Month: January February March April May June July August September October November December Day: Year: Choose a week to view: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, Week 13, Week 14, Week 15, Week 16, Week 17, Week 18, Week 19, Week 20, Week 21, Week 22, Week 23, Week 24, Week 25, Week 26, Week 27, Week 28, Week 29, Week 30, Week 31, Week 32, Week 33, Week 34, Week 35, Week 36, Week 37, Week 38, Week 39, Week 40, Week 41, During Week 1 You: You are having your period this week which marks the beginning of your cycle. How exciting to start a cycle that could bring a baby! You can take a break from charting and just enjoy life!! Your Baby: Your baby is just a little egglet growing inside your ovary. This is a good time to eliminate all possible toxins from your life. Avoid ibuprofen and all other drugs while trying to concieve.  Week 2 Begins: During Week 2 You: This week marks week 2 of your cycle. Your period should be gone and your uterine lining is building up in readiness for implantation. Be sure and keep your bbt chart and note all your mucus and temperature changes. Right before your LH surge you will have a surge in estrogen that will cause a slight dip in temperature. If you use a fertility monitor, this rise in estrogen is used to signal a fertile period. If you are using ovulation kits, the rise in LH is used and you should get a dark line equal to or darker than the control line 12-36 hours before ovulation occurs. Your Baby: Your egg is maturing and getting ready for it's journey.  Week 3 Begins: During Week 3 You: During week 3 you have ovulated and an egg is traveling along one of the two fallopian tubes toward your uterus. During intercourse one of the millions of sperm your partner has released has fertilized the egg while still in the fallopian tube. Your Baby: Your baby is a cluster of cells which multiply rapidly as they continue the journey along the fallopian tube.  Week 4 Begins: During Week 4 You: You have probably not noticed anything different or maybe you have? Some women have a strange, metallic taste in their mouths. Some report breast tenderness, the beginnings of the queasies, increased urination, mood changes and more. Your Baby: The fertilized egg has arrived in your uterus and, after floating in the uterine cavity for about 3 days, has embedded itself in the uterine lining. It is nourished from blood vessels in the lining of the uterus, and the placenta begins to form around it.  Week 5 Begins: During Week 5 You: You are beginning to think that you may be pregnant or you may have already received a positive on a home pregnancy test. You may be starting to become sensitive to smells and certain foods. Your Baby: The embryo is about 1/10th of an inch or (2 mm) long and would be visible to the naked eye by now. It's spine is beginning to form and the brain has two lobes.  Week 6 Begins: During Week 6 You: You may be feeling sick first thing in the morning or when you are cooking a meal. Your vagina will have become a bluish or violet color. From the first day your period was due you have been able to find out if you are pregnant through a home pregnancy test or a doctor's urine test. Your uterus is now the size of a plum Your Baby: The baby has developed a head and trunk, and a rudimentary brain has formed. Tiny limb buds are beginning to appear. By the end of this week its circulation is beginning to function. The jaw and mouth are developing and 10 dental buds are growing in each jaw.  Week 7 Begins: During Week 7 You: You may sometimes feel dizzy or faint when you stand for a long time. Your breasts are noticeably larger; small nodules (Montgomery's tubercles) may appear on the areolae at about this time, while you nipples may become more prominent. By this date your doctor should be able to confirm your pregnancy by a vaginal examination. Your Baby: The limb buds have developed rapidly and now look like tiny arms and legs. At the end of these limbs are small identations which will later become fingers and toes. The spinal cord and brain are now almost complete and the head is assuming a human shape. The baby is now about 1/2 inch or (1.3 cm) long.  Week 8 Begins: During Week 8 You: You may find that you have an aversion to certain foods. Many pregnant women can no longer drink alcohol, even if they previously enjoyed it, and a dislike of cigarettes or tobacco smoke is common. Your hair may seem less manageable than usual. You may also have a slight vaginal discharge. This is quite normal as long as it is not irritating or painful. Your Baby: TThe baby now has all its main internal organs though they are not yet fully developed. The eyes and ears are growing, and the face is beginning to take on a human shape. The baby is just under an inch or 2.5cm long.  