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At 22 weeks pregnant, it’s not uncommon for you to experience low back pain. Backaches during pregnancy are common, especially in the second and third trimesters, as the growing weight of your uterus adds extra strain on your back.

You are more likely to experience back pain during pregnancy if you’ve experienced it before in a previous pregnancy. Carrying twins or multiples also increases your risk of having back pain.

You can prevent back pain, or at least minimize the discomfort of it, by exercising regularly. You may want to take up swimming, because it will strengthen your abdominal and lower back muscles. Swimming also makes you weightless, so you have less strain on your joints and ligaments.

You should also avoid standing too long. If you have to stand, wear comfortable flat shoes. Sleeping on your side with a comfy pregnancy pillow between your legs will also help make it more comfortable for you.

Read more about low back pain during your pregnancy week by week at Women’s Healthcare Topics.

At 21 weeks pregnant, you may start to experience varicose veins. These are purple or blue swollen veins that bulge near the surface of your skin. They typically affect your legs. Varicose veins are common in older women, and in pregnant women who are overweight, carrying multiples, and those with a family history of varicose veins. In general, they tend to get worse with each pregnancy you have. Standing for a long time can also make them worse.

Though there is no way that you can completely prevent varicose veins during pregnancy, you may be able to minimize the appearance of them. You can do this by:

• Exercising every day.
• Try to gain the recommended weight gain during pregnancy.
• Elevate your feet and legs whenever you are resting.
• Don’t cross your legs
• Don’t stand for too long without taking breaks to move around.
• Wear special maternity panty-hose that are especially formulated to help with leg pain and aches during pregnancy.
• Sleep on your left side. A pregnancy pillow offers a comfortable way for you to side-sleep.

For other tips, check out 21 weeks pregnant at Women’s Healthcare Topics.

At 19 weeks pregnant, you have the freedom to enjoy any type of vacation or trip without much danger from pregnancy complications. The second trimester is actually the best time to travel. However, you need to keep certain safety precautions in mind if you are planning to travel during pregnancy.

• Have a prenatal check-up and talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before taking any trips.
• Call your airline or cruise line (if traveling by plane or ship) to ask about their travel restrictions during pregnancy.
• Take your health insurance information and a copy of your health record iwth you on your trip.
• Because unexpected complications can occur at a moment’s notice, remember to book travel insurance to cover any tickets that can’t be refunded.
• During your vacation, eat regular meals and drink plenty of fluids. For the most comfortable trip, bring bottled water with you. Water is the best choice for pregnant women.

Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy week by week. Read more about 19 weeks pregnant at Women’s Healthcare Topics.

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At 15 weeks pregnant, you should be feeling much better. If you are like most women in their second trimester of pregnancy, many of your tiresome pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue, should be gone. You will have more energy and be able to resume your every day activities.

However, as your pregnancy week by week continues, you will notice that you will start to experience new symptoms — most common in the second trimester is pregnancy backaches. If your back discomfort becomes too bothersome, you may think about taking certain medications during pregnancy. But which drugs are safe?

Because most medicines can cross your placenta and can affect your baby, you want to be careful with the drugs that you choose. In general, tylenol (acetaminophen) is safe for pain relief. However, stay away from Aleve, Advil, and other NSAIDs.

If you are concerned about what medications are safe to take during pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider. For a full list of safe medications during pregnancy, check out “Your Pregnancy MD: The First Trimester” available now on Amazon.com in E-book and paperback.

For more information about 15 weeks pregnant, go to Women’s Healthcare Topics.

At 10 weeks pregnant, you may be concerned with genetic defects in your baby. Though most genetic diagnostic tests, such as am amniocentesis, are performed in the second trimester, you can undergo a chorionic villus sampling (CVS) sampling at this early week of pregnancy.

CVS sampling is usually performed because there is a family history of a certain disorder. It may also be done if you are over 35 years old. The older that you age, the higher your risk of giving birth to a baby with a chromosomal birth defect.

During a CVS test, a sample of chorionic villus cells (finger-like growths on the placenta) are collected and examined. Your baby and  chorionic villus cells have the same genetic material, so this procedure can detect genetic disorders, including hemophilia and Tay-Sachs disease. Unfortunately, it won’t be able to detect neural tube defects.

CVS are usually performed early in your pregnancy week by week, often between 10 weeks pregnant and 12 weeks pregnant. Amniocentesis are usually done in the second trimester, between week 15 and 20 of pregnancy.

For more about CVS sampling, read about 10 weeks pregnant on Women’s Healthcare Topics.

Congratulations! You are now full-term at 37 weeks pregnant. This means that your baby may arrive any second. In this final stretch of pregnancy, you need to consider writing a birth plan. (You should have already written one by now!). A birth plan is basically a simple, clear statement about your preferences on how you want your baby’s birth to be handled.

You will need to discuss your birth plan with your doctor, because some of your wishes may not be able to be fulfilled, depending on the hospital policy and your doctor’s personal preferences. Remember to always remain flexible when creating your birth plan.

