Mia's conception date was December 29, 1996, during a massive (and very pretty) Seattle snowstorm. Her due date was September 22, 1997. However, she decided to surprise us with her birth six weeks early, on August 7, 1997. Scroll down to see just how much Jen missed!
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 15 Lunar Month I |
16 Suggested reading: Taking Charge of Your Fertility, Toni Weschler |
17 If you're trying to get pregnant a Folic Acid supplement before conception is a good idea |
18 Prenatal vitamins are a good supplement both before and during pregnancy |
19 Suggested reading: How to Get Pregnant, Sherman Silber |
20 If you're thinking of becoming pregnant, visit a healthcare provider for a preconception visit |
21 There are lots of low-tech ways to help you conceive a child |
| 22 Week 1. |
23 If you have not already, find a clinic that specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology. They handle both infertility and pregnancy |
24 |
25 Family doctors are another choice. They take care of the entire family before, during, and long after the birth |
26 In 3-4 days, ovaries will open, releasing an egg: ovulation kits show positive 12-40 hours before ovulation |
27 Egg travels down the fallopian tubes |
28 A fun night begins the adventure |
| 29 Week 2. One of millions of sperm finds the egg: FERTILIZATION! |
30 Certified midwives are a nice alternative to Ob/Gyn doctors |
31 Cells are dividing... |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Egg falls into uterus |
2 Egg implants and sheds outer wall |
3 You've grown a "blastocyst" -- it looks like a space alien |
4 Stop smoking, or at least cut down. This is easier if dad quits smoking too (hint)... |
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| 5 Week 3. Early pregnancy symptoms include sore breasts, cramping, mild nausea, fatigue, increased irritability or, sometimes, nothing |
6 Blood-based pregnancy test should show positive |
7 Morning sickness could set in: your brain might not know you're pregnant but your body sure does |
8 The blastocyst contacts the endomentrium |
9 The blastocyst is growing |
10 Suggested reading: What To Expect When You're Expecting, Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway |
11 Blastocyst firmly attached to the endometrium |
| 12 Week 4. Lunar Month IIHome pregnancy tests might show positive |
13 Now you know you're pregnant: drink 6-8 cups of water each day and see a midwife or doctor |
14 Two "prongs" of the blastocyst separate: one becomes the head, the other a baby tuchas |
15 Nerve development begins |
16 Your hormones are going crazy: back rubs help |
17 Blastocyst becomes an embryo |
18 The embryo is beginning to develop a face, though it still looks outworldly |
| 19 Week 5. The embryo becomes three layers. The outer layer becomes the brain, nerves, and skin. The placenta becomes fully functional. |
20 The middle layer becomes the bones, muscles, blood vessels, heart, and sex organs. |
21 The inner layer becomes the stomach, liver, intestines, lungs, and urinary tract. |
22 Have a cat? Make someone else change the cat litter: it can cause toxoplasmosis which can harm the baby |
23 Don't forget: alcohol and drugs are bad for the baby (they're not good for mommy either) |
24 Asprin and prescribed medication can also be harmful: ask a healthcare provider before taking anything: even vitamins |
25 Hello in there! The inner ear is forming: cynics say it doesn't matter but singing to baby is fun |
| 26 Week 6. Babies heart starts to beat, though it's almost impossible to hear |
27 Stop smoking if you haven't already. Smoking has been connected to lots of pregnancy-related problems |
28 Vitamin A can be harmful during pregnancy: ask you healthcare provider before taking anything |
29 Embryonic sack continues to grow millions of villi attach to placenta |
30 Some cooking and beauty oils can be harmful during pregnancy: always ask your healthcare provider |
31 Buds on ends of embryonic arms and legs grow into webs that will become fingers and toes |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Blood circulates throughout the embryo |
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| 2 Week 7. |
3 Cells of the liver, pancreas, stomach, and lungs begin to take shape |
4 Unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise, you can continue to have sex throughout pregnancy |
5 Embryonic sack continues to fill with amniotic fluid to protect baby |
6 Men -- Massaging your pregnant partner makes her feel better |
7 Exercise and frequent short breaks at work help the fatigue: it will pass later in the pregnancy |
