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Smart Mum: Feeling the baby

Smart Mum: Feeling the baby

Fetus Growth - continued

Fifth Month

The growth of your baby will be rapid in this month. The internal organs are maturing, while the fingernails have grown to the tips of the fingers. The number of nerve cells in the brain increases rapidly this month. Stool (called meconium) begins to form in the intestines. Your sonography at this stage may reveal the baby sleeping and waking at regular intervals and also sucking its thumb. You will find that your baby is much more active, turning from side to side and head over heels. The respiratory system starts working and the baby may drink some amniotic fluid. She also begins to urinate. The amniotic fluid transfers material in the sac to the blood in the mother's circulation. The amniotic fluid is completely replaced every 3 hours.
Your baby is now about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long and weighs about 12 ounces (about 340 grams).

Sixth Month

This is a very critical month for your baby as she grows rapidly in strength and size. The baby is too young to be born at this time. Most babies born so prematurely do not survive. Only some who do, have to be under intensive care with artificial breathing and precise temperature control in an incubator. The skin is wrinkled and red and covered with vernix (a substance of oil and cells). The baby can open and close the eyes and can hear sounds. The baby's fingerprints and footprints have formed.
By the end of this month, your baby is 12 inches (30 centimeters) long and weighs about 1 to 1 and 1/2 pounds (450 to 680 grams). At the end of this month cells inside the baby's lungs begin to make a fatty substance called surfactant. This substance helps the baby breathe after birth. Because babies are still so small and the lungs are not fully developed at this stage, they usually cannot live outside the uterus without very specialized care.
The sixth month is the last month of the second trimester.

Seventh Month

The seventh, eighth, and ninth months are the third and final trimester of pregnancy. The baby weighs about two and a half pounds in the beginning of this month, is about 15inches long and viable to be born, though still very premature and needs survival by help of medical technology. The baby exercises by kicking and stretching. Calcium is being stored, and the bone centers are hardening. The lanugo begins to disappear from the face, and the baby may have more hair on its head. The baby can make grasping motions with its hands. If the baby is a boy, the testicles begin to move down from the abdomen into the scrotum.
Baby’s movements at this point in pregnancy have gone from wild kicks and flurries to smaller movements as the room becomes crowded in the uterus. At about week 28 babies begin to start turning head down. This is automatic in most babies and they seem to like it that way.
Your baby can sense light and dark in the uterus. This may also effect the pattern you notice of sleep and wake cycles. The uterus is also not a silent environment. While the baby can hear your heart beat, your digestive system, etc. your baby can also hear your voice as well as others close by. Think of what you can hear in a pool.
Your baby's eye lashes are developing, as subcutaneous fat is deposited. The mother may be off balance more often due to the increase in weight. She may feel false contractions called 'Braxton Hicks'

Eigth Month

Your baby is fully formed now and is getting too big to move around much, but its kicks are stronger, and you may be able to see the outline of a small heel or elbow against your abdomen. If your baby is a boy, his testicles have descended into his scrotum. Although the baby's bones continue to harden, the bones of the head are soft and flexible. The baby is acquiring immunities (antibodies) from the mother, which will help protect the baby against illness for the first few months after birth. Sometimes the baby will have hiccups. At this time the mother is advised to undergo specific tests to check her immunity against threatening diseases like Rubella and small pox. If the mother already has had chicken pox, jaundice etc then this antibody present in the mother’s body will be passed on to her baby.
Your baby is really getting ready to be born. Every day in the uterus is said to be two less days your baby would spend in the hospital at this point. Red blood cell production is done entirely by your baby’s bone marrow. Amniotic fluid is still present and your baby urinates into it daily, about a half a liter of urine a day.
The baby's irises can now dilate and contract in response to light. He or she opens and closes their eyes at will. Even the finger nails reach the end of the fingers. Some babies might even need a nail trim at birth! Your baby may have a lot of hair on their head or none, both extremes are normal.
The weight gain has been fairly incredible recently. Your baby has put on about 2 pounds of weight, mostly fat and muscle tissue, since last month, bringing the total to an average of three pounds eleven ounces (1.7 kilograms), and measurements to 40 cms or 15.8 inches!

