Mommy Blog 11/15

Today was the third day having a baby. Each day seems to be getting harder and harder having to carry to the baby around. Being at my locker and having the baby in the other arm just makes it more difficult to do anything else. Having to carry the baby around all day starts to make my arm hurt after a while. Doing this project makes me realize how much responsibilty there is when you have a baby.

Mommy Blog, 11/14

Today was the second day having to carry a baby around. Having the responsible of carrying the baby has showed me to respect thing better and is making me more responsible. Before i could carry stuff in both hands now i have to go through the trouble of grabbing and doing things with only one hand because the baby is being held in the other hand. Carrying around the baby has been really tiring and starts to get heavy after holding it so long. Having to carry the baby made me realize how much work it is to have a child.

Mommy Blog, 11/11

Today was my first day being a mother and having to carry around a real baby. I am really excited to have a baby girl but there are also some big responsiblities tat come with having this baby. It was really hard to have to carry the baby around all day. The baby would fell like it was getting heavier and it would make it harder to carry. Having to carry the baby meant only one arm was free to use, so when you had to carry something it was harder with only one hand. you could never really put the baby down so it was hard to do anything else with only one arm to use.  Carrying this baby around made me notice all of the problems that come with having a baby.

Day 5

Life Card- Some of the mothers blood work has come back suspicious.. what might be wrong?

       Second trimester prenatal screening may include several blood tests, called multiple markers.  These markers provide information about a woman's risk of having a baby with certain genetic conditions or birth defects. Screening is usually performed by taking a sample of the mother's blood between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy (16th to 18th is ideal). The multiple markers include:

• An alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) blood test checks the level of AFP in a pregnant woman's blood. AFP is a substance made in the liver of an unborn baby. The amount of AFP in the blood of a pregnant woman can help see whether the baby may have such problems as spina bifida and anencephaly.
• Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test that involves taking a sample of some of the placental tissue. This tissue contains the same genetic material as the fetus and can be tested for chromosomal abnormalities and some other genetic problems.
• An amniocentesis is a procedure used to obtain a small sample of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus to diagnose chromosomal disorders and open neural tube defects (ONTDs) such as spina bifida. There is a small risk of miscarriage associated with amniocentesis which must be balanced with the risk of an abnormality and the patient’s desires.

Time Line

 

Week 17:  Your baby, now about in its 15th week of development, measures about 4.4 to 4.8 inches from crown to rump and has doubled in weight in the last two weeks to about 3.5 ounces. Fat begins to form, helping your baby's heat production and metabolism. The lungs are beginning to exhale amniotic fluid, and the circulatory and urinary systems are working. Hair on head, eyebrows and eyelashes is filling in. 

Week 18:  Your baby measures 5 to 5.6 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 5.25 ounces. The rapid growth spurt is tapering off, but reflexes are kicking in. It can yawn, stretch and make facial expressions, even frown. Taste buds are beginning to develop and can distinguish sweet from bitter tastes. The baby will suck if its lips are stroked and it can swallow, and even get the hiccups. The retinas have become sensitive to light, so if a bright light is shined on your abdomen, baby will probably move to shield its eyes.   

Week 19:  Your baby measures about 5.2 to 6 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces. Skin is developing and transparent, appearing red because blood vessels are visible through it. Creamy white protective coating, called vernix, begins to develop.

Week 20:  The fetus measures about 5.6 to 6.4 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 9 ounces. Your baby can hear sounds by now -- your voice, heart and your stomach growling, as well as sounds outside your body. It will cover its ears with its hands if a loud sound is made near you, and it may even become startled and "jump." The baby is moving often, too -- twisting, turning, wiggling, punching and kicking.

Week 21:  Your baby measures about 7.2 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 10.5 ounces. The fetus is steadily gaining fat to keep warm. Growth rate is slowing down but organ systems, like digestion, are continuing to mature. A waxy film, called the vernix caseosa, is being produced by your baby's oil glands and covers the skin to keep it supple in the amniotic fluid. Buds for permanent teeth are beginning to form.

Week 22:  Your baby measures about 7.6 inches and weighs about 12.3 ounces. The muscles are getting stronger every week now, and the eyelids and eyebrows are developed. Your baby's acrobatics are pretty constant, and since he responds to sound, rhythm and melody, you can try singing and talking to him. After he's born, the same sounds will soothe him.  

