 grams), still looks wrinkly but will continue to gain weight steadily over the next 14 weeks until birth. If your baby is a boy, his testicles will start their descent into the scrotum, which takes about 2 to 3 days.
Pregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects when it comes to digestion. Not only does the hormone progesterone slow the emptying of the stomach, but it also relaxes the valve at the entrance to the stomach so that it doesn't close properly. This allows acidic stomach contents to move upward into the esophagus - resulting in indigestion or heartburn. The expanding uterus also puts additional pressure on the stomach in the last few months of pregnancy. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid spicy and fatty foods.
Week 26
By this first week of the third trimester, your baby looks similar to what he or she will look like at birth, except thinner and smaller. The lungs, liver, and immune system still need to fully mature, but if born now, your baby would have a very good chance of surviving.
As hearing continues to develop, your baby may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's. Sounds may be muffled, though, because the ears are still covered with vernix, the thick waxy coating that protects the skin from becoming chapped by the amniotic fluid.
Week 27
Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds, 2 ounces (1,000 grams) and measures about 10 inches (25 cm) from crown to rump. At your next prenatal appointment, your health care provider may tell you whether your baby is headfirst or feet- or bottom-first (called breech position) in the womb. Babies who are in the breech position may need to be delivered by cesarean section. Your baby still has 2 months to change position, though, so don't worry if your baby is in the breech position right now. Most babies will switch positions on their own.
The folds and grooves of your baby's brain continue to develop and expand. In addition, your baby continues to add layers of fat and has continued hair growth.
Week 28
Your baby continues to be active, and those first few flutters of movement have given way to hard jabs and punches that may take your breath away. If you notice a decrease in movement, do a fetal kick count: your baby should move at least 10 times in an hour. If your baby moves less, talk to your doctor.
When your doctor recommended those blood tests early in your pregnancy, one thing that was measured is the Rh factor, a substance found in the red blood cells of most people. If you don't have it (if you're Rh negative) but your baby does (is Rh positive), there is potential for your baby to have health problems, such as jaundice and anemia. Your doctor can prevent these problems by giving you a vaccine called Rh immune globulin at 28 weeks and again after delivery.
Week 29
Now weighing about 3 pounds (1,400 grams) and measuring about 10.8 inches (27 cm) from crown to rump, your baby continues to gain weight and layers of fat. This fat makes the baby look less wrinkly and will help provide warmth after birth.
In preparation for respiration after birth, your baby will mimic breathing movements by repeatedly moving the diaphragm. Your baby can even get the hiccups, which you may feel as rhythmic twitches in your uterus.
Week 30
By now your baby is urinating approximately several cups of urine a day into the amniotic fluid. He or she is also swallowing amniotic fluid, which is completely replaced several times a day. Excess fluid in the amniotic sac (known as polyhydramnios) may mean that the baby isn't swallowing normally or that there is a gastrointestinal obstruction. Inadequate fluid in the amniotic sac (oligohydramnios) may mean that the baby isn't urinating properly and could indicate a problem with the kidneys or urinary tract. Your doctor will measure your levels of amniotic fluid as part of your routine ultrasound.
Week 31
The final touches are being placed on your baby masterpiece. Eyelashes, eyebrows and the hair on your baby's head are evident. The lanugo hair that has covered your baby since the beginning of the second trimester is falling off, although some may remain on the shoulders and back at birth.
At about 4 pounds (1,800 grams) and 11.4 inches (29 cm) from crown to rump, your baby would have an excellent chance of survival outside the womb if you delivered now. The milk glands in your breasts may have started to make colostrum by now. Colostrum is the thick, yellowish milk that will provide your baby with calories and nutrients for the first few days before your milk comes in. If you notice your breasts leaking colostrum, you can buy disposable or washable breast pads to protect your clothing.
