Varicose Veins Ruined My Pregnancy
Before having kids, varicose veins never really crossed my mind. I knew what they were. I remembered that my mom had something done with a vein in her leg sometime during my teens. But my own legs were smooth, strong, and functional.
Fast forward to my first pregnancy, which was smooth sailing. Two years later, toward the end of my second pregnancy, I had a small crisscrossing of faint blue behind my left knee. But everything faded quickly after delivery. I didnt give it a second thought.
Thats why the state of my left leg during my third pregnancy was downright horrifying. It started somewhere around the end of my second trimester. I felt a dull ache behind my left knee. I also noticed a little raised clot of spider veins to the front left side of the same knee.
And then it got much, much worse.
From my calf down, everything looked fine. But my left thigh was bumpy and rippled. It was crisscrossed with raised veins down the front and a network of vivid blue veins over the back. And it ached in a deep, awful way.
I was appalled. I quizzed everyone from my doctor, to my mother, to Google for causes and remedies for an answer to my panicked question will they go away after the baby comes?
Online research quickly told me I wasnt alone. It turns out that up to half of pregnant women will get varicose veins. And that makes sense.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, youre experiencing the following during pregnancy:
Postpartum & New Baby Tips
Your 4-month-old’s tricks
Your baby’s working on lots of new physical skills from grabbing toys to doing his imitation of a turtle on its back.
He may find his feet such fun toys, always available and tasty too!
If you put him on his tummy, he’ll work on pushing up his head and chest, as well as flipping over onto his back, where he’ll begin to lift his head and shoulders if you gently pull him up.
All this helps him build the muscles he’ll need to sit up on his own.
As long as he has good neck control, try propping him in a seated position. If he slumps down or slips sideways, it’s too soon.
Otherwise, you can assume he’s comfortable and ready If he does start fussing or slip-sliding away pick him up and try again another time.
Make a doctor’s appointment
Sure, you saw your doc at your postpartum checkup, but its a good idea to stay in close-ish touch throughout the first year.
Why? Your body and mind have a lot to get used to, and youll have tons of questions, like: What type of birth control is right for me now? or, I’ve been feeling really cranky and sad could I have postpartum depression?
How to encourage baby talk
Follow these tips to get your baby talking:
Offering Stimulation For Your Baby
As you might imagine, your baby may need more entertainment and stimulation this month, so try experimenting with new activities for your daytime routine and playtime. Some fun ideas your baby might enjoy include hanging toys or mobiles to reach for and bouncy seats with hanging toys they can interact with
Other possibilities are going for walks in a stroller or carrier that faces out so your baby can see, playing peek-a-boo or hiding an object under a blanket to see if they try to uncover it, and introducing new toys, such as rattles or other items your baby can hold easily and play with.
This is also a great time to start reading together. Your baby might seem young, but colorful board books will have a lot of stimulation for your little one to look at. Your baby may love tummy time, too. Put your baby down on the floor or play mat and a few toys in front of them to challenge them to reach for their toys.
As you’re hanging out, you can encourage your infants development by using a baby seat, holding them on your lap, or using a breastfeeding pillow propped behind your baby as they learn to sit.
Of course, never leave your baby unsupervised near a pillow, especially as they develop those muscles needed to hold themselves up, because there will be a bit of toppling over that happens in the beginning!
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Mothers Responsibilities In 4 Months Pregnancy
This is the time when you need to have a lot of tests performed. In some cases it might become uncomfortable to have doctors sticking needles into you, but they are important to be sure that the baby is healthy and will not have birth defects.
- Glucose screening is something that all pregnant women have to go through during the 4th month. This is because in many cases women can develop gestational diabetes, a kind of diabetes that appears only during pregnancy. In case the results will be positive, your doctor will need to monitor the development of your pregnancy more closely.
- Choosing the name is something that you have to consider. Since you dont know the gender of the little one yet, you should find both boys and girls name that you like when being 4 months pregnant.
Want to know what happens next month? Heres what to expect when you are 5 months pregnant!
Babys Movement In The Fourth Month
The baby tends to move four or more times in an hour at this stage. You may feel the movements as light sensations along your lower abdomen. They are called quickening movements and are similar to a fluttering or bubbling in the abdomen . Women feel these movements later when they are in their first pregnancies than women with second or subsequent pregnancy.
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Sex At Week 16 Of Pregnancy
Your nausea has gone away and your energy is back up. No wonder you have a higher sex drive around week 16 of pregnancy! Many pregnant moms report that the second trimester is great forhaving sex. So, dont worry if your libido goes up around this time.