Week 23:  Your baby is about 8 inches from crown to rump and weighs almost 1 pound. The body is becoming proportioned more like a newborn, but skin is still wrinkled because your baby still has more weight to gain. Lanugo hair on the body sometimes turns darker. 

Week 24:  Your baby, now about in its 22nd week of development, is 8.4 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 1.2 pounds. It is starting to produce white blood cells, mostly for combating disease and infection, and may respond to your touch or sounds. If you haven't felt hiccups yet, you might feel some jerking motion now.

Day 4

New Life Card- Husband  got a new job at the nuclear power plant. What are the affects in the Mom and Baby? The radiation and the radioactive waves can be exposed to the husband at the plant and then bring them home and expose them to the rest of the family. The baby when exposed to the radiation, can cause harmful health effects.

Time Line
 
Week 8: Your baby will be about 8-11 mm CR by the end of the week. The baby's hind brain is clearly visible. This week the baby's gonads will become either testes or ovaries. Movemwnt begins to occur. Bones and joints this week have many things going on. Elbows appear and the process of ossification (hardening of the bones) begins.
Week 9: We have elbows! Your baby is now approximately 13-17 mm crown to rump length, or about 0.51 - 0.66 inches. S/he also weighs in at 1 gram! Toe rays are present as the toes begin to form. Gonads have become testes (for boys) or ovaries (for girls). Baby will move away if touched through the uterine wall, and can spontaneously move as well. Ossification (hardening) of the bones may begin.
Week 10:  The baby now enters its fetal period. The average size is approximately 27-35 mm crown to rump length (CRL), or 1.06-1.38 inches. S/he weighs in at 4 grams, or 4 paper clips. Tiny toes have formed. The eyes are largely open, but the eyelids are beginning to fuse, and will stay that way until
25-27 weeks. External genitalia is beginning to differentiate. External ears are formed, as is the upper lip.
Week 11: If you have seen pictures of baby at this stage you will notice that the head is about 1/2 of the body size. This will change as the baby grows. The iris will begin to develop this week and finger nails appear! Your baby weighs about 7 grams.
Week 12: While your baby's brain is not the same size it will be at birth, it does have the same structure. Bile is being secreted by this time. S/he weighs about 14 grams and is approximately 3.54 inches in total length.
Your baby has its reflexes and also practice movements in the digestive tract.
Week 13: There are a lot of things going on this week! All twenty teeth have formed and are waiting. Your baby approximately weighs in at 1 ounce (28.3 grams). Consider that the placenta weighs about an ounce now as well.
Week 14: The baby is now about 12.5 cms or 4.92 inches. Your baby is now producing urine and actually urinating into the amniotic fluid. It also can practice "breathing" the amniotic fluid in and out of its lungs.
Week 15: Your baby may have developed the habit of sucking his or her thumb! The skin is very thin and you can see the blood vessels clearly underneath.Your baby is about 70 grams. The scalp hair pattern is developing. And the heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day. This will increase to about 300 at term.
Week 16: Your baby's nails are well formed, and some babies are even in need of having their nails trimmed at birth. The ears have also moved from the neck to the head. Your baby is emptying his or her bladder every 40-45 minutes. The limb movements are becoming more coordinated. Your baby is about 3 ounces (85 grams) and 6.3 inches (16 cms).

Cell Differentation

What is the differentiation of cells?
Cell differentiation is a process in which a generic cell develops into a specific type of cell in response to specific triggers from the body or the cell itself. This is the process which allows a single celled zygote to develop into a multicellular adult organism which can contain hundreds of different types of cells. In addition to being critical to embryonic development, cell differentiation also plays a role in the function of many organisms, especially complex mammals, throughout their lives.

The steps involved in differentiation:  

 1. The Morula Stage

2. The Blastula Stage

3. The Gastrula Stage

4. The Neurula Stage

The germ layers and the systems formed from them:

Endoderm- The endoderm forms the epithelial lining of the whole of the digestive tube except part of the mouth and pharynx and the terminal part of the rectum.

Mesoderm- The mesoderm forms the skeletal muscle, the skeleton, the dermis of skin, connective tissue, the urogenital system, the heart, blood, and the spleen.

