Sallys Pregnancy Secrets

Your Guide To A Healthier, Happier And More Comfortable Pregnancy With Tips On Pregnancy Week By Week And Much More!

Thursday, July 27, 2006

No Guarantee

One thing I simply must say and disagree with the heavy emphasis and pressure on pregnant women to expect she is going to get a baby just because she is pregnant. The thing that as women and as a society we must realise is that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in tears (miscarriage) and that just because you are pregnant does not mean that baby will be healthy or even survive. I really do not know why we are not more prepared for other outcomes.

And why does no one talk about miscarriage and pregnancy loss away from the topic of pregnancy? It is like it must not be spoken about and it is a very hush-hush topic. My friend said she had a miscarriage and I didn't even know about it. She hid her feelings of pain from all her friends, not just me, and I did not find out till two years later.

So why is this? Why, as women, so we feel the need to keep this intensely private? Is it because its "secret womens business"? Or is it something else? If we talked about it more openly then perhaps women who do suffer from miscarriage would not feel so alone when it happens to them.

And this is not just forecasting a story of doom, its really being realistic. When you get pregnant the chances of success on a good day is only 75%, and even then you have never any guarantees of the pregnancy being successful.

I love eveything about babies, pregnancy and children as much as the next woman but I've also suffered a miscarriage that broke my heart into several peices. So I don't understand why there is such heavy emphasis on being pregnant means success. Sadly it does not. This is why it is so important to realise that being pregnancy does not always result in a child and we need to speak more openly about this.

The Doctors who helped me write this book "Amazing Pregnancy Secrets" (Dr Peter Lucas, Miwdwife Robyn Thomnpson, Dr Karen Lucas, Dr Rebecca Zsabo) told me this: There are about 4.4 million confirmed pregnancies in the U.S. every year. 900,000 to 1 million of those end in pregnancy losses EVERY year. More than 500,000 pregnancies each year end in miscarriage (occurring during the first 20 weeks). Approximately 26,000 end in stillbirth (considered stillbirth after 20 weeks) . These statistics were confirmed at http://www.hopexchange.com/Statistics.htm

So if a woman is pregnant for the first time I think its important that she knows the reality of things and not only is she intellectually prepared if she losses the child, but understands that being pregnant is not a gaurantee of a child.

We really need to create more awareness in our society about this devastating occurance and help women who have experienced it gain confidence and heal again. So if you are pregnant just wait till the first trimester is over before you start buying baby things.

My best wishes to you,

Sally

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Pregnancy Article From the Mayo Clinic

Pregnacy is amazing- it really never ceases to amaze me what goes on in a womans body. I found a great article for you to read from The Mayo Clinic this week.
Enjoy!

Sally Aubrey.
www.amazingpregnancysecrets.com


Fetal development: What happens during the first trimester?

Do you wonder how your baby is growing and developing? Check out this weekly calendar of events for your baby's first three months in the womb.

You're pregnant. Congratulations! You'll undoubtedly spend the months ahead wondering how your baby is growing and developing. What does your baby look like? How big is he or she? When will you hear the heartbeat?

To help answer some of these questions, check out this weekly calendar of events for your baby's first three months in the womb.

Week 1: Getting ready

It may seem strange, but you're not actually pregnant the first week or two of the time allotted to your pregnancy. Yes, you read that correctly!

Conception typically occurs about two weeks after your period begins. To calculate your due date, your health care provider will count ahead 40 weeks from the start of your last period. This means your period is counted as part of your pregnancy — even though you weren't pregnant at the time.

Week 2: Fertilization

The sperm and egg unite in the fallopian tube to form a one-celled entity called a zygote. If more than one egg is released and fertilized, you may have multiple zygotes.

The zygote has 46 chromosomes — 23 from you and 23 from your partner. These chromosomes contain genetic material that will determine your baby's sex and traits such as eye color, hair color, height, facial features and — at least to some extent — intelligence and personality.

Soon after fertilization, the zygote will travel down one of your fallopian tubes toward the uterus. At the same time, it will begin dividing rapidly to form a cluster of cells resembling a tiny raspberry. The inner group of cells will become the embryo. The outer group of cells will become the membranes that nourish and protect it.