Its normal for your partner to worry about the baby being so close while youre intimate. But unless your doctor has expressly advised against sex, you have nothing to worry about.
- Write down a list of names you like.
- Start planning or working on your nursery. You only have 5 months left now, and its better to get this done ahead of time to avoid rushing when youre nearing the end of your pregnancy.
- Make a list of everything you need: a car seat, a high chair, a diaper bag, etc.
- Schedule your next prenatal appointment usually for week 20.
- Look for maternity clothes that fit your growing bump.
- Reach for healthy alternatives to your cravings.
16 weeks down, 24 weeks left! Youre nearly halfway through your pregnancy, and your baby is bigger and stronger than ever. Looking cuter, too! Its still too early to meet him or her, but you can already start to prepare for the future months.
Enjoy your second trimester, which is many womens favorite part of their pregnancy. Most uncomfortable symptoms have subsided, you have stronger hair and nails, and your bump is still small. Meanwhile, your 16-week baby will be getting stronger and practicing to meet you soon!
Months Pregnant What To Expect
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6 mins readA 4 Months Pregnant Belly is averagely the size of a medium-sized cabbage, bananas etc, Their eyelids, Edema: Swelling in the feet and ankles is likely to develop from the fourth month of pregnancy that may last until your due date, and what to expect.4 Months Pregnant Ultrasound Test, Like butterflies in your stomach, increased appetite and a slight increase in vaginal discharge.Since the day I delivered my first baby, and face, The ultrasound scan is a painless process, Breast changes growth, breast tenderness, every step of the way, Any thoughts on morning vs evening? A pic
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Midwife Marley’s Top Tips For When You’re 4 Months Pregnant
Start thinking about antenatal classes. Its good to be informed about what to expect and to help prepare for a positive birth experience. Most couples will book onto these in their last trimester but its good to start looking around now as some do get booked quick!
If you are working and have told your employer you are pregnant, ensure they carry out a risk assessment on you as soon as possible. This will ensure any adaptions or changes you may need at work can be made. Your employer may ask you for a MATB1 maternity certificate but your doctor or midwife cant sign it until you are at least 20 weeks pregnant so let your employer know that.
You should have an appointment with your midwife at around 16 weeks. This is usually just to check on how you are and to go over your blood results. Write down any questions you want to ask as you probably wont see her for a while. If you are a first-time mother, your next appointment won’t be until 25 weeks and 28 weeks if you have had a baby before!
You may find that you become more thirsty as your pregnancy progresses and your baby grows. Its recommended by the WHO to drink around 3 litres of water per day when you are pregnant. Thats 6 x 500 ml bottles in a 24 hour period
Try and set aside some me time each day if you can. Time to read a book, have a bubble bath or even go for a short walk are all good ways that help your body to relax and release feel good hormones that will have a positive effect on you and your baby.
Months Pregnant And Baby Evolution
By this time the little one really looks like and acts like a human being. The truth is that his or head is still disproportionally big considering his or her little body, but there are numerous features developed during the fourth pregnancy month, such as the eyelids, lashes and eyebrows.
One of the cutest things that could happen is for the little one to start sucking his or her thumb. There is a lot that the little one can do, like yawning and swallowing, and even different facial expressions.
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What Monitoring May Be Necessary During Your Pregnancy
Electronic fetal monitoring: Sometimes late in pregnancy, a woman who is pregnant may be placed on a fetal monitor to verify the health of the fetus or to see if the woman is in early labor.
Biophysical Profile Test: This is a noninvasive test uses ultrasound to assess whether or not the baby is receiving an adequate supply of oxygen. It is typically performed during high risk pregnancies or if a woman has gone past her due date.
Prenatal Visit Schedule: What To Expect During Each Appointment
Prenatal care is an important part of a healthy pregnancy and allows your doctor to regularly monitor you and your baby. But what should you expect when it comes to your prenatal visit schedule?
Basically, youll visit your doctor once a month at the beginning of your pregnancy and then once a week at the end of your pregnancy. That said, its important to schedule your first prenatal visit as soon as you see a positive pregnancy test!
In this article, the experts at Mustela discuss how your prenatal visit schedule will most likely look and what to expect during each appointment.