Ectoderm- The ectoderm forms the central nervous system, the lens of the eye, cranial and sensory, the ganglia and nerves, pigment cells, head connective tissues, the epidermis, hair, and mammary glands. 

Bonus Question

The Bonus Question:
Answer: Morula

Day 3

Life Card
The life card that Jaden and i chose was a baby girl. There arent any fears in having a baby girl except Jaden wanted a baby boy. I am excited to have a girl because i want to decorate the room and get clothes. I would have rather had a boy because they are usually easier to take care of.

Miscarriage
The people that chose the life card miscarrying or never was pregant, there are different options they can have. They can do an adoption, artificial insemination or having a sperm donor.

Day 2

Development from 4-8 Weeks
Embryo inside is about 3/8" and weighs less than 1 gram.
Outpouching from anterior brain - early eyes - limb buds of arms and legs
Nose and lips formation begins.
Brain is developed into 5 components and lumen of spinal cord is continuous with brain vesicles allowing free cerebral spinal fluid flow.
Major organs begin development.
Now about size of hen's egg.
Embryo is 1" long and about 4 grams.
Hands and feet are seen.
Baby is extremely reactive to its environment.
Male sex hormone (testosterone) produced by testes
Masculine development in males - no change in females.


Changing of Mother
At 8 weeks pregnant the mother can have their first antenatal check-up which will take place either at the GP's surgery or at the hospital where the mother plans to give birth.
Pregnancy hormones have flooded the mothers system at 8 weeks pregnant and the mother may be experiencing full-blown morning sickness. The mothers uterus is now the size of an orange and the mother may feel some cramping.

Odds of Having Twins or Triplets
Twins: 1.2 per 100 live births
Triplets occur 1 per 6,889 births

Twinning rate increases in women over 35. Obesity is also a factor for twinning. Black women have the highest rate of twins while Asian women have the lowest.

Doctor/Midwife or Home Birth?

One of the best ways to decide is to find a practice that has both midwives and doctors. Many facilities will allow you to rotate between doctor and midwife until you decide your preference for delivery. Perhaps the biggest reason women choose a midwife over a doctor is the difference in approach to labor. Generally speaking, doctors are present only for the actual delivery of the baby and periodic checks through labor. Midwives are typically present through the duration of labor and childbirth. Choosing between a doctor and a midwife is a very personal decision. It may help to write down your goals for pregnancy and delivery and see which model of care your goals for pregnancy fall into.

A home birth is a decision that the parents have to deciede for themselves, there are some risks and benefits that come to a home birth.

Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

1. Eat five or six well-balanced meals each day.

2. Take a prenatal vitamin each day as directed by your obstetrician.

3. Drink plenty of fluids, at least eight to ten glasses a day, avoiding caffeine and artificial coloring.

4. Don't drink alcohol.

5. Don't smoke or allow yourself to be exposed to second-hand smoke.

6. Exercise--it's important for your general health, and also to reduce stress. Take a pregnancy exercise class or walk at least 15 to 20 minutes every day at a moderate pace. Walk in cool, shaded areas or indoors in order to prevent overheating.

7. Get adequate sleep--at least eight hours a night. If you're suffering from sleep disturbances, take naps during the day and see your physician for advice.

8. Wear comfortable, non-restricting shoes and put your feet up several times a day to prevent fatigue and swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles.

9. Continue to wear a safety belt while riding in motor vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the shoulder portion of the restraint should be positioned over the collar bone. The lap portion should be placed under the abdomen as low as possible on the hips and across the upper thighs, never above the abdomen. Also, pregnant women should sit as far from the air bag as possible.

10. Don't take over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies without first consulting your obstetrician

Day 1

Fertilization till 4 weeks :
The egg is fertilized and the cells multiply to 23 from mom and 23 from dad, three days after conception the zygote now consists of 16 cells and is called a 16 cell morula. It has normally reached the junction of the fallopian tube and the uterus. 5 days after conception a cavity appears in the center of the morula.


5–7 days after fertilization, the blastula attaches to the wall of the uterus (endometrium). When it comes into contact with the endometrium it performs implantation. Implantation connections between the mother and the embryo will begin to form, including the umbilical cord. The embryo's growth centers around an axis, which will become the spine and spinal cord. The brain, spinal cord, heart, and gastrointestinal tract begin to form.

