Pregnancy Lounge

Category: Pregnancy

  • Pregnancy Week 33

    Pregnancy Week 33

    33-weeksYour baby is about 19 inches in length and weighs about 4 1/3 pounds. Your baby may respond to loud noises, and is able to recognize familiar sounds such as your voice. He or she may also respond to your touch as you massage your tummy. Your growing baby is now quite adept at inhaling amniotic fluid. This practice breathing is all in preparation for his or her birth, which is only a matter of weeks away. Your baby is now storing iron in his or her liver, which will last until a few months after birth.

    The top of your uterus is over 5 inches above your belly button. You may be getting more anxious about labor and delivery (especially if this is your first baby) and in addition, you may be moodier and more irritable.

    You may also be wondering if it’s still alright to travel now, especially if it’s summertime. If you are planning to travel, you may want to talk to your doctor or midwife beforehand. Flying is probably still alright, but if you can avoid it, then you should. Many doctors recommend that women avoid flying after 36 weeks of pregnancy, or if they are at risk of preterm delivery. The safest time to travel is during the second trimester. Also, many airlines won’t even allow women in their last trimester to fly without a letter from their doctor. If you travel by car, it’s best to stop every hour or two to get up and walk around.

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  • Pregnancy Week 32

    Pregnancy Week 32

    32-weeksThis week your baby is about 18 inches in length and weighs close to 4 pounds. Your baby continues to fill out, gain weight and is taking up much of the available space in your uterus. From this point on your baby’s weight will increase faster than his or her length. Your baby’s increased size makes his or her movements seem more pronounced and you may find it causes you some pain if kicked in the ribs.

    Your baby may be getting into position for birth, with his or her head down, although if your baby is still head up (or breech), there is still time for him or her to turn.

    Your doctor or midwife may begin having you come in every two weeks now, instead of on a monthly basis. You may have gained somewhere between 22-28 pounds at this point in your pregnancy. You may gain close to a pound a week from here on out.

    Regular exercise is still an important activity for you, even though it may be getting harder as you get larger and heavier. Try swimming, stretching and walking, all excellent options for pregnant women. Make sure you drink lots of water and it’s best not to exercise in very hot weather, because you don’t want to become over-heated. Take it easy to ensure that you don’t over exert yourself.

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  • Pregnancy Week 31

    Pregnancy Week 31

    31-weeksThis week of pregnancy, your baby is about 18 inches in length and weighs almost 3 1/2 pounds. Your baby’s lungs and digestive tract are almost fully developed, although they are still continuing to mature. Each and every week your baby spends in the womb are important so he or she will be able to breath unassisted after birth more easily. Your baby’s sexual organs continue to grow and develop. If your baby is a boy, his testicles are descending into the scrotum and if your baby is a girl, her clitoris is relatively prominent because it’s not covered by the labia. Your baby’s skin is becoming more pinker, rather than red, because of more and more fat layers building up underneath.

    Your uterus fills a large part of your abdomen now and you may notice that you are becoming more and more clumsy, as you get bigger and your posture may be off slightly. You might be walking a little differently and you may appear to “waddle” like a duck, caused from your ligaments softening, which make your hips spread. You may have started childbirth classes by now to learn about what happens when you go to the hospital, what labor is like, what your pain relief options are and how to breath and relax during labor and delivery.

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  • Pregnancy Week 30

    Pregnancy Week 30

    30-weeksThis week your baby is over 17 inches in length and weighs close to 3 pounds. The lanugo which covered your baby’s body is beginning to shed now and is almost gone, except for few patches on his or her back and shoulders. The lanugo is being replace by actual hair, which will continue to grow and gain some color now. Sound , taste and smell are all senses that are developing nicely at this stage of your baby’s development and you baby is even capable of crying real tears in the womb!

    Your baby’s bone marrow has now entirely taken over production of red blood cells, which later on will be the job of the spleen. The growth rate of your baby will begin to slow down as your due date approaches and due to the lack of space available at this point, you may feel less kicking, but more pushing and stretching.

    Right now, the top of your uterus is about 4 inches above your belly button. Your doctor or midwife will be able to conduct an abdominal exam and feel which way your baby is lying inside you at this time. Most babies settle into a head-down position between weeks 32 and 36, but some babies keep everyone guessing until just before birth.

    It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of preterm labor. Some signs you need to report to your doctor or midwife include: cramping (with or without diarrhea), nausea, lower back pain or pressure, pelvic pressure or achiness, leaking of fluid or a watery (or pinkish or brownish) discharge and uterine contractions that don’t go away when you change positions or drink a couple glasses of water.

