Third Trimester...

So I have good news and bad news for you, and since I know that you would want the bad news last, i'll start from there.The bad news is that you're still pregnant and still gaining weight... The good news is that you're almost done and you're due at any day now.I'm sure you're probably tired of being pregnant and are ready to meet your new baby boy or girl. In the third trimester, the final features are being established, and your baby is preparing for the day of delivery.

Month 7 of Pregnancy:

Around week 11 your baby’s eye lids became fused, but around the 27th to 28th week babies can open and close their eyes. Your baby has also developed a regular wake and sleep cycle. Unfortunately, it may not be the same as yours. You may also begin to feel rhythmic movements in your uterus and wonder what is going on. It is likely that your baby is experiencing a case of the hiccups. This is completely normal and may occur quite frequently during this last part of your pregnancy as your baby’s lungs continue to mature. If there you were to have a premature birth in the seventh month, your baby would more than survive it.

Month 8 of pregnancy:

Your baby, who is now about 46 cm (18 inches) long and weighs as much as about 5 lbs , will continue to mature and develop body fat reserves. You may notice that your baby is kicking more. Baby's brain is developing rapidly at this time, and he or she can see and hear. Most internal systems are well developed, but the lungs may still be immature.

Month 9 of pregnancy:

You have finally reached the final weeks of your pregnancy and you and your child will finally meet face to face. Thirty-seven weeks into your pregnancy, or 35 weeks after conception, your baby will be considered full term. Your baby's organs are ready to function on their own. And the week after, he or she has attained a firm grasp. Also during these last few weeks the placenta supplies your baby with antibodies that will help fight infection after birth. If you breast-feed your baby, your milk will provide additional antibodies. 

Your due date is approaching soon, but don't be alarmed if your due date comes and goes without incident. It's just as normal to deliver a baby a week or two late,or early, as it is to deliver on your due date. 

Understanding Labor and Birth:

If interested in watching any natural births or hospitalized births, here are some videos I recommend watching:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5naQCzDi6aA&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5naQCzDi6aA&has_verified=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0ZQpy-ofSE

References:

Mayo Clinic. Ed. Kenneth G. Berge, Philip T. Hagen, Scott C. Litin, and Sheldon G. Sheps. Mayo Foundation, 4 Dec. 2012. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fetal-development/PR00113>.

WebMD. Ed. Michael W. Smith, Brunilda Nazario, and Hansa Bhargava. WebMD, 8 July 2012. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/baby/4to6-months>

Second Trimester...

As your pregnancy progresses, your baby might begin to seem more real. You might hear the heartbeat at your prenatal appointments, discover the sex of your child, and your enlarging abdomen might force you to put away your favorite jeans. But despite the minor troubles, the second trimester is typically the easiest.

While you're adjusting to the changes in body, fetal development is taking on a new meaning. It will seem as if it was only yesterday when your baby was simply a cluster of cells rolling its way down to your uterus. But now he or she has developed the ability to move its limbs, scratch its head and listen to your soft nurturing voice. I have made yet another road map for you to find out when these exciting activities will come into play.

Month 4 of Pregnancy:

Male or female genitalia are now formed and the baby's liver and spleen are producing red blood cells. Also, his or her upper limbs are proportionate to the rest of the body. The lower limbs are slightly shorter. Fifteen weeks into your pregnancy, or 13 weeks after conception, your baby is growing rapidly. Your baby's skeleton is developing bones, which will become visible on ultrasound images in a few weeks. Your baby's scalp hair pattern also is forming. Your baby's ears begin to stand out on the sides of his or her head and your child might even begin to hear.

By the 19th week, a greasy, cheese-like coating called vernix caseosa begins to cover your baby. The vernix caseosa helps protect your baby's delicate skin from abrasions, chapping and hardening that can result from exposure to amniotic fluid. 

Month 5 of pregnancy:

Approximately half way (week 20) through your pregnancy, you may begin to feel your baby move, since he or she is developing muscles and exercising them. This first movement is called quickening. your baby begins to have rapid eye movements. By week 23, your baby's tongue will soon develop taste buds. Fingerprints and footprints are forming. For boys, the testes are descending from the abdomen and for females, the uterus and vagina might begin to form. Along with a lifetime supply of eggs.

