My Baby This Week - 2 week old

How your baby's growing:

Your womb was a warm and cozy environment, and it takes time for your baby to adjust to the various sights, sounds, and sensations of life outside your body. You may not be able to detect much of a personality just yet as your baby spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness.

The only way your baby knows to communicate is by crying, but you can communicate with him through your voice and your touch. (He can now recognize your voice and pick it out among others.)

Your baby probably loves to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. He may even make an "ah" sound when he hears your voice or sees your face, and he'll be eager to find you in a crowd.

• Learn more fascinating facts about your 2-week-old's development.

Your life: The baby blues

It seems to make no sense: At a time when you expected to be so happy, you feel down, weepy, moody, or irritable. In fact, there are very good reasons why about half of new moms get the so-called baby blues.

During the first weeks home with a baby, sleep deprivation, recovery from childbirth, the demands of newborn care, lack of experience with babies, and not having enough help can all be highly stressful. The huge hormonal shifts that occur after you give birth can also affect your moods, especially if you have a history of severe PMS. Then factor in modern America's expectations about moms "doing it all" and new moms being "blissed out," and you have the makings of a perfect storm for mild depression.

Knowing that these feelings are normal can help. It's a good idea to confide your feelings to people you love and trust: your partner, your parents, another relative, or a close friend. Connecting with other new parents online or in your community can help you see that you're far from alone.

Carve out time for yourself. Let your partner or a grandparent stay with your baby while you visit a friend, go shopping, or just take a relaxing bath. Even sitting outside or taking a walk with your baby in the fresh air can be beneficial.

Leave work behind. Really! Remember this is maternity leave. Turn off your cell phone and avoid your computer. Use these weeks to nurture your ties with your family.

If feelings persist more than a couple of weeks, tell your doctor. You may have postpartum depression (PPD), a more serious condition. The causes of PPD aren't completely understood, but it's not a reflection on whether you're a "good" mom or "coping well." Symptoms of PPD include extreme anxiety, panic attacks, changes in eating habits (overeating or loss of appetite), insomnia, and thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

3 questions about: Reducing the risk of SIDS

What is SIDS?
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is sometimes called crib death. It occurs when a baby under 1 year old dies suddenly and without warning, usually while asleep.

Should I worry?
Even though SIDS is the leading cause of death among babies between 1 month and 1 year, it's still rare. SIDS claims about 2,500 victims a year — that is, fewer than 1 in 1,000 — usually between the ages of 2 and 4 months. No one knows exactly what causes SIDS, although the following factors are thought to increase the risk:

• A parent or caregiver who smokes
• Sleeping facedown on the mattress
• Being born prematurely
• Low birth weight
• Sleeping on a too-soft surface
• Being too hot while sleeping

How can I reduce my baby's risk?
Always put your baby to sleep on his back. When pediatricians and SIDS researchers began recommending this practice in 1992, the rate of SIDS deaths fell an astounding 50 percent. Even putting your baby to sleep on his side isn't advisable. Clear the cradle or crib of any pillows, soft toys, and bumpers, which can unexpectedly cover your baby's mouth and affect his breathing. Keep your baby's head uncovered. Keep the room cool (around 65 degrees Fahrenheit), especially if you swaddle your baby.

Don't overdress your baby at bedtime — put him in as little or as much clothing as you'd wear to bed. Some experts advise against sleeping with your newborn in your bed during the early months because the soft bedding is a risk. Others believe that sharing a bed allows parents to respond more quickly to changes in their baby's breathing or movements. If you do co-sleep, remove fluffy comforters and make sure the mattress is firm. Your baby should sleep on his back even in your bed.

Never smoke around your baby and keep him away from those who do. It's possible that breastfeeding your baby and giving him a pacifier during sleep may lower his risk for SIDS, but more research is needed to confirm these links.

My Baby This Week - 1 week old

How your baby's growing
Your newborn's still adjusting to his new world, which he may find a bit noisy and well-lit for his taste. But he's getting used to it. You'll notice his limbs move in a jerky, uncoordinated way. Soon, probably by the end of the month, his movements will become more fluid as his muscle control matures. Sucking and chewing on his hands are his main activities for the moment.

Is your newborn a noisy breather? Lots of air passing through very small airways clogged with lint from blankets, clothing and dust could be the culprit. You probably don't need to worry; he isn't likely to have a cold at this young age. He's just trying his best to breathe. Ask your paediatrician if you're concerned and don't hesitate to call her if you're really worried. Doctors know that tiny babies need extra care.