Ninth Month

The final month comes and the mother is impatient to hold her little one anyday. All the anticipation and wait is finally coming to an end as the baby progresses rapidly now gaining about 1/2 pound (225 grams) each week. The baby is getting ready for birth and usually settles into the vertex position, with its head down against the birth canal and its knees against the nose. The bones of the head are soft and flexible for delivery through the birth canal. The lanugo (body hair) is almost all gone.
Your baby is now about 20 inches (50 centimeters) long and weighs 6 to 9 pounds (2700 to 4000 grams). No one knows what makes labor start. You may go into labor and give birth to the child any time between the 37th and 42nd weeks of pregnancy.
Your baby’s organs have been finished forming for a long time. Now is the time for finishing touches. For example, the lungs make final preparations for birth by secreting surfactant to help them expand at birth. Your baby’s kidneys are still producing lots of urine every day, helping to make up the almost two pints of amniotic fluid.
While your baby may be putting on half a pound a week up until about week 37 at which point weight gain slows drastically. The average birth weight is still about seven and a half pounds. Your baby will measure between 18-22 inches at birth.
Your due date is a guess as to when your baby may arrive. The majority of babies will show up from two weeks before this date to two weeks after this date. Labor is caused by the baby’s signals to the mother’s body that he or she is ready to be born.

Good luck and good birth!

Fetus Growth during Normal Pregnancy

To understand your pregnancy, it is helpful to know how your baby changes month to month during the 9 months you are pregnant.

First Month

The process of implantation begins after about 5 to 7 days when the sperm fertilizes the egg, and the egg attaches to the lining of the uterus. The fertilized egg then begins to grow in the uterus, doubling in size every day. At this stage of development the baby is called an embryo.
Shortly after implantation the placenta and umbilical cord begin to form. The placenta and umbilical cord take care of the nourishment and oxygen being provided to your baby and carry away the baby's wastes. Your baby is enclosed in a sac of fluid to protect the baby from bumps and pressure.
In another week the baby has a spinal cord. Within a few days , she develops 5 to 8 bones of the spinal column (vertebrae). By the end of your first 6 weeks of pregnancy, your baby has a head and trunk. The eyes, brain, mouth, inner ears, and digestive system begin to form, as do tiny buds that will be the arms and legs. The heart also forms, and it begins to beat on the 25th day after conception (5 to 6 weeks after the last menstrual period).
By the end of 6 weeks your baby is about a half inch long (1 centimeter) and weighs a fraction of an ounce (or a few grams).

By the end of this month, most mothers start feeling nausea termed as “morning sickness”. It gets worse for some mothers as months progress while others may not experience this symptom at all.

Second Month

This month is part of the most critical aspect of your baby development. It is imperative to take precaution against external factors like drugs, viruses, or environmental factors such as pesticides which may cause birth defects.
Your baby's development is very rapid during the second month. By the end of the second month, all of your baby's major body organs and body systems, including the lungs, liver, and stomach, have begun their development cycle. Eyelids form and grow but are sealed shut, and ears are formed. Ankles, toes, wrists, fingers, and sexual organs start developing. If your baby is a boy, his penis will appear as part of the organ growth.
By this month end your baby starts looking like a miniature human infant rather than the small cell it was conceived as. The baby is a little over 1 inch long (3 centimeters) and still weighs less than 1 ounce (less than 28 grams). The baby is now in a sac called the amniotic sac.

The expectant mother may start having enlarged breasts nad prominent nipples. There may be some tenderness and pain in the area due to an increase in the body hormones. There may be increased vaginal secretion and the mucous plug begins to form. The expectant mother may feel an increased urge to urinate because of increased pressure from the uterus due to the growing fetus.

