For many women, the fourth month of pregnancy brings a real lift — a surge of energy and well-being, a new beginning. Really acclimated (at last) to your new condition, and not yet dealing with the big bulge and bulk of the later months, your body feels capable again. If you haven't already gotten into looser clothing, this is definitely the time. It feels really good to wear clothes that let you enjoy your new shape and the energy you've regained. Some women, particularly those who have already had a child, begin to feel the baby's movement toward the end of this month and/or experience their first real feeling of communication with the baby. This Month For Your Baby The more fully formed baby-within shown in our main photograph for this month has obviously come a long way from the stage we illustrated last month. One reason is that more than six weeks have elapsed between the stages shown in the two photographs. An almost incredible rate and amount of differentiation and detailing in the baby has happened over this time. But another reason, as you take a second look, is that the baby's head and body are getting nearer the relative proportions they will have at birth. As advanced as the baby is at this time, an equal marvel in her or his development is the placenta that has developed within your womb to sustain the baby's life. About the same size as the baby right now, the placenta is a wondrous work of nature that performs functions analogous to those of adult lungs, kidneys, intestines, liver, and some glands. It also makes substances that can combat infections. The baby is connected to the placenta through her or his umbilical cord, which circulates the used blood from the circulatory system back to you to turned. The baby's blood is independent of yours (and her or his heart is beating at an unsynchronized rate that's twice yours), but the new one's blood depends for its nourishment and renewal on its travel through and exchange with your entire support system as embodied in the placenta. And the substances — good and not-so-good — it receives there are a result of what you have taken in to nourish yourself. The rate of activity in the umbilical cord is tremendous, like that of a garden hose turned up quite a way, and your baby's blood makes a complete circuit (through the placenta and her or his own body) in thirty seconds. With developed neck muscles, your baby can now hold her or his head upright in the buoyancy of the fluid environment. So much stronger than last month, thanks to growth and exercise (the baby is twice as big and four times heavier than last month and reaches half the height he or she will be at birth) your baby is ready, by the end of the month, to make his or her presence clear with the fluttering kicks you will be feeling before long. "My advice? Keep a journal. Write your feelings and thoughts." Being In Nature. . . ...around plants, in fresh air and natural light, is a way of getting in touch with the life processes of which your pregnancy and your self are so natural a part. In a busy life — in houses, stores, offices, or on the streets or highways — the man-made rhythms often block the subtler rhythms of life. If you live in a city or town, get out in the country now and then, or at least go to the park or spend some time in a garden. It can help you sort out your feelings and experience the peacefulness that's your birthright. And both the internal you that your baby experiences and the impressions she or he receives from the outside world can improve with exposure to the gentler and more expansive sights, sounds, and patterns of the earth. Wherever you are at a particular moment, just getting out and under the sky can energize you, give your spirits a lift, and improve things a bit for your baby. But getting your feet off the pavement can do still more. And getting the natural exercise of walking on uneven, unpaved ground can help your body get out of routines that limit its range and provoke the same old thoughts and moods. But you don't have to be active in nature. Just going to the park to lie down once in a while instead of resting at home can be renewing. Pregnancy Can Make You Glow (Or Break Out) If you've been eating well, and getting and giving yourself good attention, the swelling outward of your belly will probably be accompanied by a radiant look about you. Many husbands find that their wives have never looked better than at this time. But since your body is also involved right now with the job of eliminating toxins that may affect your baby, and since your hormones are going through lots of changes, it's also not uncommon to break out or look a little taxed. The more uneven your diet was before pregnancy, the more likely these symptoms are. If you pay attention now to your nourishment and to getting rest, your basic health and well-being are going to shine through. Remember, pregnancy is not some school-style test of how you measure up against the "average" or the "best." It's your time, to experience in your way. Feel good about yourself. Take time to welcome the amazing transformation you are going through and let it become you. Squatting. . . ...can be really good for you. If you're picking things up (all the spilled silverware), looking for a book on the bottom shelf, or talking to a friend's baby in a stroller, try doing it in a squat. It may be hard at first (particularly on your ankles), but it's an especially healthy position for a mom-to-be, and you get stronger at it the more you do it. It's another natural way of strengthening your perineum to avoid tearing or needing an episiotomy during childbirth. It's worth remembering that in many native cultures around the world, the squatting position is the standard sitting position. Squatting (and sitting cross-legged or on our heels on the floor) can give us back some of the agility that our use of chairs tends to rob us of. Going For A Walk. . . ...is a natural stimulant and a great way to enhance your body's balance and tone. It gets everything going, and helps you experience your physicality in a gentle way that doesn't demand more than you really have to give. A daily (or pretty regular) walk can help your body respond to the slow but continual changes of pregnancy. Remember, you don't have to have a destination or errand. Just getting out and into pleasant motion is enough of a purpose. The appreciation it can give you of simply being is great preparation for enjoying a new life. "I feel the best advice is to get out for a 45 minute walk 5 days a week and go to every class pertinent to the situation of birthing. Be Prepared!, as the boy scouts say. Being informed and asking questions makes the whole experience that much better." In Goes The Good Air, Out Goes The Bad Pregnancy is a good time to start enjoying and using something you've probably taken for granted and ignored most of your life: the simple act of breathing. You can enjoy some deep breaths of good air in the same way as you enjoy a long, cool drink of water. Giving a little time to focus on your breathing can be a good way to relax and get to know your body better. Don't get intense about it and hyperventilate; the idea is just to sit or lie back and enjoy. Besides giving you and your baby the benefits of good oxygen flow, it's a good habit to get into to help you through times of stress ranging from the unexpected pressures of everyday life to labor itself. "As precious as the gift of a child is, I would say enjoy your time alone and as a couple. Once the baby is born, life changes in so many ways and especially if you are at home with the baby. Your time is never really yours again. Enjoy your pregnancy and let yourself be pampered, loved and cherished! " A Surprising Fact If you are drawn to some of the aspects of having midwives deliver your baby, but are concerned about the relative safety of that compared to a conventional birth, it's worth knowing that studies indicate that midwife-assisted births are actually safer. In one recent experiment in New York City, for instance, in which midwives handled 79% of the births in a hospital located in a high poverty area, with many of the mothers in the very-high-risk category because of their poor diets and general health, the infant death rate was only 4.9 per thousand as compared to the 11.2 per thousand national average for all (mainly hospital) births. Other studies consistently give midwives a statistical edge. Fourth Month Year Of Birth Contents | Third Month | Fifth Month Intro From The Beginning Home Page All contents copyright © 1991 by Crystal Press. Used by permission of authors. Neither text nor illustrations may be reproduced in any form, in print or on the Intenet, without permission in writing from the authors, John Milder and Candie Snow, who may be e-mailed at taimilder@yahoo.com. You may also contact us at that address to purchase copies of Year of Birth.