Week 11 of Pregnancy (Trimester 1 of Preganancy)

Whilst my General Practionor has put me down to have the baby at the local General Infirmary, I will be looked after by a Community Midwife for ante-natal check ups at the GP’s surgery. The midwife came to see me at home this week – Rosie is really unwell with flu and so it was quite convenient that they had no surgery appointments available for my ‘booking-in’.

Lou took my blood-pressure, checked a urine sample for sugar and protein, and asked lots of questions regarding my own health and family history of disease etc. One thing that has changed since I had Rosie: the pregnant mother now keeps her own notes. The midwife gave me a blue folder with pre-printed notes in – to be taken to all ante-natal appointments for updating by the staff that see me. It includes sections on my health, the baby’s development as well as tests taken and results received. What a good idea – I feel as though I am in control of the information, and that I cannot be kept out of the loop because all the information on me and my baby is in my hands.

Another wonderful bonus was being able to hear my baby’s heartbeat! Lou pulled out her portable Doppler machine, and we heard the slow whoosha-whoosha of my own heart, then the rushing shisha-shisha-shisha of the baby’s heart. The heartbeat is very fast – about twice as fast as an adult. I cried. I guess with all the constipation I had begun to imagine that my bloaty belly was just trapped wind and not really a baby at all!

I discussed my fears of having an abnormal baby with Lou, and told her that I wanted to have the Triple Test done at the same time as the other regular blood tests were taken. Lou decided it was best to have this done at the same time as the regular ‘bloods’ were taken at my hospital ante-natal appointment. It is normal to be tested for anemia, German measles, HIV and Hepatitis B infections. Older mothers (over 35 years of age), or women with a history of particular conditions in their family are offered further tests to deduce the risk of an abnormal pregnancy. Only chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis, which are invasive procedures, can give a predictive result. Nuchal scanning, the triple blood test and alphafetoprotein blood test can only give a probability score: should the risk appear high, the mother would be advised to have one of the more invasive tests.

By the end of this week, all the major body organs have formed and the most critical time for the fetus has passed – the baby is relatively safe from the risk of developing major congenital abnormalities. From now on, these organs will simply continue to grow and mature. The head is till large in proportion to the rest of the body, and the limbs are still quite short and thin. Ankles and wrists have formed and elbows and knees are beginning to take shape. The back of the head has enlarged, so while the eyes are in a more natural position within the more rounded face, and the fetus is beginning to look more human. The little heart is pumping blood to all parts of the fetus’ body, as well as through the umbilical cord to the developing placenta.