Week 9 Begins: During Week 9 You: You may notice changes in your skin because of the pregnancy hormones in your system. Any wrinkles you have may be less obvious. Your gums may be softening, again because of these hormones, and you need to be especially careful about dental hygiene now and through the rest of the pregnancy. The thyroid gland in your neck may be more prominent. Your Baby: The baby's limbs are defeloping very rapidly, and fingers and toes are beginning to be defined on the hands and feet. The baby is moving about gently to exercise its muscles, although you cannot feel these movements. At this point the baby weighs only about as much as a grape.  Week 10 Begins: During Week 10 You: Your uterus has expanded to the size of an orange, but is still hidden away within your pelvis. You should be wearing a bra with good support by now. If you buy a bra that fits your breasts but is adjustble to allow for later chest expansion, you may not need to get another size during the rest of your pregnancy. Your Baby: The placenta, to which the baby is attached, begins to produce progesterone in a process which is completed by the end of the 14th week, when the progesterone produced is sufficient for the placenta to take over the function of the corups luteum. The baby's ankles and wrists are formed, and fingers and toes are clearly visible. The baby has to about 1 3/4 inches and 4.5cm long. Week 11 Begins: During Week 11 You: If you have been nauseous during the last weeks, the sickness should gradually lessen from now onward. The amount of blood circulating through your body has started to increase, and will go on increasing until about the 30th week. You should be thinking about arranging childbirth education classes, as they often tend to get booked up early. Your Baby: Your baby's testicles or ovaries have formed, as have all of its major organs. Since these organs will not develop much further, but will merely continue to grow during its time in the uterus. The baby is relatively safe from the risk of developing congenital abnormalities after the end of this week. Week 12 Begins: During Week 12 You: You will probably attend your first prenatal visit this week. You will have a complete medical examination and the doctor will be able to feel the uterus by external examination, as it has risen above your pelvis. Arrangements are made for you to have appointments once a month until you are 32 weeks pregnant. The first visit is the time to ask about anything bothering you. Your Baby: The baby's head is becoming more rounded and it has eyelids. Its muscles are developing and it is moving about inside the uterus much more. It is now about 2 1/2 inches or 6.5cm long but still weighs only 1/2 oz (18g). Week 13 Begins: During Week 13 You: If you have had early morning sickness this will probably have gone completely by the end of this week. From now on your uterus will be enlarging at a regular and noticeable rate. Your Baby: The baby is now completely formed. From now on its time in the uterus will be spent growing and maturing until it is able to survive independently of its mother. Week 14 Begins: During Week 14 You: Congratulations, you have completed the 1st trimester and are now beginning the 2nd trimester. You will be feeling less tired than you were at the beginning of your pregnancy and will probably feel quite fit and active. You may notice a dark line (the linea nigra) down the center of your abdomen. This will probably start to fade after the baby is born. Your nipples and the area around them are also starting to darken. Your uterus is the size of a large grapefruit. Your Baby: The baby now has eyebrows and a small amount of hair has appeared on its head. Its heart can be heard by ultrasonic scan. The baby drinks some of the amniotic fluid and can unrinate. It is now receiving all of its nourishment from the placenta and measures about 3 3/4 inches or 8-9cm long. Week 15 Begins: During Week 15 You: Your clothes will be getting too tight for you. It is best not to try to cram yourself into tight jeans. To cope with the increased amount of blood circulating in your body and the baby's need for oxygen, your enlarged heart has increased its output by 20 percent. Your Baby: The hair on your baby's head and brows is becoming coarser. If it has a gene for dark hair, the pigment cells of the hair follicles are beginning to produce black pigment. Week 16 Begins: During Week 16 You: Your second doctor's visit is now due. Some clinics do a scan at this visit. You will be able to see the outline of the baby's head and body. You feel butterflies in your stomach that just might be the baby moving. Your waistline will be starting to disappear. If you have not already done so, book childbirth education classes. Sometimes an 'early-bird' class is available to discuss diet, exercise, posture, emotions, and health. Your Baby: Lanugo (fine down) is starting to form all over the baby, following the whorled pattern of the skin, and the baby has grown fingernails and toenails. It is 6 3/4 inches or 16 cm long and weighs nearly 5 oz (135g). Week 17 Begins: During Week 17 You: You may find that you are sweating more than