The baby is about 0.014 inches to 0.04 inches in length. The embryo, probably in about its second week of development, has multiplied to about 150 cells. Your baby is being nourished by secretions from the uterine lining. Layers of cells already are specialized according to functions. The outer layer will become the nervous system, skin and hair; the inner layer will be the breathing and digestive organs; and the middle layer will become the skeleton, bones, cartilage, muscles, circulatory system, kidneys, and sex organs.


Description Of Mother and Father :

Many women say that everything is so new, so exciting, and so overwhelming all at once. After about two weeks of fertilization your mennstural cycle ends. During this period there is alot of stress, between partner, family and even the baby. The mother starts thinking about rooms for the baby, names and even clothes and all those fun things involved. Also people that have money problems are also concerned by how they will be able to raise the baby. During this time the women dont show major symptons yet because it is to early but her stomach will progressively get bigger day by day and have more symptoms.


The father also go through some changes. They start to always worry about the baby and his partner, is concerned with how he will raise the baby and emotional changes. Most men become more senstitve and caring, they also feel really protective. He is also happy that he is going to be a dad and be able to call is child his son or daughter.


Changes :
Some things that the parents should be thinking about is how they plan on raising for it, how they will afford insurance and the materials the baby needs also if the place they are living in is safe enough for the new born. A big thing the parents should think about if they were not ready for the baby is if they are really ready for the baby, if they cant afford the baby then they should think about adoption or ways to afford the new born. They should also begin to think about names of the child, both boy and girls names. Also any drugs and smoking should be stopped or that might cause a defect for the baby and long term changes. It will just be worse for the child if the parents keep on smoking, drinking or doing drugs while being pregant, exspecially the mother. The mother should also begin to start excercising and eating balanced meals.

Position Paper # 2

“Should there be government regulations to protect the environment from genetically engineered crops?”

 

    All applications of genetic engineering should be banned that carry the risk of accidental or intentional release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. If there is no regulation to protect the environment from genetically engineered crops, our environment will worsen. Plants, animals and resources will die for no reason because of the crops. If animals and plants start to die then there will be an interruption in the food chain. In the long run people will start to die because there will be no animals and plants to feed off of.

    The process of genetic engineering can thus introduce dangerous new allergens and toxins into foods that were previously naturally safe. Another defect is that there will be an increase in pollluntion for food and water supply. More than 50% of the crops developed by biotechnology companies have been engineered to be resistant to herbicides There is also serious concern about the dangers of using genetically engineered viruses as delivery vehicles in the generation of transgenic plants and animals. Transferring animal genes into plants raises important ethical issues for vegetarians and religious groups. It may also involve animal experiments which are unacceptable. When new genetic information is introduced into plants, bacteria, insects or other animals, it can easily be passed into related organisms, through processes such as cross pollination. This process has already created "super weeds". Existing species can also be displaced from the ecosystem with disastrous effects, as happened with genetically modified Klebsiella soil bacteria.

     There are many different risks the genetic engineered food that can cause our environment. The genetically engineered crops are just hurting the environment and causes a risk to the other plants, animals and even ourselves.

Position Paper # 1

“Should there be government regulations requiring genetically engineered foods to be labeled?”

   

    When people go to the grocery store and want to buy tomatoes for example, they should know if it a genetically modified or not. There are different types of genetically altering and different amounts of it, so the consumers buying the food should know.

    There are also a lot of risks of not labeling. The problems caused by lack of labeling of genetic engineering foods fall into three categories: health hazards, religious concerns, and ethical concerns. There is also a wide range of religious concerns, for example Jews who keep kosher food laws want to be able to make sure that genetically engineered foods do not violate their restrictions. Proven health hazards from genetically engineered foods already mentioned include the production of carcinogens, a rise in level of toxins, resistance to antibiotics, and allergic reactions. Many people who are not formally religious also have serious ethical problems, too much of the genetic engineering research and development that is currently going on and wish to avoid genetically engineered foods for that reason. Without labeling they have no way of avoiding them. Lack of labeling of genetically engineered foods shows an obvious disregard for the rights of citizens in a free society. The overwhelming numbers of people naturally want to know what is in the food they are buying. Labeling for all kinds of ingredients is already required. In many cases the need for labeling of certain kinds of ingredients is not as urgent as for labeling of genetically engineered foods. You cannot identify genetically engineered food just by looking at it. Without labeling citizens are denied what should be their fundamental right.

