Week 1 of Pregnancy

Baby’s Development– Many women have a difficult time determining how far along they are as their pregnancy progresses. Are they in the fourth week? Almost fifteen weeks? The number of pregnancy calculators available online are testament to how common this question is. Women everywhere seem to be confused when it comes to gestational age, and with good reason.The reproductive cycle is unpredictable to say the least, and it varies from individual to individual.  Because of this, it’s almost impossible for you or your doctor to determine exactly when you ovulated and the exact moment that conception took place. If, by some miracle this were possible, then you could be absolutely certain as to what week you were in and when to expect your baby. Rather, the medical community is far more pragmatic and the date you began your last menstrual period (LMP) is generally accepted as the week your pregnancy began.

The week you begin to menstruate, known as the menstrual phase of your cycle, your body begins to prepare itself for pregnancy. Because no conception took place in the cycle prior, the dominant follicle that released your egg that month (corpus luteum) stops producing progesterone.  This hormone is necessary to create a ‘comfortable uterus’ for your fertilized egg to grow in and if pregnancy doesn’t occur, the corpus luteum stops producing it and dies. When this happens, you experience a sharp drop in both progesterone and estrogen and as a result, your uterus sheds its lining (endometrium). This shedding constitutes your monthly flow which lasts anywhere between two to seven days.

This week, your menstrual phase clears your body to make way for ovulation and fertilization in coming days.  Although you aren’t actually carrying your baby at this point, all the intricate details of your cycle are relevant to your pregnancy and just as important as the weeks to come.

Your Body and Emotions–This is the week it all starts! If you haven’t seen your doctor yet and told him your plans to conceive, do so as soon as possible. Medications that you are on to control long-term medical problems can have a negative impact on your fetus’s development. Your doctor will need to adjust your dosage or switch medications entirely in order to make things as safe as possible for your little one. If you haven’t already, you also need to make an effort to ‘clean up’ your life style. So many important developments happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy that you need to minimize external aggressors as much as possible. This means quitting drinking, smoking and other recreational drugs. Your body will be your baby’s first home, take the time to clean it up before he moves in!Having your period is never easy!  Instead of seeing it as a burden this month, try to recognize that this may be the last one you have for quite some time. Relax, take your prenatal vitamins and for heaven’s sake, don’t smoke!!

Dad’s Tips–It’s time to gear up for some serious baby making! It may seem strange to think that after years of trying to avoid getting your partner pregnant, it’s finally become a requirement! Your job is not as simple as you might think, however.  There’s a lot of pressure on women to change their lifestyles and prepare their bodies to make healthy babies and very little on men.  However, studies show that you need to make changes as well.

Doing your part in the creation of a healthy child means more than the mechanics of sex- cutting down on coffee consumption, quitting smoking and stopping drinking are all things you can do to prevent problems with your fetus.  Not only have studies shown that these habits can interfere with the proper development of your baby, but they’ve discovered that coffee, booze and cigarettes impacts your fertility as well.  Detoxify along with your partner. It’s the first step you’ll take together to becoming responsible parents.