The First Trimester » First Trimester http://www.first-trimester.com The beginning of the bump. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:12:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Your Baby During the First Trimester http://www.first-trimester.com/your-baby-during-the-first-trimester http://www.first-trimester.com/your-baby-during-the-first-trimester#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:08:53 +0000 Tracey http://www.first-trimester.com/firsttrimester/?p=60 A healthy first trimester is crucial to the normal development of the fetus. During the first trimester, you will only gain approximately three pounds, with less than two ounces of this being the fetus, but inside her body all the major body organs and systems of the fetus are forming.

Weeks 1 – 2

You’re not really pregnant yet. It’s at this time that the sperm and egg unite in one of your fallopian tubes to form a one-celled entity called a zygote.
Week 3

The zygote is no longer one-celled, but about 500 by now and is called a blastocyst. It has made its way to the uterus and burrow into the uterine wall for nourishment. The placenta, which will nourish your baby throughout the pregnancy, also begins to form.

You may be looking at a positive pregnancy test at this time.
Week 4

The blastocyst is considered an embryo. The baby (now 1/25 of an inch long) is starting to form the brain, spinal cord, heart and other organs.

 Pregnancy - Your Baby - Week 4
Week 5

Now your baby’s heart and circulatory system are becoming one, functioning system. About now, your baby’s heart will begin to beat. An ultrasound could even pick up the motion of your baby’s beating heart.
Week 6

Your baby is now about 1/8 of an inch long. The digestive and respiratory systems are beginning to form. Facial features also begin to appear including an opening for the mouth and passageways in the inner ear. This is beginning of the buds will soon grow into arms and legs.

 Pregnancy - Your Baby - Week 6
Week 7

The embryo is now considered a fetus. Dark spots on his or her head indicate where the eyes will be forming and pits mark the upcoming nostrils and ears. Your baby’s brain is developing rapidly, and limbs and facial characteristics are now forming. The esophagus and trachea are developing into separate tubes, with lungs positioned on either side.
Week 8

Your baby is no longer a mass of cells, but he’s looking more and more like a miniature baby-to-be. Your baby’s face is becoming more defined: her nose is beginning to protrude, her upper lip is taking shape, and eyelids have formed. Fingers and toes are starting to develop from her arms and legs.

Pregnancy - Your Baby - Week 8
Week 9

Your baby is now nearly 1 inch long and weighs a bit less than 1/8 of an ounce. Your baby’s head — which is nearly half the size of his or her entire body — is now tucked down onto the chest. Hair follicles begin to form. Your baby’s pancreas, bile ducts, gallbladder and anus are in place. The internal reproductive organs, such as testes or ovaries, start to develop, but not the external organs, an ultrasound could not yet tell your baby’s sex.

Your baby may begin moving this week, but you won’t be able to feel it for quite a while yet.
Week 10

Your little one weighs in at a hefty four grams! Your baby’s vital organs have a solid foundation and the bones of your baby’s skeleton begin to form. Your baby has fully separated fingers and toes. Both the external ear and upper lip are complete, and tooth buds are forming as well. The beginnings of external genitalia appear and if your baby is a boy, his testes will start producing the male hormone testosterone.

Pregnancy - Your Baby - Week 10
Week 11

Bigger changes are starting about now until your 20th week (the halfway mark of your pregnancy). Your baby will increase his or her weight 30 times and will about triple in length. The blood vessels in the placenta are growing larger and multiplying so your baby will get enough nutrients. By the end of the week, your baby’s external genitalia will develop into a recognizable penis or clitoris and labia majora.
Week 12

Twelve weeks into your pregnancy, your baby is about the size of a softball. Your care provider will be able to feel your uterus during an abdominal exam. Your baby’s head is nearly half the size of his or her entire body. This week marks the arrival of fingernails and toenails. Your baby’s chin and nose will become more refined as well.

Pregnancy - Your Baby - Week 12
Week 13

Week 13 marks a milestone for your baby-to-be. He’s looking—and acting—more and more like a baby every day. She appears to be resting because her eyelids have formed and are fused together, but her arms and legs move and twitch (although you probably can’t feel it … yet). She can suck her thumb, too.

