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
Sometimes it’s fun to take a poll from friends and families to predict the actual day of birth. You can make it a contest with prizes for the winner. I’ve even known people to have baby names selected by a poll. You probably already know the name or have two in mind, but some people wait until they see their little munchkin. Just two more weeks, and hopefully not a day longer. But we all know that is not the case for most expecting parents. Usually, if this is your first baby, he or she will drop into position and relieve the pressure on your lungs and stomach before going into labor whereas second-time moms ‘drop’ at the onset of labor. Relief from bloat, heartburn, and breathlessness will be replaced with frequent bathroom trips and rectal discomfort. Sleepless nights, leaky breasts, stuffy noses are just a few more insults that must be tolerated waiting for your precious cargo. Braxton Hicks contractions will increase, but actual labor will be elusive. There tends to be a couple of false alarms, but real labor does not stop, gets stronger, more painful, and closer together. Usually, 10 or more painful contractions for a couple of hours is a sign of early labor. If they go away with walking, you are not in labor. Have a chocolate Sunday and watch your favorite TV show— because those days will be long gone when junior arrives.
Baby Development
More of the same. It’s maddening, but there are a few things you can try to make the process of labor begin. Forget castor oil. That’s gross. Better to rub your nipples to stimulate the brain’s release of oxytocin—the hormone of labor and milk letdown. You may get milk released, and you may start up your contractions. Increase your physical activity or have sex. Believe it or not, but orgasms can start the contractions. It may not continue, but it will take your mind off this incredibly stressful time. Baby is likely 200-300 grams bigger each week at this point. All the organs are up and running. The lungs and brain will continue to grow and develop even into childhood. Some practitioners will ‘strip membranes’ now to help the labor process along. It’s a vigorous cervical exam that sometimes works.
Pregnancy Nutrition Week 6
Protein intake with fewer carbohydrates leads to weight loss in almost all cases. Since you know weight-loss diets are downright dangerous for expectant moms and their babies, you must learn more about protein during pregnancy— for brain growth.
At 38 weeks pregnant, your baby’s brain, in particular, needs these raw materials to develop properly both mentally and physically and gleefully flush your car keys down the toilet in the years to come.
At this point, you need three servings of protein every day (3-4 ounces per meal. This is pretty easy to do for most people. Get protein during pregnancy from all of these foods – Grass-fed lean meat, Poultry, Fish(fatty fish, like wild salmon, anchovies, and sardines contain the most brain-boosting fatty acids, but all fish have some), Eggs (choose DHA eggs for an omega-3 boost), Milk and other dairy products