Heinz - Tinytums

My Baby's Development

1. How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
2. Is there anything I can do to influence the sex of my baby?
3. When will I have my first scan?
4. Can you tell your baby's sex by the shape and height of your belly or by the baby's heart beat.
5. When can an amniocentesis test be done?
6. When will I feel my baby move?
7. What is pre-eclampsia?
8. When do antenatal classes start?
9. If I get upset will my baby get upset?
10.  When will my baby’s head engage?

1.  How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
You'll probably miss your first period about 2 weeks after the egg has been fertilised. Many of the pregnancy testing kits you can buy over-the-counter at the pharmacy can be used just a few days after your period would usually have started.

Always follow any pregnancy tests to the letter and always confirm the result with your GP.

2. Is there anything I can do to influence the sex of my baby?
Certain factors, such as diet and the exact day of fertilisation, may affect whether you conceive a boy or girl. Here are some strategies that might work, but there is absolutely no proof.

For a girl

• Eat mostly dairy products, eggs (well cooked), sweet foods, pasta, onions, peppers and cucumbers, and avoid salt. 
• Don't make love exactly on your ovulation day but a day before or after.

For a boy

• Eat a diet rich in salty foods, meat, fish, and few dairy products. 
• Make love on your ovulation day (you can find this out using an ovulation predictor kit which you can buy in chemist’s stores)

3. When will I have my first scan?
Around week 12 of your  pregnancy, you will usually be offered an early ultrasound scan. This is to check:

• The placenta's position in the womb
• Your baby's position
• Your baby's size and probable age and possibly the sex
• The thickness of skin fold (Nuchal fold) at the back of your baby's neck, which can be used as an assessment of the likelihood of your baby having Down's syndrome

4. Can you tell your baby's sex by the shape and height of your belly or by the baby's heart beat.
The only accurate ways to determine your baby's sex are ultrasound and amniocentesis. Talk to your doctor or midwife about these if you are interested in finding out your baby's sex.

The popular belief that women carrying boys carry low and women carrying girls carry high isn't always true. The shape and height of your belly is determined by muscle tone, uterine tone, and the position the baby is in. For example, someone may think you are having a boy because you're carrying low, when actually your baby is lower in the pelvis because you are closer to delivery.

A baby's heart rate is normally between 110 and 160 beats per minute (bpm). Women's heart rates are faster than men's so some people think if a baby's heart rate is faster it's a girl and if it's slower it's a boy, but there is no evidence to suggest that this is true. Your baby's heart rate will probably change throughout pregnancy as it depends on the gestational age of your baby and the activity level.

5.  When can an amniocentesis test be done?
The amniocentesis test is offered between 15 and 18 weeks to older mothers, to families with a history of genetic problems, such as Down's syndrome or Cystic Fibrosis, and to mothers whose AFP screening test was abnormal.

Guided by ultrasound, a fine needle would take a small sample of the amniotic fluid in which your baby is floating, for analysis in the laboratory. Results can take 3-5 weeks, there is a 0.5-1% risk of miscarriage and the accuracy is 99%.

6.  When will I feel my baby move?
The first time you feel your baby move tends to happen between 16 and 20 weeks, and it can be exciting and extraordinarily touching.

Your baby has in fact been moving before, but you can now feel it because your growing womb is touching your abdominal wall. Women often say the earliest movements they feel are like having a butterfly in their tummy; while others say it's like having wind.

7.  What is pre-eclampsia?
Pre-eclampsia is a disorder of the placenta characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.  It is not known exactly what causes pre-eclampsia but it affects 1 in 50 women and appears in the last trimester of pregnancy.

It will be checked for in your antenatal appointments, one of many reasons why it is important to attend all appointments and report any unusual symptoms or concerns to your midwife or doctor.  Signs to watch out for are sudden swelling of face, feet, ankles and fingers, headaches and visual impairment.

Although pre-eclampsia can be treated with rest, relaxation and drugs to lower blood pressure, if left untreated it can be harmful for both mother and unborn baby, so it is essential to get all signs or symptoms checked out.

8.  When do antenatal classes start?
Many NHS-hospital based antenatal classes start around weeks 31 to 32. In most courses there are about 6 weekly classes, each one concentrating on a different aspect of late pregnancy, labour/birth and sometimes baby care. These classes can also be a great place to meet other pregnant women in your area or at least a local friend with a baby.

9. If I get upset will my baby get upset?
Your baby will react to your mood and although short bursts of anxiety are not thought to be harmful to your baby, extended periods of stress during pregnancy are thought to lead to babies who have a lower birth weight.

10.  When will my baby’s head engage?
During week 37-38, later if this is not your first baby, the baby's head should engage - move down into your pelvis into the birth-ready position ('lightening'), easing the pressure on your internal organs and ribs. Annoyingly, this now squashes your bladder instead so you may be constantly trotting to the loo.