Pregnancy Week 2

I exist. I know this, but I know nothing else, except this overwhelming desire to feed and grow. I feel the desire to find food, and feed, feed, feed. I do not need to sleep, or do anything else. I will need to find somewhere for this to happen.

The zygote now has very rudimentary feelings or reactions, and will move away, if jabbed by a pin. But its primary functions are to grow and feed. It is looking for a place to attach itself to the uterus, and will stay in that position from now until birth. It does not need to sleep, simply to eat and grow.

By now, the woman has probably noticed she has not had a period.  This usually has the result of  causing the woman to pause, and take stock of other things that have been happening. Or, if she is very busy, they still may not register.

She may experience more tiredness than she has felt before. All pregnancies are different, and what one felt the first time one has been pregnant, may not even remotely resemble this time around. A vague sense in her unconsciousness may be the only point at this time that she actually feels something is going on in her body.

If the mother-to-be is in tune with her body and has missed her period date, it is good to consult a doctor, and arrange for a pregnancy test. Or buy an over-the-counter test, and do it privately at home. If the home test shows positive, make an appointment with a doctor to confirm the results, and start planning the next steps.

The planning steps should include finding a doctor or health practitioner that one is comfortable with. If one trusts whichever of these one chooses,  it can make the whole pregnancy and delivery so much more pleasant. It is entirely up to one whether one chooses a male or a female. Males have been the traditional deliverer, but health practitioners who have been trained in deliveries are also in demand.

The earlier one gets this person in place, the better for both. It facilitates the trust, and allows a bond to grow as the pregnancy grows. One can discuss genetic diseases, any health problems that exist  already and the handling of them while having the pregnancy and delivery, one’s lifestyle and what is best to be ceased or modified. The main habits are smoking and consumption of alcohol, but someone who practices marathons may well be advised to cease while one is pregnant.

One’s diet should be looked at closely. If it consists mainly of junk foods, try to change them for healthy ones. An ideal diet will have vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients for the healthy growth of the forming baby and its development. Leafy greens, a selection of coloured ones also,  plus folic acid. This is for strengthening the mother’s physical condition and support her through the pregnancy period.

In the second week of the pregnancy, the zygote will have about one hundred and fifty cells, with three different layers. The first layer or endoderm,  is also endoblast, mesoderm and ectoblast, also called ectoderm. The forming embryo, still in the shape of a zygote, swims in the secretions in the uterus, and soon will implant in the uterine wall. It is still no more than 0.1 or two mm long at this point.