Aspirin and Pregnancy

Almost any medication used during pregnancy can have some effect on your baby. Small doses of aspirin could be acceptable during pregnancy but put in mind that aspirin use can increase bleeding. Do not take any amount without discussing it with your doctor. Research has shown there may be situation in which aspirin use is beneficial. Very low dose of aspirin in the evening may be good insurance against some pregnancy complications, such us premature labor and high blood pressure. Baby aspirin contains 81 ½ mg. of aspirin may be prescribed. Usually it is taken early in the pregnancy before reaching the 16th week.


Review
At last! A grounded and highly readable scientific guide to pregnancy that combines the best of both worlds—conventional and alternative
-- Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause
The Whole Pregnancy Handbook

What to eat when you're pregnant

During pregnancy you need to make sure that your diet is providing you with enough energy and nutrients for the baby to grow and develop, and for your body to deal with the changes taking place.
What to eat:
It's important to try to eat a variety of foods including:
• plenty of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or a glass of juice). Aim for at least five portions of a variety each day
• plenty of starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes - try to choose wholegrain options
• foods rich in protein such as lean meat and chicken, fish (aim for at least two servings of fish a week, including one of oily fish), eggs and pulses (such as beans and lentils). These foods are also good sources of iron (see 'Do I need extra iron?' below)
• plenty of fiber. This helps prevent constipation and is found in wholegrain bread, pasta, rice, pulses and fruit and vegetables
• dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt, which contain calcium
It's also a good idea to cut down on foods such as cakes and biscuits, because these are high in fat and sugar. This can also help you to avoid putting on too much weight during pregnancy.

Healthy snacks to have instead include malt loaf; currant buns without icing; sandwiches or pitta bread filled with cottage cheese, chicken or lean ham; low-fat yogurts; vegetable and bean soups; and fruit including fresh, tinned in juice or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots.
Check this book you may find it useful.
Baby Facts: The Truth about Your Child's Health from Newborn through Preschool

Figuring your due date

1. Gestational age – menstrual age
2. Ovulatory age – fertilization age
3. Trimester
4. Lunar months

The beginning of your last periods the point from which the pregnancy is dated. The due date is important because helps your doctor determine when some test should be made. Also estimate baby growth and development. Pregnancy lasts about 280 days or 40 weeks, from the beginning of the last period. Have many ways of counting the due date and it depend what work fro you. For example you can count 280 from the first day of your period or count back three months from the first day of your period and add seven days this will give you an approximate date of delivery. Calculating pregnancy these ways gives you the menstrual cycle or more common gestational age. Most of the doctors keep track of the pregnancy by this method (gestational age).There is ovulatory age called also fertilization age, which is two weeks shorter and dated from the actual date of conceiving.

I believe it would be easy if we don’t get stuck with dates but we have a due week – a seven day period in which the delivery may occur. Very few women deliver on their due day (only 5 %) so the rest of us may feel more quiet if we have a whole week margin for the delivery.
For me was easier way to count was by weeks. Some woman count pregnancy by trimesters. This divides pregnancy into three periods, each about 13 weeks.
You may even hear about lunar months. A pregnancy lasts an average of 10 lunar months ( 28 days each).

Don’t forget that babies have their own plans. Think of your due date as a goal – a time to look forward to and to prepare. You are experience one of the great miracles in life so enjoy it.