8 Suggested reading: Seasons of Change: Growing Through Pregnancy & Birth, Suzanne Arms |
| 9 Week 8. Lunar Month III |
10 Baby weighs about 1 gram; 4 cm. in length |
11 Learn about pregnancy by reading books, talking to friends, and surfing the web: knowledge cuts down the anxiety |
12 He's not making it up: couvade is a condition that causes weight gain, nausea, mood swings and all the rest in daddy |
13 Remember, smaller meals help heart-burn and water, fiber and exercise help constipation |
14 Embryo becomes a fetus. All organs necessary to sustain life are formed |
15 Douching during pregnancy could rupture membranes or cause infections: it should be avoided |
| 16 Week 9. Brain can be seen in fetal photography |
17 |
18 Intestines have formed outside baby (on umbilical cord) because they can't fit inside baby |
19 Baby weighs 5 grams and is about 6 cm. in length (.15 of an ounce; 2.3 inches) |
20 Between now and week 12 is the time for a CVS test, if you need one |
21 Kidneys become functional and baby urinates into amniotic fluid. Sex organs begin to develop. |
22 Baby may begin moving, though it's much too early for mom to feel it |
| 23 Week 10. There is about one ounce of amniotic fluid |
24 Some women experience sciatic-nerve pain (a pain in their butt or legs): see |
25 Fingers and toes become more distinct |
26 Exercise will make you feel better, but take it easy; keep heartrate below 140 beats per minute |
27 Be careful when exercising: your center of gravity is changing -- watch your balance |
28 Hands are more developed than feet, and arms are longer than legs |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 The ongoing process of baby's organ development is called organogenesis |
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| 2 Week 11. Baby's back straightens |
3 Kegel exercises keep you strong and help you maintain bowel and bladder control during birth |
4 Mother's develop a large increase in blood content to help the baby: eat foods with lots of protein and iron |
5 Eyelids are shut over developing eyes |
6 Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and cook meat well |
7 You'll probably receive ABO/Rh blood typing to check for blood compatibility between you and baby |
8 Bones begin to grow. Ribs and backbone are soft: they'll harden later |
| 9 Week 12. Lunar Month IV |
10 Baby weighs 20 grams and is about 9 cm. in length (.64 of an ounce; 3.5 inches) |
11 By now external sex organs have usually differentiated |
12 Umbilical cord, carrying nutrients to baby and waste away, is well formed |
13 Suggested reading: Eating Healthy for a Healthy Baby : A Month-By-Month Guide to Nutrition During Pregnancy, Dana, M.D. Cernea, Fred Plotkin |
14 |
15 Placenta weighs about an ounce: it will weigh about 1 1/2 lbs. at birth |
| 16 Week 13. |
17 Buds on the side of the head begin to form into the outer ear |
18 Suggested reading: The Pregnancy Cookbook, Ricciotti, Connelly |
19 Skim milk, bread, and vegetables provide vitamins, calcium and protein: eat your spinach |
20 Many woman develop a dark line on their abdomen. This is called a linea nigra |
21 Vocal cords develop: AGOOOOO! |
22 Baby weighs 60 grams and is about 12 cm. in length (1.9 ounces; 4.7 inches) |
| 23 Week 14. |
24 Your first trimester is over: mommy's belly should begin popping out |
25 Place the lap belt of a seat belt UNDER your abdomen |
26 The rest of baby's face begins to form |
27 Some say massaging your belly with Vitamin E helps minimize stretch marks after pregnancy: this is a good job for dad |
28 The tail has disappeared and the head makes up about half baby's size |
29 Waterbirth is a new and interesting delivery method |
| 30 Week 15. Nausea gets better |
31 Suggested reading: Your Pregnancy Week-by-Week, Glade B. Curtis, MD |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Internally, testes form in boys and ovaries in girls; externally they look the same |
2 The chance of miscarriage gets much lower after this week |
3 High fevers, persistent vomiting, severe back pain, and discharges are reasons to call your healthcare provider immediately |
4 Be careful when lifting: if your job demands this check with your healthcare provider |
5 Amniocentesis is usually done between Week 15 and Week 17. |
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| 6 Week 16. Lunar Month V |
7 Baby weighs 120 grams and is about 16 cm. in length (3.85 ounces; 6.3 inches) |
8 Pregnancy produces a hormone called Relaxin, which loosens the pelvis for birth |
9 Relaxin can cause coordination problems, clumsiness, or the "pregnancy waddle" |
