Date post: | 23-Jan-2015 |
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Congratulations, you’re pregnant!
Over the next eight to nine months,
your body will undergo many
changes as the baby develops –
starting as soon as three days after
conception. Once the egg is
fertilized, it divides into many cells
and passes through the fallopian
tube into the uterus so the egg can
attach to the uterine wall. At this
stage, the baby’s heart, blood, and
other organs start to generate, as
does the placenta that will nourish
the baby as he or she grows.
Over month two, your baby will grow significantly and start to develop defining features. In this stage, most
babies measure a little over half an inch in size. The legs and arms will be visible, as well as facial structure
like the eyelids, ears, and nose. The tiny toes and fingers will also be present in this phase, much to parents’
delight!
Continuing to grow, in month three the baby will measure about 2 inches, so you may
begin to feel the top of your uterus above the pelvic bone. As the baby grows larger, his
or her sex organs will develop and contribute to overall growth. With the help of special
instruments, your doctor may also be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat!
The baby’s unique identity will form
in month four, with the development
of fingerprints on tiny fingers and
toes! At this stage, the baby will
measure about 4.5 inches and weigh
around 3.5 ounces. You’ll likely be
able to feel the top of your uterus
about 3 inches below your belly
button by the end of month four.
Week 20, or the fifth month of
pregnancy, is a big one for most
moms. At this time, an ultrasound
is usually done for all pregnant
women. This will help your doctor
determine the health of the baby
and placenta. This visit will also
allow an expectant mother to
determine the sex of her baby (if
she so chooses!) as well as get to
know her little one better through
the ultrasound image. At 20
weeks, babies can suck their
thumbs, yawn, stretch, and make
faces!
This is also the time when you’ll
start to feel movement more than
ever.
In this stage, your uterus will be
about level with the height of your
belly button, and the baby will
weigh in at about 10 ounces.
The baby now weighs around 1.4
pounds, and can respond to
surroundings by moving and
increasing his or her pulse. You may
notice jerking motions or hiccups
coming from the womb. At this stage,
the baby may be able to sense being
upside down or other movements,
due to full development of the inner
ear by week 24.
During month seven, the baby
changes position often. If for any
reason premature delivery needs to
occur, this month may be an
acceptable time to ensure the baby’s
survival (be sure to ask your doctor
about preterm warning signs). This
time is also perfect for registering for
birthing classes, which will prepare
you for many aspects of childbirth like
labor, delivery, and taking care of
your newborn.
Month eight completes development and gets
your baby ready to meet the family! By now most
organs, including the brain, are fully developed.
The baby may weigh anywhere from 3-5 pounds,
depending on many factors (like parents’ size,
the number of babies being carried, or gender).
With new layers of fat growing under the skin, by
now the baby will weigh almost 4 pounds
(between now and delivery, your baby will gain
up to half of his birth weight!)
Your baby will move often in this phase – ask
your doctor to do a fetal movement chart.
This is the time to consider breastfeeding. You
may notice a yellowish fluid, called colostrum,
leaking from your breasts in order to get milk
ready.
If born between 37-39 weeks, your baby is
considered “early term.” 39-40 weeks would be
“at term,” and 41-42 weeks is “late term.”
Based on each mother’s unique pregnancy,
delivery can occur anywhere from 38 to 42
weeks on average. Once your baby is born,
cord blood (plus cord tissue and placenta
tissue) can be collected immediately by
Americord’s trusted team to expand your
baby’s (and your family’s) future options for
medical treatment. Taking this rare opportunity
to save your newborn’s stem cells is an
investment in the future health of your child. As
a licensed medical facility, Americord follows
strict protocols to ensure the viability of your
baby’s stem cells at every step of the
collection and storage process.
Americord is a leader in the advancement of umbilical cord blood, cord tissue, and placenta tissue banking. As a private bank, Americord collects, processes, and
stores newborn stem cells exclusively for each family to use in future medical or therapeutic treatments.
For more information, please visit http://americordblood.com/
or call 866-503-6005.
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