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Pillows Are Your Best Friend
As your abdomen stretches, you may experience steadily more discomfort in your rib cage, pelvis, and abdomen. Toward the end of this month, youll feel like youre running out of room in there! To help give yourself some relief, try propping up with several pillows. Lay on your side with one pillow under your head and neck, one pillow supporting your belly, and one between your knees. This will help take some of the strain off your body and make you feel more like yourself.
Tests And Checkups Recommended In The Fourth
You will see your doctor more frequently from the fourth month onwards to ensure that you and your baby are healthy. The top tests and check-ups that are necessary are,
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A Physical Check-Up Your gynaecologist will physically check parts such as the vagina, breasts and abdomen.
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4th-Month Pregnancy Scan An ultrasound will be conducted to see the changes to foetal development.
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Fetal Heartbeat Your doctor will check if the babys heartbeat is too slow or too fast using a Doppler Ultrasound.
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Edema Test Your doc will check for swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. Abnormal swelling may indicate preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or a blood clot.
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Your Common Symptoms This Week
While your baby continues to grow and develop in week 16, you may continue to see an increase in energy and feel pretty good overall. However, some second-trimester symptoms may continue or pop up. You may have occasional:
- Heartburn
- Nosebleeds
Along with that, this week may bring a growing belly, the first signs of movement, and food cravings.
Pregnancy Week 16 Fetal Development
Your baby is now constantly doubling up in size and weight. Your baby has gotten so big that its tiny heart is pumping about 6.6 gal of blood daily, and this quantity will only keep increasing.
In the womb, your baby at 16 weeks has complete mobility in limbs and joints. It has even started to make more purposeful movements. Their reflexes are also developing, and they might even be sucking their thumb by now! Their eyes also work, even though their eyelids are still shut. Theyre making side-to-side eye movements and will turn away from light.
Tiny ears, which started out at their neck, have nearly reached their final position. Your baby isnt just able to hear, it can also recognize your voice. Studies have shown that, after birth, they can even remember the songs they listen to inside your belly. The baby’s head has almost risen its little body is beginning to straighten. Their facial muscles are getting stronger, and theyre starting to develop facial expressions. Its also yawning inside the womb!
16 weeks fetal development also leads to your baby looking cuter. The babys skin is still translucent, and they dont have much baby fat. So, your little one looks very long-limbed and thin. Taste buds are also developing for your 16 weeks pregnant baby, and their nails are beginning to sprout.
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Choices And Decisions In The Second Trimester Of Pregnancy
You’ll be offered blood tests and your second ultrasound scan at around 20 weeks. This scan looks at how the baby is growing and whether there are any causes for concern.
You have the right to say no to any test or scan that’s offered. It is always your choice and the team looking after you will respect your decision.
If you haven’t already thought about it, its a good time to start thinking about where and how you would like to have your baby. From home birth to hospital birth, you may have to make a decision. If this all seems a little scary, don’t worry. Your midwife will be there to support you and tell you what your choices are. You’ll go from beginner to expert in just a few weeks!
You may want to consider whether to ask if youre having a boy or a girl when you have your scans. This is a very personal decision some parents are excited to find out and others prefer to be surprised at the birth. Keep in mind, though, that a scan doesnt always show the sex of the baby and sometimes what you are told could turn out to be wrong!
If you are still smoking even if its just the odd cigarette check out your local stop smoking options. If you stop smoking before the 15th week of pregnancy, the health risks for your baby go down. Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for the health of your baby.
You Will Experience Mommy Brain
Have you had your first case of mommy brain yet? If youre feeling generally fuzzy-brained and having trouble remembering things that you once took for granted, youre not alone! Many moms-to-be experience difficulty focusing, concentrating, or remembering throughout their pregnancy and after the birth of the baby. What does this mean for you? Use the notes program on your smartphone or get used to writing things down.
The eighth month of pregnancy is often one of the most exciting. Youre getting close to the end, but youre not yet so close that youre counting down the days and wondering whether or not your baby will come on your due date. Many times friends and family will throw your baby shower close to the end of your eighth month so that youll have time to finish preparing for babys arrival. Enjoy this month of pregnancy as much as you can! Baby will be here before you know it.
Being a mom is not easy. Being a single mom is even more challenging. Having children means you are on the job 24/7. Even while you are sleeping, you are still ready to wake at the slightest peep because that is what moms do.
Moms, especially single moms, need more people cheering them on. Your love and care matter to your kids. You are their superhero. I think single moms are superheroes, too.
Here are 50 single mom quotes to encourage all the single moms out there.
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