Sarah and Mike were high school sweethearts and very much in love.

In Sarah's senior year, she moved in with Mike while she finished High School. After graduation they got married and Sarah started community college while Mike worked in construction providing a comfortable income. Sarah was ! years old and Mike was "# years old, they were young but doing well. Sarah and Mike are $aucasian Americans living in $alifornia in a small town they both grew up in. %hey had a lot of support around them. A lot of family as well as many friends. Sarah is healthy, with no health issues as well as Mike. &oth are pretty healthy and pretty happy as they live each day to the fullest. 'hen Sarah found out she was pregnant she really could not believe her eyes, so she took another test. 'hen she reali(ed she was really pregnant she told Mike and they both became very e)cited. %hey called family and friends and told them the news. *f course they were nervous but who isn't+ %hey were pregnant and successfully became pregnant on their own. I want to introduce you to Seth, this is the person I will be fully describing in my paper. Seth is the baby in Sarah's stomach that will grow into a little human. At the beginning of conception we have the gestational stage. ,ot until about two weeks after does the organism become an embryo. At this time Sarah is unaware she is pregnant, because the implantation stage must take place first. - &erger, "##!, $h. , page ./ 0 *nce the organism implants Sarah notices changes in her body the most common is a missed menstrual cycle. Sarah is somewhat worried, nervous and e)cited about the future with her baby. As Sarah progressed in her pregnancy she starts to read books about her developing embryo. She is fascinated at what she learns and the pictures she see's in books. 1or e)ample she reads that at 2ust four weeks the head begins to take shape, along with mouth, eye's and ears. &y five weeks little buds appear where the arms and legs emerge. - &erger, "##!, $h. , page 3# 0 Sarah makes sure to find a *&45, immediately after she finds out this e)citing news. Her first visit is e)citing, the 6octor confirms her pregnancy and wants Sarah to start taking pre7natal vitimins to ensure the baby has all the nutrision it needs. *ne thing that the vitamin has that is needed is folic acid and an essential part of a prenatal diet is vitamin A, however to much can cause abnormalities. - &erger, "##!, $h. , page 88 0 Sarah receives

information from her 6octor on possible $hromosomal Abnormalities. Sarah is a little worried upon reading so much that could actually go wrong. *ne abnormality that Sarah reads about is 6own Syndrome, she has seen this but never thought her baby would ever be at risk. She reads about this and discovers that a person with this condition is born with 98 chromosomes instead of the normal 93 chromosomes. - &erger, "##!, $h. , :age .# 0 Sarah discovers that genes actually play a significant role in the development of her unborn baby. Sarah and Mike have no family history of any abnormalities and no one that they know of in the family has had any problems with their babies. %hey are pretty confident that as long Sarah follows her 6octors orders they will have a healthy baby. Sarah has made a huge step and has entered her second trimester. %his has been a nervous time for both parents, as their first pregnancy they want to make sure they do everything right. Sarah is now far enough in pregnancy to find the se) out. %his is a really big day for the couple, and have a planned ultra sound appointment to find out the e)citing news. %he time had finally arrived and they get to see their baby on screen for the first time. Its a boy; %hey have so much e)citement and cant wait to get home to tell everyone the news. At this time the 6octor ordered blood work to make sure there are no abnormalties. 4ood news, the test came back great. &aby and mom are doing great and both are very healthy. %he e)citing day has finally arrived and Sarah goes into labor. She is both scared and e)cited,but at this moment she is in a lot of pain. Mike is e)tremely nervous and e)cited as well as he helps his wife into the car and drives them to the hospital. Sarah starts to freak out, because she is early, and the baby is coming to soon. Mike tries to comfort her while trying to focus on driving. Sarah is only at <3 weeks, when the normal time to give birth is </ weeks. - &erger, "##!, $h. , page 3<0 %hey get to the hospital and meet with the 6octor. Sarah is admitted and given an epidural for pain. %hings go relatively smooth. After a semi rough " hours baby Seth is born, weighing 8 ponds ! ounces, a perfect baby boy. %he fear and an)iety disappear as this beautiful healthy baby boy is put into Sarah's arms. %he delivery was smooth and their were absolutely no complications. %his baby will be going home with his Mother and 1ather, a very e)cited and loving couple. %ests come back from the standard tests after birth and baby

