Weeks vs. Months- take 2

boxtonmom1014 · May 2011

I'm kind of a math dork, so last night while I was trying to fall asleep I was thinking about all the weeks vs. months posts.

Someone posted that one month is approximately 4.3 weeks- that's based on 52 weeks divided by 12 months.

If you use that calculation, the first chart is the months vs. weeks calculation.

1	4.3
2	8.7
3	13.0
4	17.3
5	21.7
6	26.0
7	30.3
8	34.7
9	39.0

If you do the calculation based on 40 weeks = 9 months, each month is appx 4.4 weeks. The second table shows the calculation for that.

1	4.4
2	8.9
3	13.3
4	17.8
5	22.2
6	26.7
7	31.1
8	35.6
9	40.0

So I think the moral of the story is that it's all approximate. Smile Which is why I tend to round to 4.5... it's also easier to figure out in my head because it means 2 months is 9 weeks. It worked out pretty well with my due date, since on 5/4 I was "5 months" and that was about 22.5 weeks.

(See. I'm kind of a dork....)

LupeVallejo · May 2011

i LOVE you for this! every time someone asks me how many months I am... i say, uhhhh 23 weeks? this is awesome!

Kuraks10 · May 2011

haha. this made me laugh. Very nice!! I like it.
I usually go the easy route and say, "about 5 months" or "X weeks" because I'm always unsure. lol. Thank you!

kc10408 · May 2011

I liked looking at the pregnancy week/months this way..very helpful. But I have the "what to expect" book. And I remember looking at it and it said that 18 weeks they consider you 5 months along or atleast into your fifth month. Does that make sense to you guys bc not quite to me lol.

boxtonmom1014 · May 2011

kc10408:
I liked looking at the pregnancy week/months this way..very helpful. But I have the "what to expect" book. And I remember looking at it and it said that 18 weeks they consider you 5 months along or atleast into your fifth month. Does that make sense to you guys bc not quite to me lol.

Yes. Think about it this way- when you first get pregnant, you are "in" your first month. Once you get to "one month pregnant" you go into your second month. At two months pregnant you have completed your second month, and start your third and so on.

So, at 18w you are 4 months pregnant, which means you are starting your fifth month.

dianamcu · May 2011

tinshee:

I'm kind of a math dork, so last night while I was trying to fall asleep I was thinking about all the weeks vs. months posts.

Someone posted that one month is approximately 4.3 weeks- that's based on 52 weeks divided by 12 months.

If you use that calculation, the first chart is the months vs. weeks calculation.

1 4.3
2 8.7
3 13.0
4 17.3
5 21.7
6 26.0
7 30.3
8 34.7
9 39.0
If you do the calculation based on 40 weeks = 9 months, each month is appx 4.4 weeks. The second table shows the calculation for that.

1 4.4
2 8.9
3 13.3
4 17.8
5 22.2
6 26.7
7 31.1
8 35.6
9 40.0
So I think the moral of the story is that it's all approximate. Which is why I tend to round to 4.5... it's also easier to figure out in my head because it means 2 months is 9 weeks. It worked out pretty well with my due date, since on 5/4 I was "5 months" and that was about 22.5 weeks.

(See. I'm kind of a dork....)

I started to say 4.44 weeks per month based on the 40 weeks/9 month, but then I did 52 weeks / 12 months to be more accurate. Though 4.333 * 9 months = 39 weeks, which I would definitely welcome.

efsNYC13 · May 2011

Good work! Thanks for this.

Ginkeez · May 2011

That is a good way to explain it to someone who thinks a months is only 4 weeks long. But I think it's easier just going from your due date. So I'm due on the 16th of September, so the 16th of each month is the start of a new month for me. I was 4 months pregnant on April 16th and will be 5 months pregnant on May 16th, which means I am about 4-1/2 months pregnant now. You could always round up or down or give the weeks.

If you need to, count backwards. September 16th is 9 months, August 16th is 8 months, July 16th is 7 months, and so on.

boxtonmom1014 · May 2011

Ginkeez:
That is a good way to explain it to someone who thinks a months is only 4 weeks long. But I think it's easier just going from your due date.

*shrug* Yeah, it's just the math teacher in me. I always need to explain the 'why'.

jupiterthecat · May 2011

Here's my thing-- is there a distinction between calendar month and pregnancy months? I've heard a lot of people use 4-week increments to describe pregnancy months, which makes sense to me, even though it doesn't match up with calendar months, because it does match up with the typical female cycle of 28 days (and it would make sense to me that it would match up with the menstrual cycle, because it's not as if your body has access to a Gregorian calendar). The thing that confuses people is that that means that pregnancy is really 10 months long, but not really, because you're not really pregnant for those first two weeks. And I've heard people refer to themselves as 9 months pregnant for their last 4 weeks-- not just on their exact due date.

Anyway, what do I know? The only thing I've truly ascertained is that it's much easier and more informative to go by weeks.

GVSU-04 · May 2011

Thanks for posting this! Especially the rounding to 4.5 wks to 1 mth. I'm always guestimating when people ask.

Willisaurus · May 2011

Ginkeez:
That is a good way to explain it to someone who thinks a months is only 4 weeks long. But I think it's easier just going from your due date. So I'm due on the 16th of September, so the 16th of each month is the start of a new month for me. I was 4 months pregnant on April 16th and will be 5 months pregnant on May 16th, which means I am about 4-1/2 months pregnant now. You could always round up or down or give the weeks.
If you need to, count backwards. September 16th is 9 months, August 16th is 8 months, July 16th is 7 months, and so on.

This is what I do. It's especially easy for us since September is the 9th month of the year. So, just think May 16th = 5/16 = 5 months pregnant.

boxtonmom1014 · May 2011

Willisaurus:
It's especially easy for us since September is the 9th month of the year. So, just think May 16th = 5/16 = 5 months pregnant.

I never thought of that part! I guess it's just one more good thing about being a Sept mama!

lovelyophelia · May 2011

tinshee:
Ginkeez:
That is a good way to explain it to someone who thinks a months is only 4 weeks long. But I think it's easier just going from your due date.
*shrug* Yeah, it's just the math teacher in me. I always need to explain the 'why'.

Yay for math!