Exspecting The Unexspected Essay, Research Paper

Expecting the Unexpected

There are many things to expect when a couple has a child. When a couple conceives a child they should know how much commitment is involved. There are the early morning feeds and cleanings, which can frustrate new parents. A person gives up privileges and most of their freedom when the child is born. Also, one of the parents has to stay home or figure out some way to watch and care for their child during the day. The parents make a commitment to the child to support and love that child. A child seeks attention and care from both of the parents. They need nurturing, which provides love, support, attention, and encouragement. They demand interaction, which occurs when a parent plays with a child, and have the child respond.

The next factor is the cost of having a child. Before the baby is even born, the parents have to spend money. They have to pay for prenatal care such as an obstetrician and pediatrician. There are many test, they are optional but are recommended, that should be done to check for illness and birth defects. After the baby is born there are many cost to consider in planning for the baby. Many factors such as housing, clothing, food, educational needs and child care. The total cost, providing care for a child through the age of 15 years old, is between $109,800 to $329,000.

Having a child can have a positive or negative effect on your family life. A child can put stress and frustration on the parents? relationship. Having a tremendous amount of stress on a relationship can cause fighting and arguing between the two people. A way to fix this situation is by setting aside ?parent time.? ?Parent time? is a time set aside, maybe just an hour or two, for the parents to spend time together by themselves. The opposite effect of this situation is that it brings the parents together. It establishes a bond between the child and two parents. Even though it seems to bring the parents together, the parents still should set aside ?parent time.? This will ensure a healthy home life.

There are many warning signs and symptoms of pregnancy. Gaining weight 25-30 pounds, fatigue, nausea, morning sickness which can happen throughout the day, frequent urination, fluid retention, hemorrhoids, heartburn, and leg cramps. These are just a few signs of being pregnant. After you receive news that you are pregnant, go to the doctor for prenatal information. The doctor will give you a pregnancy test and information on delivering a healthy baby. There are many precautions you must be aware of when you are pregnant. Do not smoke, drink alcohol, do illegal drugs, or take medications without a doctor?s approval. Pregnant women who smoke, or are exposed to second hand smoke are at greater risk of delivering a premature or low-birth weight baby. The more alcohol a pregnant women consumes during pregnancy, the greater the risk of having a miscarriage or a severely brain damaged baby. Drinking four or more drinks daily may result in a defect called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Illegal drugs could also cause permanent birth defects. Over the counter prescriptions such as aspirin, decongestants, and some types of vitamin supplements can cause a threat to the developing fetus.

There are many stages in prenatal development. In the first six weeks the head forms and the arms and legs begin to form. In the third month the organs start to develop and the fetus moves up into the pelvic cavity and the mothers? organs are pushed up. In the sixth month the fetus can kick and move. In the eight-month sudden noises disturb the fetus. In the ninth month the fetus drops and weights about seven pounds and is about 20 inches long.

A baby can be born with a number of different birth defects. There are three categories of birth defect genetic, environmental and interaction of genetic and environmental. The genetic defects are passed down from the parents and cannot be prevented. Some Genetic disorders are Cystic Fibrosis, Down syndrome, Hemophilia, Muscular Dystrophy, (PKU) Phenyiketonuria, Sickle Cell Anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, and Thalassemia. The environmental defects are disorders that develop in the womb. Some environmental disorders are Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Rubella Syndrome, and Low-Birth weight and/or being premature. Cerebral Palsy is caused from brain damage before, during, or shortly after birth. Congenital Rubella Syndrome us caused by an infection of the mother with the Rubella Virus (German Measles) during pregnancy. Low-birth weight and/or being Premature may be caused by poor prenatal care (inadequate diet, smoking, etc.) or a medical condition in the mother. The interaction of genetic and environmental defects is cleft lip and/or cleft palate, congenital heart defects, diabetes mellitus, and spina bifida or hydrocephalus. There are many test that can be done will the child is still in the womb. You can get a Maternal Serum Alpha Feto Protein (MSAFP) which is a simple blood test to screen for levels of alpha-fetoprotein, human choric gonadotropin and estriol. An ultrasound can be done to check the fetus?s heart rate, determine fetal age and due date, and to diagnose multiple fetus?s. An Amniocentesis can be performed to determine down syndrome, neural tube defects, and a number of other genetic disorders. Chorionic-Villus Sampling (CVS) is done to detect chromosomal disorders. These tests are costly but most insurance companies cover some of the charge.