Month 6
Month 6
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What's Happening to Me?This is not the time to diet or cut down on fluid intake. Continue eating well-balanced meals, and drink six to eight glasses of fluids a day to prevent dehydration. The baby's rapid growth may drain your energy, so make sure you continue to fuel yourself with ample carbohydrates from grains, fruits, and vegetables. And don't forget fats, which are concentrated energy sources. Fats also help you absorb certain nutrients, but remember fats also produce calories. Use polyunsaturated fats (sources include almonds and walnuts, and corn, soybean, and safflower oils) and monounsaturated fats (from olives and olive oil, peanuts and peanut oil). Protein foods also contain fat; meat, fish, dairy products, and peanut butter are good sources. If you have any concerns about your weight or diet, consult your physician. |
NEWSLETTER Table of Contents Baby's Development Selecting A Pediatrician What's In A Name? Mommy's Notes |
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You may get some relief from the frequent urge to urinate; the uterus rises and the pressure on the bladder decreases. Stretch marks-slightly indented dark streaks-may begin to appear on your abdomen, breasts, or thighs. These usually fade after baby is born.
As time advances, it is natural for you to feel apprehensive about labor, delivery, and the health of your baby and the imminent parental responsibilities. Learning as much as you can about the birth process and baby's growth and development after he or she has entered the world will help you feel more confident. As a BEGINNINGS family member, you are entitled to a free, personal family education consultation and discounts on numerous classes which will equip you and your birth partner with knowledge and resources. |
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Baby's Development |
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During the third trimester, tiny air sacs called alveoli form in baby's lungs, assisting the lungs to reach maturity. Your baby's skin is thickening and becoming opaque and totally covered by the vernix which prevents it from becoming soggy from immersion in the amniotic fluid. Many babies are born with this coating still clinging to the folds in their soft skin.
Taste buds appear on the tongue and inside baby's cheeks. Your baby's unique fingerprint and footprint patterns have formed. The baby's higher functions are becoming more sophisticated, and baby's first bowel movement, meconium, is collecting in the bowel. |
The head is now more in proportion to the body. Fat stores are beginning to accumulate. Eyelids and nostrils have opened, and the baby is able to perceive light. Not only are you well aware of baby's movements, but baby is aware of yours and the world around you. Jarring movements, loud music, or heavy vibrations could rouse him or her. With increasing body weight and muscle tone, your baby is becoming more active. By the end of his or her 28th week, the baby is about 14 inches in length and weighs about two and one-quarter pounds |
Selecting a Pediatrician |
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Before you decide on a pediatrician, find out all you can about him or her. First of all, be sure he or she is competent medically. You will want someone you feel comfortable with, someone you wouldn't hesitate to call at 2 a.m. when your baby has an earache, someone you would feel free to question when you aren't sure an antibiotic is really necessary.
Calling the physician referral line (818-952-4747) is a good first step in your search for "Dr. Right." From there, based on your needs and wants, you'll receive a list of three potential candidates. But, the investigative work is not over. Check to see that the pediatrician has a residency in pediatrics and is board-certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatricians who maintain their status in their professional organizations by sitting periodically for recertification exams are telling you that they are interested in keeping current medically and in giving their patients the best of care. Does he or she offer a free consultation? Make appointments with those on your list of finalists, and arrive ready to evaluate your prospective baby doctor, taking into account: Office location Is it close to home? This can be particularly important when you are dealing with a sick or injured child, as treatment can be rendered more quickly. But also keep in mind that a "one-of-a-kind" practitioner may be worth a little longer trip Office hours If you and your husband both work, early morning, evening, or weekend