Week 3: Implantation

The zygote — by this time made up of about 500 cells — is now known as a blastocyst. When it reaches your uterus, the blastocyst will burrow into the uterine wall for nourishment. The placenta, which will nourish your baby throughout the pregnancy, also begins to form.

By the end of this week, you may be celebrating a positive pregnancy test.

Week 4: The embryonic period begins

The fourth week marks the beginning of the embryonic period, when the baby's brain, spinal cord, heart and other organs begin to form. Your baby is now 1/25 of an inch long.

The embryo is now made of three layers. The top layer — the ectoderm — will give rise to a groove along the midline of your baby's body. This will become the neural tube, where your baby's brain, spinal cord, spinal nerves and backbone will develop.

Your baby's heart and a primitive circulatory system will form in the middle layer of cells — the mesoderm. This layer of cells will also serve as the foundation for your baby's bones, muscles, kidneys and much of the reproductive system.

The inner layer of cells — the endoderm — will become a simple tube lined with mucous membranes. Your baby's lungs, intestines and bladder will develop here.

Week 5: Baby's heart begins to beat

Illustration of embryo three weeks after conception
Your baby at week 5 (three weeks from conception)

At week five, your baby is 1/17 of an inch long — about the size of the tip of a pen.

This week, your baby's heart and circulatory system are taking shape. Your baby's blood vessels will complete a circuit, and his or her heart will begin to beat. Although you won't be able to hear it yet, the motion of your baby's beating heart may be detected with an ultrasound exam.

With these changes, circulation begins — making the circulatory system the first functioning organ system.

Week 6: The neural tube closes

Illustration of embryo four weeks after conception
Your baby at week 6 (four weeks from conception)

Growth is rapid this week. Just four weeks after conception, your baby is about 1/8 of an inch long. The neural tube along your baby's back is now closed, and your baby's heart is beating with a regular rhythm.

Basic facial features will begin to appear, including an opening for the mouth and passageways that will make up the inner ear. The digestive and respiratory systems begin to form as well.

Small blocks of tissue that will form your baby's connective tissue, ribs and muscles are developing along your baby's midline. Small buds will soon grow into arms and legs.

Week 7: The umbilical cord appears

Illustration of embryo five weeks after conception
Your baby at week 7 (five weeks from conception)

Seven weeks into your pregnancy, your baby is 1/3 of an inch long — a little bigger than the top of a pencil eraser. He or she weighs less than an aspirin tablet.

The umbilical cord — the link between your baby and the placenta — is now clearly visible. The cavities and passages needed to circulate spinal fluid in your baby's brain have formed, but your baby's skull is still transparent.

The arm bud that sprouted last week now resembles a tiny paddle. Your baby's face takes on more definition this week, as a mouth perforation, tiny nostrils and ear indentations become visible.

Week 8: Baby's fingers and toes form

Eight weeks into your pregnancy, your baby is just over 1/2 of an inch long.

Your baby will develop webbed fingers and toes this week. Wrists, elbows and ankles are clearly visible, and your baby's eyelids are beginning to form. The ears, upper lip and tip of the nose also become recognizable.

As your baby's heart becomes more fully developed, it will pump at 150 beats a minute — about twice the usual adult rate.

Week 9: Movement begins

Illustration of embryo seven weeks after conception
Your baby at week 9 (seven weeks from conception)

Your baby is now nearly 1 inch long and weighs a bit less than 1/8 of an ounce. The embryonic tail at the bottom of your baby's spinal cord is shrinking, helping him or her look less like a tadpole and more like a developing person.

Your baby's head — which is nearly half the size of his or her entire body — is now tucked down onto the chest. Nipples and hair follicles begin to form. Your baby's pancreas, bile ducts, gallbladder and anus are in place. The internal reproductive organs, such as testes or ovaries, start to develop.

Your baby may begin moving this week, but you won't be able to feel for it quite a while yet.

Week 10: Neurons multiply

Illustration of embryo eight weeks after conception
Your baby at week 10 (eight weeks from conception)

By now, your baby's vital organs have a solid foundation. The embryonic tail has disappeared completely, and your baby has fully separated fingers and toes. The bones of your baby's skeleton begin to form.