Third Month

Your baby is completely formed by the end of the third month. The fingers and toes have soft nails, and tooth buds have formed under the gums. Appearance of hair may start on the head, although at this stage the head is large compared with the rest of the body. Swellings on the side of the neck show where the ears will be and the inner ears are forming. There is a bit of a nose and the lips are forming. The kidneys develop and start draining urine into the bladder. The baby's heart has four chambers and beats at 120 to 160 beats per minute. The baby may open and close its mouth and start moving its hands, legs, and head. You might be excited about when to feel your baby but you will have to wait as at this time you will not sense the slight movements. Your baby is now 4 inches long (10 centimeters) and weighs just a little over 1 ounce (over 28 grams). This is the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. The baby is now called a fetus.

Fourth Month

This is the most exciting month as your baby is now completely formed. Your sonography done this month will show the baby completely albeit looking a little strange with a large head. The skin is pink and somewhat transparent, and eyebrows and eyelashes begin to appear. The baby's body is covered in fine soft hair called lanugo. The baby is storing fat under the skin, and the bones are making blood cells. The external sex organs have become distinctly male or female. Your baby has vocal cords, taste buds, and a strong heartbeat. Now the body grows faster than the head.
The baby moves, kicks, sleeps, wakes, swallows, and passes urine. You may start to feel a slight sensation of movement in your lower abdomen. This feeling is like bubbles or fluttering. When you first feel the baby's movement (called quickening), write down the date. This date helps the doctor determine when your baby is due.
Your baby is now 6 to 7 inches (16 to 18 centimeters) long and weighs about 6 ounces (about 170 grams). In India as preference is for baby boy, lot of women specially in the rural areas try to undergo sonography for sex determination which is illegal . This month is the most critical for women as any attempted abortion during this stage can harm even the health of the mother and is definitely illegal is done only for preferential sex baby.

Planning to conceive

Every couple cherishes a family and a woman cherishes her motherhood the most. However the decision to conceive a baby is solely dependent on a couple’s individual decision . Today due to increased economic power of women, late marriages and career centric couples on the increase, the desire to conceive a child is delayed by many till they feel absolutely ready to accept the responsibility associated with the upbringing of a baby.
However if you are planning to conceive then these few points can help increase your chances of conceiving.

Take supplements

Folic Acid is the most important supplement needed by a mother to be as it significantly reduces the risk of your baby being born with spina bifida. However it is more beneficial to take this supplement when you have decided to try for a baby. Other supplements which are beneficial can be vitamin B, vitamin E and zinc supplements. Vitamin B12 has been found through various studies to be beneficial for not only women but it helps increase low sperm count in men too.
Zinc is well known as an important nutrient for both men and women to have. Insufficient zinc has been linked to causing chromosome changes, reducing fertility and increasing the risk of miscarriage. It’s also involved in sperm and is needed to make the ‘outer layer and tail of the sperm,’ so it’s another supplement for men to consider.
Taking antioxidant vitamin E has been linked to an increase in fertility in both men and women.

Healthy Diet

A balanced and nutritious diet is necessary to keep us healthy and fit. Similarly during the baby making stage it is utmost necessary that both partners stay healthy and fit which means that a balanced diet containing five servings of fruits and vegetables in a day is needed to keep you healthy. Indian thali comprises of a very healthy diet avoiding the fried stuffs. So if you have a basic Indian meal comprising dal, chapattis, vegetables and rice then you can be rest assured that you are eating a healthy and balanced diet. Avoid all kinds of junk food if you are really serious about the baby.

Increase frequency of having Sex

Make it a point to have sex frequently. The more you have sex, the more likely it is that you’ll catch your most fertile days, which help your chances of conceiving. It is advisable to try the missionary position or the back position for increasing chances of conception. Lie down for 20 min at least after having sex to allow the sperm to move towards the ovary. Avoid sexual fantasy positions or sex toys during this phase as it affects the sperm intake in the female reproductive system. It is said that for men who have sex frequently, their sperm counts will be slightly lower, but it won’t affect his ability to produce enough sperm to be viable.

