The decision to have a baby is often filled with a variety of different emotions. Although bringing a new baby into this world is a joyous occasion, pregnancy can often bring on a variety of different symptoms. One of the most common symptoms of early pregnancy is fatigue.

During the early stages of pregnancy, your body is trying to work double time in order to keep up with all of the changes that are occurring. Some of the changes that are occurring include an increase production of hormones, as well as an increased blood flow. Along with the increased blood flow, the heart is pumping faster and harder to accommodate the additional blood flow. The increased blood is necessary in order for the growing fetus to get the nutrients it needs.

Read More

 by Patricia Hughes

When you are pregnant your doctor, family members and pregnancy books will all stress the importance of getting enough rest. This is good advice. Rest is very important for pregnant women. Fatigue is a big problem for many women, particularly in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Unfortunately, during those trimesters sleep disturbances are very common.

The First Trimester

The biggest problem in the first trimester is fatigue. You can feel like you just can’t get enough rest, even when you go to bed earlier. The fatigue is caused by hormonal changes in the body. There are some experts and mothers that believe there may be a biological function for this fatigue. Pregnant women take naps and go to be early when they are tired. This may be intended to help protect the baby in the early weeks of pregnancy.

Read More

When you have discovered you are pregnant, you will soon start thinking of when and how to tell your family and friends. Some couples keep it a secret for a little while and others can’t wait to spread the news.

There are endless possibilities for fun and creative ways to share the news. Of course, you could just make the announcement at the next large family gathering and take care of it all at once. Some people prefer the more personal approach of telling friends and family members individually or in small groups.

Read More

I can not think of a more exciting and possibly stressful time in a woman’s life then when she is pregnant, especially for the first time. Anxiety over getting enough sleep and making sure you are eating a proper diet to take care of the tiny little being growing inside of you. I am sure you are curious about how the baby is doing, where it is at development wise, when is gender determined and the list of questions go on and on. This is an exciting time! So let’s take a look at our growing baby through the nine months, see where you are and what you have to look forward to.

Read More

by Patricia Hughes

Your baby is just about ready to be born. The lungs finish developing this month. When they are developed, they release a substance called surfactant. This helps the baby breathe at birth. Recent research suggests this substance may have another purpose. It is believed it may signal the mother’s body to begin the labor process.

The baby is settling down into a fetal position. As the baby moves lower in the pelvis, breathing may become easier. This is called lightening. The baby rolls and moves, but kicks are lighter. You may notice more regular pattern of sleeping and waking. Some mothers say their newborns continue these patterns after birth.

Read More

The baby’s body continues to develop and prepare for birth. The bones are getting stronger. The brain and nerves continue to develop. This development will continue after the baby is born. The bone marrow is producing red blood cells this month. Your baby is nearly ready to be born. If he were born this month, he has a good chance for survival. Here are a few things you can expect and plan for during the eight month of your pregnancy.

Read More

What are some of the early signs of labor? Are you ready? After 9 months it all comes down to this. Most women are both excited and a little nervious at the same time. During pregnancy, the greatest fear of a woman who has never conceived a child before is labor pain. Many pregnant women are afraid that they will miss the signs of labor, making them unprepared for their child’s delivery. The amazing thing about pregnancy and the female body is that no pregnant woman can miss the early signs of labor because her body will provide her with clues to tell her that the start of labor is approaching.

For some women, labor only lasts a few hours, while others experience more than a day of labor. Although this part of pregnancy is the most dreaded time, many women say that it is as rewarding as it is a scary experience.

Majority of women experience the early signs of labor weeks before the actual delivery. These signs will help the mother to prepare her body for the approaching delivery. If this is your first pregnancy, expect the early signs of labor to occur weeks before the estimated schedule of your delivery. Otherwise, you can expect these signs to be present a few hours before delivery.

Read More

In the seventh month, the fetus can hear her mother’s heart beat. She knows Mommy’s voice and is starting to hear voices outside mom’s body. She can hear the voices of her family. The baby is also aware of changes in light. She can detect light and dark, especially extremes, such as bright sun light.

Read More

by Patricia Hughes

What are some of the changes in the sixth month of pregnancy. First, the fetus is moving a lot this month. The baby is still small enough to move freely in the fluid and changes positions often. She breathes in fluid and swallows it. This helps the baby develop the muscles used in breathing and eating.

Read More

by Patricia Hughes

The fetus continues to develop at an amazing pace. The internal organs are formed and continue to mature. The muscles are developing this month. The baby’s movements and kicking are good for this development. The baby turns from side to side. He may switch from head up to head down positions frequently.

Read More

Congratulations, you are pregnant! You are in the first stage of pregnancy. Perhaps these are the words you have recently heard from your doctor. Or maybe the home pregnancy test you performed this morning was positive. No matter how the results came to light, you are now ready to embark on your first trimester of pregnancy. You probably have many questions and even more concerns as you will be seeing a host of changes in your body over the next few months.

Read More

by Patricia Hughes

Your baby continues to grow and develop in the fourth month. By the end of this month, he will weigh between three and six ounces. He will be about eight to ten inches long. Your baby is starting to look more like a real baby. The facial features and outer ears are developing. The head is about half the size of the body. Baby’s skin is pink and transparent.

Read More

The baby continues to develop at a rapid rate. It is now a fetus. By the end of this month, the baby is about three and a half inches long. The baby weighs just eleven grams. The head is about half the size of the body by the end of the month.

The heart now has four chambers. The fetal heart rate can vary from 120 to 160 beats per minute. Some people say the fetal heart rate can be used to predict gender. This can be fun, but isn’t always reliable. For now, you’ll need to wait and just imagine the baby. The genitals are forming, but are too small to show on ultrasound.

Read More

Some women claim that they get a ‘feeling’ when they are pregnant and do not need to rely on detecting a pregnancy symptom.  For others, however, they need to have some type of clue to point out to them that maybe there might be a bun in the oven.  For this group of women, they count on a pregnancy symptom or a series of them.  This article outlines common and some not so common early signs of pregnancy, things that can help to notify a woman that she is pregnant. 

Read More

Are you pregnant? There are certain signs and symptoms that a woman is able to recognize during the early pregnancy stages, and these signs and symptoms should be taken greatly into consideration, as learning about and understanding them will help you to recognize earlier on if you are pregnant.

Read More

Read More

Read More