Pregnancy Calendar – Week Four

Congratulations! During this week you will likely discover you are actually pregnant. Seeing the positive sign on the test is confirmation that your journey into motherhood has begun. Implantation of the fertilized egg onto the wall of the uterus occurs during this week. You may experience slight cramping and/or spotting when implantation happens, and many women report feeling as if they are starting their period (breast tenderness, nausea, and abdominal bloating are common). The implanted egg divides into two parts, which become the placenta and the embryo. The developing embryo causes an increase in the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCg). HCg helps maintain the uterine lining, and is the chemical that makes the pregnancy test positive.

Many women decide to keep a pregnancy journal to record what is happening to them as they go through the changes of pregnancy. Some options include online journaling, recording a video, or just writing in a notebook. Include your thoughts and emotions, as well as your physical symptoms—pleasant or unpleasant. You can also keep lists of any ideas and future plans for yourself and your baby. Record what is going on in your life and in the world during this time. Journaling can provide you with a way to stay in touch with all you have been through and make you realize all you have yet to experience!

A Mom’s Suggestion: Schedule an Appointment with your Doctor or Midwife.

Your first visit will usually be set for the eighth or tenth week of pregnancy, although some doctors (and midwives) prefer to see you sooner. You may want to write down a list of concerns and questions to ask at your first appointment. If you don’t have an obstetrician, or would like to see a midwife, ask your gynecologist and friends for referrals. It’s important to feel comfortable with the person you will be spending a lot of time with for the next nine months!

Fast Fact: Kegel exercises can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles can weaken and stretch during childbirth, so doing these special exercises during pregnancy and after birth will help keep the important pelvic muscles strong. To do a kegel exercise, pretend you must stop urinating quickly (you’ll feel a squeeze), count to ten and then release. It may feel awkward at first. Try not to squeeze your buttocks or hold your stomach in while doing them. Experts suggest doing a few a day until you feel stronger—then aim for three sets of ten a day.


Q&A:  Laura Roe Stevens, Parenting Editor for DivineCaroline, researches and interviews experts to find answers to readers’ questions.

Q: I drank alcohol before I realized that I was pregnant. In fact, I was a bit tipsy the night we conceived. Will this hurt the baby?

A: According to the FDA and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), no level of alcohol intake is considered safe for the baby. What is important, however, is that you stop drinking now that you know you are pregnant in order to avoid fetal alcohol poisoning.

According to the CDC, each year between 1,300 and 8,000 babies in the United States are born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which can cause a combination of physical and mental birth defects. Sarah Maddison, MD, an experienced obstetrician from Raleigh, North Carolina, says:

“With other things that cause birth defects, called teratogens, early exposure in the first six weeks seems to have an all or none effect. That is to say, if you don’t have a miscarriage, there is no damage. That is not true later on (in your pregnancy), but people who have a few accidental splurges (with alcohol) early on are off the hook.”


Eating For Two: Iron

Iron helps your body make new blood to carry oxygen and nutrients to the baby during pregnancy.