usual (due to the extra blood in your system) and also that your nose feels congested. This is a common result of pregnancy and will end after delivery. Vaginal secretions may increase now. Your Baby: The growing baby has pushed the top of the uterus to halfway between your pubic bone and your navel. From now on the baby weighs more than its placenta. It is probably aware of - and may be startled by - sounds outside your body. Week 18 Begins: During Week 18 You: If this is your first baby, this is the time when you may feel the first prod which is definintely nothing to do with indegestion! At last you know that there really is a baby in there! Trouble in sleeping at night will be helped by increasing the number of pillows supporting you. Your Baby: Measuring about 8 inches or 20 cm long, your baby is now testing out its reflexes. As well as kicking, it is grasping and sucking. Some babies find their thumbs and are confirmed thumbsuckers before they are born. Week 19 Begins: During Week 19 You: Now is not too early to start practicing deep relaxation and steady, rhythmic breathing. Keep aside some time each day for this. You may notice that you are putting on weight on your buttocks as well as your abdomen. Oh joy!! Your Baby: Buds for permanent teeth are forming behind those that have developed for the milk teeth. Week 20 Begins: During Week 20 You: You will notice your baby being more and more active, and may even be able to see some of its movements. The growing uterus is pushing up against your lungs and pushing your tummy outward. Your navel may suddenly pop out and stay that way until after delivery. You chest has expanded and, if you do not already have an adjustable bra, now is the time to buy one. Your Baby: Sebum from the sebaceous glands mixes with skin cells and begins to form the protective vernix which clings to the lanugo all over the skin, especially on the hairier parts and in the creases. The baby is now about 10 inches or 25 cm long. Week 21 Begins: During Week 21 You: You may start having heartburn - a burning sensation in the lower part of the chest - and may also bring up small amounts of acid fluid. Get your doctor to give you some antacid tablets. Your Baby: The baby weighs just under 1 lb (450g). It is still moving about freely in the amniotic fluid and can be felt kicking, sometimes high in your tummy, at other times down near your pubis. Week 22 Begins: During Week 22 You: Your gums may be swelling because of the pregnancy hormones in your system. Do not forget that dental hygiene is important throughout pregnancy. Your Baby: The baby is settling into a pattern of activity and sleep. It is probably at its most active while you are resting. Week 23 Begins: During Week 23 You: The different parts of the baby can be felt (palpated) through your abdominal wall. You may feel a stitchlike pain at times down the side of your tummy; this is the uterine muscle stretching and the pain should go after you have had a rest. Your Baby: At about this time the Braxton Hicks 'rehearsal' contractions may become more pronounced gripping and massaging the baby regularly. Week 24 Begins: During Week 24 You: Your next doctor's visit - by now the doctor will be able to hear the baby's heart through a stethoscope. The top of your uterus (the fundus) now reaches to just above your navel. Your Baby: The baby is growing rapidly - it is now about 13 inches or 32 cm long and weighs over 1 1/4 lbs (0.5 kg). Although its vital organs are quite mature by now, its lungs are not yet sufficiently developed for survival outside the uterus. Week 25 Begins: During Week 25 You: You may get a cramp now and later. Avoid pointing your toes down. The baby may also be pressing against your bladder, causing you to go to the bathroom little and often. Your Baby: The baby's bone centers are beginning to harden. Week 26 Begins: During Week 26 You: You should make arrangements for maternity leave and discover what benefits you are entitled to. If you are a stay at home mom, you may start preparing your other children for the impending arrival. This is also a good time to get tasks done before the baby arrives and before you are too big move around. Your Baby: The baby's skin is beginning to change. Instead of being paper thin and transparent, it is gradually becoming opaque. Week 27 Begins: During Week 27 You: You will be putting on weight fairly regularly now until about the 36th week. It may be a good idea to start thinking about what to get for the baby while you are still feeling good enough to shop. Your Baby: The baby's skin is very wrinkled, but is protected and nourished by the covering of vernix. Week 28 Begins: During Week 28 You: Colostrum may leak from your breasts. From now on you will probably be visiting the doctor every two weeks. If you are Rhesus negative, an antibody check is done. Your Baby: At this stage of development, the baby is considered legally viable, which means that if delivered it must be registered. It