Week by Week Pregnancy
Posted on May 15, 2008
Being pregnant is such a happy and blessing moment, while you have to wait as long as 40 weeks to see your new-born baby. During this period of time, you will find different stages of the baby’s development within mom’s pregnant body in the course of a week by week pregnancy.
Every week brings new developments when you’re pregnant. Your baby is changing week by week, and your body is keeping pace with changes of its own. If you want to know exactly what happens to your baby, relying on the help of the week by week pregnancy calendar is also a good choice. Furthermore, many websites offer free information and instruction about the week by week pregnancy.
In the following section we will pick out some critical time during the week by week pregnancy period.
As for this question, the first week is what we can not leave out to start the week by week pregnancy. At some point in the first week, there are roughly 1.5 to 3.5 million sperm took aim at your fallopian tubes and only the most superior one hit the target. Then the egg merges with the sperm and become a zygote. Cell multiplication begins at an astonishingly rapid rate. In the next 7-10 days, your little zygote will divide and multiply as they slowly descend into the uterus, where it nestles into the already cozy blood-rich uterine wall. The implantation process may result in a little spotting, however, this is perfectly natural and not a cause for concern. For the pregnant mom, you won’t feel nauseous or any other of the main symptoms of pregnancy at this point, but get ready.
Usually, in the fourth week in the process of week by week pregnancy, your body can figure out what is going on inside of your body. If you go to see a doctor and do certain test, such as a urine pregnancy test. They measure the amounts of the pregnancy hormone in your urine and the result might be positive. At this time, you are probably beginning to feel tired, urinate more frequently, and experience mood swings, and possibly have tender or swollen breasts. Those are the commonest signs of pregnancy. This is a crucial period, and the mom-to-be should try to avoid any environmental hazards because the first trimester is the most critical time in the course of the week by week pregnancy.
If the week by week pregnancy enters into the 20th week, you are half way through your pregnancy! Your belly button may pop out as your uterus presses upwards. Some people may have trouble breathing as their lungs become cramped. For the baby, Lanugo begins to grow and skin cells to create a kind of creamy white substance, which is said to help protect the baby inutero. It will cling to the lanugo and in the creases. You may be aware of the sleeping and waking cycles of your baby. The weight is now up to approximately 10 ounces and the baby measures about 25 cm long.
The 40th week of course should be the most exciting moment in the week by week pregnancy. It is a time that your body has been getting ready in many ways to welcome the new arrival. Your baby now is probably with the head down and deeply snuggled into your pelvis. Most of the lanugo has fallen off, although you may still find some, particularly around the shoulders or ears. The average baby will be about 7.5 pounds and 20 inches long at birth.
After the long period of week by week pregnancy, the mother will finally unload the heavy belly and witness the first crying of her own baby. What a marvelous moment it is.
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Pregnancy Discrimination Act
Posted on May 10, 2008
Pregnancy is hard enough as it is. Many pregnant women need to work during their pregnancy. Unfortunately, women in the past had the added stress of pregnancy discrimination. Nowadays, pregnancy discrimination is less of a problem in today’s workplace as it has been in the past, thanks in part to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
The pregnancy discrimination act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Basically, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires companies to treat pregnant workers the same way they treat other workers who have medical disabilities and cannot work. Your employer cannot fire you because you are pregnant or force you to take mandatory maternity leave. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on pregnancy, child birth, or related medical condition, meanwhile, it applies to employers with 15 or more employees, unions with 25 members, employment agencies, federal, state and local governments.
To explain specifically of the regulations of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, first of all, an employer cannot refuse to hire you because of your pregnancy, as long as you can perform well the major functions of the job you have applied. When you become pregnant, you are protected from pregnancy discrimination in many ways. Your employer must allow you to work if you are able to perform your job. What is more, your employer is not allowed to require you to take mandatory maternity leave, or to prevent you from coming back to work when you would like, after the baby’s birth. If you are temporarily unable to perform your job because to pregnancy, your employer must treat you the same way as any other temporarily disabled employee by providing modified tasks, alternative assignments, disability leave, or leave without pay.
Health Insurance is also guaranteed by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Any health insurance provided by your employer must cover expenses for pregnancy situations on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. However, health insurance for expenses from an abortion is not required, except in cases where your life is endangered. The amount paid by the insurance provider can only be limited to the same extent as costs for other conditions. No increased or additional deductible can be imposed due to your pregnancy.
Benefits are another the Pregnancy Discrimination Act aims to. Benefits related to pregnancy cannot be limited to married employees. If your employer provides any benefits to workers on leave, they must provide the same while you are pregnant, you must be treated the same as other employees for vacation calculation, pay increases, and temporary disability benefits.