Week 32
In these last few weeks before delivery, the billions of developed neurons in your baby's brain are helping him or her to learn about the in-utero environment - your baby can listen, feel, and even see somewhat. Your baby's eyes can detect light and the pupils can constrict and dilate in response to light. Like a newborn, your baby sleeps much of the time and even experiences the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, the sleep stage during which our most vivid dreams occur!
Your baby's lungs are almost completely matured. Fat will continue to be deposited on your baby's body for protection and warmth. Babies gain a good deal of their weight in the final few weeks before birth.
Week 33
The vernix coating on the baby's skin is becoming thicker, whereas lanugo hair is almost completely gone.
By now most babies will be in position for delivery. Your health care provider can tell you if your baby is positioned head- or bottom-first. Babies born at 34 weeks usually have fairly well-developed lungs, and their average size of 5 pounds (2,250 grams) and 12.6 inches (32 cm) from crown to rump allows them to survive outside the womb without extensive medical intervention.
Maternal calcium intake is extremely important during pregnancy because the baby will draw calcium from the mother to make and harden bone. If a pregnant woman doesn't get enough calcium during pregnancy, it can affect her own bones because the developing fetus will take minerals from the mother's skeletal structure as needed.
Week 34
Your baby already weighs about 5 pounds, 5 ounces (2,400 grams), but this week begins your baby's most rapid period of weight gain - about 8 to 12 ounces (226 to 340 grams) each week! Fat is being deposited all over your baby's body, especially around the shoulders.
Because of this increasing size, your baby is now cramped and restricted inside the uterus - so fetal movements may decrease, but they may be stronger and more forceful. If your baby is in a headfirst position, his or her head will rest on your pubic bone in preparation for labor.
Fatigue is a common complaint of late pregnancy. Difficulty sleeping, aches and pains, weight gain, and anxiety about labor, delivery, and taking care of a newborn may contribute to your exhaustion. Rest as much as you can and take naps if possible.
Week 35
The wrinkly, tiny fetus you may have seen on earlier ultrasounds has given way to an almost plump baby. There is fat on your baby's cheeks, and powerful sucking muscles also contribute to your baby's full face. Your baby now weighs a little under 6 pounds (2,721 grams).
The bones that make up your baby's skull can move relative to one another and overlap each other while your baby's head is inside your pelvis. This phenomenon is called molding, and it helps the baby pass through the birth canal. Don't be surprised if your baby arrives with a pointy or misshapen head! After a few hours or days, your baby's head will be back to a rounded shape.
Week 36
This week, your baby is considered full-term! But your baby hasn't stopped growing yet. He or she continues to develop fat at the rate of half an ounce (14 grams) a day. In general, boys weigh more than girls at birth.
Your baby has developed enough coordination to grasp with the fingers. If shown a bright light, your baby may turn toward it in your uterus.
Starting this week, you may begin to see your doctor every week - who may give you an internal exam to determine if cervical effacement (thinning of the cervix) or dilation (opening of the cervix) has begun.
You may experience engagement (also known as lightening), which is when the baby drops into the mother's pelvis in preparation for labor. Your appetite may return because the baby is no longer putting as much pressure on your stomach and intestines, and if you've been experiencing heartburn, the baby's descent may somewhat alleviate it.
Week 37
Your baby weighs about 6 pounds, 6 ounces (2,900 grams) by now and measures about 13.4 inches (34 cm) in length from crown to rump. Fat is still accumulating, although growth is slower now. You may notice that your weight gain has decreased or ceased.
Since your baby has had the muscles to suck and swallow amniotic fluid, waste material has been accumulating in his or her intestines. Cells shed from the intestines, dead skin cells, and lanugo hair are some of the waste products that contribute to meconium, a greenish-black substance that constitutes your baby's first bowel movement. If you're having a boy, his testicles have descended into the scrotum, unless he has a condition called undescended testicle. If you're having a girl, the labia are now completely developed.
