I know, you are not surprised. ;-) LOL With my first pregnancy I mainly judged how far I was along by weeks. However most books or points of reference go by months. How do you figure it out? Do you divide the 40 weeks up into 10 months with 4 weeks making up the month? Technically at 20 weeks, halfway through the pregnancy, aren't you 4 1/2 months, but if I use the 4 week increments making up a month then I would be 5 months. Is there a standard recognized method? If I start from 12/15, when my last period was, then I am 4 months until 5/15. Have I completely lost my mind?
I'm a bit confused
- Thread starter kristi
- Start date
Go by the weeks, you are now in your 6th month, and have completed 5 months.
4 weeks - 1 month
8 weeks - 2 months
12 weeks - 3 months
16 weeks - 4 months
20 weeks - 5 months
24 weeks - 6 months
30 weeks - 7 months
34 weeks - 8 months
38 weeks - 9 months
so most women deliver between 38 and 40 weeks so your really 9 1/2 months along
42 weeks - 10 months
not to confuse the day lights, but when you've completed the say like you 20 weeks you say your in your 6th month, and that is what most (like www.storknet.com) say. Some books go by the gestational age of the baby so when the baby is 1 month so are you, but in reality your are 6 weeks along. Does that help? LOL maybe that made it worse!
4 weeks - 1 month
8 weeks - 2 months
12 weeks - 3 months
16 weeks - 4 months
20 weeks - 5 months
24 weeks - 6 months
30 weeks - 7 months
34 weeks - 8 months
38 weeks - 9 months
so most women deliver between 38 and 40 weeks so your really 9 1/2 months along
42 weeks - 10 months
not to confuse the day lights, but when you've completed the say like you 20 weeks you say your in your 6th month, and that is what most (like www.storknet.com) say. Some books go by the gestational age of the baby so when the baby is 1 month so are you, but in reality your are 6 weeks along. Does that help? LOL maybe that made it worse!
FiddleFit
Cathlete
Oh good grief, Julie, you've just brought to my attention that I am in my 6th month - and almost finished the second trimester!!!! I don't want the second trimester to end!! I like the second trimester! It's fun! It's not yet brutally uncomfortable!
Where did the time go????
Sandra
Where did the time go????
Sandra
FiddleFit
Cathlete
If you say so........;-)
I'm not looking forward to having the baby pushing up against my stomach and lungs. I remember my first dd wedged her butt up into my right lung and it stayed there for most of the last trimester. It was very uncomfortable! And the heartburn.....
It was neat to be able to cup my hand over her tiny bottom and give it a pat
Sandra
I'm not looking forward to having the baby pushing up against my stomach and lungs. I remember my first dd wedged her butt up into my right lung and it stayed there for most of the last trimester. It was very uncomfortable! And the heartburn.....
It was neat to be able to cup my hand over her tiny bottom and give it a pat
Sandra
For me it was the opposite. Anthony was SO low he would hit my pelvic bone constantly causeing sharp brief pain. It was like he would kick in rhythym too! I thought it was something bad, but my OB told me it was the baby - go figure! I'm not far enough to see how I'm truely carrying this time.
wendymin72
Cathlete
I get occasional pressure on my left pelvic bone...I figure it's the baby pressing on it with his hand or something. It's cool..especially when I get that pressure simultaneously with pressure in the upper right side of my rib cage. Feels as if he's stretching.
Wendy
I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!
http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05
8 month pic just added! EEK! lol http://www.PictureTrail.com/wendymin
Wendy
I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!
http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05
8 month pic just added! EEK! lol http://www.PictureTrail.com/wendymin
I was always confused about this with my pregnancies also.
You really can't say 4 weeks = 1 month. Only one month a year has only 4 weeks.
I always went by my due date and subtracted how many months were left.
So, if I was due on August 1st, and today's date was May 1st, I would say that I was 6 months pregnant because I had 3 months to go. I'm sure that's not accurate either.
Erica
You really can't say 4 weeks = 1 month. Only one month a year has only 4 weeks.
I always went by my due date and subtracted how many months were left.
So, if I was due on August 1st, and today's date was May 1st, I would say that I was 6 months pregnant because I had 3 months to go. I'm sure that's not accurate either.
Erica
Well Erica your right in part - many months have 2 or 3 days extra : 4 x 7 = 28, but the docs go by weeks, so I do too. It's semantics not exact math - but if you don't feel like saying months just say how many weeks and make the other person do the math LOL! But even if you are off 2 days I for instance am still in my 4th month of pregnancy and have completed 3 months.
Geez, why do they mess with our already altered mama brains?
;-)
Geez, why do they mess with our already altered mama brains?
;-)
Actually, there is good cause for the confusion. Pregancy lasts approx. 9 CALENDAR months, but that calculates to 10 LUNAR months. In OB, we calculate from the first day of the LMP (last menstrual period). The LMP is used because most women know the first day of their LMP... less know the day of ovulation or conception. Based on 28 day cycles, pregnancy lasts aprox. 280 days from the first day of the last menstrual period (266 post-ovulation). From there, it depends on how you calculate. If you divide 280 by the average number of days per month (~30), then pregnancy lasts about 9 CALENDAR months. If you go by a true lunar month (29 1/2 days), about 9 1/2 months. If you consider an average lunar month 28 days, then it is 10 months. It is sooo much easier to refer to weeks pregnant.
Many people are familiar with "pregnancy lasts 9 months" and that is how they refer to pregnancy. I am repeating this but it is interesting that counting 9 months from my LMP with each of my pregnancies was more accurate than any other assessment... 9 months and 2 days with my DD and 9 months and 1 day with DS.
Many people are familiar with "pregnancy lasts 9 months" and that is how they refer to pregnancy. I am repeating this but it is interesting that counting 9 months from my LMP with each of my pregnancies was more accurate than any other assessment... 9 months and 2 days with my DD and 9 months and 1 day with DS.
LOL Monica!! Ahhhhh, there are differences in the definition of the trimesters. Why are we not surpirsed? The trimesters are not evenly divided, and medicine doesn't even attempt to do so or agree on a definition. I have several medical and nursing text here, and the first trimester is weeks one thru 12 some say 13. The second is weeks 13 or 14 thru 24, 26, 28. The third is weeks 24, 26, 28 to term.
If you define the 1st trimester as weeks 1-12, then 12 1/7 weeks puts you into the 2nd trimester.
To complicate matters, now the first few weeks of the post-partum period are referred to as "the fourth trimester".
The trimesters are not evenly divided, and medicine doesn't even attempt to do so or agree on a definition. I have several medical and nursing text here, and the first trimester is weeks one thru 12 some say 13. The second is weeks 13 or 14 thru 24, 26, 28. The third is weeks 24, 26, 28 to term. If you define the 1st trimester as weeks 1-12, then 12 1/7 weeks puts you into the 2nd trimester.
To complicate matters, now the first few weeks of the post-partum period are referred to as "the fourth trimester".
You are welcome! It really doesn't make a difference except psychologically, which is a big deal when you are pregnant. Each milestone is cause for celebration. I always went with the 12 weeks. Isn't it ridiculous there is no standard definition of the trimesters? I shake my head frequently in my profession.
Take care!
Each milestone is cause for celebration. I always went with the 12 weeks. Isn't it ridiculous there is no standard definition of the trimesters? I shake my head frequently in my profession. Take care!