As the calling for the rights of female, pregnancy discrimination will not go away anytime soon. It is very important for you to know the rights and protections guaranteed to you by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Hopefully though, armed with this information, you can defend yourself from pregnancy discrimination and feel comfortable in your workplace throughout your pregnancy. Being informed is your best defense.
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Very Early Signs of Pregnancy
Posted on May 5, 2008
Once you have conceived, it will take about a week or so for the fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. Around this time as implantation happens, hormone levels begin to change, and the body reacts to these new hormone levels. As a result, it is possible time for the mom-to-be to experience one or more of the very early signs of pregnancy and begin to know they are pregnant.
Fatigue is a typical very early signs of pregnancy experienced by a large percentage of pregnant women. Feeling tired is related to the changes in hormones in the body and the body begins to adjust to the new hormone levels. In addition, because pregnancy affects the sense of taste and smell, lots of pregnant women unintentionally avoid food taking and skip meals, and may cause low blood sugar levels which can lead to fatigue.
Headache, often referred to as hormonal headaches, is another very early signs of pregnancy. Pregnant women often experience more headaches than they normally have and again this can be a result of massive hormonal changes. Headache can make life pretty miserable, especially as the only medicine the pregnant ladies can take is Tylenol in the U.S. Stopping for a catnap can help a bit .listening to light music and take a slow walk outside can also work to some extent.
Backache is another very early signs of pregnancy. Right from the missed period, you may get backaches low down. This is caused by a hormone named relaxin, which can loosen all your joints so as to allow a baby to pass through your pelvis. The increased blood flow to the area may also contribute to the ache. Later on, the weight out front will pull on your lower spine, which also makes it ache. Rubbing it, a warm bath and lots of tea and comfort from your husband may help a lot.
Some of pregnant women found that they get aching hips in the night. This is also included among the very early signs of pregnancy. It is recommended you sleep on your side during pregnancy, particularly your left, as it provides the best blood flow to your baby. Many moms-to-be follow the instructions of the doctors carefully. This can cause aching hips. A body pillow can help alleviate this a bit, try putting it between your knees while lying on your left side.
Sore breasts are also on the list of the very early signs of pregnancy. Some women noticed a significant increase in size of their breasts in the first few weeks. In order to feel comfortable, it is very important to get measured for a well fitting maternity bra. Take care of your breasts carefully, because they will provide the most valuable food and nutrition to your baby.
What mentioned above are just some of the very early signs of pregnancy. Maybe you will also feel moody, queasy, heartburn, constipation, or find yourself making more frequent trips to the restroom. Anyway, those can be put up with since the final hope is waiting the arrival of your little baby.
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Cramping In Early Pregnancy
Posted on April 30, 2008
Some women start cramping shortly after they get a positive pregnancy test. They take for granted that is abnormal. So Many pregnant women go to consult doctors because of cramping in early pregnancy. To tell the truth, cramping in early pregnancy is a very normal occurrence even though you may be worried if you find yourself cramping. In fact, mild cramping is quite similar to menstrual situations.
The big reason for cramping in early pregnancy is due to uterine expansion. When the uterus begins to stretch and grow after implantation, cramping occurs. Often women do not realize they are pregnant when this occurs. During the course of your pregnancy, your uterus may grow to 1000 times its original size, which means that cramping is unavoidable. And another reason for cramping in early pregnancy is because ligament pain, which also refers to as round ligament pain. Pain in the second trimester is very common as your uterus grows. This is called round ligament stretch, round ligament pain, or round ligament syndrome and is different from the cramping in early pregnancy cramping.
As for how to deal with cramping in early pregnancy here are some suggestions given by professional doctors. First, cramping in early pregnancy is common, and often nothing to worry about. However, to avoid the risk of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, if you have cramping combined with spotting or bleeding, you should consult your care provider. Second, heat works great for dealing with cramping in early pregnancy. You can try an electric heating pad, but be careful you don’t get too hot. Then, a warm bath may also relieve cramping. It may take some of the weight off your ligaments so as to relax your muscles and ligaments. Next, increase your fiber and water intake. Some women are constipated in early pregnancy, which may cause cramping in early pregnancy. When you are constipated, start with changing your diet. Also, abstain from sex. Some care providers recommend abstaining from sex if cramping happens. Taking a Tylenol should be your last resort, but a little bit of Tylenol is safe during pregnancy and will probably take care of the cramping. Most experts agree that a little bit of Tylenol is safe though you may talk to your care provider before taking a Tylenol.