pediatric office hours may become a major requirement. Atmosphere You can tell a lot about the office before you even arrive. How were you treated on the phone? Was the receptionist friendly? When you arrive, notice if the staff is responsive to and patient with the young patients in the waiting area. Is the communication limited to "Get down," "Don't touch," or "Keep quiet?" Is the reception area divided for well babies and sick babies? Does the reception area provide for privacy to discuss personal concerns? Waiting time A 45-minute wait when you're pacing with a fussy or sick infant can be a trying experience. But don't judge by how long you wait for your consultation. A consultation is a courtesy visit rather than a medical necessity. To find out the average wait time, ask the receptionist or question some of the waiting parents. Protocol for taking phone queries. Does the pediatrician use the call-hour approach; that is, a particular time is set aside each day during which no patients are seen and distractions are few for the doctor to field phone calls? This ensures almost immediate access to the doctor, though there may be several bouts with busy signals or a brief wait for a call-back. Other parents find it difficult to confine their worries to a specific time during the day, or worse, to wait until tomorrow's call-hour for relief of today's worries. They prefer the doctor call-back system-they call when a problem arises, and the doctor calls back when there's free time between patients. Even if the call-back doesn't come for several hours, at least the parent has had the opportunity to talk to a person in the office. How emergencies are handled Some doctors instruct the parent to take emergencies straight to the emergency room of the local hospital. Others ask you to call their office first and, depending on the nature of the illness or injury, will see your baby in the office or meet you in the ER. Some physicians are available during off-hours, others use colleagues or partners to relieve them. Matters financial Some offices request payment at the time of a visit; others issue bills. Some offices offer a package deal for first-year care that covers any number of visits. Though the package costs more than the sum of fees for the year's scheduled number of checkups, it is usually a good gamble; you will break even with two or three sick visits and come out ahead with more. Insurance reimbursement for sick visits, package deal or no, will be handled according to the terms of your coverage. Payment schedules may be available. If you anticipate needing such an arrangement, discuss this with the office billing person. Style Do you prefer a doctor who is easygoing and informal, rigid and businesslike, or somewhere in between? Are you most comfortable with a physician who expects to have the last word on everything or with doctor who accepts you as a partner and is interested in your opinions? Do you want a doctor who "has all the answers" or are you comfortable with a doctor who is willing to admit "I don't know"? Is the doctor a good listener? Is he or she open to questions with a willingness to respond to them fully and clearly (without becoming defensive)? Does he or she love children? Philosophy Do you and the physician agree on most major issues? Ask the physician about any or all of the following that you consider important-breast feeding/bottle feeding, nutrition, circumcision, antibiotics, vegetarianism, and preventive medicine. To help keep your interview brief and to the point, be prepared. Make notes so you won't forget any pertinent issues you want to discuss. Put your concerns on paper. Take notes while you are with the doctor. And don't hesitate to speak up regarding things that are of importance to you. If you don't reveal to your pediatrician the areas which concern you or in which you feel lost, much of the value of the visit to the pediatrician will be lost. Choosing "Dr. Right" is an investment. In a sense, your baby's doctor becomes an extension of your family. As your child grows, your pediatrician also grows in the knowledge of your child and family and continues to be an integral part of your life. So take this time during your pregnancy to select your baby's healthcare provider wisely. |
What's in a Name? |
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The first, most important, and most lasting gift you bestow on your baby is a name. Researchers have been fascinated by the question of "real" meanings of names and their effects on their bearers. Experts agree that names don't guarantee instant success or doom people to failure, but they do affect self-image and influence relationships with others.
