You are 4 weeks pregnant

Your baby
This week, the yolk sac and amniotic cavity - which will envelop and protect your little guy for the next months - is forming. And your baby is developing three specialized layers of cells: one will d...Read more

Your body
Right about now you may be wondering hmm, could I be pregnant? It won’t be long until that suspicion becomes a resounding “yes!” and a pregnancy test flashes you a big, beaming confirmation. Wit...Read more

Your life right now
As soon as you find out you’re pregnant - and can stop staring at the positive test, which you may have redone several times just to make sure it was accurate - it’s a good idea to call your docto...Read more

Mums like me
Morning Sickness: "One of the most important things you can do is eat small bland snacks every hour or so. A chewy granola bar, a plain mini bagel, etc. It will help keep your stomach from going craz...Read more

This week, the yolk sac and amniotic cavity - which will envelop and protect your little guy for the next months - is forming. And your baby is developing three specialized layers of cells: one will develop into the nervous system, connective tissues, inner ear, skin and hair; one that becomes the heart and circulatory system and serves as a basis for the bones, muscles and kidneys; and an inner layer where the lungs, intestines and bladder will develop. The very beginning of the connective stalk that will become the umbilical cord has also formed. Until the placenta is complete and functioning, a yolk sac - now present and attached like a tiny balloon - will feed your baby. It slowly disappears as the placenta takes over this important task.

Right about now you may be wondering hmm, could I be pregnant? It won’t be long until that suspicion becomes a resounding “yes!” and a pregnancy test flashes you a big, beaming confirmation. Within a week, in fact, a home pregnancy test should be able to pick up enough hCG in your urine to return a positive result - one of life’s all-time unforgettable moments, and one that’s bound to elicit a swirl of emotions. You may feel ecstatic (“I’m going to be a mum!), mystified (“There’s a baby growing inside me!”) and completely petrified (“Whoa…I’m going to be a mum!”) all at the same time. Physically, you might be experiencing some early pregnancy symptoms - including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, bloating, a feeling of fullness, light cramping or spotting, mood swings, frequent urination, and breast tenderness. Exhaustion is also very common. But if there’s one thing you’ll quickly learn about pregnancy -from talking to your health care provider and other mums - it’s that every woman experiences it completely differently. You may have all of these symptoms, some, or absolutely none of them (and if so, lucky you!). During the first trimester one change happening in your body is an increase in blood flow. Your body’s blood is helping to ferry oxygen and nutrients to the growing baby. Astounding fact: According to the Mayo Clinic website, your blood volume increases 30 to 50 percent during pregnancy. Your heart rate is faster now, too, to pump all that extra blood - quickening your pulse by about 10 to 12 beats per minute. The added demands on your circulatory system are a big part of the reason you feel totally wiped out all of a sudden. Your body is working hard - even when you’re just resting on the sofa. Take it easy, nap when you can, eat healthily and drink plenty of water; all of these things will help alleviate some of that tiredness

As soon as you find out you’re pregnant - and can stop staring at the positive test, which you may have redone several times just to make sure it was accurate - it’s a good idea to call your doctor and set up your first prenatal appointment.

Morning Sickness: "One of the most important things you can do is eat small bland snacks every hour or so. A chewy granola bar, a plain mini bagel, etc. It will help keep your stomach from going crazy and also help you maintain some energy. Just eat whatever sounds good, no matter how crazy it is, as long as it's something. Ice lollies help too, to keep up fluids." – opp3inep