To some extent, cramping in early pregnancy is not cause for alarm. However, the first action you should to take is still seeing the doctors. After checking with your health care provider, you can take acetaminophen if the pain is unbearable. Women who have had a previous miscarriage, you should contact your doctor or midwife with any cramping. After all, cramping in early pregnancy is an experience every pregnant woman may have. Be relaxed when cramping comes; meanwhile, be cautious to avoid any risk to both you and your future baby.
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Teenage Pregnancy Statistics
Posted on April 25, 2008
It seems hard to believe that someone can have a child when you still consider her to be a child, but teenage pregnancy does happen. A teenage pregnancy statistics, made by the Office of National Statistics for monitoring progress towards the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy’s target, shows more teenage girls get pregnant in Britain than anywhere else in Europe.
Because teenage pregnancy is a controversial topic, statistics on this issue never stops. According to the past teenage pregnancy statistics, in the 1970s, Britain had similar teenage pregnancy rates to the rest of European countries. But in the 1980s and 1990s, other countries got theirs down, while Britain’s rate stayed high. The latest available figures of teenage pregnancy statistics show that Britain’s teenage birth rate is five times that in Holland, three times higher than in France and double the rate in Germany. In the United States the rate is more than double that in the UK. A recent teenage pregnancy statistics claims that one million teens in the USA became pregnant over the last year. About one third ended in abortion; one third ended in spontaneous miscarriage; and one third continued their pregnancy and had their baby. And another teenage pregnancy statistics made in 12 colleges in the USA shows the following facts: More than half of them are 17 years old or younger when they have their first pregnancy. The poorer the young woman, the more likely she will become a mother.
Teenage pregnancy statistics acknowledged there was no single cause for teenage pregnancy, but four major factors are pointed out here: first, many young people think they will end up on benefit so there seem no reasons not to get pregnant. Second, teenagers don’t know enough about what being a parent will involve. Third, the media demonstrates too many things related to sex that young people are bombarded with sexual images, but they can’t discuss it at home with their parents. The last one, there is no enough sex education taught in school and teenagers don’t give good access to this kind of knowledge.
As for the consequences of teens` pregnancy, teenage pregnancy statistics shows that teenage mums are less likely to finish their education and get a decent job. Nearly one-third of teens who have babies before the age of 18 finish high school. What is even worse, they are more likely to become single parents and live in poverty. Almost half of all young mothers end up on welfare offered by the government. Meanwhile, their children are at greater risk of poor health and of becoming teenage mothers themselves. In fact, so many teenagers drop out of education and employment that creates a major problem to our society and economy.
In order to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate, parents should communicate more with your children about sex and love and try to make them aware the serious result of teenage pregnancy if it is possible, some of the teenage pregnancy statistics can also been given to them to make a warning.
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Pregnancy Photography
Posted on April 20, 2008
Is pregnancy is one of the most unforgettable moment of your life? Most people think so. As for how to keep the valuable time being memorized both in mind and in life, many people think of the pregnancy photography, which act as a reminder of the most precious time in a mother’s life. Memorizing everything through pictures or photos during pregnancy time is really a wonderful experience. Once you deliver your little one, your body will go back to its normal size, and you will miss your big belly. Therefore, through pictures you have taken during pregnancy, you will be surprised that you have such a wonderful body when pregnant. On the contrary, it will be a regrettable thing to pass the nine months pregnancy time without taking any pregnancy photography.
In fact, you had better to start your pregnancy photography right from the beginning. Prepare your camera. Compared with the manual camera, the digital one will probably the easiest way for you to do the pregnancy photography. Make sure your digital camera is not broken and can be retrieved to the computer. That way you will have everything complete in your computer. Since women today have a wide range of choices they can pick various styles and try to make the best of their bodies to create personalized self-image. When you took picture, wear your fashionable dresses as well as baggy clothing and plus sized dresses. Photo taken with maternity apparel will make you look gorgeous, comfortable and sexy at the same time. That’s why you can wear that during your pregnancy photography session.
It is easy to do the pregnancy photography. Use a digital camera; try to aim to capture your personality in the photographs. If there is something of special significance to you, such as your old baby hat, or anything else, you can use it in the photo to add meaning for you. You may wish to have your husband included in the photos, which may personalize the photos and make them something you will treasure. During the summer months you can do a mixture of indoor and outdoor photos. You can do the pregnancy photography by yourself. If you like, a professional photographer can also come to your home and provide individual photo sessions while you have some special time with friends. Sometimes the natural light and home settings are much better than those in the photography studio for both its beauty and a more relaxed environment.
