Pregnancy Week Two

Baby’s Development

Now cleared of last month’s business, your body enters the follicular stage of your cycle. Although it doesn’t even remotely resemble a human, this week your baby steps on the stage in the form of a dominant egg released in the up coming days.

When the menstrual phase ends, an important gland in your brain known as the hypothalamus gets to work. This tiny, but important gland controls your thirst, hunger, sleep cycles, sex drive and endocrine functions. When it comes to your pregnancy, it communicates to your pituitary gland using a chemical known as Follicle Stimulating Release Factor (FSRF). This chemical stimulates your pituitary to release Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Leutinizing Hormone into your blood stream. These hormones cause one or two of the follicle sacs that hold the upwards to 450,000 eggs you were born with to begin to mature.

In turn, the maturing follicles release ever-growing amounts of estrogen into your system. Over the next seven days, the estrogen causes your uterus to get to work thickening and preparing your endometrium to cradle your fertilized egg. The estrogen also readies your cervical mucus to help the transportation of sperm up to the waiting ovum.

The amount of estrogen in your body will continue to rise until your hypothalamus feels it’s sufficient and communicates with the pituitary gland to release a heavy dose of Leutinizing Hormone. When this burst of LH hits the maturing follicles, the most dominant follicle bursts and your future baby (in its most primitive form, of course) is released and begins its journey to conception.

Your body and emotions

Now that your period is over, you’ll probably be carefully monitoring your body to determine when you are the most fertile. Beyond the daily charting of your basal body temperature, one of the best ways to tell when you are fertile is by paying close attention to your body. Your cervical mucus is an excellent indicator of when you are ovulating. When it becomes clear and stretchy like egg whites, you are ready to conceive! Some women also experience what is known as ‘middleschmertz’, which translates to ‘middle pain’. A dull ache on one side of the pelvis is generally a good indicator that you are mid cycle and your egg is preparing to descend. Nature will give you an extra hand by boosting your sex drive at this time too. Take advantage of it!

Some couples will be so impatient to conceive that they will have sex daily thinking that this will naturally boost their chances. Although this is certainly fun and a good way to not miss your fertile time, the potency and mobility of sperm can be affected by this increased activity. Studies have shown that the best period of time between ejaculations is two to three days. This short period of abstinence increases the amount and power of the sperm and helps to increase your chances of conception. Understanding when you ovulate can allow you to orchestrate your encounters and make your dream of pregnancy happen sooner.

Dad’s Tips

Now that her period is over, it’s time for the two of you to get busy. You might want to cut down on any ‘unnecessary’ ejaculation these next couple of weeks, as you’ll want to build up your sperm potency for actual intercourse.
Beyond cutting back on your Internet ‘me time’ you can also try the following to ensure that your sperm is in good condition.
Avoid hot tubs
Switch to boxers 
Keep your laptop off your lap (electromagnetic waves…think cell phones…)
Switch to jogging instead of biking
Your testicles hang away from your body for a reason. Your sperm is heat and pressure sensitive and you need to keep everything as ventilated and comfortable as possible in the next few days.