     There is a need for labeling genetically engineered foods for many reasons. There are many risks that involve not labeling and the consumers don’t want to be in risk. The government should regulate that all genetically engineered foods should always be labeled.

Conclusion

Are genetically engineered foods facts or fiction, friend or foe?
        - Fiction and Foe

Would you eat genetically engineered foods now?
       - No, because i know how bad they are to the environment.

Do you now know where to find them in the grocery store?
       - You can find them where soybeans and corn is contained in the foods. The labels will say if the food is genetically engineered.

Should they be labeled?
      - Yes because the pople should know what they are eating.

Do they harm the environment?
       - Yes because they are a risk to the animals and can give more plants fungi.

Are they 'Frankenstein' foods or the new foods of the 21st century?
        - Frankenstein food

Task #2

1.) Whether genetically engineered foods need to be labled and if so what should be listed on that label?
            - Yes, because people should know what they are eating and what should be in there food. The labels should have the materials in the food, the nutrition facts, where they make the foods and how they make them.

2.) Whether genetically engineered foods are a hazard to the environment and if so, should they only be allowed under strict government regulation? If stricter govenment regulations are needed, then what should be listed in these regulations?
           -  Genetically engineered foods are a hazard to the environment because they are a risk to the environment and give the plants more fungi. Produceing these foods will just hurt us in the long run. Yes, they should be allowed under strict government regulation. These regulations should consist of that if these foods are hazardness to the environment then they should be not aloud to be produced. The environment is more important then having these foods because the environment is all around us and we live in it and want it to be the best for us.

Consumer Advocates

All the consumer advocates saw that all consumers should should know what is in the genetic engineered food, what the food is, and how they make the food. We all discussed the benefits and the risks of the genetic engineered foods. The benefits are that they can be used for vaccines and medicines, they are more nutritous, easier and faster to make so therefore it reduces cost and is able to make more. The genetic engineered foods are known to have a better taste and reduce the need for toxic chemicals. Some risks are the lack of long term studies on food study and environmental impact. The major down side to it is that what they use and how they make the foods are a risk to animals and give more plants fungi. We felt that the genetic enngineered foods are too risky for our environent so they shouldnt be sold. If they do decide to produce these foods then they should defiantly label the foods so the people know what they are eating.

"What the consumer needs to know about genetically engineered foods?"

Consumers Commonly Asked Questions:

1.) What should the consumer know about genetically engineered foods?
     - Consumer should know what gentically engineered foods are and the benefits and risks of the food. Gentically engineered foods are foods produced from Genetically Modified Organisms that have had their DNA altered through genetic engineering.

2.) What are the benefits of genetically engineered foods from the consumer's perspective?
      - The two most beneficial things about GMF are that they make healthful foods even more nutritious and they reduce the need for toxic chemicals. GMF are being created to fight off bugs without having to spray pesticides that may cause harm to the environment. (GMF means Genetically Modified Food)

3.) What are the risks of genetically engineered foods from the consumer's perspective?
      - The main problem with genetically modified foods is that they are often recalled, and can be unsafe for human health.

4.) Do these benefits outweigh the risks and why?
       - No, Genetically modified foods can cause harmful effects such as an allergic reaction. This would happen because in the genetic combining process, the manufacturers could add a protein to the food that can cause an allergic reaction that wouldn't be caused in the non-genetically modified version.

5.) Should genetically engineered foods be labeled?
       - Yes, GMF should be labeled because it is the consumer's choice if they wish to eat GMF. GMF can cause possible harm so the consumer should be aware of that. A new law passed by congress will require foods to be labeled as of the summer of 2008.

Introduction Question #3

3.) What are the potential benefits of genetically engineered foods overall?

• Reduced use of pesticides
• Reduced use of herbicides
• Reduced use of fertilizers
• Enhanced nutrition
• Drought resistance
• Better appearance
• Longer shelf-life
• Better flavor
• Temperature resistance
• Disease resistance
• Increase in food supply.  Decrease in world hunger.

http://www.mcvitamins.com/genetically_engineered_foods.htm