Okay, I get the whole counting weeks from two weeks before you were ever pregnant, but I don't get the month thing.
On the one hand, when I hit 5 weeks or so I'm one month pregnant; 10 = two months, and so on. Right now I'm 24 weeks, so I'm five months pregnant. On the other hand, at some point people start talking about being X months pregnant when they mean being in the Xth month -- as if I were to say I was SIX months pregnant because I'm halfway through my sixth month. I don't think this starts until later on, however. People definitely talk about being nine months pregnant, which really means eight, because once they were nine months pregnant they'd be overdue.
So at what point does one switch from counting months completed to counting months begun?
Oh I don't understand this either. I always say I'm in my Xth month. I just started my 8th month, so to me that means I'm 7 months because that's what I've completed, but of course I say I'm in my 8th month. Two reasons:
1.That's just how people say it.
2. It makes me feel closer to my goal.
LOL I believe every woman asked this same question. When people ask how far along I am, depending on who they are, for example if I know they just had a baby or something I say...(we will go with what I am right now) "29 weeks". But if I know the weeks thing will just confuse them, I say what that amount of weeks would add up to in the real world lol. So I would say " Almost 7 1/2 months." Since 28 weeks = 7 months to most people. and so on and so on. But I think once I hit 9 months I'll stop with the 1/2 months since 9 and 1/2 months sounds crazy to most people. So technically pregnancy is 10 months which = to 9 full months or 40 weeks. lol I'm no help. But maybe now you'll know how to answer " How far along are you?" without sitting there with a blank look on your face, looking dumb like you forgot. Although with the way pregnancy makes you forget things people will probably understand. lol
You can say that you are in the Xth month, until you complete that month, then you are X months pregnant. Like once a baby completes her first year, she is one year old, but has just started her second year. We can either say correctly, the child is one year old, or that she is in her second year. Either is correct. If you are 24 weeks pregnant, you are five months (and a couple of weeks) pregnant, or in your sixth month. Just tell people that you are 5 months pregnant until you complete your sixth month.
Not true. At five weeks, you are 2 months pregnant. Well, you are in your second month anyway. The second month ends at 8 weeks, with your third starting at 9 weeks.
This, to me, is where it gets confusing. Month three is 9 to 13 weeks... well all of sudden the weeks went from 4 weeks each, to 5? Why? Then in month four we're back to it being only 4 weeks (from 14-17). Then 5 weeks again in the fifth and sixth month. And again a switch for months seven, eight, and nine being only 4 weeks.
*Sighs* I guess this is why we go by weeks??? Hahaha
You're right, in theory, and that's what I've been doing because that's what seems logical. But it is NOT what everyone does. If it were, few people would ever be "nine months pregnant," and when they were, it wouldn't be for long. However illogical, there comes a point (around 7.5 months, I think) when women switch from being 7 months pregnant until they're 8 months pregnant to being 8 months pregnant until they actually hit 8 months at which point they're 9 months pregnant. Or maybe they switch in the middle of each month -- 7.5-8.5 = 8 months, 8.5-birth=9 months. I don't know the mechanics -- that's what I was asking about. But the phenomenon definitely exists.
Prisms --
The reason some months are measured in 4 weeks and some in 5 is that a calendar month is not composed of round weeks (except February when it's not a leap year) -- there are usually two or three days left over. Because it's easier to measure months in round weeks than to say you go to two months at 4w2d (which also wouldn't work, because some would be 3d), they arbitrarily pick which months to assign 4 weeks to and which 5. Of course, different pregnancy calendars will choose different months, just for fun. Personally, I measure based on my due date -- I'm due the 15th of November, so the 15th of August I will be 6 months along. I know it doesn't quite mesh with ANY of the calendars you'll find, but it makes much more sense to me.
The term "month" varies... do you mean "calendar months" or "lunar months"?
Calendar months -- it takes 9 calendar months to gestate a baby. Calendar months are typically 30 or 31 days.
Lunar months -- it takes 10 lunar months to gestate a baby. Lunar months are 28 days.
Doctors use lunar months and/or weeks to count by, and they start from the first day of your last period. Which means you are 2 weeks pregnant before you've even conceived. It's just the medical shorthand to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Right now I'm 22w5d. When people ask how far along I am, I say "5 1/2 months." As someone else said, if the person has recently had a child, I will use the # of weeks instead.
In my different week-by-week books they always refer to the week coming up (for me, my 23rd week) so I know what to expect this week.
The same goes for me. I am 23w/2d. When people ask how far along I am, I say 5 1/2 months. When I have completed a full 24 weeks, then I will be 6 months. But what gets me is that at 9 months, you are really 9x4=36 weeks? So does that mean at 40 weeks you are really 10 months pregnant?? LOL. Whatever!!! LOL!!!
All I know is I'm 20 weaks to me 5 months and when I'm 24 I'm 6 28 7 32 8 36 9 and really 40 is 10 months! wow I really have a while to go at least I'm 20 weeks half way there
bxr35 and xinerevelle - both very interesting posts/points.
I think there should be some universal guide to this. I'm just glad to be at 36 weeks. When people ask how far along I am I just respond with, "I'm due at the end of the month." Much easier.
Lunar months are actually closer to 28.5 days, such that every other lunar month in a lunar calendar is counted as having 29 days. That introduces a similar, though smaller scale, inconsistency as the 30/31 day months. That inconsistency combined with the fact that Americans think of pregnancy as nine months long makes me just go by calendar months. But I suppose the lunar month could explain why people are "nine months" pregnant for a few weeks.
Incidentally, Jewish tradition also counts pregnancy as being nine months, even though it follows a lunar calendar. The reason is that gestation is actually only 38 weeks long, and nine lunar months will get you to 37 weeks, so pregnancy is really just a little over nine lunar months.
This conversation is making me crazy All I know is we're pregnant for about 40 weeks (if you include the first 2 weeks that you're not actually pregnant). If you break it down into 4 week months you are pregnant for 10 months. That's why people always say you're pregnant for 9 months, but really 10. And then you're like....wait...is it 9 or 10??
BXR-My mom doesn't understand the need for all this confusion either. She counts it the way you do. I'm due Sept. 26th, so she considers me to start my 8th month on July 26th. I like this way of thinking since if I go by the books I have to wait another week to start my 8th month and it just makes my due date seem further away.
