Pregnancy Guide

Pregnancy Guide ( Helping you through pregnancy)

Shanta Dhenga

Week 1-3

The egg has been fertilised by the sperm and is a cluster of dividing cells, known as the blastocyst. It is only the size of a pinhead but multiplying fast.

Three layers of cells are starting to develop, which will divide into the different parts and organs of the body, including the skeleton, nervous system, brain, lungs and kidneys.

Also beginning to form are the first cells of the placenta, the mass of tissue that provides oxygen and nutrients for your baby, as well as transferring waste products out of the body via the mother's body.

This, however, does not kick into action until the blastocyst has become a fully formed foetus - aboutweeks 13-14. And all these changes will be starting to happen before you even realise you've missed your period.

Week 4

You may be feeling unusually tired, but otherwise it's really too early to notice any of the changes happening in your body.

A plug of mucus has formed in the cervix to seal off your womb and prevent any infection from entering. The baby is about 2mm long and weighs less than 1g. The heart has started to beat.

Week 5

Your period is late and you're probably feeling severely pre-menstrual. In fact, you're starting to become aware of the great changes going on inside your body as it adjusts to being pregnant. Your metabolic rate, breathing rate and heart rate have all increased. The muscle and fibre of your womb have started to thicken and lengthen.

Your breasts are probably becoming tender and more sensitive. Your hormone production has increased greatly: progesterone helps to maintain your pregnancy and lower blood pressure; relaxin relaxes certain muscles of your body; oestrogen causes your nipples to enlarge, stimulates the development of milk glands and strengthens the womb; human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), unique to pregnancy, is produced by the placenta. The tissues of your baby's body develop from three different layers.

One layer will form the hair, nails, mammary glands, teeth enamel, inner ear and lens of the eye. The next will form the nervous system, retina of the eye, pituitary glands, muscle, cartilage, bones, blood and lymph cells. The third will form the lungs, trachea, liver, pancreas and bladder.

Your baby's heart now has four chambers and the roof palate of its mouth is starting to form. Emotionally, you may well feel that you are on a roller-coaster. First of all, you have to start getting used to the idea of being pregnant. You may be worrying about when to tell people your news. And you have to start coming to terms with all the ways in which your life is going to alter.

Hormonal changes can cause you great highs and lows and you will probably be experiencing an enormous range of emotions: happy, irritable, weepy, elated, anxious, excited and depressed - possibly all at the same time. If you would like some help regulating your emotions, you could try Bach flower remedies, made solely from plants dissolved in a grape juice solution. They are available from health food stores and chemists.

Walnut can help you adapt to changes. Mimulus is for worry about something going wrong. Mustard helps relieve unexplained depression. Aspen is for feelings of apprehension and foreboding. Red chestnut is for irrational or out-of-proportion fears for your baby's well being. Take Star of Bethlehem for shock.

Tips: A common anxiety at this early stage is that you may have harmed your baby by drinking, smoking or not eating properly in the weeks before you realised you were pregnant. Don't worry, your baby will almost certainly be fine. The body is designed so that essential nutrients are diverted to the baby during pregnancy.

The important thing is that you stop drinking alcohol and smoking and boost yourself nutritionally by eating a balanced diet and taking a good multivitamin supplement. It is important to take folic acid, which helps prevent your baby developing abnormalities such as spina bifida. The healthier you are, the less likely you are to suffer from the common side effects of pregnancy, such as morning sickness, high blood pressure, bloating and exhaustion, many of which can be linked to nutritional deficiencies.

Week 6

The cluster of cells known as a blastocyst is becoming an embryo, roughly the size of your finger tip. Your baby's heart is beating at 180 beats per minute, more than twice as fast as your own. Its eyelids, ears and the beginning of its hands and feet are forming.

You can just make out the shape of the head and the curve of the spine. Your pregnancy will have been confirmed. This is a good time to make contact with your midwife or doctor and to arrange your first 'booking visit' for when you reach eight to 12 weeks. You will be starting to notice the changes in your body and the speeding up of your metabolism.

You may be feeling unusually tired, which can be difficult if you are working and don't want anyone to know about your pregnancy yet. Listen to your body, rest and go to bed early. Try to make time for yourself to relax and find at least 30 minutes a day to sit quietly and reflect.

If you have been on an exercise programme or are a regular visitor to the gym, don't force yourself to continue, especially if you don't feel up to it. Generally, in the first trimester your heart rate should not rise above 140 beats per minute. Research has shown that this can cause the body to heat up and over long periods this may be damaging to the foetus. So, take it easy.

Gentle exercise such as walking, swimming, stretching and yoga are preferable to strenuous aerobic work outs and will help to give you energy rather than depleting it. A good multivitamin supplement along with a balanced diet will ensure that you get all the nourishment and nutrients you need, even if you don't much feel like eating. Try supplements especially formulated for pregnancy.

.............to be countinue