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My Pregnancy Week By Week : Chapter#3 Weeks 25 - Weeks 40

The 3nd Trimester

Six Months : Your baby weighs about a pound and a half. His wrinkled skin is starting to smooth out as he puts on baby fat.

Weeks 25 :

How your baby's growing:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but the hair you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. You may also notice darker or thicker body hair. It will return to normal in the weeks after you give birth. You probably can't move around as gracefully as before. It's fine to continue to exercise, but use your common sense: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired, and stop if you feel any pain or when you begin to feel at all fatigued, dizzy, or short of breath. Don't lie on your back too long or do any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.

When you have your glucose-screening test at 24 to 28 weeks, your practitioner may take a second tube of blood at the same time to check for anemia. Although your blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, the total amount of your red blood cells becomes diluted — a problem sometimes called physiologic anemia that's common in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. If your blood tests show that you have anemia, your caregiver will likely recommend that you take a supplement.

Have you started thinking about baby names yet? Choosing a name is an important decision, but it should be a fun one, too. Look to family history (Great Grandpa Zeb), favorite locations (Venice, where you honeymooned), or cherished literary or film characters (Greta, Meg, or Rhett, for example). Check out a couple of baby-name books to help you brainstorm, too.

Constipation cure "To ease constipation, add oat or wheat bran to anything you can think of — such as cereal, yogurt, smoothies, or even spaghetti sauce." — Kristin

3 Questions About Third trimester prenatal care

Q1.
How often will I see my caregiver in the third trimester?

Between 28 and 36 weeks, you'll see your caregiver every two weeks. In your final month of pregnancy, this will increase to once every week.

Q2.
What will she do at each appointment?

• Ask how you're feeling physically and emotionally and follow up on any issues raised at your last appointment.

• Ask how often your baby moves. She'll remind you to call if you sense a decrease in activity. She may even ask you to start counting your baby's movements.

• Take your vital stats. She'll weigh you; check your urine for signs of preeclampsia, urinary tract infections, and other problems; track your blood pressure; and check your ankles, hands, and face for swelling.

• Do an abdominal exam to estimate your baby's size and position. She'll also measure the distance between your pubic bone and the top of your uterus to make sure your baby's growing normally.

• Possibly check your cervix. Don't expect a pelvic exam at every visit. Many caregivers don't do them unless they have a specific concern, such as preterm labor. Once you pass your due date, your provider will check your cervix to help decide whether to induce your labor.

• Tell you what to watch out for. She'll tell you about the signs of preterm labor and preeclampsia, and review other warning signs that should prompt a call. As your due date nears, she'll discuss the signs of labor and let you know when you should get in touch with her.

• Go over your labor and delivery questions. Bring a list and ask your partner to contribute to it.

• Discuss postpartum decisions like whether you plan to breastfeed, circumcise your son, or use contraception that she needs to prescribe. If you haven't found a pediatrician yet, your caregiver can give you some names.

Q3.
What tests will I be offered during the third trimester?

Depending on your situation you may be offered:
• Hematocrit/hemoglobin. This blood test for anemia will be offered during the third trimester. (If you were tested when you took your glucose challenge test and the results were normal, it might not be repeated now.)
• Gestational diabetes screening. If you had a normal glucose challenge test in the second trimester, consider yourself done. However, if you haven't taken this test yet, or if the results were abnormal and you haven't yet done the glucose tolerance test, you'll be tested now.
• Rh antibody screening. If you're Rh-negative, the antibody screen will be repeated (usually at the same time as your glucose challenge test) and you'll get an injection of Rh immune globulin at 28 weeks. This will protect you from developing antibodies that could pose a risk to your baby in the unlikely case that some of your baby's blood gets into your blood stream during this trimester.
• Tests for sexually transmitted infections. If you're at high risk, your caregiver will do cervical cultures to check for chlamydia and gonorrhea, and your blood will be tested for syphilis. It's a wise idea to be retested for HIV as well if there's any chance you contracted it since your original test.
• Group B Strep test. Between 35 and 37 weeks, you'll be checked for group B streptococci (GBS) in your vagina and rectum. You won't be treated right away if your cultures are positive because early treatment is no guarantee that the bacteria won't return. (If you've previously given birth to a baby who had GBS, you can skip this test because you'll receive antibiotics in labor no matter what.)

This Week's Activity:

Dedicate time to your partner this week. Treat your partner to a romantic surprise. Write down all the things you love about him, tell him why you think he'll be a great dad, or just go for a stroll while holding hands. Take time to connect on a physical and emotional level and celebrate what connects you and makes you love one another. Try to do something at least once a week for 30 minutes that clearly communicates the importance of your partner in your life, says clinical psychologist Diane Sanford.

Weeks 26 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-26-weeks_1115.bc

Weeks 27 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-27-weeks_1116.bc

Weeks 28 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-28-weeks_1117.bc

Weeks 29 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-29-weeks_1118.bc

Seven Months : By now, your baby weighs about 3 pounds and is more than 15 inches long.
She can open and close her eyes and follow a light.

Weeks 30 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-30-weeks_1119.bc

Weeks 31 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-31-weeks_1120.bc

Weeks 32 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-32-weeks_1121.bc

Weeks 33 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-33-weeks_1122.bc

Eight Months : Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds.
His layers of fat are filling him out, making him rounder, and his lungs are well developed.

Weeks 34 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-34-weeks_1123.bc

Weeks 35 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-35-weeks_1124.bc

Weeks 36 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-36-weeks_1125.bc

Weeks 37 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-37-weeks_1126.bc

Nine Months : The average baby is more than 19 inches long
and weighs nearly 7 pounds now, but babies vary widely in size at this stage

Weeks 38 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-38-weeks_1127.bc

Weeks 39 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-39-weeks_1128.bc

Weeks 40 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-40-weeks_1129.bc

Weeks 41 : //www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-41-weeks_5904.bc

Create Date : 06 พฤษภาคม 2551

Last Update : 6 พฤษภาคม 2551 23:15:26 น.

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