Eating a balanced diet is very important. This is especially true during your pregnancy. The foods you eat provide the nutrients that you and your baby need. Eating for two does not mean doubling portions.
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Pregnancy increases your calorie requirements by only about 300 calories per day, which is about the same amount of calories in ½ sandwich and 1 cup of low fat milk.
First Month (4-8 weeks) (since last menstrual period)
The baby has begun to develop a heart, liver and digestive system. The baby is being nourished and getting rid of wastes through the placenta and umbilical cord (the vascular structures that connect baby to the wall of the uterus).
The entire baby is approximately 1⁄8 inch (1⁄2 cm) in length.
Second Month (8-12 weeks)
By the end of the second month, most women begin to notice the physical signs of pregnancy (i.e. nausea, fatigue, breast pain, etc.).
The baby’s arms and legs have begun to form. All the major internal organs have developed and the tiny heart begins to pump blood. Facial features become more defined and brain development is well underway. The baby is nearly 2 inches (5 cm) long.
Third Month (12-16 weeks)
By the third month, the baby is now growing rapidly, adding a few millimeters of length each day. Features are becoming distinct.
The baby weighs about 1 ounce (28 g) and is 3 inches (8 cm) long.
Fourth Month (16-20 weeks)
All of the organs are formed and now the baby must simply grow in size. By the fourth month, babies become more active and may begin to push their arms and legs against the sac in which they float.
The baby is now more than 6 inches (15 cm) long and weighs more than 1⁄4 pound (114 g).
Fifth Month (20-24 weeks)
Movements are stronger and more easily felt. The baby is now about 10 inches (25 cm) long and weighs about 1⁄2 pound (227 g).
Sixth Month (24-28 weeks)
The woman’s abdomen continues to get bigger and the baby’s movements become faster. The baby’s skin is red and wrinkled.
The baby is about 12 inches (30 cm) long and weighs about 11⁄2 pounds (689 g).
Seventh Month (28-32 weeks)
The baby’s eyes may occasionally be open for short periods of time. If born at this time, the baby would be considered premature and require special care.
The baby weighs approximately 21⁄2 pounds (1.13 kg) and is about 15 inches (38 cm) long.
Eighth Month (32-36 weeks)
The baby is now almost fully grown and movements or “kicks” are strong enough to see from the outside.
The skin is no longer as wrinkled, and the baby is usually in the head-down position from which birth will occur. The baby weighs about 4 pounds (1.81 kg) and is about 161⁄2 inches (42 cm) long.
Ninth Month (36-40 weeks)
The baby has now reached a size and maturity that allows it to live outside the mother’s body.
The head is covered with hair. The baby settles down lower into the abdomen preparing for birth. The baby weighs around 6 to 7 pounds (2.7 to 3.2 kg) and is 20 inches (50 cm) or more long.
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