Week 03

BABY DEVELOPMENT

Your baby’s heart is beating already! Just a tiny little speck, the embryonic disc that is your baby right now is already made up of three layers of cells that will form the various parts of his body. The science is amazing - the inner layer, the endoderm, will give rise to the organs of his digestive tract, his liver, pancreas and the organs of his respiratory system. The outer layer, the ectoderm, will form his nervous system and its different organs as well as his skin, nails and hair. The third layer will form most of his skeletal structure, his heart, urinary tract and sexual organs. In the middle of the mesoderm is the notochord, which will serve as his temporary backbone and from which his central nervous system, future brain and head will form. Its diameter is around the same as that of a human hair!

YOUR BODY

You didn’t get your period when you were supposed to. At first, you probably thought nothing of it. But then…what if? You decided to take a pregnancy test and it was positive. Congratulations! A wonderful adventure is about to begin, one of the best in your life. Nothing is visible, of course, but that won’t last for long.

NUTRITION

Taking care of yourself and what you eat is more important than ever. The number one question that comes up is “do I need to eat for two?” No, pregnant mums don’t need to “eat for two”, meaning twice as much as they usually do. But you do need to choose high quality foods which contain all the important nutrients. Super-important for the development of the foetus are folic acid, found in leafy green veggies, and zinc, found in whole grains. Basically, what’s good for your baby is probably good for you too.

TIPS

Some foods should be avoided completely during pregnancy. Because of the potential presence of toxins, raw seafood may pose a risk to the foetus. Consider it a temporary goodbye to clams, raw oysters, sushi & sashimi, and even salmon. Undercooked meat, poultry, and raw or undercooked eggs may also contain bacteria that could harm your developing baby. So wash your vegetables really well and avoid mayonnaise or salad dressed with any sauce or dressing made with raw egg.