My Growing Baby
My growing baby is now around 15 ¼ to 17 ¼ inches long and weighs around 4 ½ to 5 pounds.*
My Pregnancy - Changes for my baby
The fat continues to fill in my baby’s skin making it look less wrinkled. Although the skeleton is completely formed, the bones are now starting to get harder except for the skull which will remain soft to help get through the vaginal canal.
My Pregnancy - Changes for me
The weight you have gained is somewhere between 22 and 28 pounds. Amniotic fluid may leak before your sac breaks or labor begins. It is also possible to leak urine because of the pressure. It may be hard to distinguish, but urine will have a smell. If you are not sure, it is always safest to contact your healthcare provider. More than likely when your water breaks it will not come across as a big gush. You can probably expect to have your water break at home and don’t be surprise if it happens while you are in bed.
After your water breaks, it is important to avoid sex, not use tampons, and do not introduce anything to your vagina that could introduce bacteria in the area. Contact your healthcare provider and confirm your next steps. Your healthcare provider will ask if it is greenish or foul smelling which could signify an infection. More than likely your healthcare provider will want to examine you and your baby and may vary well look to induce labor.
My Pregnancy - Planning this week
Deciding on whether to have an episiotomy or not is something you need to discuss with your healthcare provider. An episiotomy is a surgical cut that widens the vaginal opening making it easier for the baby to be delivered. Most women seek to forgo an episiotomy unless is is absolutely necessary. It is possible the baby may cause a tear as delivery is attempted. Here are some steps you can take to increase your chances of not having an episiotomy:
- Maintain a course of eating well-balanced meals (healthy skin stretches more easily!)
- Start practicing kegel exercises which strengthen your pelvic muscles
- Use a warm compresses and support during delivery
- Use perineum massage techniques
My Pregnancy -Health Tips
Sexual intercourse is safe during pregnancy and at this stage as long as your healthcare provider has not warned you against it. The changes in your body may lead you to use different positions and engage in sex differently. In most cases your healthcare provider is going to give you the go ahead with sexual intercourse unless you are experiencing some type of complication.
My Pregnancy - Tips for my partner
Your healthcare provider is going to advise against sex after the baby is born for six weeks or more. This may vary depending on the birth experience, but the primary concern is preventing any type of infection. You are your partner want to start talking about how you are going to prevent pregnancy once your healthcare provider gives you the go ahead. There are some methods of birth control that cannot be used if a woman is breastfeeding - also, please note that breastfeeding does reduce your chances of getting pregnant but it does not prevent it.
* All measurements are provided as a general guide for common pregnancy development which may vary depending on the nutrition, mother’s health or accurate dating of conception. Every pregnancy is unique and may be experienced differently even for the same woman. It is important to undertand that babies develop at a different rate even before they are born. The purpose of this developmental information is to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing, and you must remember that your baby’s growth may vary from that which is outlined.