The 40-Week Pregnancy Companion: one calm guide, every week
It is 2 a.m., you are nine weeks pregnant, and you have just typed "is it normal" into your phone for the third time tonight. The 40-Week Pregnancy Companion is the answer to that moment: one beautiful, trustworthy book that tells you what is happening this week, what is normal, what to do, and exactly when to call. Every fact comes from ACOG, the CDC, the NHS, NICE, Cleveland Clinic and peer-reviewed studies, with the US and the UK side by side.
What is inside
About 17,000 words in 13 chapters, with 155 tick-box items, "Is this normal? / When to call" boxes through the weeks and a notes space for every single week.
- Welcome. How the book works, and a promise: no judgment about epidurals, caesareans, formula or going back to work.
- How your pregnancy is dated. The 280-day rule with a worked example, why your scan may move your due date (ACOG's redating table), what "early term" and "full term" really mean, and why US and UK trimesters are counted differently. Includes a "My dates" page to fill in.
- Your care at a glance. The full NHS appointment schedule, the typical US prenatal tests, the vaccines offered in each country and when, plus the key numbers on activity, caffeine and weight gain.
- The first trimester, weeks 4 to 13. Your baby's size and development, what you may feel, a to-do checklist, the care that usually falls that week, and a notes box.
- The second trimester, weeks 14 to 27. First movements, the anatomy scan, side-sleeping from 28 weeks and why, telling your employer.
- The third trimester, weeks 28 to 40. Pain relief options, the signs of labour, packing your bag, the car seat, what to expect in the first minutes after birth.
- Trimester checklists. Three printable lists for care, practical planning, comfort and home.
- For your partner. A trimester-by-trimester guide for husbands, wives, co-parents and whoever stands beside a solo mom, with a quick card to keep in their wallet.
- Warning signs. The NHS "9 signs you should not ignore", the CDC urgent maternal warning signs, pre-eclampsia, baby's movements, labour and early pregnancy — with 911, 999, NHS 111, 988 and Samaritans in one table.
- My contacts and my questions. Fill-in pages for every number you need and a running list of questions for appointments.
- Special situations. Twins, pregnancy at 35 and over, IVF and donor conception, pregnancy after a loss, solo parents and every kind of family.
- Glossary. Forty pregnancy words, explained in plain English.
- Bibliography. 45 sources, each opened and checked, with full web addresses and dates.
Who it is for
- You have just seen a positive test and want one source you can trust instead of ten forums.
- This is your first baby and you want to know what happens next, week after week, without being frightened.
- You live in the US or the UK, or you are moving between the two systems: every chapter shows both.
- You are expecting twins, you are over 35, you conceived with IVF, or this pregnancy follows a loss: there is a chapter written with you in mind.
- You want to give a thoughtful gift to someone who has just shared her news.
What it is, and what it is not
This book explains what official guidelines say, clearly and calmly, with pages to fill in. It does not replace your midwife, OB-GYN or doctor, and it contains no diagnosis and no medicine doses. Whenever something needs a professional, it tells you who to call.
Instant PDF, with your name on the cover
Your companion arrives as a PDF the moment your payment goes through, with a personalized cover. Read it on your phone one week at a time, or print the checklists, the "My dates" page, the partner card and the contacts page.
Better together
The 40-Week Pregnancy Companion is part of the Pregnancy Pack ($59), with the Birth Plan & Hospital Bag Kit and three more pregnancy guides, and of The Complete Mamavela Library, every guide from pregnancy to the toddler years ($99).