After this week, you may lose the mucous plug that sealed off your uterus from infection. The mucous plug can be lost a few weeks, days, or hours before labor and is thick, yellowish, and may be tinged with blood (the mucous plug is also called bloody show). As the cervix dilates in preparation for the labor, the plug is discharged from the body. Be sure to discuss with your doctor about any discharge you may be having.
Week 38
Most of the vernix that covered your baby's skin has disappeared, as has the lanugo. Your body has been supplying the baby with antibodies through the placenta that will help the baby's immune system fight infection for the first 6-12 months of life.
Umbilical cords, which carry nutrients from the placenta to the baby, vary in size but average about 22 inches (55 cm) long and half an inch (1-2 cm) thick. Sometimes the umbilical cord can become wrapped around a baby's neck. Generally, this doesn't cause problems, although a cesarean delivery could be required if it causes pressure on the umbilical cord during labor or delivery. A true knot in the umbilical cord is much less common, occurring in only about 1% of pregnancies.
Week 39
After many weeks of anticipation and preparation, your baby is here! Or maybe not. Only 5% of women deliver on their estimated due dates, and many first-time mothers find themselves waiting up to 2 weeks after their due date for their baby to arrive.
The rupture of your amniotic sac could happen any day now. When their water breaks, some women experience a large gush of water and some feel a steady trickle. Many women don't experience their water breaking until they're well into labor. Others need to have their water broken by their health care providers to get their labor started or to speed it up. If you think your water has broken or you are experiencing regular contractions, contact your health care provider.
A baby born at 40 weeks weighs, on average, 7 pounds, 8 ounces (3,500 grams) and measures 19 to 20 inches (48 to 51 cm). Don't expect your baby to look all chubby and cute right away - newborns often have heads temporarily misshapen from the birth canal and may be covered with vernix and blood. Your baby's skin may have skin discolorations, dry patches, and rashes - these many variations are completely normal.
Week 40
This week you'll experience the moment you've been anticipating - your introduction to your baby! Before you can meet your baby, though, you have to go through labor and delivery. Labor actually consists of three stages. The first stage of labor works to thin and stretch your cervix by contracting your uterus at regular intervals. The second stage of labor is when you push your baby into the vaginal canal and out of your body. The third and final stage of labor is when you deliver the placenta.
Right after birth, your doctor will suction mucus out of your baby's mouth and nose, and you'll hear that long-awaited first cry. Your baby may then be placed on your stomach, and the umbilical cord will be cut. A series of quick screening tests, such as the Apgar score, will be performed to assess your baby's responsiveness and vital signs, and he or she will be weighed and measured. If your pregnancy was high risk, or if a cesarean section was necessary, a neonatologist (a doctor who specializes in newborn intensive care) will be present at your delivery to take care of your baby right away. If your baby needs any special care to adjust to life outside the womb, it will be given - and then your newborn will be placed in your waiting arms.
If you do not go into labor within a week of your due date, your health care provider may recommend you receive a nonstress test, which monitors fetal heart rate and movement to be sure that the baby is receiving adequate oxygen and that the nervous system is responding. Talk to your doctor to find out more about this test.
Sometimes mother nature may need a little coaxing. If your labor is not progressing, or if your health or your baby's health requires it, your doctor may induce labor by artificially rupturing the membranes or by administering the hormone oxytocin or other medications. If your pregnancy is high risk, or if there are any other potential complications, you may require a cesarean section delivery.
Some women know ahead of time that they will be delivering via cesarean section and are able to schedule their baby's "birth day" well in advance. If you are one of them, you have probably been able to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for the birth - which can help to lessen the feelings of disappointment that many mothers who are unable to deliver vaginally experience. But even if you have to undergo a cesarean section that wasn't planned, rest assured that you will still be able to bond with your baby. It might not be the birth experience you imagined, but your beautiful newborn has arrived nonetheless. The months of waiting are over! Good luck with your babies!
From India, Coimbatore
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