10 Talking about the baby on the way is good for both parents |
11 Sleeping on your left side is recommended: try not to sleep on your back or stomach. Your growing uterus can restrict blood flow |
12 Your breasts are growing: time for a new bra for support |
| 13 Week 17. Too much caffeine found in coffee, chocolate, and some soft-drinks is harmful to your baby |
14 Suggested reading: The Expectant Father: Helping the Father-To-Be Understand and Become a Part of the Pregnancy Experience, Marshall |
15 Your friends will understand if you're too tired to entertain: be honest |
16 Babys body is growing quickly |
17 Bladder infections are common. To prevent infection, call your healthcare provider immediately if it hurts to urinate |
18 Baby's neck is long enough to lift the head from the body |
19 Doing squats and stretching are good strength building exercises while pregnant |
| 20 Week 18. Now is the time for an AFP screening, if you want one |
21 Baby continues to grow fat and muscle: filling out and growing stronger daily |
22 Baby weighs about 220 grams and is about 20 cm. in length (7 ounces; 7.8 inches) |
23 Wearing flat, comfortable shoes and not crossing your legs can help prevent varicose and spider veins |
24 Baby's blood cells take over for liver in producing blood |
25 Sign up for pregnancy classes: they fill up quickly |
26 Men: the money will work its way out when the baby comes. Worrying causes unnecessary stress |
| 27 Week 19. Gallbladder becomes functional, producing bile which is needed for digestion |
28 Suggested reading: The New Well Pregnancy Book, Mike & Nancy Samuels |
29 Baby continues moving, but bones are too soft for mom to feel anything |
30 Suggested reading: Pregnant Fathers: Challenges and Discoveries on the Road to Parenthood, Jack Heinowitz |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Ultrasound equipment can usually see the difference between a girl and a boy at this point |
2 Ears position to side of the head and stick out |
3 Baby weighs 330 grams and is about 25 cm. in length (10.6 ounces; 9.8 inches) |
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| 4 Week 20. Lunar Month VI |
5 Consider a doula to help during childbirth |
6 Milk teeth begin to form under gums |
7 |
8 Body hair, including eyebrows and lashes, begin to grow |
9 Small hairs called lanugo covers baby body and face: it falls out before birth |
10 |
| 11 Week 21. Walking, biking, and swimming help keep mom fit and make the delivery easier |
12 Suggested reading: The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, Vicki Iovine |
13 Baby's getting strong: mom may feel movement. This is called quickening |
14 Avoid hot-tubs, tanning booths, and hot showers: keep body heat low |
15 Baby weighs 460 grams and is about 28 cm. in length (14.8 ounces; 11 inches) |
16 Amniotic sac contains a pint of amniotic fluid |
17 Many healthcare provider's administer ultrasounds about this time |
| 18 Week 22. Baby continues to urinate and drink amniotic fluid, which is exchanged every three hours |
19 A heartbeat can be heard without specialized listening equipment |
20 Childproofing your house is a good idea: it's easy to forget to do after baby arrives |
21 Real hair and toenails are beginning to grow |
22 Baby girls have developed eggs in their ovaries that will grow into other babies in later years |
23 Now is a good time to contact La Leche League for information about breastfeeding after birth |
24 The brain is rapidly developing: fatty sheaths that transmit thought are forming. Eating protein is very important |
| 25 Week 23. Vernix, which protects baby's skin from amniotic fluid, covers its skin |
26 Meconium, the baby's first stool, is developing |
27 Baby can hear the mother's heart and stomach |
28 A special type of fat called brown fat develops that keeps baby warm at birth |
29 Baby begins to suck its thumb |
30 Suggested reading: Soul Trek : Meeting Our Children on the Way to Birth, Elisabeth Hallett |
31 Baby weighs 650 grams and is about 30 cm. in length (1.43 pounds; 11.8 inches) |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Week 24. Lunar Month VII |
2 Baby is almost fully formed: he finally looks like a miniature human |
3 Bones solidify and baby kicks: sometimes it feels like a lurch |
4 Most babies turn upside-down around this time but will continue to rotate until about week 31 |
5 The heartbeat is very strong |
6 Moodiness tends to go away but you still might feel spaced-out |
7 This is a good time to plan the best route to the place of birth. This is especially easy for home-births |