When a collection of photos are developed, it is time to make some kind of scrapping book of pregnancy photography. Put your picture chronological order thus you can organize your photos perfectly. You can arrange your pregnancy photos from the first trimester until you deliver your baby. Put dates down. Even though you may think that you will easily remember what “month” your pregnancy was at in the pictures, the truth is you may not remember all, so you had better to put dates down.
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Pregnancy Due Date Calendar
Posted on April 15, 2008
When are you due? It’s one of the first questions people may ask about your pregnancy. However, needless to be asked by others, you just can’t wait another minute to find out how long it will arrive. Though the best, most accurate answer will come from a medical professional, you can approximate your due date to give yourself a general idea of when your family will gain its new member. This can be done by using a pregnancy due date calendar.
A pregnancy due date calendar is a tool that is similar to the one used by doctors. It will estimate the due date of a pregnancy by using a couple of different factors. Depending on how well you know your body’s cycles, this can be a tremendously accurate instrument. Once you know just what this pregnancy due date calendar is and how it works, you can easily estimate your due date as close a true date as possible. All you need to do is providing just one bit of information and you will arrive at an almost accurate due date. Using this pregnancy due date calendar is fairly easy.
Here is how the pregnancy due date calendar works: Most women’s pregnancy length is approximately 266 days. Generally, the time from the last period to actual conception is 14 days. Using these simple calculations, you can find out your own due date by doing just a little simple math. To use a pregnancy due date calendar to predict from your last menstrual period is the easiest and most accurate formula and this is also the way most doctors calculate a due date without an ultrasound. Just add 280 days to your last period date and that will be your estimated due date. Another way to use a pregnancy due date calendar is by the actual date of conception. If you can pinpoint the day during ovulation in which you had sexual contact, you can add 266 to that date to get a fairly reliable due date. Keep in mind that this date may change by days or even weeks once you see the doctor. A thorough physical exam may discover that you have been pregnant longer than you were aware.
Whether this kind of pregnancy due date calendar is accurate or not is a question for many women. In fact, there is no way you can calculate the exact date of the arrival of your baby. The baby arrives when he or she is ready. In fact, only five percent of women actually deliver on their due date! But unless you are way off in your memory of when your last period was or your cycles are very irregular, your baby is very likely to be born within two weeks either side of your due date. Please do not take pregnancy due date calendar too seriously. The calculated date is just an approximation of your due date, nothing more. Again, this is an estimate that needs professional confirmation.
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Pregnancy Ticker
Posted on April 10, 2008
With the realization of pregnancy, all the tools and information related to baby or pregnancy arouse a mother-to-be attention. For instance, tools like due date calculator, pregnancy calendar and pregnancy ticker have become an essential must for women who want to keep track of how long is left in their pregnancy.
For what purpose do people use a pregnancy ticker? Generally speaking, a pregnancy ticker can be used on Chat forums, message boards, blogs, personal websites, home pages, email signatures, and tickers are a helpful way to keep you informed of your baby’s progress. It is fun to use the pregnancy ticker to count down the days to your baby’s birth date. As your pregnancy date approaches week by week you’ll see the baby ticker grow and develop, matching your own baby’s development. It’s amazing to see your baby grow from a fetus as it develops tiny arms, legs, fingers and skins. To some extent, watching your pregnancy ticker and count-downing the days until you can meet your little baby is exciting for a mom-to-be. Additionally, some people also use a pregnancy ticker on websites; however, they just announce their good news–even if it is not related to babies or pregnancy.
Because the pregnancy ticker is free and simple to install on the website, it can easily be found on the internet. You can find them from pregnancy and baby websites, or find them through a ticker website that provides tickers for anniversaries, birthdays, or other special events. It is now popular to use a stylish pregnancy ticker and countdown the months, weeks, days, and hours until your bundle of joy arrives! Your friends and family will be impressed that you have such a unique way of telling them that you are to be a mother. Once you choose to use a pregnancy ticker, you can create your own style and colors. It may be hard to pick your favorite one since there are several different backgrounds and tickers to pick from. Pick one out that fits your personality, or one that matches your child’s sex. No matter which website or ticker you choose, friends and family will enjoy helping you countdown the days until your little baby is born.
Creating a pregnancy ticker is also very easy, but make sure you know what you are doing before using it. Just keep in mind the following things: Review forum rules before using a pregnancy ticker on a site, because sometimes the pregnancy ticker are prohibited, or on certain websites where tickers are not compatible with the forum site. In addition, most pregnancy ticker websites require you to have computer “cookies” enabled. When you decide to add a ticker to an email signature, please reconsider who you are to email. Having a cute cat counting down your pregnancy days may not be suitable to use in a corporate or work-related email.