This week, your baby's brain will produce almost 250,000 new neurons every minute.

Your baby's eyelids are no longer transparent. The outer ears are starting to assume their final form, and tooth buds are forming as well. If your baby is a boy, his testes will start producing the male hormone testosterone.

Week 11: Baby's sex may be apparent

Illustration of embryo nine weeks after conception
Your baby at week 11 (nine weeks from conception)

From now until your 20th week of pregnancy — the halfway mark — your baby will increase his or her weight 30 times and will about triple in length. To make sure your baby gets enough nutrients, the blood vessels in your placenta are growing larger and multiplying.

Your baby is now officially described as a fetus. Your baby's ears are moving up and to the side of the head this week. By the end of the week, your baby's external genitalia will develop into a recognizable penis or clitoris and labia majora.


Week 12: Baby's fingernails and toenails appear

Twelve weeks into your pregnancy, your baby is nearly 3 inches long and weighs about 4/5 of an ounce.

This week marks the arrival of fingernails and toenails. Your baby's chin and nose will become more refined as well.

Taking care of your baby

Healthy lifestyle choices — beginning even before conception — can support your baby's development. Consider these simple do's and don'ts:

Do:

  • Take a prenatal vitamin or folic acid supplement.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Exercise regularly, with your health care provider's OK.
  • Eat healthfully.
  • Manage stress and any chronic health conditions.
  • See your health care provider for regular prenatal checkups.
  • Talk to your health care provider about any medications you're taking.

Don't:

  • Smoke.
  • Drink alcohol.
  • Use recreational drugs.

Your baby is growing and changing every day. To give your baby the best start, take good care of yourself.

This article found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prenatal-care/PR00112

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Welcome To Sallys Pregnancy Blog


Hi and welcome to my pregnancy blog. Its great to have you here. Over the next few months I will be posting some of the replies to the multitude of questions I get asked about pregnancy.

I will list the answers to questions about the juicy stuff such as signs and symptoms of pregnancy, pregnancy week by week, the body changes in the first trimester, second trimester and third will also list the responses of Doctors advice VS the Naturopath advice; which one's accurate. (Believe me they can conflict, leaving you totally confused about what to do.)

In case you are wondering how I know all this stuff, I'm not a Doctor so please refer to the professional advice of your GP. I am a woman who has first hand experience in pregnancy and what it takes to have a healthy, successful one. I have gotten ALL my information from the medical and natural health professions incase you are wondering.

Due to not being able to get a straight answer from some health practitioners and websites I decided that I would go straight to the experiened experts;

Obstetricians,
General Practitioners,
Midwives,
MD's,
Naturopaths
Massage Therapists doing pregnancy massage
Nurses
Chinese Doctors

Finally I got the RIGHT advice.

So now after many interveiws with top people in the field of pregnancy and pre-natal & post natal care I have compiled all this information into my new ebook.

Also I have compiled all the information about where you can get the best deals on maternity wear, save a stack of cash on baby products, and how you can decorate the nursery for under $500 and have it looking brand new. (Lets face it baby stuff can get costly after a while.) (I've put this to the test, you can see photos of how great it looks and I spent $480 and have everything I need.)

I found it would be better for women to have one resource guide that was based on scientific fact direct from the people who treat pregnant women every day. I found that lots of peoples opinions about things was not helping me make the best choices for my own pregnancy. I'm not talking about getting great support online, I'm talking about inaccurate information that leaves you feeling confused and wondering if whaty you are doing is right.

And after a year of research I found that there is a lot of myths about getting pregnant, maintaining a healthy pregnancy and having a healthy baby.

My book completely dispells those myths. Now, finally you will have access to the information about pregnancy from the top experts in my book.

Also I am putting the final touches on it over the next month, so if you want to ask me something about it, please email me at sally@amazingpregnancysecrets.com and as a thanks for helping me gather more great content about it, I will send you the book when its complete :)

Sally Aubrey

http://www.amazingpregnancysecrets.com

You can also read my baby showers blog at www.successfulbabyshowers.blogspot.com. That book will be available in September.