| 8 Week 25. |
9 Baby is growing bigger and stronger |
10 Suggested reading: Preparation for Birth: The Complete Guide to the Lamaze Method, Savage, Simkin |
11 Suggested reading: Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, McCutcheon, Ingraham, Burningham |
12 Keep exercising: your baby is growing and you'll need strength to deliver her |
13 Your bigger body is beautiful: feel good about yourself |
14 Baby weighs 850 grams and is about 32 cm. in length (1.87 pounds; 12.6 inches) |
| 15 Week 26. |
16 You should be able to feel baby move from the outside |
17 Unless you're having a home birth, research the hospital where you want to deliver |
18 You might experience discharge called leukorrhea |
19 If baby doesn't move 10 times within a 5-hour period (during a regularly active time) call a healthcare provider |
20 It's common to be bored with pregnancy: don't worry -- things get exciting again later. See movies, take walks, play with the dog |
21 Do not allow a dentist to take x-rays or administer nitrous oxide |
| 22 Week 27. |
23 If baby moves slower each day call a healthcare provider |
24 Hearing continues to develop |
25 Babies born prematurely at this time have been known to survive |
26 Call a healthcare provider if you have vaginal bleeding, menstrual cramps, or low-backache that doesn't go away |
27 Baby hears the outside of the world over the sound of moms heartbeat well |
28 Baby weighs 1,100 grams and is about 35 cm. in length (2.4 pounds; 13.8 inches) |
| 29 Week 28. Lunar Month VIII |
30 Baby assumed "fetal position", with its legs tucked up to its chest |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 It's common to be tested for gestational diabetes about this time |
2 Braxton-Hicks contractions continue. The uterus hardens for a moment then returns to normal |
3 Baby's eyes open and baby is able to sense light changes |
4 Hormonal changes may cause grouchiness to come back: just remember, you're almost done |
5 Congestion sometimes sets in as hormones continue to change |
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| 6 Week 29. |
7 Baby's is getting fatter, and the skin is less rumpled |
8 |
9 Sleeping with pillows under your belly and between your legs relieves back stress |
10 Baby can make grasping motions, and likes to suck its thumb |
11 It is common to dream and fantasize about the baby (he'll look like Rock Hudson but be as smart as Einsten!) |
12 Baby weighs 1,420 grams and is about 38 cm. in length (3.1 pounds; 14.9 inches) |
| 13 Week 30. Baby's brain is developing well, with different sections taking shape |
14 Couvade often returns to men, bringing depression, fatigue and weight gain. Increased communication helps |
15 This is a good time to start thinking about methods of childbirth |
16 Baby's body continues to grow quickly |
17 Colostrum may begin to form in your breasts. It is the predecessor of milk |
18 You may have contractions: don't worry about one but call a healthcare provider if there are more |
19 Swelling, high-blood pressure, headaches, and/or changes in vision might be pre-eclampsia: call your healthcare provider immediately |
| 20 Week 31. Taste buds develop |
21 Baby is typically head-down at this point but don't panic if your baby isn't: there is still plenty of time to turn |
22 |
23 Baby boys testicles drop from his abdomen, where they grew, to his scrotum |
24 It's time for childbirth classes: sign up if you haven't already |
25 |
26 Baby weighs 1,750 grams and is about 40 cm. in length (3.85 pounds; 15.7 inches) |
| 27 Week 32. Lunar Month IX |
28 Fetus may hiccup, cry, taste sweet and sour, and respond to pain, light, and sound |
29 |
30 Baby's brain and nerves are developing, and directing bodily functions |
31 The volume of amniotic fluid begins to diminish |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Pregnancy is not permanent. The mood swings will disappear eventually |
2 Baby's bones get stronger, limbs get fatter, and skin takes on a healthy glow |
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| 3 Week 33. The placenta, which feeds the baby and acts as a barrier between her and mom, continues to grow |
4 |
5 Baby's fingernails are growing long |
6 |
7 A surfactant, which helps baby breathe after birth, coats the air sacks (alveoli) in the lungs Surprise! Mia is born! Everything in the calendar after this note never happened. |
8 There is about two pints of amniotic fluid, an amount that will begin to decline as birth nears |
9 Baby weighs 2,080 grams and is about 42 cm. in length (4.6 pounds; 16.5 inches) |