Learn as much about names as you can, and choose a name that will not make your baby wake up every morning on the "wrong side of the crib." Shortly after delivery, you will receive a visit from the birth registrar, who will ask you what name you have selected. There are many reasons it is good to have baby's name selected in advance of your delivery, including:
Before Naming Baby - Things to ConsiderNamesakesExact duplication of a person's name, even if it is followed by Jr. or II, is often confusing. Parents frequently change the middle name of a son who carries his father's first and last names, and then call the son by his middle name. But problems still develop for those who don't know the family. Be sure you choose the name on its own merits, apart from the good feeling you have for the person you're complimenting this way. Gender Some parents feel that a unisex name allows them to pick it with certainty before the baby's sex is known and that such names "type" children in sexual roles and expectations less than traditional boy-girl names do. Others argue that it is unfair and psychologically harmful to require a child to explain which sex he or she is on various forms, school papers, etc. Number of Names A first name may not go with another equally fine middle name and may sound awful with certain surnames. Your surname may be the one fixed part of the equation, so start there. No law requires a person to have three names, though most forms give spaces for a first name, middle initial or name, and last name. Keep your child's lifelong use of the name in mind when you do something unusual; four names are going to cause space problems for your child every time he or she fills out a form. Sounds The combination of letters in a person's name can be easy or hard to say. It is harder to pronounce Pat Fix that Patty Fix. Alliteration, as in Sara Swenson or Tom Temple, is fine, but rhymes like Tyrone Cohn or Alice Palace give wisecrack specialists a field day. Joke names, punning names, and other displays of your wit may be funny on paper-once or twice-but they guarantee double-takes and possible future embarrassment for your child. Rhythms Most naming specialists agree that unequal numbers of syllables create pleasing rhythms. Names like David Whitfield Dodge or Molly Melinda Grooms fit this pattern. When first and last names have equal numbers of syllables, a middle name with a different number creates a nice effect, as in Robert Louis Stevenson or Gail Canova Pons. Single-syllable names can be especially forceful if each name has a rather long sound, as in Mark Twain or Charles Rath. Spelling Unusual spellings may also lead to constant mispronunciation of a child's name, which is bad enough, or to complete avoidance of the name, which can be quite disturbing. In his poem, "Don Juan," Byron writes, "Thrice happy he whose name has been well spelt," and it is true that there is a kind of irritation that you feel when your name is misspelled. So ordinary spellings have the force of common sense behind them. On the other hand, you may get a completely different sense of a name in a new or unusual spelling-for better or worse. If the name Ethel reminds you of Ethel Mertz in the I Love Lucy show, but your mate is crazy about having a daughter with the name, perhaps Ethelle will be a happy substitute. However, some people think it's silly to vary from "traditional" spellings and are prejudiced against any Kaytee, Robinne, Thom or Mari they meet. Popularity There are two kinds of popularity when you talk about names. Standard, traditional names like John and Mary, plus faddish ones like Heather, Dylan, Jennifer, and Joshua, are given to a lot of babies. That kind of popularity is measured in numbers and has its own pros and cons. The other kind of popularity measures the good and bad feelings people have about a name. Most people are prepared to like Lisas and Michaels and to dislike Elmers and Mildreds even before they've met them. Consider both kinds of popularity in choosing a name. Uniqueness There are 50,000 Mary Smiths and an equal number of John Smiths in this country, according to the Social Security Administration. Believe it or not, there is one person named John 5/8 Smith. Common sense says that if you do have a common surname, you would be wise to give your child distinctive first and middle names. But a name that is too unusual may be a disservice to your child. Initials Folk wisdom has it that a person whose initials spell a word-any word-is destined to be successful in life. However, it can be irksome, even embarrassing, to have DUD or HAG stamped on your suitcases and jewelry. So be sure your child's initials spell "pleasant" words--or none at all--to avoid these problems. Nicknames Recently parents have begun giving children nicknames as their legal names, thus locking up the choice in advance. That makes sense if the nickname is common, but remember that Trishas spend a lot of time explaining that they are not Patricias! Beware of giving legal names that might be cute for a child but that could prove embarrassing after childhood. Bertie, Billy, Becky, Robby, or Missy might fit some adults well, but not others. It would probably be safer to give babies the basic forms of these names and let the nicknames come and go with time. If you particularly dislike a certain nickname, like Andy, think twice before calling your son Andrew, because you're sure to hear Andy a lot over the years. Meanings Most people don't know the meaning of their names-first, middle, or last. But most names do have meaning, and you should at least find out what your favorite choices mean before giving them to your child. A name that means something funny or embarrassing probably won't overshadow your child's life, but if you have to choose between two names that are equally attractive to you, meanings may help tip the balance. Choosing a name can be a fun process in which you can involve close friends and family. Make a list of your favorite names. Once that is done, try them for a few weeks and discuss the topic again. You will probably find that you change your mind or come up with new favorites. Start this process now, and you will be sure to have baby's name ready for the birth certificate when he or she arrives. |
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