SharedPregnancy.com
Category Archives: Am I Pregnant
Feb 7 2012

What to Expect at 26 Weeks Pregnant

by Charlotte

What to Expect at 26 Weeks Pregnant

When you are 26 weeks pregnant, you are in the second trimester of the pregnancy and almost at the third trimester stage. By this time, you are noticeably pregnant and your normal clothes no longer fit properly. Your stomach is starting to protrude and you may even be having slight contractions in your uterus. These contractions are called Braxton-Hicks contractions, sometimes referred to as false labor, but you are nowhere near going into labor yet. You probably don't even notice the contractions unless you are sitting or lying down and are feeling relaxed.

 

Some of the other sensations that accompany this stage of the pregnancy include:

* Heartburn when you eat certain foods or you eat late at night

* Weight gain

* Cramps as your muscles start to stretch

You will likely feel an uncomfortable sensation under your ribs or you may have some pain. This is because at this stage the uterus is about 2.5 inches above your belly button.

 

You will be seeing your doctor on a regular basis every month. At this time, you may have to have an anti-tetanus shot or another vaccine. The doctor may also request another ultrasound just to see how the baby is progressing. You will also need to have blood tests to determine whether you have prenatal diabetes or to determine if there are any detectable genetic defects in the baby.

 

You will need to start relaxing more at 26 weeks. You can still engage in light workouts and you should continue to take walks on a regular basis. These activities will help prepare your body for labor and birth.

 

At 26 weeks into the pregnancy, the baby is about 9 or 10 inches long from the top of the head to the rump. It doesn't include the length of the legs. At this stage the baby weighs about 2 pounds. Although the eyelids have been developed prior to this, it is now that the baby will start to open and shut the eyes. All babies have blue eyes when they are in the womb and will change when the baby is born. The baby may look skinny, but from now on it will start putting on layers of fat.

 

It is at 26 weeks that the fetus starts to look like a baby. The heart is completely developed and is pumping blood throughout the body and the baby starts to make breathing movements. The lungs have not fully developed yet, but they are well along in the process. The umbilical cord starts to thicken as it fills with the nutrients the growing baby needs from now on. Fingernails and toenails are evident by this time and if the baby is a boy, the testicles will start to move down.

 

By this stage of the pregnancy, you may feel bloated on times due to water retention. You may even start to notice stretch marks across your abdomen. There are very good creams on the market that will help with this by making the skin soft and supple as the stomach gradually expands.

For more information on what to expect at 26 weeks pregnant , 30 weeks pregnant and 36 weeks pregnant visit http://www.PregnancyHut.com

Categories: Am I Pregnant | No Comments »

Feb 5 2012

The Changes in Your Body at 24 Weeks Pregnant

by Charlotte

The Changes in Your Body at 24 Weeks Pregnant

When you are 24 weeks pregnant, others will certainly notice your growing belly. Your regular clothes will no longer fit comfortably and you will have to start wearing looser clothing around your waistline. The baby is growing steadily, but it still has wrinkled skin because it needs to gain weight. The baby taste buds are starting to develop at this point and you may develop a craving for sweets because the baby realizes that it likes sweet treats. The main thing that you do have to realize at this stage is that the baby is developed enough that it would be able to survive if you did go into premature labour. However, it would have to stay in the hospital for some time.

 

As your belly starts to expand, you may notice that you are developing stretch marks in the form of red lines across your stomach. These are normal and may be quite itchy. You can alleviate this discomfort by using creams and lotions to make the skin of your stomach legs and buttocks softer so that it can expand easier. Although the creams and lotions will not erase the stretch marks, they will fade after the baby is born. You will notice that your skin is drier than normal and you need to use more cream on your hands and face than you usually do. Dry skin is a normal part of being pregnant as well.

