Pregnancy Dreams In The First Trimester

Dreams in your pregnancy may seem bizarre but, if you inspect them closely, there is a definite pattern to them. Women become very sensitive to everything in their pregnancy. So, they are usually troubled by disturbing dreams and find comfort in the ones that are happy. There can be a more realistic way of looking at pregnancy dreams that differ from one stage of pregnancy to another. If you analyse the pattern of dreams in the first trimester of your pregnancy then, you will see there are a set of common motifs in them.

Dreams In The First Trimester Of Pregnancy:

1. Grown Up Kids: Is it your first pregnancy? If it is, then pregnancy dreams about adult children is very common. The children you see in your dreams probably resemble you or your partner. The reason of this pregnancy dream is that you are thinking too much about motherhood. And, going into labour or handling a new born infant scares you.

2. Back To Your Own Childhood: You not only dream about adult children in your first trimester of pregnancy but, you actually see your younger self in them. This shows that you expect your baby to be like you and thus, you recall memories of your own childhood to fantasize about your baby.

3. Dreams About Past Relationships: There are things in your past that you would like to forget like your unsuccessful relationships or the love of your life whom you did not marry. The memories of these past relationships come back to you in different forms. These kind of pregnancy dreams are nature's reminder that you need to close that chapter of your life to be a responsible mother.

4. Building And Cars: This is not a concept but a recurring image in your dreams. Buildings literally symbolise 'growing'. The size of the buildings in your dream grows with the stages of your pregnancy. Cars on the other hand symbolise the act of 'moving' through your life. When you dream about luxury cars, you are cruising through life. But, when you are pregnant you tend to dream about larger and more cumbersome vehicles like trucks. The meaning of this dream is that you are finding it difficult to adjust to your new role in life.

5. Watery Dreams: Strangely, the dreams in your first trimester are full of images of water bodies like oceans, rivers etc. You might get the feeling that you are floating in your dreams. The most common pregnancy dream is that of waves breaking at the shore. This is a sub-conscious awareness of the fact that your baby is floating in water or amniotic fluid. It also indicates fear that your water might break.

Second Month Pregnancy: Symptoms & Fetal Growth

Now that you are in the second month of pregnancy, you need to know everything about your body changes, symptoms and fetus growth week by week. With the body changes of the mother, the baby is also developing and the second month is said to be the most crucial phase for both. Take a look to know why.

The fetus grows from a blastocyst to embryo. Your baby's heart begins to beat from this second month of pregnancy. The fetus growth week by week is also faster and by the end of the month, the baby's head and bottom can be distinguished. The limb buds of the baby and the prime organs start developing in this phase.

For the mom to be, there isn't much difference. The bump is not very visible but there are some second month pregnancy symptoms.

1. She may have nausea (morning sickness) at any time of the day.
2. Mood swings
3. Breast tenderness and areola darkening.
4. Frequent Urination
5. Feel More Tired Than Usual.

You will visit your obstetrician or gynac for confirmation. The husband and family will be advised to take a better care of you for healthy pregnancy and baby. Prenatal care is the most important care.

By the end of fifth week the baby may look like a tadpole and there increase in its size. During this time the mother may also might have gained some weight which is normal. Clothes get tighter especially in the waist, bust and leg region.

A balanced nutrition is very important for the mother and fetal development. Bad habits such smoking or drinking need to be stopped right away. Folic acid and multivitamins are a must during this prenatal phase.

Bleeding during pregnancy (vaginal bleeding) may be abnormal and cannot be linked to the regular menstrual cycle. If the flow is too much then it may complicate pregnancy even more (atleast by 20%). Seek your gynac help if necessary.

What kind of breast changes are normal during pregnancy?

While pregnant, your tummy expands to accommodate your growing baby. But many women may not realize that their entire bodies are transformed by the brand new lives inside them—and no other area changes more than the breasts.

Thought of as an adornment until now, the breasts experience dramatic changes during pregnancy as they prepare for their role in providing nourishment for a little one. Here's what you can expect from your breasts during pregnancy and in the postpartum stage.

First Trimester

You may notice it before you find out you're pregnant: tenderness. The breasts can become very tender to the touch during the first three months of pregnancy, says Sue Huml, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and member of the Lansinoh Breastfeeding Advisory Board. They may become fuller as well, which is the primary reason for the increased sensitivity.

Second Trimester

The fun has only just begun! As your pregnancy progresses, so does the expansion of your breasts. The extreme sensitivity usually diminishes by now, says Huml, but expect quite a gain in the bust area. "It is not unusual to increase breast size by four to six inches and one to three cup sizes," says Huml. Get ready to change your bra often!

The middle months of pregnancy also bring a change to the nipples. The nipple and areola can double in size and may actually stay that way after delivery. The typically pinkish-brown skin will darken and continue to do so for the remainder of the pregnancy. This is due to the increased blood circulation to the breasts, says Dawne Kirkwood, mother of five and author of Giving Birth to Me, The Guide to Birthing Your Dreams.

