Pregnancy & Birth
Congratulations!
You are starting on one of life’s greatest journeys.
Take the time to listen to what your body is telling you and trust your instincts.
Even if this isn’t your first baby, it may be very different from your previous pregnancies.
It is a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor, midwife or women’s health clinic as soon as possible.
At your first visit you will probably have a blood test and examination including a check of your weight and blood pressure. You will also be advised to take folic acid for at least the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy and eat a healthy diet. If you have had a previous premature delivery then you will be classified as a high risk patient. This will dictate the care that you will receive during your pregnancy. You may have additional doctor visits or ultrasounds. Take heart though, that having had a previous prem does not mean you will definitely have another, in fact the reasons behind premature delivery are usually not known so your risk is only slightly greater than any other woman’s.
You may be advised to rest more, particularly in the first few weeks. This is not an easy task if you have other children. If your other children no longer have a sleep during the day, it might help to have ‘quiet time’ in the afternoon, watching a movie or just lying down with some books.
A typical pregnancy is 40 weeks and has 3 trimesters. Full term gestation is the description given to a baby who is born between 37 and 42 weeks. If your baby is born between 20 and 37 weeks he will be considered to be premature.
First Trimester
Week 1 – 12
During the first few weeks of pregnancy your body will undergo some big changes.
Some of the first signs of pregnancy are fatigue, nausea, breast tenderness and frequent urination. Amazingly some women have little or no noticeable changes and may not know they are pregnant until they miss a period. Some doctors will recommend you have an ultrasound to confirm your due date. This can be really useful if you are unsure of the date of your LMP as well as being helpful for confirming gestational age in a high risk pregnancy.
Second Trimester
Week 13 to 27
These are usually thought of as the best period of your pregnancy. Your morning sickness has ceased and you are not as tired as in the first few weeks.
You will feel movement for the first time and may begin to secrete colostrum.
For most mothers this is a time of enjoyment and relaxation - you are not uncomfortably big and are probably announcing your exciting news to family & friends.
For mothers who have had a previous premature delivery though, this can be a stressful time. Remind yourself that this is a different pregnancy and that you may carry this baby to term. If you have any health or emotional concerns at this stage then contact your doctor immediately. Trust that you are in tune with your body and know that most health professionals will state that a woman usually knows when things are ‘not quite right’.
You will no doubt be extremely stressed around the gestation that you delivered your previous baby. If this baby didn’t survive then you may feel a mixture of emotions. Sadness and excitement combined with your pregnancy hormones can make things very tumultuous for you! Hang in there, most mothers say that once they have passed this stage they can relax and enjoy the pregnancy at last.
You may commence antenatal classes late in this trimester which is a great achievement if you didn’t get that far in your last pregnancy. Other mothers say they choose to have a baby shower at this time as they missed out with their previous baby.
Each day you keep your baby inside is a bonus, with not only survival rates but also long term outcomes being enhances the further you progress in your pregnancy.
If you are a risk of delivering at this stage you will be given a series of cortisone injections to assist in maturing the baby’s lungs. A baby born at 24 weeks will weigh around 650 grams and be very sick, although can survive.
Gestation Average Birth Weight
23 weeks 588 grams
24 weeks 657 grams
25 weeks 767 grams
26 weeks 884 grams
27 weeks 1,002 grams
28 weeks 1,134 grams
29 weeks
30 weeks
31 weeks
32 weeks
33 weeks
34 weeks
35 weeks
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