Avoid Tight Clothes

This actually feels odd but it is a fact. Tight underwear , tight jeans and trousers actually reduce the sperm count in men and also affects their erectile function because of the heat they produce. Loose clothing tends to keep testicles cooler and away from body ensuring better chances of sperm production.

Avoid Smoking and Alcohol

Doctors advise quitting both smoking and alcohol consumption for a woman when she is pregnant as it can cause disorders like fetal alcohol syndrome, cervical cancer while increasing chances of miscarriage. For couples who desire to have a baby, it is best to refrain from smoking completely to optimise their chances of conception. Although there has been no major studies showing accurately the harm of alcohol consumption on conception, it is however advisable to avoid it completely for conceiving a healthy baby.

Activities for Toddlers

This is definetly a priority for any mom who has an active toddler. To keep them engaged is a major task something that surpasses any level of corporate work. Toddlers who are hyper active are jsut like those very hard to deal with Clients, who will not be satisfied with anything you do for them till it is the very best. They are at a stage where they are exploring everything, have learnt to walk and babble recently so they want to do everything at one go and if you can't match up to it then be prepared for a showdown and cranky behavior as an immediate response to your failure of being an as active mom. I myself have worked in the Corporate on the recruitment side for quite a few years but trust me the stress associated in dealing with a hyperactive toddler( my baby is 18 months old)is nothing compared to my corporate deadline stress. Being a stay at home mom currently (have taken a break from work) my priority is always to keep my baby engaged in some or the other activity. I have tried everything - educational toys,animation videos, interactive nursery rhymes, storybooks, color books( although she just scratches the pages with crayons - please don't try pens with the kids at this stage , they end up sketching themselves only!) But nothing seems to work for more than a few minutes at the maximum. We live in an area where she doesn't have many freinds her age so its ultimately upon me to create activities to keep her engaged.

I have been researching the net for specific inline activities for toddlers and have come up with a few sites that seem quite helpful. Try these if you are really desperate to keep your toddler engaged.

www.fisher-price.com/uk/playtime/ : This is a quality site where you get lots of advice on childcare, online games for various age groups and also suggestions of specific activities that you may be able to play with your toddler or baby.

http://www.toddletoons.com/ : try this site for some interactive games like coloring, knowing about shapes, animals etc.

http://www.uptoten.com/: Very interesting site. Has all kinds of games and even animated shows to keep toddlers engaged

Predicting the Sex of Your Baby: Old Wives' Tales

Mums have always been curious about the sex of the child they are carrying. In the days before scans were available, women used all kinds of weird and wonderful methods of defining the sex of their child. Here are a few Old Wives’ Tales that I heard during my pregnancy.

Remember though, that they are ONLY for fun.

If your left breast is bigger than the right during pregnancy, you're having a girl. If the right is bigger, it'll be a boy. If they are the same size, you're in for a surprise!

If you get moody during pregnancy you are more likely to have a girl. This is because all women are moody, and when carrying a girl you become doubly so.

If you carry the baby out front (others can’t see your pregnancy from behind) then you will have a boy. If others can tell that you are pregnant when looking at you from behind, then you will have a girl.

Have the mum-to-be pick up a key. If she picks it up by the round end, it will be a boy. If she picks it up by the long end, it will be a girl. Should she pick it up at the middle, twins are on the way.

If the mother's age at conception and the year of conception are both even or both odd, the baby is a girl. If one is even and one is odd, the baby is a boy.

Ask the mum-to-be to pick a number. Match the number with the corresponding letter of the alphabet (A=1, B=2 etc). Then ask her to choose a name beginning with that letter. If she chooses a boys name, it will be a boy. If she chooses a girls name, it will be a girl.

Hang a gold pendant (preferably one the mother wears often) over the palm of the mother’s hand. If the pendant moves in a circular motion, it will be a girl. If it swings back and forth, a boy is on the way.

If the mum-to-be was the more aggressive partner when the baby was conceived, it will be a boy. If the father was the more aggressive, the baby will be a girl.

If you suffer from acne during pregnancy, you will have a girl. What side does the mum-to-be lay on while she's resting? If she lies on her left, it's a boy; on her right, it's a girl. If young boys (pre-school age) show interest in you while you're pregnant, it will be a girl. If they ignore you, expect a boy.