Your life: getting to grips with breastfeeding
If you're breastfeeding, chances are that you're still trying to get the hang of it this week. Be patient - it does get easier. New mums often wonder if their baby is getting enough milk, especially if he wants to feed all the time or cries after being fed. One tip: If your baby feeds every two to three hours, or at least eight times in 24 hours for the first two to three weeks, he's probably getting all the breastmilk he needs.

You'll probably have a host of questions - how do I know my baby's getting enough milk?...how do I know if my baby is latched on correctly?...what foods should I avoid while breastfeeding? Don't worry, we can help.

Your baby loves to be touched, and what's better than skin-to-skin contact? Your husband and your baby can get closer with our guide to baby massage, a six-step lesson that'll turn him into a whizz at soothing a crying baby.

Don't miss our top 10 dad-tested ways to soothe a crying baby, either.

Parent tip: couple time "We're probably mad, but we tend to stay up late so that we have time together after our baby goes to sleep. Sometimes we tape our favourite shows and watch them later, but mostly we just talk. The next morning we're often tired, but it seems a reasonable price to pay for some grown-up time together." — Laura
• Share your tips!

Things to consider
Make sure you put your baby's Immunisation Schedule book or card in a safe place. It contains vital information about your baby's birth, including date and time of birth, birth weight and length, blood group and rhesus type and possibly his Apgar scores as well. More importantly, the Immunisation Schedule will have to be presented when your child enters Standard One — and the school has the right to reject entry if his immunisations are not up to date.

Do you have airbags in your car? If so, you'll need to take care where you put your baby's car seat.

See what our expert has to say about your newborn's development.

Although you'll have a lot on your mind, don't forget your appointment with the ob/gyn for a postnatal check-up six weeks after the birth.

You have 14 days from the birth to register your baby but many parents find they are unable to meet the deadline - in many cases because they are unable to decide on a name! Get some ideas from our BabyNamer - there are 11,000 names to choose from! Once you've decided, ring your nearest National Registration Department office (Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara)to check the opening hours.

Although sleeping through the night is a long way off, find out how you can establish healthy sleep habits right from the start.

Try out some fun ideas for playing with your baby. Watch what happens if you attach an unbreakable mirror to your baby's cot. Babies love faces, and discovering their own is a special joy.

Every parent worries about cot death but it's very rare. Find out what you can do to reduce the risks.

Is it normal for a dad to be jealous of a new baby?

my pregnancy: 40 weeks

How your baby's growing:

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

After months of anticipation, your due date rolls around, and... you're still pregnant. It's a frustrating, but common, situation in which to find yourself. You may not be as late as you think, especially if you're relying solely on a due date calculated from the day of your last period because sometimes women ovulate later than expected. Even with reliable dating, some women have prolonged pregnancies for no apparent reason.

You still have a couple of weeks before you'll be considered "post-term." But to be sure your baby is still thriving, your practitioner will schedule you for testing to keep an eye on her if your pregnancy continues.

You may have a biophysical profile (BPP), which consists of an ultrasound to look at your baby's overall movements, breathing movements (movement of her chest muscles and diaphragm), and muscle tone (whether she opens and closes her hand or extends and then flexes her limbs), as well as the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds her (important because it's a reflection of how well the placenta is supporting your baby).

Fetal heart rate monitoring (called a nonstress test or NST) will generally be done as well — by itself or as part of the BPP. Or, you may have what's known as a modified BPP, which consists of an NST and an ultrasound to assess the amount of amniotic fluid.

If the fetal testing isn't reassuring — the amniotic fluid level is too low, for example — you'll be induced. If there's a serious, urgent problem, you may have an immediate c-section.

Your practitioner will also check your cervix to see if it's "ripening." Its position, how soft it is, how effaced (thinned out) it is, and how dilated (open) it is can all affect when and how your labor is induced. If you don't go into labor on your own, you'll be induced, usually sometime between 41 and 42 weeks.

3 Questions About...Inducing labor

Q1.

What does it mean to induce labor?

If your labor doesn't start on its own, your practitioner can use certain medications and techniques to help bring on or "induce" contractions. She'll do this when the risks of prolonging your pregnancy are higher than the risks of induction. Most practitioners will induce labor if you're still pregnant between one and two weeks after your due date. This is because the placenta may become less effective at delivering nutrients at around 42 weeks, and other serious complications become more likely as you pass your due date.

Q2.

How is labor induced?