 

Another normal symptom of pregnancy that you may start to experience in your 24th week is that your eyes become more sensitive to light. Artificial tears solutions will help to alleviate this discomfort so that your eyes are not stinging or watering a lot. Headaches, cramps and discomfort in your lower back is also quite common at this stage of your pregnancy. The swelling of your hands and your weight gain at this time could also cause a tingling or numb sensation in your fingers. This is because the extra weight can compress some of the nerves in your wrist. The experience is usually mild and will go away once the baby is born. To help ease the discomfort, you could place a bag of ice on your hands several times a day.

 

You will notice that your hair is growing faster than usual and while you may love the fact that your hair is better than ever before, you may not like the fact that there is hair growing on other parts of your body. This is due to the increase in hormone production in your body. It is safe to tweeze the hairs and to use waxing or electrolysis methods during pregnancy. It is not a permanent condition and your hair growth will return to normal after you give birth.

 

Because the baby is now bigger, weighing a little over a pound and measuring about a foot in length, the space inside the uterus is getting smaller. You may feel as if there is something digging into your ribs and you may find it harder to get a deep breath. Since the baby ears and hearing is now developed, loud noises may cause the baby to move around or kick. At the same time, the baby is getting used to the sound of your voice and the beating of your heart

For more information on what happens at 24 weeks pregnant,37 weeks pregnant and 14 weeks pregnant visit http://www.PregnancyHut.com

Categories: Am I Pregnant | No Comments »

Feb 3 2012

Start Enjoying Your Pregnancy at 15 Weeks Pregnant

by Charlotte

Start Enjoying Your Pregnancy at 15 Weeks Pregnant

You are three weeks into your second trimester when you are 15 weeks pregnant. You will find that your energy is returning and you are able to stay up later at night. In spite of how energetic you feel, you still need to get a full nights sleep because the baby benefits from your rest just as much as you do. Your belly is also growing at this stage making you visibly pregnant. This could cause you some discomfort when you lie down. Adding extra pillows to the bed can help you feel more comfortable, especially a body pillow that you can wrap your arms and legs around. You may start to feel too warm at night and this can affect your internal body temperature. It is best to turn down the heat at night and add more blankets to the bed if your partner finds it cold. You will probably throw these off as you sleep and become warmer.

Although the baby is starting to move about inside the uterus, you do not have any fluttery feelings yet. This won’t happen for another few weeks. When you do start to feel the movements, they will feel quite similar to gas rumblings and you won’t notice them until they become more frequent.

The babys neck and shoulders are well formed at 15 weeks and the head is in the proper position in the body. Eyelashes and eyebrows will start to develop at this stage and some hair will start growing on the head. The eyes are also in the right spot but the baby cannot see yet because the eyes are shut. However, he/she can sense light through the shut lids.  If you shine a flashlight in your tummy and concentrate on what you feel, you may even feel the movement as the baby moves away from the light. The ears start to look human and less like those of an alien.

One thing you will be able to feel is the baby hiccoughing. Since the baby can suck and swallow at this stage of the pregnancy, there will be times when it swallows too much amniotic fluid. You will be able to feel a slight thumping sensation when this happens. By now the baby has grown to a length of about 4 inches and weighs about two ounces.

Since the baby will start to grow faster after the 15th week, you do need to make sure your diet is filled with healthy foods that will supply you and the baby with the nutrients you need for energy. Even though you may have unusual cravings, try to stay away from eating too much junk food because you may feel as if you are constantly hungry. You may be glad that morning sickness has passed, but it can still crop up when you least expect it, such as when you get a strong smell of certain foods.

Even though you have a little baby bump, you have only gained about five pounds. The baby is only about the size of an apple and the arms seem to be longer than the legs.

For more information on what happens at 15 weeks pregnant, 16 weeks pregnant and 18 weeks pregnant visit http://www.PregnancyHut.com

Categories: Am I Pregnant | No Comments »

«Older Entries
 
Scrappy Theme by Caroline Moore | Copyright 2012 SharedPregnancy.com | Powered by WordPress