Pregnancy - Month Nine

You may experience a sense of fear or apprehension about the birth of your child. If you are a first time mom, you have probably heard everything that is imaginable about childbirth. My advice is to learn about the stages of labor, how to breathe and learn how to cooperate with your body. When you fear something the pain seems much more intense than it has to be.

 These Are Things You May be Feeling:

1. You may feel sleepy or tired again. Try to get more rest so that your body can concentrate on getting the uterus ready to carry a fetus full-term. If you work or stay very busy, consider cutting back on your schedule until after you have the baby. Some women will feel very energetic ("nesting syndrome"). Make sure you are taking your prenatal vitamins and eating right.


2. You may have to urinate (pee pee) more frequently. You may have gone a couple of months now without having to urinate a lot, but after dropping you may experience this again.


3. You may crave or dislike certain foods. Some women do experience this very early in the first trimester, but most will experience this around the end of the first trimester (3^rd month).


4. You may feel irritable, moody, and anxious during this time. You may be thinking a lot about childbirth. You may experience fear and a feeling that you may not be able to handle childbirth. This is very normal especially for first time mothers or for women who have had problems with childbirth in the past.


5. If you are one of the unlucky, you may still have morning sickness. Usually women will begin to experience this around 2 to 8 weeks after conception and it will subside after the third month. Most women who are still experiencing morning sickness at this time are women who are carrying multiples (twins or more) or are experiencing unusually severe morning sickness. A diet that is high in protein and/or carbohydrates can help. High protein foods are foods such as: nuts, whole-grain products, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and soy burgers. Carbohydrate food sources are things such as: baked potatoes, whole-grain (wheat) bread, rice, dried beans and peas, and vegetables. You should also drinks lots of fluid to replace the fluids lost by vomiting.


6. You may experience headaches. If you had headaches while taking birth control pills and/or before becoming pregnant, you have a greater chance at having headaches now. Aspirin and Ibuprofen medications (Advil, Nuprin, Medipren) should be avoided during pregnancy. Most doctors will suggest Tylenol (Acetaminophen) after the first trimester (after 3^rd month). Please check with your physician. You can try a cool wash cloth on your forehead or the back of your neck. If lights bother you, go to a dark room that is very quiet. If you can, try to take a nap.

Note: Some women get migraines or headaches because of too much sleep. If this is the case, try to regulate your sleeping patterns.

7. You may have pressure in your vaginal and rectal area. Most women will feel this pressure when standing up or simply standing. It feels like everything is about to drop. Try standing more slowly to ease the uncomfortable feeling. You may also try to relax more by sitting. Remember to elevate your feet to prevent swelling of the feet and legs.


8. You may be experiencing constipation. If this is happening during your pregnancy, try to eat more raw vegetables and fiber. One suggestion is to eat celery and carrots dipped in Ranch dressing. Not too much Ranch though! You should also try to drink more fluids. Some women will begin to experience diarrhea towards their due date. If this happens to you, try eating more cheese products. Welcome this as a sign that the body is preparing itself for labor by cleaning out the system.


9. Your appetite may decrease or increase depending on how you react to the stress of impending childbirth. Some women will not feel like eating as much as they have been. Other women may eat more because they are nervous about childbirth. Remember to eat things that are nutritious


10. You may also begin to feel a sense of fear because of the impending birth of your baby. Most women will have some anxieties about childbirth. Since fear often causes the pain to be worsened, read up on childbirth and find out all you can. Childbirth experiences may not be the same for every woman, but at least you would get an idea of what to expect.

Development of Fetus:

By the end of this month, the fetus will be about 18-20 inches long and weighs about 7-7½ pounds. The fetus has less space to move around and you may notice less activity. The head of the fetus will drop down into the pelvic area, which is called lightening.