Congratulations! Welcome to the beautiful journey of motherhood. While you are preparing to bring a new life into this world, here is a small guide that will help you understand what this exciting phase has in store for you.
Trimester 1: 1 to 12 weeks
Your first trimester will be a life-changing experience. 14 days after your last period is when fertilisation begins and technically speaking, this means you are already 2 weeks pregnant.
However, you may observe light spotting, which is a sign that the embryo is implanted to the wall of your womb. Post week 5 your baby’s heart, circulatory system, spinal cords, blood vessels are beginning to form. One of the key milestones that you might come across is your baby’s heartbeat. By the end of 12 weeks, most of your baby’s vital organs will be in place and developing steadily.
You could experience morning sickness at any given time of the day.You may also have some common pregnancy-related symptoms like sore and sensitive breasts, tiredness, nausea and a frequent need to urinate. You might not feel like eating too much but try to focus on having a nutritious diet for the right nutrients you and your baby need.
The end of the first trimester marks the ideal time to break the good news to your family and friends.
Trimester 2: 13 to 25 weeks
Second trimester begins from the 13th week and this is when your baby is growing at a rapid rate.
His ovaries or testes will be completely formed and their liver and pancreas will start to produce bile and insulin respectively. His features are becoming more detailed with developing eyelids, tiny nails and tiny specks of hair on his head and eyebrows. During the 14th week, he starts practising breathing movements. Between week 16 to 24, your baby’s senses and eyesight are developing. Around the last few weeks of this trimester, his hearing and recognition will be improved and they will be at a stage to respond to your voice. He is beginning to flex and move his limbs and you will slowly start to feel his tiny movements.
The morning sickness from the first trimester will be easing off giving way to a glow on your face by week 13. You may notice that your body has doubled in size. Since this trimester focuses on your baby’s brain and visual development, including iron in your diet is a good idea.
Trimester 3: 26 to 40 weeks
This is the final stage of your pregnancy.Your baby is fully formed in the initial weeks of this trimester! Your baby’s visual senses and taste buds are developing.Essential functions such as breathing and body temperature can be controlled by your baby’s brain. He can hear you clearly at this point and may also have developed the ability to do activities like moving their heads and thumb sucking. Even if many of your baby’s organs are functioning, his immunity system is still improving. Your baby will be ready to breathe on its own in the last 2-3 weeks of this trimester.
As you start to prepare for your delivery, you may experience some tightening sensation in your abdomen known as Braxton Hicks Contractions. Constipation is a common symptom in the last weeks of pregnancy.You might also observe a small leak of the first milk around your breasts as you get closer to your due date because milk production in your body will be in progress.You could also feel low on energy as you near your due date.
Be ready to say hello to your baby any time between week 37 to 40!
While all this may seem nerve-wracking, take each day as it comes and enjoy the experience. Also, don’t miss out on your weekly prenatal appointments with your doctor so that he/she could check the progress of your pregnancy.