Month 6 of pregnancy:

Unfortunately, month 6 is the end of your relaxing state of pregnancy and is when most of the development has occurred. His or her skin becomes reddish in color, wrinkled, and veins are visible through the baby's translucent skin. Baby's finger and toe prints are visible. The eyelids begin to part and the eyes open and your precious baby can finally respond to your voice by simple movements. The final week of the trimester, or 25 weeks after conception, your baby's lungs and nervous system are continuing to mature. 

Reference:

Mayo Clinic. Ed. Kenneth G. Berge, Philip T. Hagen, Scott C. Litin, and Sheldon G. Sheps. Mayo Foundation, 4 Dec. 2012. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fetal-development/PR00113>.

WebMD. Ed. Michael W. Smith, Brunilda Nazario, and Hansa Bhargava. WebMD, 8 July 2012. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/baby/4to6-months>

Fetal Development of the 1st Trimester

Congratulations! You can officially call yourselves parents now. You will now, until birth, have family and friends bombarding you with a million questions, like: how does it look now?, who do you think it will resemble more?, Can I feel it kick?, Can I rub your belly?, and the most infamous, Is it boy or a girl?

Fetal development typically follows the same course every time, it'll be easy to apprehend the advancement of the embryo. The first trimester is when most of the activity takes place, so I provided a calendar that consists of  the first twelve weeks (3 months) of fetal development.

Month 1 of Pregnancy:

During the first month of development a membranous sac surrounds itself around the fertilized egg, providing cushion for the growing embryo throughout the pregnancy. The placenta is also developed in this stage in order for the embryo to receive nutrients from the mother. A distinction of the face, eyes, mouth, jaws, and throat are being taken into shape. Meanwhile, blood cells are beginning to form and circulation will begin.

Month 2 of pregnancy:

Your baby's facial features continue to mature.Each ear begins as a little fold of skin at the side of the head. Tiny buds that eventually grow into arms and legs are forming. Fingers, toes, and eyes are also forming in the second month of pregnancy.The neural tube (brain, spinal cord, and other neural tissue of the central nervous system) is well arranged. The digestive tract and sensory organs begin to develop. Bone starts to replace cartilage, and the embryo begins to move, although  you will not feel it yet.

Month 3 of Pregnancy:

By end the of final month of your first trimester your baby is fully formed. Your baby has arms, hands, fingers, feet, and toes and can open and close its fists and mouth. Fingernails and toenails are beginning to develop and the external ears are formed. The beginnings of teeth are forming. Your baby's reproductive organs also develop, but the baby's gender is difficult to distinguish on ultrasound. The circulatory and urinary systems are working and the liver produces bile. At the end of the third month, your baby is about 7.6 -10 cm (3-4 inches) long and weighs about 28g

 (1 ounce).

References:

 WebMD. Ed. Michael W. Smith, Brunilda Nazario, and Hansa Bhargava. WebMD, 8 July 2012. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/baby/1to3-months>.

No Need To Wait...

Pregnancy has always been a time of change. Your body, your lifestyle, and especially your emotions all go through dramatic changes so that when it's time to give birth to your new baby girl or boy, you will have lower risks at having pregnancy complications. But sometimes these changes aren't sufficient enough, and your worst nightmare may appear to reality...spontaneous abortion.

 You felt the abdominal pain, and you saw the blood, but you really didn't want to believe you had lost your first child. Unfortunate, but all hopes should not be lost. Physicians may tell you to wait six to twelve months until you think about conceiving again, but studies have been shown that women who had conceived again within the six months after a miscarriage have occurred, have had more likely to have successful and healthy subsequent pregnancies than women who waited the six to twelve months.

http://webpages.scu.edu/ftp/anrose/Sad_Confused_Woman.jpg

Even though the study did not include social and personal factors or other problems, like smoking, they made the assumption of that the women were healthy. They also recognized the fact that the women who conceived within six months, did not undergo any Cesarean sections, premature labor or low birth weight babies. However, if there is any sign of infection, or any other clinical reason that may put you at high risk, then delaying your next conception is highly advised.

References

BMJ-British Medical Journal (2010, August 6). Women don't need to delay getting pregnant after miscarriage, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 9, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/08/100805204001.htm.