Lesson video

Hi, I'm Miss Lowe, and I'm your RSHE teacher for today.

Thanks so much for joining me for today's lesson.

Today we're going to be talking about pregnancy, and because of some of the themes and topics that we're going to be discussing today, it's important that you complete your learning with the company of an adult.

Here we have our outcome for today's lesson.

So by the end, you are going to be able to describe the different stages of pregnancy and explain the importance of support during pregnancy.

Every RSHE lesson should begin with a set of ground rules.

This ensures that every conversation had in RSHE is respectful and we're all able to learn effectively.

So Laura is reminding us that in RSHE, we should listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

And when disagreeing, we challenge the statement and not the person.

Andeep is reminding us to respect privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we don't use names or descriptions that can identify anyone, including ourselves.

Izzy is reminding us to choose a level of participation that suits us.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in a discussion, but we never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob is reminding us that in RSHE, there is no judgement.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without the fear of being judged.

And here are our keywords.

Let's go through the definitions together.

Gestation refers to the period from conception to birth, typically lasting around 40 weeks.

Trimester, one of the three stages of pregnancy, each lasting about three months.

Antenatal, relating to the care and support given during pregnancy and before birth.

And here is a look at our outline of today's learning.

So we're going to begin today's lesson by asking the question, what are the three stages of pregnancy? Now, pregnancy, as we said before, lasts around 40 weeks.

This period from conception up until birth is known as gestation.

Now, throughout gestation, what happens is that the foetus develops from a single fertilised egg into a fully formed newborn baby.

While this is happening, the woman's body is undergoing significant changes in order to support this growth.

This period of 40 weeks is split into three trimesters, and each stage has different changes that occur for both the foetus and the expectant mother.

Now let's pause here and we'll check our understanding.

The period from conception to birth is known as gestation.

Pause the video, have a think about whether that statement is true or false, and we'll go through the correct answer together in a minute.

Well done if you said true.

Let's have a look at those three trimesters now in a bit more detail, beginning, of course, with the first trimester, which takes place between week 0 to week 13.

At this stage, the fertilised egg is implanted into the uterus and it begins to divide rapidly.

From about week eight onwards, the embryo is known as a foetus.

The heart starts beating around week five or six.

And even though at this stage the foetus is only one to one and a half inches long, the brain, the spinal cord, and other major organs have begun to form.

It's important to remember here that even though the fetus's organs are formed by the end of week 12, the foetus cannot survive independently from the womb at this stage.

Dr.

Elsie is telling us here that the risk of miscarriage is highest in the first 12 weeks, but it can occur at any stage during pregnancy.

And this is why many people choose not to share the news that they're pregnant until after week 12.

We're going to pause here and we're going to check our understanding again.

At what point is the embryo now referred to as the foetus? Pause the video and have a think about your answer.

Well done if you said week eight.

So from week eight onwards, the embryo is referred to as the foetus.

Another quick question for you here.

At what point is the risk of miscarriage during a pregnancy at its highest? Again, pause the video and have a think.

Well done if you said in the first 12 weeks.

And as we said previously, this is why many people choose not to share the news of their pregnancy until after the 12-week mark.

Now, the mother's body, as well as the foetus, is going through significant changes during the first trimester.

Every woman will experience different symptoms at this time, but it's very common for a person to feel fatigued, emotional, nauseous, or sick.

They might have breast tenderness and the need to urinate frequently.

Now, some women might experience all of those symptoms, whereas others may only experience a few.

How long these symptoms last for also varies, and some symptoms might even last across all trimesters.

Nausea is a really common symptom during the first trimester, and it can occur at any time of the day, despite it being called morning sickness.

Dr.

Elsie is telling us that eating small meals, staying hydrated, and getting as much rest as you can can help with symptoms of nausea and fatigue.

Let's pause here and let's check our understanding.

True or false? Nausea when pregnant only happens in the morning.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a think.

Well done if you said false.

Why is this false? Well, whilst it's commonly referred to as morning sickness, this nausea can actually happen at any point during the day.

Now let's have a look at that second trimester, and this takes place between weeks 14 and 26.

