27 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations, you have entered the third and last trimester of your pregnancy. If you are planning to enroll in any prenatal classes, now is the time to do so. The hospital will send you admitting forms in the next few weeks and they recommend taking child birth classes. These classes will teach you breathing techniques during childbirth and some exercises that will make childbirth a bit more relaxing than stressful. At this stage of your pregnancy, you should discuss with your doctor your birthing options.

If you have not been eating healthy all that much throughout the pregnancy now is the time to start. At the last few weeks of pregnancy, you want the baby to get as much nutrition as they can. Empty calories are not going to keep the baby healthy. Remember the food that you are eating is what is feeding the baby. Try eating a bit healthier at least until the end of the pregnancy. Try adding in more fruits and vegetables and less fried food and processed foods.

Continue to take your vitamins and stay hydrated. You want to continue to build up your immune system as well as the baby’s. Stay away from strenuous activity such as heavy lifting and anything that makes you exert yourself.

Baby’s Development

At week Twenty-Seven of your pregnancy, the baby should be about 14-1/2 inches and weigh in about 2 pounds. In the last weeks of pregnancy, the baby will gain ½ a pound per week. The baby’s skin is wrinkled only because they have been surrounded by water for the last 5 months. The baby’s skin will look wrinkled until at least a few weeks after the baby is born. The skin will stretch out and will look and feel smooth.

The baby’s retina’s are developing at a good pace, they will soon be able to help the baby adjust to light images. These layers are considered to help the brain receive light and some images as well as be able to transmit them the information of what they are seeing to the brain. The membranes that have been covering the baby’s eyes will start to separate and in a few weeks, the baby will be able to open their eyes.

As everyone knows all baby’s eyes are blue when they are born. If the eye color is going to change to another color they will do so a few weeks after birth. At this week in pregnancy the baby will continue to begin their own sleeping patterns and waking up patterns. You will soon see that their sleeping patterns are opposite as yours. Most of the time you feel the baby kick is when you are trying to get some sleep.

It has been said that baby’s start to dream while in the womb. The brain is still active and the grooves on the surface of the brain will begin appearing as the brain tissues start to develop. You will also notice the baby hiccuping more and more because the lungs are maturing and they are practicing breathing.

Changes With Your Body

At week Twenty-Seven your body will need more caloric intake. It would be safe to start with 300 to 350 calories. You will gain a bit more weight right up until the 36th or 37th week of pregnancy. By now many pregnant women think they look fat and it can be a bit depressing for them. But never alter your diet to take in fewer calories, by eating less you are depriving the baby of less calories as well.

If you have any concerns about your weight, now is the time to talk to your doctor. Remember you are also carrying a baby, so some of the weight you will loose when the baby is born. Stay on track with your prenatal vitamins and any nutritional supplements that you may be taking. At this week, the uterus is leaning on the rib cage. If notice you may be out of breath from just getting dressed everyday. This would explain why. The uterus will prevent the lungs from full expanding cause some breathing problems. Talk to your doctor but you should not worry, there is nothing to worry about.

As you enter into the third trimester, talk to your doctor about the warning signs of premature labor. This tends to happen more in the summer months due to lack of hydration. It is very important to stay hydrated, carry a water bottle around with you at all times. You may spend more time in the bathroom but you are doing what you have to, to stay hydrated.

Some of the warning signs to look for are bright red blood from the vaginal area. If you experience a sudden rush of a watery discharge from the vaginal area, contact your doctor right away. You may experience severe pain in the pelvic area or a very dull pain in the lower back. Some women have felt contractions for more than an hour or so. If your hands and feet start to swell, it could be a sign of premature labor. It is your body and you will know when something isn’t right, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

What To Expect

When you reach this stage of pregnancy, may women will feel comfortable and confident that everything is well with the baby from the baby’s movement. When we feel the baby kick or hiccup we take that as a great sign that things are OK. We tend to panic when we don’t feel anything, but don’t panic just yet. Your body may have put on some weight in the abdominal region that would cause you not to feel the baby kick.

If you think that the baby was active a bit and you aren’t feeling the same, contact your doctor right away. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially in the last trimester. You will continue to see the symptoms of pregnancy such as constipation, leg cramps, round ligament pain and frequent urination. As you continue to go to your doctors’ appointment they will continue to monitor your blood pressure, weight gain and urine.

