The Complete Illustrated Pregnancy Companion: A Week-by-Week Guide to Everything You Need To Do for a Healthy Pregnancy

835 Pages·2009·9.84 MB·English

by  Robin Elise Weiss LCCE

For my family—each and every one of you is a blessing in my life.
—Robin
To my wife Tammy whose constant support and encouragement made this
book possible for other mothers.
—Marcello
the complete illustrated
pregnancy
companion
A Week-by-Week Guide
to Everything You Need to Do
for a Healthy Pregnancy
Robin Elise Weiss,
L.C.C.E.,
C.D. (DONA)
with Dr. Marcello Pietrantoni,
M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
contents
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
FIRST TRIMESTER
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 5
WEEK 6
WEEK 7
WEEK 8
WEEK 9
WEEK 10
WEEK 11
WEEK 12
WEEK 13
SECOND TRIMESTER
WEEK 14
WEEK 15
WEEK 16
WEEK 17
WEEK 18
WEEK 19
WEEK 20
WEEK 21
WEEK 22
WEEK 23
WEEK 24
WEEK 25
WEEK 26
WEEK 27
THIRD TRIMESTER
WEEK 28
WEEK 29
WEEK 30
WEEK 31
WEEK 32
WEEK 33
WEEK 34
WEEK 35
WEEK 36
WEEK 37
WEEK 38
WEEK 39
WEEK 40
PREGNANCY WEEK 41 AND BEYOND
LABOR AND BIRTH
POSTPARTUM
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
INDEX
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
WELCOME TO YOUR PREGNANCY companion and instruction guide! This
book is your week-by-week reference to forty of the most fascinating weeks of
your life.
Each chapter of this book is dedicated to a week of your pregnancy. And each
chapter kicks off with a handy Checklist, Baby Data about how your baby is
growing, and Body Basics about how your body may be changing. Consider this
section your crash course in pregnancy for the week. You can use it to sit down
with your partner to review the week while you spend time talking and dreaming
about the baby, or you might consider using it to update loved ones and friends
on what’s going on inside your body at this stage of development. Here you will
also find a What to Watch For reference section to let you know things to watch
out for each week.
After the crash course, you’ll find in-depth discussions about what matters
most during each week: Pregnancy Particulars. In this section, you’ll read about
issues that you’re likely to discuss with your doctor or midwife that week and
questions you should be asking about your prenatal care. This gives you a
chance to look at all of your options and entertain various thoughts about them
before deciding what will work best for you and your family.
In each chapter, you’ll also find Hot Mama tips to help you stay looking and
feeling great during your pregnancy and after. From the maternity fashion scene
to building a safe and comfortable nursery, you’re covered here. Take a look at
the latest and greatest maternity clothes, baby products, and must-have items for
your pregnancy, baby, and nursery.
Some chapters also offer a Memorable Moment. These quotes came from
women who have been there before you and wanted to share their wisdom and
what they learned along to way.
You have probably been told that pregnancy is all about the beautiful process
of growing a baby and how wonderful that process can be, only to have that
followed with a lengthy list of what can go wrong. This can lead to a very
frightening experience for many pregnant women and their families. That’s why
each chapter of this book includes an affirmation or positive thought. This is
meant to reassure you that millions of women have successfully come before
you and that you too will get through this process—fully prepared to welcome a
healthy, gorgeous baby into your life. Try to incorporate these affirmations into
your everyday life because they really can help soothe you and focus your
your everyday life because they really can help soothe you and focus your
attention. Each week, you may want to tape the new affirmation someplace you
will see it every day, such as on your bathroom mirror. Say the affirmation aloud
and quietly to yourself throughout the day to help ingrain its message.