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Earliest Signs of Pregnancy
Posted on April 5, 2008
There are lists of earliest signs of pregnancy, which can indicate very early that you are pregnant. Some women may experience just one or two of them, while others may have several of the earliest signs of pregnancy.
As soon as you have conceived, it will take about a week for the fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. As implantation happens, it is time for the pregnant women to experience one or more of the earliest signs of pregnancy and begin to know they are pregnant.
Here are some of the earliest signs of pregnancy:
Missing a menstrual period can top the list of the earliest signs of pregnancy. This is the clinical, classic earliest signs of pregnancy. Some women may experience cramping and low back pain as just before the arrival of periods feeling without any signs of bleeding. However, you can have a missed period for other reasons including illness, stress, hormone imbalance and reactions to foods or medications. If your menstrual cycle normally occurs very regularly, missing a period can be a sign of being pregnant.
Next of the earliest signs of pregnancy should be urinating more often. Many women experience more frequent urination even before a missed period. This happens as early as the first week and is one of the certain signs of pregnancy. The growing uterus exerts constant pressure on the urinary bladder, which results in frequent urination.
The third earliest signs of pregnancy are the breast changes. Breasts may turn out to be very tender, swollen and start to enlarge. Sometimes, the veins within the breast become more visible. Along with it, the area around nipples may start to darken in color and become more erect and be extremely sensitive. These symptoms are due to an increasing amount of hormone for the reason of preparing your body for breastfeeding.
Spotting is a common earliest signs of pregnancy in most women. Some women say what seems to be a short light period before the onset of other symptoms. However, this may be implantation bleeding and not a menstrual period at all. If thinking you are pregnant, you should do a spotting check in the hospital, because spotting is also an indicator of miscarriage. Hormonal changes can, to some extent, affect the digestive system and cause constipation. Moreover, drinking plenty of water and doing suitable amount of exercise can help.
Heartburn too can be felt as an earliest signs of pregnancy throughout the pregnancy. The reasons that cause heartburn can depend on the time. From 1st to 4th month, heartburn is caused by hormonal changes. In months 5 to 9, the baby can cause pressure on a pregnant woman’s organs. Eating frequent smaller meals and remaining in an upright position at least an hour after eating can help. A quick nap can help prevent headaches while pregnant. Toxemia can begin with headache and can be dangerous to a pregnant woman, be sure to call your doctor when feeling serious.
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Chinese Pregnancy Calendar
Posted on March 30, 2008
One of the most exciting events any woman could experience would be her own pregnancy. Adding to the joy of preparing for the coming baby, the expectant couple can also enjoy various methods that may help them determine the gender of the baby. However, it would be simply a mystery to guess the gender of the baby developing inside. If you are to find out the gender, you can use the Chinese Pregnancy Calendar to have a try.
As the country with the largest population in the world, the Chinese people know a little something about the secrets of birthing babies. Chinese Pregnancy Calendar is so popular and it has been regarded as an effective way over a very long period of time.
It is said the original Chinese pregnancy calendar was buried in a royal tomb nearly one thousand years ago, and now you can see it at the Beijing Institute of Science. The Chinese pregnancy calendar, also known as the Chinese conception chart and the Chinese conception calendar, is supposed to predict the sex of your baby. People know very little about the working of the Chinese pregnancy calendar as is based on Chinese lunar calendar which is totally different from the Western Calendar. The Chinese pregnancy calendar uses its own system to record dates and the four seasons. For example, the lunar December, 18th is at 25th January 2008, so it is impossible to get accurate prediction based on the Western calendar.
Then, how to use the Chinese Pregnancy Calendar? If you know clearly the rules of the Chinese pregnancy calendar, in fact, it is easy enough to use. Usually, the Chinese lunar months from January to December are listed on the top row of the Chinese pregnancy calendar, and the mother’s ages during the conception from 18 to 45 are listed on the left column. Please follow the steps below to get accurate results. First, take note of your age during the time of conception and Add 1 to your age. Second, take note of the month when the baby was conceived and then exchange the month into the Lunar Month. Then, locate the month on the top portion of the Chinese pregnancy calendar and the age on the left side of the chart. Finally, follow the two coordinates to a meeting point where they meet and intersect, and look for the corresponding box labeled “B” for boy, or “G” for girl.
Different people have different opinion regarding this unique technique used by the traditional Chinese. As for me, although the prediction by the Chinese Pregnancy calendar is assumed to be ninety nine percent effective for baby gender prediction, it is used only for fun and enjoyment, which is not a proven method for baby gender detection. Therefore, it is always suggested to go for an ultrasound scan for accurate results at the eighth or ninth month rather than relying on the calendar.
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