In the last trimester, you have to be careful of a condition called Hypertension or Pre-Eclampsia. This can be determined through the urine tests, it happens when there is too much protein in the urine. As the condition progresses, the placenta is not able to grow. It caught in time it can be treated but if left untreated it could lead to premature labor or fetal death.

Tips/Advice

This stage of the pregnancy is the important stage. You have to keep healthy both physically and mentally. Continue to take the prenatal vitamins and add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. If you feel that something isn’t right, then contact your doctor or visit your local emergency room right away.

Source : www.pregnancyweeks.us

26 Weeks Pregnant

You are now entering into the last stage of pregnancy. By now, your baby bump is showing and others will notice that you are pregnant. At week twenty-six of pregnancy, you can feel your uterus about 2-1/2 inches above the belly button. The new mom to be may be experiencing Braxton Hicks Contractions, these are tiny contractions but nothing that can cause premature birth. These contractions are the tightening of the abdomen. At this stage you may be feeling these more and more. They are perfectly normal, ask your doctor to go into a more detailed explanation about what these are and what they mean for you.

At week twenty-six you may notice that that you are feeling more tired and this is due to the weight gain. You will feel more pain and aches in the rib cage, heartburn, cramps and muscle pulls. These are all normal pains of pregnancy, but if they are lasting a longer period of time then you may want to talk to your doctor in order find out if what you are feeling is normal or not.

New moms should be keeping track of the baby’s development. This can be done by attending all of your doctor visits as they are scheduled. You may be due for some shots yourself, so make sure that whatever you need to get done that you do it before the baby is born. Most new moms at this stage are preparing their nurseries and narrowing down baby names. There is a lot to be done here but the most important thing here is to get a lot of rest. Don’t over do it.

Light exercise and activities are ok but you should limit the amount of strenuous activity that you may be used to. The last stages of pregnancy are imperative to the health of the baby.

Baby’s Development

The baby’s growth and development are picking up again at week twenty-six. The baby is about 9 to 10 inches in length and the baby weighs about 2 pounds by now. The baby is measured from crown to rump (head to bottom). The baby will soon start to open their eyes and they can even blink too. The eye development at this stage is now complete. The eye color is a pre-determined blue but after the baby is born the eye color can change.

If you have another sonogram at this stage of pregnancy, you will see that your baby actually looks like a baby. The baby’s development that is taking place this week is sense of touch and reacting to touch. The heart has started to pump blood and a more prominent heartbeat can be heard. The lungs are starting to develop blood vessels and the baby is making breathing movements like the chest moving up and down.

The circulation system of the baby is 100% fully functional. The umbilical cord has grown in size and is circulating blood to the baby. The placenta has become the size of the baby now. If the baby is a boy, the testicles will drop down to the scrotum down.

Changes With Your Body

Your body will continue to change throughout the twenty- sixth week of pregnancy. Your will experience more weight gain but your doctor should have discussed any issues that he may have had with your weight with you by now. So if you have not had that talk with your doctor then continue on doing what you are doing. Your weight gain at this stage should be about 20 to 23 pounds. But the weight may go up and down depending on water retention and bloating. The uterus is about 2-1/2 inches above the belly button and will grow even further in the next few weeks.

Some new moms to be will experience some Braxton Hicks Contractions; these are harmless growing pains that won’t have anything to do with the baby being born. Now the baby may be kicking their legs out and straightening out their arms. You may see the baby protrude from the belly. It really is an amazing thing to see. The baby depending on where he or she is sitting can cause some discomfort to you. You will have to try a position to sit or sleep in where it is most comfortable to you.

You can also alleviate these aches and pains by doing some light yoga exercise or some swimming or walking. You don’t have to over do it, but by stretching your muscles and your body, can really help you take away the aches and the pains.

What To Expect

There are so many changes to you physically in this stage of pregnancy. Some women go into a depression but keep a positive outlook. These changes are all happening because of the baby. Your body will go back to the way it was before the baby but the weight gain and all of the aches and pains are due to the baby. Remember some of this excessive weight gain is from water retention and bloating.

A few days after the baby is born, you will see some weight come off without even trying. It is important to not put any stress on your body, get plenty of sleep and stay hydrated. If you feel up to it, try very light exercises like walking or some yoga. You will feel much better about yourself if you move around a bit. If you notice stretch marks, try using a moisturizer or some cocoa butter. This will help reduce stretch marks as well as help keep your skin hydrated and smooth.

Tips/Advice

Now is a very critical stage in your pregnancy. If the doctor offers you advice or gives you some orders to follow, do them. You may feel like you can accomplish anything, you may feel great but the more stress that is put on the body is put on the baby. Remember you don’t have to superwoman; it is ok to rest every now and then.