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  • Pregnancy Week 29

    Up until now, we’ve been measuring your baby’s crown-to-rump length. In pregnancy week 29, your baby’s total length from head to toe is 16-17 inches and your baby weighs close to 2 1/2 pounds. Your baby is bulking up fairly quickly, and by birth he or she will probably have doubled or tripled what weight your baby is at right now. More fat is being deposited under the skin and your baby is gradually getting chubbier as a result. Your little one’s lungs are capable of breathing air, if it were absolutely necessary and his or her brain would most likely be able to control body temperature and breath rhythmically, with limited medical intervention.

    In pregnancy week 29, you will probably find that even though you’ve felt pretty energetic throughout your second trimester, you are beginning to slow down now. You may need more sleep, although waking up for the never-ending bathroom trips can make it difficult to get enough sleep. Pay attention to your body’s signals and rest when you need to.

    You may also be noticing stretch marks appearing on your belly, thighs, breasts and even your buttocks. Make sure you keep your skin well moisturized by applying lotion or cream daily and also stick to a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, along with drinking plenty of water.

    There are a lot of products on the market that are designed to help with the reduction and prevention of stretchmarks. Take your time and do your research as they can be pricey. Be sure to check Amazon or other review sources before making your purchase.

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  • Pregnancy Week 28

    Your baby is almost 13 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs almost 2 3/4 pounds. Your baby already appears a lot like he or she will look at birth, although the skin is still fairly wrinkled caused by the constant immersion in amniotic fluid and small amount of fat underneath the skin.

    Your baby is capable of opening and closing his or her eyes and has fully-formed eyelashes to bat now. Your baby is growing physically stronger and his or her movements and grip are becoming stronger as well, due to your baby’s improving muscle tone. There’s still quite a bit of room in your womb and enough amniotic fluid to allow your baby to move freely. Response to sound grows more consistent and improves, as the network of nerves to your baby’s ears are complete.

    Your enlarging uterus is 3- 3 1/2 inches above your belly button and you may have gained between 17-24 pounds. You are now officially entering your third trimester, not long until your baby will be born! In the last three months, your belly will grow very large and you’ll feel more and more pressure on your bladder, causing you to urinate often, once again. It’s still as important as ever for you to drink lots of fluids anyway, at least 6-8 glasses of water each day. From now on, you may start to feel a little more uncomfortable and start to put on weight more quickly, but continue to eat well and get adequate amounts of relaxation and sleep.

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  • Pregnancy Week 27

    This week your baby is about 12 inches (crown-to-rump) and weighs about 2 pounds. Your baby’s lungs are developing more and more and the chances for survival if born this week have increased dramatically.

    Although your baby would still require intensive care and may still have a chance of severe disability. Brain wave recordings show rapid eye movement and your baby’s brain patterns will continue to develop, becoming more sophisticated, although at this stage they are similar to a full term baby.

    Your baby’s skin is still wrinkled right now due to the fact that the skin grows faster that the fat layer underneath it, but fat stores are accumulating as the weeks go by.

    Your uterus can now be felt about halfway between your belly button and your rib cage and you are probably feeling stronger, more vigorous kicking and stretching at this stage.

    Due to the compression on your bladder by your growing baby, you may develop a new symptom sometime around now, called stress incontinence. It’s when a little urine leaks out, usually only when you cough, sneeze or laugh. It is more common in women who have already given birth before than those pregnant with their first child. Kegel exercises, which are also useful for firming up pelvic muscles for delivery and postpartum recovery, can help control incontinence.

    From time to time you may also experience some pelvic pain as your uterus grows and stretches the ligaments that hold it in place. Most often this pain will be felt in the groin area and inside thighs. Resting as much as possible should bring some relief.

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  • Pregnancy Week 26

    Your baby is about 11- 11 1/2 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs about 1 1/2 pounds. Capillaries (tiny blood vessels) start to develop under your baby’s skin, turning the skin a reddish-pink color, which makes it less transparent than previously. Vernix is continuing to build up on your baby’s skin as well. Up until around this point, your baby’s nostrils have been plugged, but they are beginning to open.

    Your baby’s lungs will continue their rapid growth this week and air sacks are developing in them. Your little one’s brain is still growing fast and brain wave activity begins this week for the visual and auditory systems. Even though your baby is developing and growing rapidly, he or she is still lean, but is beginning to fill out.

    No doubt, your belly is getting bigger, but you still shouldn’t be to the point where you are getting uncomfortable quite yet. Physically, you may be feeling pretty good and this is probably an exciting time, since everyone seems to notice your belly. Two-thirds of your pregnancy is behind you now and you are quickly approaching the end of your second trimester.

