Month 2

Your Second Month

By the end of the second month of pregnancy, the embryo has grown to a little over one inch long and weighs about a third of an ounce. Your baby is now beginning to obtain human features, such as: toes, fingers, arms and legs. It is possible you may still be unaware of your pregnancy during the second month. You may start to experience mood swings similar to those during premenstrual syndrome. You may be irrational or very emotional. Be sure to make an appointment with your practitioner as soon as you suspect your pregnancy. To see a list of possible clues as to whether or not you're pregnant, check out signs of pregnancy.

Your Body: You May Be Experiencing:

• fatigue & sleepiness
• nausea, with or without vomiting
• constipation
• heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, bloating
• food cravings
• breast changes: tenderness and fullness
• frequent urination
• occasional headaches
• occasional dizziness
• clothes may begin to be uncomfortable
• irritability, mood swings, weepiness fear, joy, elation

Your Baby: The Second Four Weeks

Week 5- Embryonic Development
At this time, the embryo is roughly 5-8 mm long. Head growth is greater than growth in any other region due to the rapid development of the brain. Forelimbs and hind limbs look like tiny paddles; the fingers and toes have not formed yet.

Week 6
During the sixth week, the embryo grows to about 10-14 mm long. At this stage, the heart begins to beat. You are able to identify wrists and elbows. Finger rays also develop but toe rays appear a little later. The external ear also begins to form and you can more easily identify the eye as retinal pigment begins to appear. The head is large compared to rest of body.

Week 7
At this point, the embryo is about 17-22 mm long. The finger rays are separating. Other highlights of the seventh week are:

• eyelids and nipples formed
• upper lip begins to develop

Week 8
The embryo now has a more human-like appearance. The head is more rounded and the embryo is between 28-30 mm long. The eyes are usually still open. The fingers have lengthened and the toes are distinct.

Medical Care - Prenatal Visit 2

Since the first prenatal exam can be rather lengthy and involved, you might want to use the second prenatal exam to answer many of your questions and to get some of your pregnancy jitters out. It is also a good idea to bring a list of your questions to ask your physician. During the second prenatal visit your physician may check thefollow things:

During the second prenatal visit your physician may check the follow things:

• weight and blood pressure
• edema of hands and feet
• varicose veins in the legs
• urine, for protein and/or sugar
• any symptoms you might be experiencing