is about 14 inches or 38 cm long and weighs around 2 lbs (0.9kg). Week 29 Begins: During Week 29 You: You probably feel as if all your internal organs are being crowded out by the baby. There is pressure on your diaphragm, liver, stomach, and intestine. Your Baby: By now the baby's head is more or less in proportion with the rest of its body. Week 30 Begins: During Week 30 You: It is important to remember to maintain good posture when you are standing or sitting, even though the weight of the baby seems to be dragging you off balance Your Baby: The baby is probably very aware of the Braxton Hicks contractions, coming at regular intervals, even when you do not notice them. Week 31 Begins: During Week 31 You: You may be getting very breathless when you climb stairs or exert yourself. Your Baby: However breathless you feel, the baby is getting enough oxygen. It now weights 4 lbs (1.8 kg). Week 32 Begins: During Week 32 You: At each doctor's visit the baby's position is felt, its rate of growth assessed and its heart checked. Your Baby: The baby is 16 inches (42 cm) long. It is perfectly formed but the fat reserves beneath its skin are only gradually laid down. Born at this time it would still need to be cared for in an incubator. Week 33 Begins: During Week 33 You: You may be able to distinguish the baby's bottom from a foot or knee. You feel its movements more as prods and kicks - it may be too big now to swoop around in the amniotic fluid. Your Baby: Your baby has probably adopted the most usual head down (vertex or cephalic) position, in which it will now stay until delivery. Week 34 Begins: During Week 34 You: You will be attending childbirth education classes by now. Your Baby: The baby can differentiate between dark and light, and is bathed in a red glow when sunlight is on your tummy. Its skin is becoming pinker. Week 35 Begins: During Week 35 You: You may have some backache at about this time, because the ligaments and muscles supporting the joints in the small of your back relax in preparation for childbirth. Your Baby: The fetus measures approximately 18 inches or (44 cm) long and weighs around 5 1/2 lbs (2.5 kg). Week 36 Begins: During Week 36 You: Doctor's visits will be every week from now on. If this is your first baby, it will probably engage some time this week or soon after, and may have done so already. Your lump will settle lower down and you should find that your breathing becomes easier, though you may also need to urinate more often. Your Baby: The baby is almost fully mature and any time now the presenting part may drop into your pelvis ready for birth. The baby is a little more than 18 inches or (49 cm) long. Week 37 Begins: During Week 37 You: You may have a chance to tour the maternity floor and labor room of the hospital in which you are planning to give birth. Get all paperwork in order for admission to the hospital. Your Baby: The baby may be rehearsing slight breathing movements, though there is no air in its lungs. If you are still enough and watch your tummy you can see the rythmic movements in and out. In this way amniotic fluid passes into the baby's trachea giving it the hiccups! Week 38 Begins: During Week 38 You: You may notice that the baby moves less now and that, instead of whole body movements, there are only jabs from the feet and knees, and the strange buzzing sensation inside your vagina of the baby's head moving against your pelvic floor muscles. Your Baby: The baby may be putting on as much as 1 oz (28 g) in weight a day at this stage. Week 39 Begins: During Week 39 You: Your cervix is ripening in preparation for labor. You may feel heavy and weary and be having quite strong Braxton Hicks contractions. Your Baby: The amniotic fluid is renewed every 3 hours. The baby's bowel is filled with greenish-black meconium, excretions from the baby's alimentary glands mixed with bile pigment, lanugo, and cells from the bowel wall - it's first stool after birth. How pretty!! Week 40 Begins: During Week 40 You: The long-awaited day is near, and perhaps after the long wait you are now wishing that it had not come so quickly! You will soon hold your child in your arms. Your Baby: The baby is about 20 inches or (55 cm) long or more. The presenting part is in the lower segment of your uterus and pressing through the softened, partially opened, cervix. It is about to leave the security it has always known and then it will need all your love and care. Week 41: During Week 41 You: You are very very very uncomfortable and rather mad at the world for making you wait so long for your baby. Everything feels heavy, your back hurts, you can't sleep or eat. You are just plain miserable. Any moment your water will break and you will be on your way. Your doctor may schedule you for an induction if your baby is getting big. Your Baby: Your baby is ready to come out and meet his/her family. It is perfect in every way and is just gaining weight and getting bigger by the day. Happy Birthday!