    You may notice some positive pregnancy symptoms, including thicker, faster-growing hair and nails as a result of increased circulation. Although, sometimes it can cause hair growth in places where you may not want it to; like on your face and belly.

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  • Pregnancy Week 25

    This week your baby is about 9 1/2 – 10 1/2 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs almost 1 3/4 pounds. This week your baby’s heart should be so strong that it may be possible to hear his or her heart beat by placing an ear on your belly.

    The retinas (in your baby’s eyes) have developed all the layers they will have at birth and your baby’s eyes are blue, no matter what race because the pupils don’t acquire their final color until a few months after birth. Besides being wrinkled, your baby’s skin is also transparent and very thin, but it’s starting to thicken gradually and smooth out.

    While premature babies have a long difficult road ahead of them, if your baby was born this week he or she would have a good chance of survival, because of improved medical advancements.

    Your uterus is approximately 2 inches above your belly button and you may have gained around 15-22 pounds so far. As you get bigger you may suffer from a number of discomforts, including back pain, because of the strain of your growing belly. Backaches can also be caused by your body preparing itself for labor and delivery by loosening your joints. Make sure you always bend at the knee, not at your waist and walk barefoot as much as possible, avoiding high heeled-shoes. Sleeping with an extra pillow between your legs at night may also help.

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  • Pregnancy Week 24

    Your baby is about 8 1/2- 9 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs about 1 1/2 pounds. Your baby’s lungs are gaining blood vessels now, preparing them for taking over the task of getting oxygen into the blood stream. They have also begun to develop surfactant, a substance that will help your baby’s lungs to expand following birth.

    In the coming weeks of pregnancy, your baby will continue to grow in length and weight at a steady pace and his or her movements will get stronger and more forceful inside your womb. Most of your baby’s weight gain is in the bones and muscles, as they become harder. Your baby’s eyelids may have separated, allowing your baby to open his or her eyes.

    The top of your uterus is well above your belly button now and you are really looking pregnant to others at this point in your pregnancy. You may be experiencing more and more tightening and relaxing in your lower abdomen, which are Braxton Hicks. They will become more frequent and increasingly noticeable as your pregnancy advances. Drinking fluids and resting may help quiet your uterus. On a good note, these “practice” contractions begin the process of ripening your cervix (softening and effacement), which just might mean an easier and quicker labor when the time comes.

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  • Pregnancy Week 23

    This week your baby is over 8 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs a little over a pound. Your baby’s pancreas is developing well and is even beginning to produce insulin, which is necessary for the body to break down and use sugar. The bones in your baby’s middle ear are hardening now.

    Your little one is also beginning to exercise his or her fingers and toes, developing a strong grasp reflex. Your baby is now almost in complete proportion, although the head is still a bit bigger than the rest of the body.

    Changes in your abdomen are progressing gradually, but you definitely are getting larger and many of your pre-pregnancy clothes are probably impossible to get on. You may have gained between 12-15 pounds at this point in your pregnancy.

    Your pelvic floor muscles will be stretched as a result of your pregnancy. Kegel exercises are simple techniques you can do to tone the muscles in your vagina and perineal area. They will help prepare your muscles for delivery and ensure a speedy recovery postpartum. You may find yourself having trouble with hemorrhoids. Increase your fiber intake and drink lots of water if they become bothersome. They will most likely vanish after delivery.

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  • Pregnancy Week 22

    This week your baby is about 8 inches in length (crown-to-rump) and weighs about a pound. Your baby’s liver is now starting to function and his or her hair and nails are continuing to grow. In fact some babies are born with quite long nails that need to be cut soon after birth to prevent them from scratching themselves.

    Your baby is growing at a solid pace and becoming plumper, developing more and more fat underneath the skin, which will help to keep him or her warm later on. Your baby’s face is also filling out nicely. The lanugo hair that covers your baby’s body may turn slightly darker during this time.

    Your uterus is above your belly button now and may be pushing outwards on your rib cage, causing your ribs to become a bit sore at times. In the later months of pregnancy, your baby may kick you in the ribs as well as stretch out and push your ribcage until it becomes uncomfortable.

    For some women, nasal congestion and nosebleeds are a side effect of pregnancy. This can occur due to altered levels of hormones, causing the mucous membranes in your nose to swell. Increased blood volume and softening of the tissues also contributes to this.

    Varicose veins may become bothersome around now, or later down the road. Varicose veins are blood vessels that become engorged with blood and they can be aggravated by standing for long periods of time. Wearing clothing that is non-restrictive, to keep circulation flowing freely may be very beneficial.

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