Seth and mother are healthy enough to go home. Such a e)citing time has finally come and this family is complete. %he 2oys of motherhood and fatherhood are finally here. Sarah was lucky enough and able to breastfeed, baby Seth but starts to get a little worried at his first check up. Seth has lost some weight, alarmed Sarah starts to worry about her newborn. %he 6octor insures her that this is normal, babies lose some weight within the first few days and then gain weight rapidly. - &erger, "##!, $h.", page /3 0 As a little time goes on, Sarah feels like baby Seth is not getting enough food and contacts a breastfeeding specialist. After a visit, the 6octor wants to follow up with Sarah the ne)t day. 'hen Sarah comes in for her ne)t visit and Seth is weighed he has lost even more weight. %he Specialist must intervene and add formula to the babies diet, something they don't like to do, but know needs to be done. Sarah feels very ashamed, and is sad that she did not succeed in breastfeeding, but is reassured that its okay and she tried. - %rue story with myself and my son.0 Soon baby Seth starts to gain weight rapidly and Specialist and 6octors are very pleased with his growth. He is growing normal and a very healthy baby boy. At each checkup Seth is measured and weighed and his results are compared to his last check up. %hese check ups are vital to insure any noticeable abnormalities taking place. - &erger, "##!, $h.", page /8 0 %here are many things that Sarah and Mike can do to make sure their baby is safe. %hey know about the effects of different things that can be avoided from the classes they have taken and they are also aware of SI6S. *ne way to lower the risks of SI6S is co7sleeping. Sarah and Mike make sure to put baby Seth in his bassinet to sleep. %his also helps Sarah and Mike get more sleep. %hey read that babies who sleep with their parents are not only at risk of SI6S, but they also wake up three times more than average. - &erger, "##!, $h.", page #< 0 &aby Seth is growing fast. At one month he has succeeded in his refle)es. Hes able to suck, grasp ob2ects, like a finger, and listen.- &erger, "##!, $h.", page #3 0 &aby Seth is very needy of course and he cries when he is hungry, cold or needs a diaper change. Sometimes it can be tricky trying to figure out what he needs, but it gets easier ones she learns more about him. &etween four to eight month baby

Seth is understanding sounds better, he smiles and is able to laugh. %oys are amusing at this stage and things are more interesting. Seth's favorite game with Mommy is patty7cake,he is able to clap his hands along with his mommy. %his is because moments are able to last longer to him, and sights are very interesting at this stage. &etween eight months to a year are called the new adaptation and anticipation stage. 4oals are being understood better by Seth and he is starting to react to them. - &erger, "##!, $h.", page #80 &abies start to comprehend better and mimic their parents. 1or e)ample, after a bath Seth reaches over and picks up a small bottle of lotion and gives it to Sarah. He is insisting in his own way that he wants his lotion on. Sarah cant believe her eyes and is so e)cited that he 2ust did this. &y twelve to eighteen months Sarah and Mike have been having the best time with baby Seth. =veryday he seems to find something new to do and at this time is a little e)plorer. He has reached his first &irthday and what a celebration it was. Also at this time, he is e)tremely active, getting into what seems like everything. %he house is fully baby proof and a section is closed in 2ust for him to play with all his toys. He is also slowly talking, with what stated as babbling at the age of seven months. . He is also starting to walk, and fully able to crawl. &eing one is e)citing to Seth and everything looks fun to play with. He is able to say dada, mama and baba, which of course was recorded in his baby book. Seth's memory improves more everyday and loves to mimic others, especially mom and dad. Sarah and Mike get very happy when Seth can copy something he was shown 2ust the day before. - &erger, "##!, $h.", page 0 Sarah and Mike love to play games with Seth, and love to watch him play. As parents they know the importance of memory games, speech, physical activities, social activities as well as lots of love. *ne thing that Sarah loves to do is meet with a friend and the local park. %his is where Seth and his friend Anne which is the same age get to play together. It is so fun watching the two little ones play and laugh. Sometimes they get a little aggressive, but it is settled fast. Also Sarah likes to take Seth around the park and point out different things. She points and tells Seth what it is, and asks if he can say it. Sometimes Seth tries and sometimes he is not interested. 'hich is normal. *ne thing that Sarah notices is when she leaves to go somewhere, Seth gets very upset. Seth is showing attachment toward his mother and cries

when she leaves. %his is hard for Sarah and often goes back to Seth and tells him its okay. Seth doesn't do this so much with 6ad, but has become very attached to mom. %his is probably because Sarah is home with Seth, he does not go to a day care. Sarah understands that daycare can be good for Seth and teach him many new things, however she rather stay with him herself. However Sarah does make sure he gets active sessions with other toddlers his age and arranges play dates with other moms. She understands that some things are best learned by e)ploring and letting Seth learn with others his age. Sarah and Mike could not imagine their lives without their child Seth. %hey have en2oyed these past two years teaching Seth the basics and also learning from him. %hey learned many things so far being a parent. Some things such as how they respond to situations, the love that they feel with their son, new ways of teaching Seth cognitive ways to learn and the 2oys of watching their son e)plore life in a new way every day. :erhaps there will be a baby brother or sister in the near future, and they can grow even more. %here is no greater 2oy in this world than knowing you created this beautiful child. %he best feeling to e)perience and the best times are made with your children.