Knowing what to expect during a pregnancy is important to the mother’s ability to monitor her condition and detect signs of trouble, but more than that, understanding what’s happening in the womb is a great way to connect with an unborn child as he or she develops. Understanding your baby’s growth, along with its effects, [...]
The First Trimester
The first trimester is generally when a woman discovers she is pregnant. Sometimes she will experience bolts of nausea, frequent urination, dizziness, missed periods and the beginnings of cravings. These are the classics signs of pregnancy although not every woman will experience them all. A woman will have a pregnancy test performed after which she [...]
The Second Trimester
The past three months have been new, exciting and unequivocally unfamiliar. You have passed the first trimester with a huge sigh of relief and an apprehensive excitement like nothing you have ever experienced before. The heretofore mysterious state of pregnancy, as old as time itself, is yours – thrilling, worrying and simply wondrous. Unfortunately, there [...]
The Third Trimester
The third trimester of pregnancy spans weeks 24 through 42, or until the baby is born. By this time the fetus is becoming large, making it uncomfortable to do just about anything. The baby is pressing against different organs, such as the bladder, stomach and intestines. You will find a need to urinate more often [...]
Child Birth
As your body prepares for childbirth, you may begin to notice several changes in your body. Labor and delivery can happen very quickly, or may take many hours. In general, women who have had children previously have quicker labors. In some cases, you may need medical interventions during labor and delivery, such as a forceps [...]