Are you pregnant? Grab your free pregnancy pack now – details inside!
I received a letter in the post with dates for my blood tests (12 weeks), translucency scan and midwife booking (13 weeks). I read the enclosed booklet that came with the letters and was amazed at how many conditions for which I was going to be tested. I sat down with my husband and went through all the different conditions and I think I scared myself a bit that night as I dreamt about having a deformed baby. Below are some of the tests that you can expect:
- A dating ultrasound scan offered at around 8 to 14 weeks of pregnancy to accurately work out your baby’s due date
- A mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan – or anomaly scan, offered around 18 to 21 weeks pregnancy to look for any physical abnormalities in the baby.
- Blood tests which cover a range of screening for diseases, such as:
- sickle cell disease
- thalassaemia
- Down’s syndrome
- Edwards’ syndrome
- Patau’s syndrome
- Infectious diseases like Hepatitis B, HIV or syphilis
If you have a higher chance of some of the diseases above, further diagnostic tests are offered like CVS (chorionic villus sampling), usually done from 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy and Amniocentesis, usually done after 15 weeks of pregnancy. A fine needle is passed through the mother’s abdomen into the uterus to collect a mall sample of the fluid surrounding the baby.
As I was talking through these tests through with hubby, I still couldn’t really believe I was pregnant. Only mine and hubby’s family knew, so trying to act normal with my friends was really difficult. I started to feel a little more human, albeit I still found it difficult to stay awake or go anywhere near strong smells. I planned to be really good and cut out caffeine and anything fizzy. although I couldn’t really drink fizzy drinks anyway because it gave me painful wind and I would get very bloated and uncomfortable afterwards. I also wanted to aim to have my 5-a day and eat lots of carbs and proteins so our little baby could grow up to be a strong boy/girl
A fun fact – Your baby is now swallowing and kicking!
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Table of Contents
The science part
Your baby at 10 weeks
- Your baby is officially a foetus – with teeth!
- Your baby is around the size of a prune or strawberry at 3.3cm and weighs around 4g.
- Baby’s vital organs are developed and they’re starting to function
- Baby’s fingernails and hair are starting to appear too
- S/he will start to have muscle control and can make a fist. They are also using their hands to feel their face and mouth
- The baby’s nose has developed and they have a sense of smell now. This continues to develop over the next few months
- If you’re having a boy, they are already producing testosterone
- The baby’s head makes up half of their size, but this will change soon
- Your baby’s appetite is growing fast
- Your baby now has a fully formed heart which is beating faster than yours
- Their tiny eyebrows are beginning to grow
Your pregnancy signs and symptoms
- Your morning sickness should start to ease off soon. If so, watch out for surges in your appetite
- You may still feel bloated as your digestive system slows down
- You may start to lose your breath quickly when working out
- Are you experiencing any back pain yet?
- You might still be feeling emotional
- Are you craving weird foods yet?
- You may be more prone to dehydration as your body temperature increases during pregnancy. Make sure you are drinking a lot of liquids
- Tiny blue lines may start to develop around your boobs – Don’t panic, your veins are expanding to carry the increased blood supply to your baby
- Are you still experiencing frequent urination? And funny dreams that wake you up? Try writing them down so you can look back at them later
- Your
figure may start to change and you might go off sex – or want it all the time! Thoseragining hormones are to blame.
Your next steps
- Start some light exercise if you’re feeling up to it
- Keep eating foods that are high in vitamins and rich in folate/folic acid
- Record your funny dreams so you have something to look back at later
- Keep taking your pregnancy bumps
- Start thinking and preparing for your screening tests
Note: These are just general ideas of how you and your baby are getting on. Don’t forget that every baby develops differently. If you are concerned about your baby’s development, please consult your midwife.
*Illustrations by Charlotte Watkins.
If you have any questions about her work, please contact Charlotte via her website, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn*
Are you pregnant? Grab your free pregnancy pack now – details inside!
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