Ask the mum-to-be to show you her hands. If she shows them palms up, it's a girl; palms down, a boy.

If you dream of girls, you will have a boy. If you dream of boys, you will have a girl.

Kick Count Charts

What is a Kick Count Chart ??

A kick count chart is a graph or grid printed on a piece of paper with spaces to record the daily movements of your baby. Kick count charts are mainly used for women who express concern about their baby's movements or if they have a health condition or pregnancy complications that may put their baby at an increased risk. Some health care providers use kick count charts as a routine part of care for all women during late pregnancy.

Counting the movements:- Health care providers will usually provide their own kick charts, but they are pretty straight forward and you could even draw one up yourself or just record the date, times and movements on a piece of paper. The charts are aimed at recording your baby's movements, not just kicks. This means a flutter, elbow, roll, push, jab and stretch all count as 'kicks'. Also if your baby has some rigorous movements that go 'kick', 'kick', 'kick' within a very short space of time, this is regarded as 3 movements, not just '1 group' of movements. As a guide, there are two common methods used for monitoring a baby's movements with kick count charts. As you will see, there are many inconsistencies in what is regarded as adequate movements. But if you are concerned contact your health care provider.

The Cardiff Count To Ten Method:- This uses an 8 to 12 hour period to record at least 10 of your baby's movements. The time period you choose will depend on when you think your baby is most active, for example in the evenings. If your baby has at least 10 movements within this 12 hour period they are thought to be well. If your baby has not moved in 12 hours or you are concerned, you should contact your health care provider. When charting, start your timing at around the same time each day. The first time you feel your baby move, record the time and write it down on your graph. Try to count every movement or kick until your baby has moved ten times. When you feel your tenth movement, write down the time (or put an X in the box corresponding to that time).

One To Two Hour Method:- This involves lying quietly on your left side for about 30 minutes after eating (without distractions). After your evening meal may be a good time if this is when your baby is most active. Your baby should move about 3 to 5 times within an hour to 75 minutes. If you are concerned you should contact your health care provider. You can bring your kick count chart with you to your routine pregnancy appointments. If you do contact your health care provider because you are concerned about your baby's movements, they may suggest you go to the hospital labor and delivery floor for a non-stress test (NST). This is involves your baby's heart rate being continuously monitored with a electronic fetal monitor for about 20 to 40 minutes. The paper readout is marked every time your baby moves, with their heart rate reacting (ideally by increasing) soon after the movement. Sometimes the health care provider will use a vibroacoustic stimulator. This is placed on your belly near your baby's head, making a loud buzzing noise to wake up your baby.

Feeling the baby

For any mother her baby is and will always be a priority. It is said that a woman in never complete till she is a mother in the true essence. Every woman desires and cherishes motherhood and this journey starting from conception to pregnancy, childbirth nad therefater the development process is firmly etched in their memories signifying each moment they spend with their child.

The first time after conception when you hold the pregnancy confirmation report in your hands, the flood of emotions is mixed. At the same time you are elated, overjoyed and just cannot express your happiness but at the same time you have your anxiety and concerns over the development of you baby. Sometime during the middle months of pregnancy, between the fourteenth and the twenty-second weeks, you will feel the baby move for the first time.These first movements are called Quickening. Many women feel tremendously excited by these first few flickerings, others feel a little panicked with this sudden sign of new life. Some describe it like - "It feels like there are bubbles popping, or is it butterflies? Gas, maybe? Being stroked with a feather?"

In a first pregnancy it can be quite difficult to recognise foetal movements initially. They have often been likened to a butterfly fluttering or to a feeling of wind moving around inside the tummy. Gradually, the movements become stronger and more pronounced until it is clearly obvious, even to a first-time mother, that her baby is moving.Your partner, family and friends will not be able to feel these first movements, but soon they too will share in this exciting event. Those fluttering sensations will soon turn into bumps, kicks and hiccups.