Pregnancy Week 4
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Your Baby's Growth and Development
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Lot's has happened during the last week of pregnancy. During pregnancy week 4 your baby may grow as large as .04 inches! While that seems rather tiny, keep in mind your baby was small enough to fit through the eye of a needle just the week previous. Your baby will continue growing at a tremendously fast pace during the next few weeks.
During pregnancy week 4 your baby is focusing on implanting into the uterine lining. This will ensure your baby has a safe, happy and comfortable home to grow in for the next 9 months. Fetal development during pregnancy 4 weeks is still in its earliest stages. Most of the changes occurring in your baby include cellular changes. Your baby is growing vascular networks that will help you transport blood, nutrients and oxygen to your developing baby in the months to come.
During pregnancy 4 weeks your baby's organs will start their initial development. This period in time is crucial to the health and well being of your baby. The risk of fetal abnormalities or birth defects is highest during the first trimester. Because of this, it is important you attempt to avoid exposure to any toxic substances. These include drugs, even over the counter drugs, and alcohol or smoking.
Many women who plan to become pregnant stop drinking alcohol and using other harmful substances while planning for their baby. If you find you are unexpectedly pregnant, don't obsess over your pregnancy during this time. Most of the time, the few glasses of wine or drinks you have before you realize you are pregnant do not harm an unborn baby. What is important is you adopt healthy habits once you do discover you are pregnant. Doing so will help promote the health and well being of your pregnancy.
Other important changes you can make that will promote a healthier body include getting as much rest as possible during your pregnancy. Sleep is essential for conceiving but also supporting and nourishing your body and that of your baby. Many women find they are too excited to sleep during pregnancy week 4. To help take your mind off of baby, and to help you sleep, check into a full body pregnancy pillow like those provided by Snoozer. These pregnancy pillows are useful anytime during your pregnancy, whether you find you need to sleep more at night or want to snooze comfortably on the couch during your fourth week of pregnancy. As you continue your pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, you will find small naps helpful for restoring your energy. Pregnancy pillows are comfortable, and conform to the contours of your body before, during and after pregnancy. You can select and order a pregnancy pillow from the comfort of your home, and start using it within 48-72 hours in many cases. Why not enjoy some comfort during the early weeks of pregnancy?
Changes In Your Body
For me pregnancy week 4 was always the most exciting time during pregnancy. By week 4 pregnancy most women can finally test to find out whether they are pregnant or not. Most women expect their period to arrive during 4 weeks pregnancy. If it doesn't, there is a good change you are pregnant!
I always found waiting to take the pregnancy test one of the hardest aspects of being pregnant. If you are impatient, you might consider using an early pregnancy test. An early pregnancy test can usually detect a pregnancy as early as four weeks before you miss your period. Keep in mind however, if you miscalculate your ovulation date, the pregnancy may provide you with a false negative.
If you test negative but still don't get your period or feel pregnant, try testing again in a couple of days. If the result is still negative, you might consider talking with your OB/GYN.
Once you hit the 4 weeks pregnant mark you may notice some changes in your body. The telltale early symptom for me always included slight cramping on one or both sides of my abdomen. This was most severe during my first pregnancy, and less severe during subsequent pregnancies. As a matter of fact, I think I remember taking some Tylenol during my first pregnancy because I didn't know what was causing the pain but it was bad, and looking back I simply realized I was pregnant.
Did you know during this time the placenta is not yet fully formed? During pregnancy week 4 a part of the ovary creates the corpus luteum, which is responsible for producing progesterone in women during the earliest weeks of pregnancy. Fortunately the placenta will form and start producing most of the progesterone your body needs to maintain your pregnancy by the time you enter your 12th week of pregnancy or thereabout.
Read next about your baby's growth and development, as well as the changes in your body during pregnancy week 5.