There are a variety of methods, and the one your practitioner uses will depend on your individual situation — in part, on the condition of your cervix (whether it's ripe or not) and the urgency of the induction.

Typically, if you need to be induced but your cervix is not yet dilated or thinned out, you'll be admitted to the hospital and your caregiver will likely start off the induction by inserting medication that contains prostaglandins into your vagina. This medication helps to ripen the cervix and may also stimulate enough contractions to start your labor.

If the prostaglandins don't put you into labor, your caregiver will then administer a drug called Pitocin (also known as oxytocin). It's given through an IV and used to start labor or augment contractions you've been having on your own. (If your cervix is ripe to begin with, she'll start with the Pitocin straightaway.)

Q3.

Are there any techniques for kickstarting labor that I can try myself?

There are no do-it-yourself techniques consistently proven to be both safe and effective so don't try anything without guidance from your caregiver. Here's the scoop on some of the methods you may have heard about:

• Sexual intercourse: Semen contains prostaglandins and having an orgasm may stimulate some contractions. A few studies have shown that having sex at term may decrease the need for labor induction, but others have shown it has no effect on promoting labor.

• Nipple stimulation: Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin, and it may help start labor, but more research is needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of this method. Because it may overstimulate your uterus, your contractions and your baby's response to them would need to be monitored so don't try this at home.

• Castor oil is a strong laxative, and stimulating your bowels may cause some contractions. There's no definitive proof that it helps induce labor though plenty of women can attest to its unpleasant effects!

• Herbal remedies: A variety of herbs are touted as useful for labor induction. Some are risky because they can cause contractions that are too long or too strong and may be unsafe for your baby for other reasons as well. For others, the safety and effectiveness remain unknown.

This Week's Activity:

Kick back and relax. Rent some movies, read a novel, curl up with a stack of magazines or a new CD, sleep in or grab catnaps when you can.You're in the final stretch and you deserve some downtime! If you're go-go-go right up until delivery you'll be depleted by the time your baby arrives, says clinical psychologist Diane Sanford.

15 Julai 2009

bangun pagi ni seperti biasa...masa dalam bilik air, ku tengok ade lendir merah...aku berdebar-debar.aku akan branak ari ni..makin berdebar-debar..tapi aku merahsiakan daripada HB..aku bersiap-siap pegi keje seperti biase...aku akan mengira sebelum aku nak pi hospital..

Tanda-tanda aku sakit nak branak ialah sakit di bawah pinggang...skali sakit tu mai aku kira...sakitnye yang teramat sangat,tak tahu nak cerita macamane sakit tu..bila cukup satu jam aku nak balik umah untuk paking barang ke hospital..aku isi borang kuar opis bagitahu nak g klinik jer,aku xroyak pom aku nak g spital..hehehe..dang lagi nak rahsia2...aku drive balik umah..sampai umah baru aku call HB ajak g An Nisa'..HB dengan nada takut tanye aku,dah nak branak ke? aku jawap ya...okies2 B balik sekarang...

Sementara tunggu HB sampai umah,aku tukar baju...paking ape2 yang patut..HB sampai umah..terus pegi An Nisa'..HB cakap dang lagi aku salin baju...yelah tak kan aku nak branak dengan pakai baju kurung...

On the way g spital,sakit tu datang...aku hanya mampu pejamkan mata and tarik nafas dalam2..tangan HB sejuk sangat...aiks,macam die pulok nak branak...hehehehe...rupa2nya HB takut aku branak dalam kete..perjalanan dari umah ke An Nisa' dalam 45 minit...laju giler HB bawak kete.. HB call mak dengan umi bagitahu aku dah sakit nak branak...

Sampai je An Nisa', HB pegi daftar..kebetulan ade labour room kosong,aku terus masuk...aku berdua dengan HB jelah dalam bilik tu..sakit nak branak tu datang dan pegi...setiap kali datang sakit tu,aku tarik nafas dalam2..ni untuk pernafasan ke baby jugak...sakitnya teramat sangat..

Tak lama lepas tu,mak dengan umi sampai dengan driver aboh..aboh xmai kerana ade meting... mase tu doktor tak mai lagi...misi cakap biase la anak sulong,jalan baby nak kuar tu lambat skit nak bukak..aku sakit nak branak,nye boleh cakap mcm tu...aku tahu la die tu misi berpengalaman..misi tanye aku dah makan pagi ke belum,aku jawap x lagi..misi suruh aku mkn la,karang xde tenaga nak teran pulok kan..mak pom pegi beli makanan di kantin.aku sempat lagi makan bihun goreng + telur masak separuh 2 biji,minum air milo...waaaa bersemangat aku makan tu...

