Welcome to the Pregged pregnancy week-by-week series. Each week-by-week post is separated into three handy sections.
1. Mom – Section one covers the changes mom will experience and the things she may need to consider health-wise.
2. Baby – Section two looks at the development of the fetus and what’s going on with baby inside the womb.
3. Nutrition – Section three covers nutrition for each week of pregnancy so that you know what foods are important to include in your diet at each stage.
6 WEEKS PREGNANT – MOM
By now you will start seeing your practitioner every week and will begin having cervical checks. You will also be swabbed for group b streptococcus which is a harmless bacteria to you, but can cause serious infections to your newborn. If you are a carrier, you will be give IV antibiotics in labor.The cervix is evaluated for dilation—it has to get to 10 centimeters before the baby can be born, but when you start getting to 3-4 cm, usually you are in early labor—but it can start and stop. The cervix is also checked for softness and thickness-called effacement. Softening and thinning out are usually the earliest phases of cervical change, followed by dilation. So, don’t despair if you are closed, thick, and high—it can change in a matter of hours. The station of the baby means how far out of the pelvis the baby’s head is—as in high-mid-low. The countdown has begun, you are officially in your last month of pregnancy! By now, you are totally over this process and cannot wait for baby to get a move on. However, a few more weeks of percolation are really best for your baby.
If the baby is head down, which is something your doctor will want to know now, there is a high likelihood that the pelvic pressure and pain are pretty intense. It’s time to walk less, rest more, and figure out a way to get comfortable. Lay on your left side with hips elevated, use warm compresses, and even acetaminophen might help, but ask your doctor if that’s ok to take now. It’s best not to make long car trips because sitting in one place is maddening. Plane rides are out, too. What if my baby has not dropped into its position—head first? Well, your doctor will do an ultrasound to see if the baby is breech or horizontal. Even a breech baby now can suddenly turn before the onset of labor. If not, the doctor may suggest a ‘version’ which is a way for the doctor to physically manipulate your uterus and baby through the abdomen. Some turn easily, others not.
Baby Development
Please help! Get this baby out of me. It is pure misery—this part of pregnancy, but essential for the final growth spurt. A vaginal culture will be done by your practitioner to check for Group B Beta Streptococcus, a bacteria that is entirely harmless to you but can harm your baby. If you test positive, you will be given antibiotics when you go into labor. No big deal. Sometimes, you will see the baby move by the bulging of part of your abdomen wall. Try playing this game with your little one, by poking different areas of your belly to see if you can get a reaction. Every organ is humming away and getting fine-tuned for the big debut. Grab a cold drink, put your feet up and dream of your future together. It’s going to be so much fun.
Pregnancy Nutrition Week 6
Whether you really can’t tolerate the white stuff (because you’re lactose intolerant), or just don’t like the taste—it’s a challenge at 36 weeks to get enough calcium, but there are plenty of tastier
Most dairy products contain plenty — particularly yogurt (one cup of yogurt equals a cup of whole milk).
You’ll also find it in fortified fruit juice (orange, grapefruit, apple, cranberry, and others)—like cheese and soy products, and salmon mashed with the bones. Vitamin D is Calcium’s favorite buddy, and most people are deficient especially in colder climates. It’s easy to supplement, and it helps with muscle cramps and other body aches. Sunshine converts your own body’s production of Vitamin D so 15 minutes outside in the sun can do the trick without supplements.