When writing your birth plan, you may want to answer the following questions:

• What type of delivery do you want? A Vaginal? Cesarean? A vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)?
• Who do you want present? Your partner/spouse, children, family members?
• What type of mobility would you like? Are there certain positions you want to give birth in?
• What are your thoughts on pain medication? Do you want a more natural birthing experience, or are you open to epidurals and other pain medications?
• Would you like an episiotomy, or would you like to try to avoid them unless your doctor deems it medically necessary?
• Do you have other special requests?

Check out personalized birth plan template at Women’s Healthcare Topics. Happy pregnancy week by week!

If you are 35 weeks pregnant, there is a good chance that your baby is turning into a head-down position. This is the safest position for delivery. However, some babies don’t turn upside down (head down). These babies are in a “breech position.” Many breech babies are delivered via c-section.

There are three types of breech positions:

• Frank breech - Your baby’s legs are straight up, with his feet near his head. This is the most common type of breech position.
• Complete breech - Your baby’s buttocks is near the birth canal, with his knees bent and his feet near his bottom.
• Footling breech - Either one or both legs are stretched below his bottom. In a vaginal birth, his leg would come out first.

At 35 weeks of pregnancy, if you feel your baby’s head pressing high in your abdomen, you should call your doctor for an exam to see if your baby is indeed breech. Sometimes, your doctor can turn your baby head-down before labor starts.

Read more about 35 weeks of your pregnancy week by week at Women’s Healthcare Topics.

At 32 weeks pregnant, you are probably very ready for your baby to arrive. It won’t be too long now. Your baby is full-term and ready to arrive after 37 weeks of pregnancy, though some babies do arrive sooner and others later. In the third trimester of pregnancy, you need to learn about all your options during labor and childbirth.

If you are opting for a natural, vaginal birth, keep in mind that complications can arise that may warrant a cesarean delivery (c-section). You may have a c-section if:

• You’ve had a previous c-section in other pregnancies.
• Your baby is too big and won’t fit through the birthing canal.
• Your baby is in a breech position - with feet or buttocks first instead of his or her head.
• Placental problems, such as placenta abruption, can make vaginal birth too dangerous.
• Your labor is too slow or stops.
• You are having a multiples birth (twins, triplets, etc.)
• Your baby is under fetal distress.

There are many other reasons for why your doctor will urge you to have a cesarean delivery, instead of a vaginal birth. It is estimated that one in three American babies are born via c-section. In recent years, the rates for cesarean sections in the United States have rapidly increased. More women are opting for c-sections as their mode of delivery.

If you are planning for a c-section, instead of a vaginal birth, just remember that a cesarean section is a surgery and your hospital time and recovery will be longer than a woman with a vaginal birth. After a c-section, you will stay in the hospital from three to four days (only 24 hours after a vaginal birth), and it will take four to six weeks for a full-recovery.

Read more about cesarean deliveries at 32 weeks pregnant at Women’s Healthcare Topics.

As early as 23 weeks pregnant, you may start to experience “false” labor pain, or Braxton-Hicks contractions. Although these false contractions are more common in the third trimester, as your baby’s due date approaches, some women feel them in the second trimester of pregnancy.

In contrast to true labor pains (which may feel like a dull ache in the lower back or abdomen, or strong menstrual cramps), Braxton Hicks contractions can feel like a tightening in your abdomen that comes and goes at irregular intervals. Unlike true contractions, they do not get closer together as time progresses and they will not get stronger with time.

Braxton Hicks contractions are simply your body’s way of getting ready for labor and delivery. As you track your pregnancy week by week, you should be aware of them and learn the difference between true labor and false labor.

When you go into true labor:

• Your contractions will come at regular intervals and will get closer together as time goes on.
• Contractions increase in strength over time
• You will feel contractions in your lower back and they will move into the front of your belly.
• True labor is accompanied with fluid leak, flu-like symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), menstrual-like cramps, pressure in your pelvis or vagina area.

If your Braxton-Hicks contractions are bothering you, you may want to change position or go for a short walk. These false labor pains typically stop when you change positions.

Read more about 23 weeks pregnant at Women’s Healthcare Topics…

Now that you are 20 weeks pregnant, in the middle of your second trimester of pregnancy, you need to start thinking about your childbirth options. Do you plan to have a medicated labor and delivery? Or do you want to try a more natural approach?

In the United States, the two most popular childbirth methods are the Lamaze and Bradley. Both of these are natural childbirth philosophies developed in the 1950s and 1960s by practicing obstetricians to combat the increasing use of anesthesia and other medical interventions during the labor and delivery.

As you continue your pregnancy week by week, you’ll want to check out either a Lamaze or Bradley method class , or take a prenatal class at the hospital. These classes will give you the “ins” and “outs” of labor, so it will alleviate any concerns or fears you may have. You will learn about the signs of labor, how to relax and breathe during labor and delivery, about your medication options and more.

Learn more about 20 weeks pregnant at Women’s Healthcare Topics.