Doktor yang biase merawat aku semasa mengandung pom sampai..cek jalan dah 5cm dah...terkejut doc..yelah cepat bukak jalan...hahaha...rahsianya mkn la salindah...dalam ati aku lepas asar,insya allah aku akan branak...mase sakit tu datang,ya allah sakitnya yang teramat sangat..mulut aku ni xbenti2 cakap mende bukan2..mintak doc wat perbedahan la..mcm2 lagi...mase tu aku betul2 dah xtahan..mak sampai marahkan aku cakap mende bukan2.HB mase tu dok tenangkan aku,suruh aku bertenang baik2..yelah kami menunggu 9 bulan kelahiran baby nie...

Bila dah cukup 8cm doc cek,doc suruh teran...aku pom teran...teran pom xkuar pom baby....aku pom try lagi...rupa2nya doc cakap baby terlengok ke atas..sbb tu aku teran x kuar...mcm2 cara doc suruh aku buat..semuanya xjadi jgk...aku frust sgt mase tu,bercampur keletihan aku meneran...aku rase nak pengsan dok neran...HB pom cakap ke mak aku,aku dah xlarat...HB tanye doc ade ape cadangan doc,doc cakap buat perbedahan jelah..HB pom terus setuju kerana keciankan aku dah x bermaya...lepas semua prosedia buat aku pom akan ke dewan bedah..sblm aku ke dewan bedah,aboh masuk labour room jupe aku..lepas tu aku terus di bawak terus ke dewan bedah..aku masih ingat lagi ketika tu,aku sempat lagi sakit 2 kali sebelum aku di bius...

Bila pakar bius memperkenalkan dirinya..bertanyakan nama aku..lepas tu aku dah di bius sepenuhnya..aku mintak aku di bius sepenuhnya...kalu HB ade bersama aku,mayb aku di bius separuh je..Terngiang-ngiang aku dengar name aku dipanggil..mcm aku penah dengar suara tu..rupa2nya suara HB aku panggil aku,mase tu aku baru kuar dewan bedah..aku pom kembali pengsan semula...hahahaha..dalam pukul 10 mlm aku pom sedar sepenuhnya...perkara yang pertama kuar dari mulut aku,aku tanye mane baby...HB jawap sekejap lagi misi wat mari baby...HB xhenti2 kiss aku,cakap baby kami comel sangat...misi bawak baby,aku pom cium baby..sungguh comel baby aku..mase tu terasa hilang semuanya sakit2 aku...benar la orang royak,bila tengok anak..hilang semua sakit...betul tuh,aku pom dah x ingat sakit tu macamane...hehehe..malam tu jugak adek aku excited,suruh HB aku wat video call nak tengok baby...HB aku pom buat la,bile tengok baby,dia jerit kate comel sungguh baby aku..siap cakap aku napok gemuk..ade ke patut???kekeke

Lahir la baby gegirl pada 15 Julai 2009 pada pukul 7.47 pm & 3.2 kg di Pusat Perubatan An Nisa' ->

Ketika tu semua ade mari melawat aku,malam tu aku ditempatkan wad beramai2 walaupom HB dah booking bilik..aku ditempatkan di wad beramai2 kerana aku diletakkan dalam pengawasan misi2..malam tu HB aku balik dengan aman...mak dengan aboh stay tunggu aku...aboh tido dalam bilik,mak jelah yang temankan aku...ketika tu,kebanyakkan baby lahir semuannya baby boy,hanya aku je branak baby girl...hehehe..HB aku cakap dekat nurseri,misi susun baby aku ditengah-tengah...baby girl aku dikapit di tengah2....hehehe...di kiri kanan baby aku semua baby boy..

sekian,nnt insya allah mummy akan ceritakan lagi...to be continue baby..

