We're Pregnant Week 4

We're Pregnant Week 4 - With the invention of home pregnancy tests, couples are able to determine much earlier if they are pregnant, so it's not unusual to know in the first month that the two of you are pregnant. Yes, the two of you! Your spouse or girlfriend did not get in this condition all by herself. It takes two-as the saying goes-and raising the son or daughter that the two of you have conceived is also a dual responsibility, starting with the pregnancy. There is no reason to believe that you cannot be a special or important part of this process and it will certainly go a long ways to making this experience a happy one, if you take the time to learn what is happening, to help the mother of your child through her pregnancy and to bond with your child, both during his or her growth in the womb and right after birth. This can be both the most exciting and the most stressful time of your lives and understanding is the first step in being a more compassionate partner and a much more emotionally present father.

Your partner may be just at the very beginning of her pregnancy, but changes take place quickly and you should be aware of what is going on. When her ovum was fertilized by your sperm, hormones, primarily progesterone, immediately started being released in order to prepare the uterus to receive the egg and then as the egg attached itself to the uterine wall her body went into over-drive. The most common affects of these hormones are moodiness (to put it mildly), breast tenderness and morning sickness. Some women just breeze through this time, while some of you may not recognize the woman that you thought you knew.

Mood swings can be sudden and erratic and totally beyond understanding, though you should try your best to do everything in your power to understand and to help her understand. She might be laughing one minute and crying the next and be about as clueless as you are as to the reason. Just rest assured in knowing that it will not last forever. Breast tenderness is easy to deal with-hands off! Don't take it personally, just comprehend that it may be very uncomfortable for her to even lie on her stomach right now or wear a bra...and the best medicine is for you to understand and be aware. She may not want to tell you "no" and will endure the discomfort, for you, but now is not the time to be selfish.

Morning sickness, on the other hand, is most unpleasant and though it's usually gone by the end of the first trimester (the first three months), it can last throughout her pregnancy. And just because it's called 'morning sickness' doesn't mean it just happens in the morning. She can be sick at anytime. If she is sick immediately upon rising, then she may need to lie in bed for a little while and possibly eat a couple of crackers before she gets out of bed. Eating smaller meals throughout the day may also help someone that has 'day and night' sickness, so don't be surprised if she isn't up to going out to lunch or dinner. What you need to know is that she is not enjoying having morning sickness, anymore than you are, and that any help and empathy you can give her will be greatly appreciated.

Your Son or Daughter-is exactly that...a boy or a girl, as soon as fertilization took place. You also have to take total credit for this. If you remember biology class at all, the male has X and Y sperm and this is what determines the sex of your child. So, you can't point the finger at her on this. So sorry. J Your baby's neural tube, which will develop into the nervous system, which includes the brain, skin and spinal cord, is forming now. The heart forms rapidly and though the circulatory system is more primitive, it too is starting to form.

Amazingly your baby is actually starting to become self-aware and will soon be sensing and feeling. Contrary to "it's just a bunch of cells at this point" philosophy, your baby is a living being and though you may not feel this way, I can guarantee that the woman pregnant with this child is going through some deeply emotional and maybe even some conflicting feelings. Your being emotionally present for her and making an honest attempt to understand what she's going through will make the both of you much happier. We're Pregnant Week 4