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11/15/2008 - by Anne Marie Nielson
Pregnancy Week
4
You're Pregnant! Week
4
It's time to think about what kind of care you want for your
pregnancy. Most women choose an obstetrician with a hospital
birth, but more women every year are choosing midwives.
Depending on what type of midwife you choose, you may be
offered a hospital birth, a birth center birth, or a home
birth. Regardless of which type of care giver you think you may
want, it pays to interview more than one. If you have specific
ideas on how you want to give birth or what kind of care you'd
like to receive, now is the time to find out the different
protocols and preferences you'll come up against at different
practices. You should take an active part in making decisions
for your pregnancy and birth.
Your first prenatal visit may occur as early as this week, or
it may take place as late as week 12. You'll be expected to
fill out your medical history and the care giver may do some
medical tests as well, such as blood tests, blood pressure
tests, take your weight or confirm pregnancy with a urine or
blood test. Every care giver is different… some do every test
in the book, others only do those they feel are necessary. It
is time to think about which style you prefer.
YOUR BABY
Your baby is making rapid changes this week. The embryo folds
inward on itself, both lengthwise and at both ends, making the
baby "C" shaped. The neural tube is open at this point in
development, and slowly begins to close from the bottom. The
first beginnings of the jaw appear. The heart begins beating.
This is too faint to hear at this point, even with a
Doppler.
The brain begins to develop, as do small bumps that will
eventually be arms and legs. A small vestigial tail is visible
at this point. The stalk that connects the baby to the
chorionic villi becomes the umbilical cord. By the end of the
week, the cavity of the mouth has formed, thickened areas have
appeared where the eyes will grow, and primitive jaws are in
place. The digestive system is forming, as well as the liver,
which starts basic functions immediately.
YOUR BODY
This week you may start to feel a fullness in your pelvis as
your uterus begins to grow and change with the pregnancy. It
continues to press on your bladder, making you run to the
bathroom with increasing frequency. Get as much rest as you
can. Your body is using a lot of energy to grow your baby, and
you need every extra wink you can get. Your breasts may be more
tingly this week, or you may feel a burning sensation. Your
breasts may get larger as they prepare to produce milk. You may
also feel tenderness under your arms that is related.
If you don't regularly exercise, now is a great time to start
walking around the block or some other low impact workout. It
will help you deal with exhaustion, improve your circulation,
and help prepare you and your baby for birth.
From Pregnancy To Baby, we try to
provide you with all of the latest information about going
through your pregnancy from your first trimester to the first
years of your new babies life. We also provide the highest
quality books and products to help you through that time.
Source: http://www.frompregnancytobaby.com/pregnancy-week-4.html
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