Hari Ke-2 baby ku

Hari ke-2 di An Nisa',pagi2 lagi misi lapkan badan aku...mase misi dok lap badan aku,aboh mai nak tengok aku dulu pastu nak balik umah kg raja.semalam aboh dengan mak stay tunggu aku..HB balik..dalam tengahari HB sampai kat An Nisa' walaupom janji dengan aku lepas subuh nak bertolak mari..huhuhu..aku mintak dengan misi untuk masuk dalam bilik wad tapi misi suruh tunggu dulu,tunggu doc cek aku...lepas doc datang mai cek aku,aku pom di pindahkan dalam wad dalam bilik..mmm best sikit ade la privasi sikit...boleh la mak ke HB ke rehat2 dalam bilik..aku royak ke HB suruh misi wat mai baby...ni pic ari ke-2 baby aku

Hari ke-3..insya allah aku akan balik umah ari ni..mula2 doc aku datang mai untuk merawat aku..lepas tu doc baby pulok datang untuk memberi penerangan tentang baby..doc baby cakap semua nya ok...pendengaran dia,jantung dan lain2...doc baby cakap mase nak kuarkan baby pom susah sikit sebab tu aku x leh nak branak secara normal...tu yang aku frust jugak tu,yelah aku x leh nak branak normal..padahal mase aku mengandung aku tiada masalah pom dengan kandungan..tapi aku tetap bersyukur kepada Allah sebab semuanya dah selamat walaupom aku menlahirkan baby secara pembedahan (cesarean)...babyku,mummy mu telah merasai kesakitan nak branak secara normal dan secara pembedahan..dua-dua aku merasai sakitnya

my pregnancy: 39 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

Quick Clicks

• Inducing labor
• Newborn screening tests: Which ones your baby needs and why
• Laugh and learn: New parents share their most embarrassing mistakes
• Introducing your child to your new baby: Overview
• Relaxation tips to ease labor pain

At each of your now-weekly visits, your caregiver will do an abdominal exam to check your baby's growth and position. She might also do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening). But even armed with this information, there's still no way for your caregiver to predict exactly when your baby is coming. If you go past your due date, your caregiver will schedule you for fetal testing (usually a sonogram) after 40 weeks to ensure that it's safe to continue the pregnancy. If you don't go into labor on your own, most practitioners will induce labor when you're between one and two weeks overdue — or sooner if there's an indication that the risk of waiting is greater than the risks of delivering your baby without further delay.

While you're waiting, it's important to continue to pay attention to your baby's movements and let your caregiver know right away if they seem to decrease. Your baby should remain active right up to delivery, and a noticeable slowdown in activity could be a sign of a problem. Also call if you think your water may have broken. Membranes rupture before the beginning of labor in about 8 percent of term pregnancies. Sometimes there's a big gush of fluid, but sometimes there's only a small gush or a slow leak. (Don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. Call even if you only suspect you have a leak.) If you rupture your membranes and don't start contractions on your own, you'll be induced.

Surprising Facts: How your body changes after giving birth

Even if your labor and delivery was fast and easy, it will take some time for you to feel like your old self again. It may be hard, but try to remember that it took nine months to get here, so you won't bounce back — emotionally or physically — overnight.

What to expect from your body:

• You'll start losing weight right away. While you probably won't return to your pre-pregnancy weight for some time, most women are about 12 pounds lighter after delivering one 7- to 9-pound baby and losing another pound or two of placenta and another two pounds or so of blood and amniotic fluid. Although it will take a while for your body to regain its pre-pregnancy shape — that pregnant belly may stick around for longer than you'd like — by the end of the first week, you'll probably have lost about 4 pounds of water weight.

• You'll have lochia discharge. After your baby is born, the cells that form the lining of your uterus will begin to slough off. This results in a discharge called lochia that lasts for weeks. At first, this discharge is mixed with blood, so it appears bright red and menstrual-like, then it gradually gets lighter in color, finally fading to white or yellow before it stops.

• Your emotions will be in flux. Within the first week or two of giving birth, many new moms experience the "baby blues." You may find yourself moody and weepy, exhausted, unable to sleep, or feeling trapped or anxious. Your appetite can change, too — you might want to eat more or less. The good news is this emotional upheaval will generally pass within two to three weeks.

Call your caregiver if: • You have signs of abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as soaking more than one sanitary pad in an hour, passing blood clots bigger than a golf ball, or bright red bleeding that occurs four days or more after you give birth. You may have what's called a delayed postpartum hemorrhage. (Note: Call 911 if you're bleeding profusely or if you have any signs of shock, including lightheadedness, weakness, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, rapid or shallow breathing, clammy skin, restlessness, or confusion.)
• You have signs of infection, which may include any fever; lower abdominal pain or foul-smelling discharge (signs of endometritis); difficulty urinating, painful urination, cloudy or bloody urine (signs of a urinary tract infection); redness, tenderness, discharge, or swelling around the site of a wound (such as a c-section incision, episiotomy, or laceration); a painful, hard, reddened area, usually only on one breast, and fever, chills, muscle aches or fatigue, and possibly a headache (signs of mastitis, a breast infection).