| 10 Week 34. The rapid flow of blood through the umbilical cord keeps it taut, preventing tangles |
11 Mother's antibodies to disease begin flowing rapidly to baby through the placenta |
12 Baby begins to develop sleeping patterns |
13 Babies born prematurely on or after this date have a good chance of survival |
14 Now is a good time to start perineal massage |
15 Baby sometimes gets the hiccups: you'll feel rapid, jerky movements |
16 Suggested reading: The Baby Book : Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two, Martha, R.N. Sears , William Sears |
| 17 Week 35. |
18 If you've been drinking or smoking, stopping even now will help the baby |
19 Fetal movement diminishes as the uterus fills up |
20 Things are getting cramped inside for baby! It's soon time to come outside |
21 Don't forget to get a car seat to bring baby home in: even if it is legal to drive without one it is very dangerous |
22 Some cultures have baby showers; others have parties for mom but wait until baby is born to buy her/him gifts |
23 Rubbing cocoa-butter or vitamin E gel on your belly soothes itchiness |
| 24 Week 36. Lunar Month X |
25 Baby weighs 2,420 grams and is about 45 cm. in length (5.3 pounds; 17.7 inches) |
26 This is a good time to purchase nursery items: a crib, cradle, changing table, and clothing are all good ideas |
27 Suggested reading: The Expectant Parent's Guide to Preventing a Cesarean Section, Carl Jones |
28 Pack a bag to take to the hospital: don't forget clothes for dad to sleep in |
29 Dad: Accentuate the positive. Remind her she is beautiful and that you will both make good partners and parents |
30 Baby grows over 1/2 ounce of fat per day |
| 31 Week 37. Earliest date of a full-term birth: get ready! |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 Baby's lungs are mature |
2 It's time to find a pediatrician: referrals are a good way to find one you are comfortable with |
3 Baby settles into under moms pelvis, a process called "lightening" which makes breathing for mom easier |
4 Baby's new position doesn't stop her from kicking and punching |
5 If you are using a diaper service, this is the time to call them to arrange for service to begin |
6 Only ten-percent of women's water break, but if yours does call your healthcare provider immediately to prevent infection |
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| 7 Week 38. Baby weighs 2,900 grams and is about 48 cm. in length (6.4 pounds; 18.9 inches) |
8 Baby might begin to drop farther towards the cervix. You'll walk easier but have to urinate more often |
9 Birthing rooms are a nice alternative to regular hospital rooms: ask for one if they're available |
10 Go home! It's time to rest at home and prepare for birth: take it easy -- you have a lot of work ahead |
11 |
12 Suggested reading: "The User's Manual": Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care, Benjamin Spock, Michael Rothenberg |
13 Rest: you'll appreciate why in a couple weeks |
| 14 Week 39. |
15 Progesterone levels in the mother decrease |
16 Suggested reading: Fathers and Babies: How Babies Grow and What They Need from You, from Birth to 18 Months, Marzollo, Trivas |
17 Only five-percent of babies are born on their due date so birth could happen any time |
18 The weight of the original fertilized egg has increased six billion times! |
19 It is very common for first pregnancies to last longer: some sources say a week past due date is average |
20 Labor begins: contractions happen more frequently and last longer |
| 21 The umbilical cord is 20-inches and will support baby through birth until the lungs take over |
22 Baby is born! She weighs 3,250 grams and is about 50 cm. long on average (7.1 pounds; 19.7 inches) In reality, Mia was born on August 7. She weighed 4.13 pounds. |
23 All baby's systems become functional: we welcome baby to the world. |
24 If you haven't already, contact La Leche for information on breastfeeding. |
25 Participate in the SIDS Project 2000 to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome |
Copyright 1996-97, Olen
Publishing.
Olen Interactive Pregnancy Calendar, http://www.olen.com/baby
Feedback and inquiries: feedback@olen.com
I'm sorry to say that my e-mail has been spammed out by lowlife spammers. I can't provide an e-mail link here, because the spambots will simply invade my newest e-mail addy. You can reach me manually, though - just send your e-mail to mike at kohary dot com (simply turn the bolded text into an e-mail address by inserting the appropriate symbols in the right places). Thanks, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