Third Trimester

As you near your due date, your breasts will continue to expand with your belly. They will feel much heavier, says Kirkwood, especially once they begin to produce colostrum. This yellowish fluid is rich in antibodies and filled with nutrients to provide your newborn with the vital minerals needed to make a healthy start in life.

You will also notice tiny bumps around the areola called Montgomery's tubercles. These glands produce an oil that will help make breastfeeding more comfortable when the time comes. The nipples will become much more elastic, too, says Huml, which will be a lifesaver once you're breasts are called for active duty.


Source: http://www.babyzone.com/

Why do pregnant women feel tired?

Fatigue in early pregnancy is very normal. Many changes are occurring as the new pregnancy develops, and women experience this as fatigue and an increased need for sleep. Lower blood pressure level, lower blood sugar levels, hormonal changes due to the soporific effects of progesterone, metabolic changes, and the physiologic anemia of pregnancy all contribute to fatigue. Women should check with their health care provider to determine if an additional work up, prenatal vitamin changes, and/or supplemental iron would be beneficial.

Is cramping during pregnancy normal?

Early in pregnancy, uterine cramping can indicate normal changes of pregnancy initiated by hormonal changes; later in pregnancy, it can indicate a growing uterus. Cramping that is different from previous pregnancies, worsening cramping, or cramping associated with any vaginal bleeding may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy, threatened abortion, or missed abortion.

Other physical effects that are normal during pregnancy, and not necessarily signs of disease, include nausea, vomiting, increase in abdominal girth, changes in bowel habits, increased urinary frequency, palpitations or more rapid heartbeat, upheaving of the chest (particularly with breathing), heart murmurs, swelling of the ankles, and shortness of breath.

What is the most accurate pregnancy test to use?

Serum beta–human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the hormone produced by the syncytiotrophoblast beginning on the day of implantation, and it rises in both the maternal blood stream and the maternal urine fairly quickly. The serum hCG test is the most sensitive and specific, and the hormone can be detected in both blood and urine by about 8-9 days after conception. This test can be performed quantitatively or qualitatively. Urine pregnancy tests differ in their sensitivity and specificity, which are based on the hCG units set as the cutoff for a positive test result, usually 2-5 mIU/mL.

Urine pregnancy tests can produce positive results at the level of 20 mIU/mL, which is 2-3 days before most women expect the next menstrual period. The kits are very accurate and widely available. The test can be completed in about 3-5 minutes. The kits all use the same technique—recognition by an antibody of the beta subunit of hCG. Falsely high readings of the hCG hormone can occur in cases of hydatidiform molar pregnancy or other placental abnormalities. Also, test results can remain positive for pregnancy weeks after a pregnancy termination, miscarriage, or birth. On the other hand, false-negative test results can occur from incorrect test preparation, urine that is too dilute, or interference by several medications.

Serum pregnancy tests can be performed by a variety of methods. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the most popular in many clinical laboratories. This test is a determination of total beta-hCG levels. It is performed using a monoclonal antibody to bind to the hCG; a second antibody is added that also interacts with hCG and emits color when doing so. This form of ELISA is commonly called a "sandwich" of the sample hCG. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) is still used by some laboratories. This test adds radiolabeled anti-hCG antibody to nonlabeled hCG of the blood sample. The count is then essentially determined by the amount of displacement of the radiolabeled sample.

The hCG level doubles approximately every 2 days in early pregnancy. However, it should be noted that even increases of only 33% can be consistent with healthy pregnancies. These values increase until about 60-70 days and then decrease to very low levels by about 100-130 days and never decrease any further until the pregnancy is over.

How long after conception does the fertilized egg implant?

The fertilized conceptus enters the uterus as a 2- to 8-cell embryo and freely floats in the endometrial cavity about 90-150 hours, roughly 4-7 days after conception. Most embryos implant by the morula stage, when the embryo consists of many cells. This happens, on average, 6 days after conception. The new embryo then induces the lining changes of the endometrium, which is called decidualization. It then rapidly begins to develop the physiologic changes that establish maternal-placental exchange. Prior to this time, medications ingested by the mother typically do not affect a pregnancy.

What are the first symptoms of pregnancy?

Missing a period is usually the first signal of a new pregnancy, although women with irregular periods may not initially recognize a missed period as pregnancy. During this time, many women experience a need to urinate frequently, extreme fatigue, nausea and/or vomiting, and increased breast tenderness. All of these symptoms can be normal. Most over-the-counter pregnancy tests are sensitive 9-12 days after conception, and they are readily available at most drug stores. Performing these tests early helps to allay confusion and guesswork. A serum pregnancy test (performed in a provider's office or laboratory facility) can detect pregnancy 8-11 days after conception.