• You have signs of postpartum depression, such as being unable to sleep even when your baby sleeps, having any thoughts of harming your child, crying all day long for several days in a row, or having panic attacks.

How to recover more quickly:

• Get as much rest as you can, and make an effort to sleep when your baby sleeps. This can be tough advice to follow, especially during the day, but it really helps.

• Limit visitors and the time you spend with them. Consider turning off the phone and posting a "we're napping" message on your door to discourage drop-ins.

• Eat a well-balanced diet.

• Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and sugared sodas.

• Accept all offers for help with cooking, cleaning, childcare, errands, and the like. If you aren't receiving offers, ask for help. It's hard, but trust us, your friends and family want to help and most will be honored you asked. If you can't get help for free, consider hiring a mother's helper, cleaning lady, or others who can give you a break.

• Don't isolate yourself. Talking to friends, relatives, and other new moms about your birth experience and life with a newborn can help you cope.

This Week's Activity:

If you're planning to breastfeed and haven't bought nursing bras yet, now is the time. Bring them to the hospital — you'll want them for comfort and support. Your breasts are likely much larger now than pre-pregnancy, and they'll probably increase one or two more sizes while you're nursing. While you're shopping, get some breast pads to tuck into your bra to absorb any leaks and some purified or "medical-grade" lanolin ointment for tender nipples. (Avoid lanolin if you're allergic to wool.)

my pregnancy: 38 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

Quick Clicks

• Caring for a newborn: Tips from new parents
• Twenty tips from breastfeeding veterans
• Breech birth
• Baby Poop 101
• Swollen extremities (edema) during pregnancy

For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.

Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting. These are symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

3 Questions About... Preparing to breastfeed

Q1.

Why is breastfeeding considered the best way to feed a baby?

Breast milk is nature's most perfect food for babies. It has just the right proportion and types of proteins, carbs, and fats, along with almost all of the vitamins and minerals that a baby needs in the first six months of life. Dozens of studies have confirmed the benefits of breastfeeding and new ones are published all the time. Here's a look at some of the highlights. Breastfeeding can:

• help protect your baby from diarrhea, respiratory problems, and ear infections.
• reduce your baby's risk for allergies, leukemia, and possibly obesity.
• reduce your stress level and risk of breast cancer.

Q2.

What can I do to prepare for breastfeeding?

You can set yourself up for breastfeeding success by reading about how to breastfeed and learning where to turn for help if the going gets rough. Here are four key things to know:

• Insist that you and your baby have skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth (unless either of you has a medical complication) so you can start breastfeeding as soon as possible. If you have a c-section, ask that your baby join you in the recovery room as soon as your surgery is done.

• Realize that nursing doesn't come naturally to every woman, and if you're feeling discouraged, you're not alone. Get help early while you're still at the hospital or birth center to make sure you and your baby get the hang of breastfeeding before you go home.

• Nurse your newborn frequently — eight to 12 times every 24 hours. And unless medically necessary, your baby shouldn't get anything but breast milk until breastfeeding is well established (for the first few weeks at least).

• For more information, see BabyCenter's comprehensive breastfeeding area.

Q3.

Does breastfeeding hurt?

Just because breastfeeding is the most natural way to nourish your baby doesn't mean it's always easy. For many women, breastfeeding can be uncomfortable or even painful at first. Don't suffer in silence. Pain is often an indication that your baby isn't attached to your breast properly. Her mouth should cover a large part of your areola (the pigmented skin around your nipple). Your nipple should be far back in your baby's mouth. If nursing hurts after your baby's first few sucks, break the suction by inserting your little finger between your baby's gums and your nipple — and try again until you find a position that's less painful. Talk to a lactation consultant before you leave the hospital to make sure your baby is latching on to your breast correctly. If your hospital doesn't provide lactation support or you encounter difficulties after leaving the hospital, you can contact La Leche League International for help.


Some women are totally comfortable breastfeeding in public, while others feel self-conscious. If you're worried about it, carry a jacket or extra blanket with you when you go out with your baby. That way, if he needs to nurse before while you're out, you can drape it over your shoulder and your baby's head for privacy.

This Week's Activity:

Start reading up on baby care. If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to switch reading gears from pregnancy to baby. You won't have as much time to read after your baby's born, so learn all you can about the first few weeks now. A good place to start is BabyCenter's Preparing for a Newborn area.