1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months Birth 1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months 10 Months 11 Months 12 Months 13 thru 18 Months 19 thru 24 Months

Body Shop: How you’ll change

You’re likely to continue having many of your early pregnancy symptoms during the third month. You may also notice additional veins appearing on parts of your body as the blood supply increases. Your abdomen, along with your appetite, will probably get bigger by the end of the month.

On the emotional front, things are still a little topsy-turvy as you swing from joy and happiness to fear and misgivings. The good news is that you’re probably through the roughest part-many women start feeling a new sense of calmness around this time.1

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Mommy-Do List: Things to do this month

  • Water helps carry nutrients through your blood to the baby, so try to get at least eight eight-ounce glasses per day. Remember, though, caffeinated drinks like coffee, cola and tea are diuretics that can make you urinate more, so they don’t count toward your total fluid intake.2
  • Buy or borrow maternity clothes.
  • Rearrange your schedule to make sure you get the rest you need.

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Nutrition Watch: Eating right for two

You may resist the idea of gaining weight during pregnancy, but it’s important to your baby’s growth and development. The amount that should be gained varies from mom to mom, but here are some general guidelines to give you an idea. Your health care provider will help you decide what makes sense for you.

Pre-pregnancy weight Recommended weight gain
Underweight 28 to 40 pounds
Normal weight 25 to 35 pounds
Overweight 15 to 25 pounds
Obese At least 15 pounds
If you’re expecting twins or triplets,
you’ll need to gain more weight-often 35 to 45 pounds.4

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1 “Pregnancy, Month by Month” University of Michigan Health System Web site at www.med.umich.edu

2 “Ask the Experts: How Much Water Should I Drink While I’m Pregnant?” www.babycenter.com

4 “Weight Gain During Pregnancy: What’s Healthy?” www.mayoclinic.com

The information on this Web site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding you or your child's health.

Consult your physician or dental professional if using another fluoridated product.

Helpful Tips
for Parents

Ponder the Pacifier

Whether or not to use pacifiers is an age-old debate, but the American Academy of Pediatrics gives it the thumbs up through the first year of life. Sucking is comforting, familiar and calming to babies and a pacifier can be the ideal way to provide contentment between feedings.
More

Drive Time

You’re always careful to protect your baby from the sun’s harmful rays with sunscreen, clothing and a hat when he’s outdoors. But did you know he also needs protection when he rides in the car for an extended period? The glass in car windows blocks some but not all ultraviolet rays that can cause sunburn, so if possible, move his car seat out of direct sunlight and apply broad spectrum children’s sunscreen to his exposed skin.

Hand in Hand

Are you wondering whether your baby will be right-handed or left-handed? Be patient; it may be months or years before you know for sure. Most babies start showing a preference for reaching for things with their right hands between six and nine months, but it’s not until they’re 18 months or older that they start using their preferred hand more consistently. By age three or four, their handedness should be fairly evident. If it’s not, you may want to talk to your pediatrician.

Source: “How Handedness Develops in Infants,” by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P., www.drspock.com, June 10, 2001