WEEK 4 – THE EMBRYONIC PERIOD & 2 LINES FOR POSITIVE

Weekly Baby News

Embryo: 1.5mm in size

Closure of the neural tube is at Day 27 post ovulation (PO) thus it is important to take the correct folic acid for you prior to this time to prevent defects. The umbilical cord, placenta and yolk sac are being created this week. The umbilical cord connects the baby to the placenta so the placenta can provide nutrients to the baby. The yolk sac provides nourishment until the placenta is complete, also producing your baby’s red blood cells, which will eventually be absorbed into the baby’s body.

The mucous plug is also formed which prevents infection at the entrance to the uterus. At this time a mucous discharge is common, depending on the colour of the mucous means different things. Brown and clear mucous is normal – Bright red mucous it is best to contact your practitioner they might like to recheck your hCG levels or a ultrasound to be sure – Yellow/ green or smelling mucous can indicate a imbalance of bacteria or candida, best to speak to your naturopath.

MTHFR Gene Mutations

You may have heard about the MTHFR gene mutation and how it affects mental health or cardiovascular function in adults. Well it also affects neurological developments in babies and the incidence of miscarriage, depending on the mum’s MTHFR gene. If there is a mutation, this can influence the ability to convert and utilise folic acid, which then reduces the amount of available folic acid for the embryo development. There is a number of variations of MTHFR gene mutations and can be tested easily by a blood test. Conventional medicine does not always recognise or test for MTHFR, however through my practice and experience in the mental health/ fertility field, I find it is ESSENTIAL to be tested prior to conceiving, if not as close to, to ensure healthy folate levels, and so accurate supplementation with the right form of folate to help mum and bub through this crucial time. I have one of the MTHFR mutations and luckily, even without trying to conceive, was already taking an activated form of folic acid in my daily activated B complex, so I was able to feel confident that my folate levels were optimal. For more information contact your naturopath who is experienced and knowledgeable in the MTHFR mutations.

Nutrition

This week until the 10th week your baby’s organs are being made, so it is super important to ensure good blood supply. The nutrients required are Iron, B12, Folate and CoQ10. The first organ to be formed is the heart it even starts beating on day 22-23 of gestation.

Iron food sources include: beef, lamb, dark green vegetables, spirulina, beetroot, molasses, cacao.

I highly recommend beetroot juice as a way to consume your nutrients, this way you can add other nutrient dense vegetables too (Always cold-pressed optimally to ensure no damage to the goodness of nutrients and enzymes)

Once acknowledged that you’re pregnant advise your naturopath asap, as getting your pathology done to check your nutrient status is important

My Journey:

This week I was exhausted!! I thought it may be delayed jetlag or because I was recovering from a cold. I needed coffee each day to function (which I very rarely do) until one day the coffee gave me an anxiety attack with shortness of breath. This to me was strange as although I have a history of anxiety, it had been years without an attack like this when I had trouble breathing. Good thing I could call upon my tools to get me through it and I was in my clinic so was able our myself a big shot of Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) and I took it easy for the rest of the day, but definitely feeling something just isn’t right.

I went to my regular monthly acupuncture appointment and was falling asleep in the chair while waiting. Interesting all of my symptoms I hadn’t put together that they were all pointing towards being pregnant. My acupuncturist commented that something was going on with my hormones and asked if I could be pregnant. I laughed and said well we will find out at end of the week and then without thinking, further explained that I had spotted last week, I have frequency of urination, disturbed sleep, lowered immune function, bits of anxiety & stress. So crazy now looking back that I didn’t put it together more.

The following day I was talking to a colleague about my weird symptoms and she commented that she thought I was pregnant, again I laughed it off at the time. But afterwards I though ‘My Gosh, I couldn’t be could I?’ I had to visit the Dr I work with regarding some patients so while I was there I spoke to him and he gave me a urine test kit, and pathology request in case it was positive. I rang my husband and decided I would wait to do it with him. Later that day I looked back at my menstrual app and realised that I was 4 days late not just 1 like I thought. Now this might be nothing for some peoples cycle but for me it had NEVER been late like this. The next day it was my 30th birthday, we still hadn’t done the test, I think I was avoiding it. I had some slight pain in my lower abdomen and thought it may be my period coming on. After an early birthday breakfast with all of my friends in Coolum, my husband Paul and I decided to do the test before heading down to the Gold Coast for my birthday celebrations. Paul did the timing of the 3 minutes and then looked and there laid the 2 most BOLDEST lines possible = PREGNANT. Now most people cry or have tears of some sort, but all I could do is laugh haha. Weirdest feeling ever! Such a total spin out that Paul and I had made a baby, and in Peru.

Yours in Health

Talita Sheedy