At this stage, the foetus is now growing rapidly.

The fetus's eyebrows, eyelashes, and fingertips have developed.

The foetus can also hear sounds from outside of the womb.

Many people go for an ultrasound during their second trimester, which will tell them the gender of the foetus as early as 14 weeks.

Now, between 16 and 20 weeks, the fetus's movements can be felt, which is often described as flutters.

Nurse Daniel here is telling us a little bit more about that second trimester.

He says, "The second trimester is where many women start to feel better.

The nausea that they were feeling before often eases and their energy levels and sleep improve.

However, this isn't the same for everyone.

Some women can experience leg cramps, back or stomach pain, constipation, or heartburn.

This period is a great time to start thinking about what we call antenatal classes and planning for birth." We're going to pause here again and check our understanding.

Which of these usually occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy? Is it the foetus develops eyebrows and eyelashes, the heart starts beating, or the foetus develops lungs fully? Pause the video and have a think about which of those things usually occurs in the second trimester.

Well done if you said A.

Now we're going to move on into the third trimester, the final trimester of pregnancy.

And this takes place between weeks 27 and 40.

At this stage, the foetus is starting to gain weight quickly.

Their organs are maturing and their bones are developing.

During this time, the lungs develop fully, preparing for breathing outside of the womb.

And as a result of this, from about 24 weeks, there is a chance of survival if the baby is born.

The foetus moves into a head-down position around 32 to 36 weeks in preparation for birth.

Midwife Moira is telling us a bit more information here about the third trimester.

She says that the foetus is getting ready for birth.

It's normal for the mother to feel more uncomfortable as the foetus grows.

They may experience back pain, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, and swelling.

Women may also experience irregular contractions, which are known as Braxton Hicks.

These can cause discomfort, but are common and should not be too painful.

Staying active, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough rest can help third trimester symptoms. And we have Dr.

Elsie here giving us a bit more information.

She says, "Each trimester is different.

In the first trimester, people often feel tired and nauseous, but these symptoms usually ease by the second trimester.

By the third trimester, many experience back ache and difficulty sleeping as the foetus grows.

If someone ever has concerns during pregnancy, speaking to a midwife or doctor is important." We're going to pause here and we're going to check our understanding again.

What is missing from the list of common symptoms expectant mothers experience in the third trimester? So we've got back pain, shortness of breath, and swelling.

So pause the video and have a think what might be missing from that list.

Really well done if you said trouble sleeping and Braxton Hicks contractions.

What we're going to do now is we are going to be putting our learning into practise.

So I would like for you to create a pregnancy timeline.

First thing I want you to do is to label each trimester on the timeline.

And then for each of these trimesters, I'd like you to write one change happening to the foetus and one change happening to the expectant mother.

So pause the video, write down your answers, and then we'll go through what you might have written together.

Excellent work there.

Let's have a look at what you might have written.

So first, you were asked to label the trimesters.

So you should first have labelled that the first trimester takes place between weeks 0 and 13, the second trimester happens between weeks 14 and 26, and the third trimester takes place between weeks 27 and 40.

Then you were asked to talk about the changes happening to the foetus and the expectant mother.

So in the first trimester, the fetus's heart starts beating around week five to six.

The expectant mother is likely to feel fatigued and nauseous.

Then the second trimester, you may have said that the fetus's eyelashes and fingerprints develop, and the expectant mother may experience leg cramps, back or stomach pain.

Finally, for the third trimester, you might have said that the fetus's lungs develop fully and the expectant mother may struggle with sleep.

Really well done if you mentioned any of those things in your answers.

Moving on now to the second part of our lesson where we are asking the question, how does support help during pregnancy? Support from family, friends, and professionals during pregnancy can really help to reduce stress, improve mental wellbeing, and ensure a healthier pregnancy all round.

There are different types of support that people can offer for a pregnant woman, and these include emotional support, so that could be listening to them, providing them with reassurance and being present for them.

It could be practical support.

This might mean attending appointments with them, preparing healthy meals, or just helping with day-to-day tasks.

And finally, there's also medical support and antenatal support.

This can be provided by midwives and doctors who can check the fetus's development and give advice.