Article Source : www.pregnancyweeks.us

25 Weeks Pregnant

You have now entered in to the third trimester of pregnancy. This is also where many physical changes happen. The baby may seem too small to be born right now but there is plenty of time left. The baby may not be gaining weight at such as fast pace anymore but there is nothing to worry about. The baby will start gaining weight, at least a ½ a pound a week until they are born. Your baby bump is more prominent than before and you will have people trying to guess if you are having a girl or a boy.

On a sonogram, you may see the baby’s hair texture, color as well as eye color one way but all of that can change once the baby is born. Your body may start to feel more achy and more tired than you did in the second trimester. You have to listen to your body, when the body says slow down; you really have to do it. The stress that you are putting on your body is being put on the baby as well. You will soon notice that you won’t be able to see your feet anymore and tying your shoes may prove to be a challenge.

As a new mom to be, you should know that there is a risk or premature delivery from this week forward. This may happen due to an incompetent cervix or an infection in the uterus. If the cervix ruptures you may be required to remain in the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy. If the baby were born at this week, the baby would have a good chance of survival. The risk would be the weight of the baby. The baby would be susceptible to infection because of the low birth weight. This is why it is important to take it easy and take good care of yourself in this stage of pregnancy.

Baby’s Development

The baby has slowed down in gaining weight. The baby is still growing but not as significantly as before. There is no reason to panic; the growth will kick back into gear in the next few weeks. The baby’s bones are starting to harden and with the help of a sonogram, you may be able to see your baby sucking their thumb. The white coating that is protecting the baby will continue to do so. It protects the baby from the acid of the amniotic fluid and will help the baby to maintain body heat.

The baby’s taste buds are developing nicely and they can tell the difference between salt and sweet tastes. There is less room in the uterus for the baby to move so you will be feeling a lot of movement from now on. The baby’s fingernails and toenails have fully formed. The baby’s head and body have come into their own.

Changes With Your Body

At week twenty-five, you will start to notice some very light red or brown marks across the abdomen, these are stretch marks. You can avoid having anymore appear by staying active. You can reduce the appearance of these stretch marks by using a Cocoa Butter or a moisturizer. You can also take preventative measures by using a support bra and some anti wrinkle cream. Try to stay away from tight fitting clothes. These stretch marks will fade once the baby is born.

You may experience some dry eye or some sensitivity to light. You can use artificial tears or s saline solution. Ask your doctor what he would recommend. Try to adjust your diet, add more vitamins and minerals, diets that are lacking vitamins is one of the causes of dry eyes. Plus, you will get your health back faster after the baby is born.

At this stage of pregnancy, you may experience excessive heat and sweating. This can also lead to infection if you don’t stay cool during your pregnancy. Take cool or warm showers, wear clean clothes and keep your clothes fitting loosely. Stay hydrated, keep your water or drink intake high, stay away from drinks with caffeine, they will just make you more thirsty.

What To Expect

By week twenty-five, you will be taking another blood test to test fro anemia. If your doctor was concerned about this earlier he would have prescribed iron supplements. These blood tests are just precautions. Your skin may start to become itchy again like in the first trimester. The skin will stretch and cause stretch marks but as we mentioned this can be alleviate with support bras, cocoa butter and loose fitted clothes. If you experience excessive itching, your doctor may prescribe a test for liver problems or perhaps a fungal infection may happen.

The only way for any of these conditions to be diagnosed is by letting your doctor know about anything out of the ordinary that you are feeling. It may not seem like something to you but it may to your doctor. It is important for you to maintain your lifestyle now that you are in the third and last trimester. Now is not the time to slack, it is the time to step up and power through the last three months. Listen to your body that is a key to a healthy pregnancy.

If you feel tired, slow down. If you feel dizzy it means you are over doing an activity. If it means getting more rest than so be it. Remember it is for the health of the baby. This may sound easy to say but it would be important to try to maintain good posture while pregnant. This will avoid spinal problems later on too.

Tips/Advice

Listen to your doctor and follow all of these suggestions. Now is also the time to finish up any preparations for the baby’s nursery. In a few weeks, you won’t be able to travel as much or shop without becoming tired. You may also be in the stages of planning a baby shower. Make sure that you plan this at least a month or two months ahead of time. Don’t wait for the last minute; you want to be able to have a good time without feeling tired.

Article Source : www.pregnancyweeks.us