 Pregnancy - Your Baby - Week 13

Technorati Tags: , , ,

]]> http://www.first-trimester.com/your-baby-during-the-first-trimester/feed 0 Your Body During the First Trimester http://www.first-trimester.com/your-body-during-the-first-trimester http://www.first-trimester.com/your-body-during-the-first-trimester#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:03:05 +0000 Tracey http://www.first-trimester.com/firsttrimester/?p=56 During the first three months of pregnancy, or the first trimester, your body undergoes many changes. As your body adjusts to the growing baby, you may have nausea, fatigue, backaches, mood swings, and stress. These things are all normal.Your physical body

Even though you aren’t showing yet, your body lets you know that you are pregnant. By the time you are six weeks along, you will likely feel like you are pregnant. In other words, your body will be doing something different. Right from the first few weeks, you may have a host of symptoms including

  • unusual fatigue
  • irritability
  • bouts of nausea / morning sickness
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • enlarging and tender breasts
  • indigestion
  • bloating
  • increased urination
  • light cramping

But take heart–many of these symptoms will vanish by the beginning of your second trimester. And although you may not feel your best in the beginning of your pregnancy, none of your symptoms will make the baby uncomfortable.

Your emotions

Your emotions are probably changing quite a bit during this time as well. Even if you were trying for a baby, you may have a whirlwind of different feelings, sometimes at the same time. You are not crazy, you are pregnant. Not only is your life changed from here on out, hormone levels—which affect your moods—are changing in your body too.

Pregnancy may leave you feeling delighted, anxious, exhilarated and exhausted — sometimes all at once. Even if you’re thrilled about being pregnant, a new baby adds emotional stress to your life. It’s natural to worry about your baby’s health, being a parent, money needs, even redecorating.

If you are feeling try…
stunned giving yourself some time
frightened getting information from your doctor, Web sites, books, non-dramatic friends
delighted enjoy it, decide how you will tell the world
anxious getting information
disbelief follow up your at-home test with a doctor’s appointment
misgivings assemble your “support team” (your partner, family, friends)who can provide understanding and encouragement

To cope with these emotions, remind yourself that what you’re feeling is normal. Take good care of yourself, and look to your partner and family for understanding and encouragement. If the mood changes become severe or intense, consult your health care provider for additional support.

The first trimester can be trying, both physically and emotionally. Give your body credit that it is now responsible for this incredible feat of making a baby. In just a few weeks, you will be surprised to find two old buddies: energy and enthusiasm!

Technorati Tags: ,

]]> http://www.first-trimester.com/your-body-during-the-first-trimester/feed 0 What Do I Need to Do in the First Trimester http://www.first-trimester.com/what-do-i-need-to-do-in-the-first-trimester http://www.first-trimester.com/what-do-i-need-to-do-in-the-first-trimester#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:45:47 +0000 Tracey http://www.first-trimester.com/firsttrimester/?p=42 The stick turned blue. Congratulations! Now what?

Hey, hey, wait–don’t run out and buy a crib yet! You actually have a few months yet to decide on what you like. Here are some of the things you should do first.

Sharing

* Decide how your are going to tell the Dad he’s going to be a Dad
* Decide how and when you are going to tell your boss.
* Decide how and when you are going to tell everybody else.

Medical

* Make an appointment with your doctor. If you don’t already have an OB/GYN you like, ask your family practitioner or your friends and relatives for a recommendation.
* Check with your doctor about any drugs or medication you are on. And, of course, stop any hormone based birth control method you may be using.
* If your family has a history of genetic disorders, consider prenatal testing.

Diet

* Start taking a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins are very critical at this stage of development as they contain many important nutrients, including folic acid. Studies show that folic acid helps reduce the incidence of neural tube defects.
* Drink lots of fluids, especially water (8 to 10 glasses a day).

Health

* Get plenty of sleep, and try to nap if you feel tired during the day.
* Exercise, but moderately. If you were already exercising, great. Check with your doctor as to how much you should cut back. BUT DO NOT START a new exercise regimen when you’re pregnant until you talk to your doctor.

Dangers

* Begin to get rid of or stay away from unhealthy things in your life.
*
o Cigarette smoking, x-rays, hair perms or dyes, chemicals, etc.
o If you do, stop drinking.
o If you do, stop smoking.
o Cut back on caffeine.

Finances

* Start budgeting for your new life with baby.

Information

* Buy or borrow a book or two about pregnancy. Find out what you should expect during each trimester as well as labor and delivery.

Technorati Tags:

]]> http://www.first-trimester.com/what-do-i-need-to-do-in-the-first-trimester/feed 0