Midwife Moira here is telling us a bit more about those antenatal classes.

So antenatal care is essential for tracking both the fetus's growth and the mother's health.

Medical professionals monitor things like blood pressure, the fetus's position, and the overall wellbeing.

Midwives also provide advice on preparing for birth and what to expect.

Women can also attend antenatal classes, which can help them to feel further prepared for the arrival of their baby.

We're going to pause here and we're going to check our understanding about what we've just learned.

So I would like for you to fill in the missing word in this sentence.

You are going to pause the video, read the sentence and tell me what the missing word is, and then we'll go through the right answer together.

Really well done if you got the answer correct.

Let's have a look at that completed sentence.

A midwife provides medical support and monitors the health of both the foetus and the expectant mother.

We're going to check one more time here.

So true or false? Women can attend antenatal classes when pregnant to help them feel further prepared.

Pause the video, have a think.

Is that true or false? Well done if you said true.

Now let's have a look at some of the support that people could offer to pregnant people during their pregnancy.

So small actions like accompanying and an expectant mother to appointments or helping with daily tasks can make a big difference during pregnancy, and it can help a pregnant woman feel more supported.

So we have an example down here.

This lady is saying, "My sister cooked me several healthy meals and froze them for me for when I was too tired to cook.

It really helped me feel cared for and less stressed." This lady is saying, "My friend helped me by driving me to my first antenatal class.

At the class, I learned about what to expect during pregnancy and some tips to stay healthy during this time." In this example, they're saying, "My partner provided emotional support when I felt overwhelmed about the future.

They listened to my worries and reassured me that we'd figure things out together." Now we're going to pause here again and check our understanding about what we've just seen.

So we've got a list here, but what is missing from the list of examples of how to help an expectant mother during pregnancy? We've got helping with daily tasks, accompanying them to appointments, cooking them healthy meals.

Pause the video and see if you can tell me what is missing from this list.

Really well done if you said offering emotional support and attending antenatal classes.

What we're going to do now is going to put our learning into practise.

So I would like for you to read through the following scenario and answer the questions.

I'll read the scenario for you to begin with.

Sonia is in her second trimester of pregnancy.

She worries about eating the right foods, but doesn't always have time to cook healthy meals.

Her partner is supportive but doesn't know how to help, and her friend is unsure what to say when Sonia talks about her worries.

Based on that scenario, I'd like you to answer the following two questions.

Firstly, what medical support should Sonia access? And secondly, what emotional or practical support could Sonia's partner or best friend offer her? So pause the video, write down your answers to those questions, and then we'll go through what you might have written together.

Really good work there.

So you were asked to answer two questions.

Let's have a look at what you might have written.

Your first question was, what medical support should Sonia access? And you might have said, Sonia should regularly see her midwife, or she can visit a doctor, because they can give her advice on her pregnancy, diet, and stress.

You might have also said that Sonia could attend antenatal classes to help her learn more about what to expect during pregnancy, and they can give her tips for staying healthy during it.

You were then asked what emotional or practical support could Sonia's partner or friend offer her? And for that, you might have said her partner or friend could reassure Sonia, they could accompany her to any medical appointments or antenatal classes, and they could also help her with healthy meal preparation.

Well done if you mentioned any of those things in your answers.

Now, to end today's lesson, we are going to have a look at a summary of what we've just learned.

So the period from conception to birth is known as gestation.

Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters, each bringing with it significant changes for both the foetus and the mother, along with big development milestones.

Miscarriages can happen at any stage of pregnancy but are most common in the first 12 weeks, which is why many women choose not to share the news about their pregnancy until after this time.

Emotional support and practical help from partners, family, and healthcare professionals are important during pregnancy.

One way of accessing support is through antenatal classes.

Now, if any of the topics that we've discussed in today's lesson affect you in any way or you have any concerns, here are some places you can go to access support.

First, we have NHS Live Well.

NHS advice about healthy living, exercise, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol.

And the NHS website, which provides advice about health and prevention, including how to access their services.

And I'd like to end by saying a big well done for all of your fantastic work that you've done today, and I can't wait to see you in another RSHE lesson soon.