Welcome to the Pregged pregnancy week-by-week series. Each week-by-week post is separated into three handy sections.
1. Mom – Section one covers the changes mom will experience and the things she may need to consider health-wise.
2. Baby – Section two looks at the development of the fetus and what’s going on with baby inside the womb.
3. Nutrition – Section three covers nutrition for each week of pregnancy so that you know what foods are important to include in your diet at each stage.
6 WEEKS PREGNANT – MOM
Thinking about babymoon? – The second trimester is the best for relaxing pre-baby vacations because once born, that vacation is no walk in the park.
Most airlines are fine if you bring a doctor’s note, but some will not let women fly past 32 weeks. Babies have been born a mile high.
Now is time to schedule your childbirth education class and breastfeeding class if you haven’t already done so. Meditation, yoga, and exercise are three of the best activities to improve your mental and physical health. Ever heard of diastasis recti? Probably not. It’s a problem that short women and those who gain a lot of weight during pregnancy may get as a result of the two abdominal muscles that run from the rib cage to the pubic bone. It’s your six-pack! With rapid stretching or massive stretching seen with twins and triplets, the rectus muscles can spread so far apart that they lose their ability to contract. After delivery, they look like big flaps of useless flesh and surgery is the only way to repair it.
Baby Development
It’s not time yet, but this is about the stage that your baby could live outside of the uterus, but not without peril. Twelve more weeks would be optimal. So, what about that fetal circulation? Remember, the baby gets oxygen and nutrients from the mother via the umbilical cord, so there is no reason for all the blood to go to the lungs while the baby is still cooking. There is a neat little detour that the blood makes after it returns to the heart—it is called the ductus arteriosis—a small vessel that reroutes most of the blood going to the lungs, and sends it out the aorta to the rest of the body where it’s needed. An even cooler thing happens at birth—when we don’t want that detour—the ductus closes off automatically with the first couple of breaths. This allows the lungs to receive all the blood for oxygen exchange and the release the carbon dioxide before it is sent to the rest of the body. In preemies—premature babies—that closure doesn’t always happen automatically—so it’s a big issue. Keep junior inside for as long as possible—the uterus is the best babysitter at this point. Baby weighs over one pound now.
Pregnancy Nutrition Week 6
Started to drink a lot? Don’t be surprised; it is ordinary for the 24th week of pregnancy. Don’t confuse dehydration with hunger because dehydration can lead to premature contractions. Your body needs plenty of liquids now. Shoot for at least eight cups per day, more if it’s hot outside or you’re sweating a lot. Water is the best choice for you and your baby, and it’s far cheaper than the fancier drinks. In most cases, no need to buy it in the store. Water from the faucet is safe to drink in most areas. To be extra safe, buy a filter for your tap or use filtered pitchers for your water. Eat frequently. Don’t forget to space your meals, so you’re not eating too much at any one sitting (five or six mini-meals and snacks per day). Do not overeat at one sitting, especially as your baby gets bigger—you’re going to run out space pretty soon.