Pregnancy day by day
When you’re pregnant, your body experiences a range of changes. For new parents-to-be, pregnancy-related symptoms can be surprising. Your baby’s development stages are divided into three trimesters, with each of them lasting for a little longer than 13 weeks.
Although every pregnancy is different some symptoms are more common than others. Keep reading to find out how your body reacts to a growing baby inside you day by day and what to expect as the days go by.
First Trimester
The first day of pregnancy is counted as the first day of your last period. So, during the first 14 days of the first trimester, you may not even be pregnant. You have your menstrual period and about two weeks on, you’re ovulating. A mature egg is released and travels into the fallopian tube, where it awaits fertilization with sperm. During the third week, the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. This is called implantation.
For many, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Other early pregnancy symptoms include morning sickness, feeling bloated and tired, and experiencing mood swings. Your digestive system may slow down.
In the early weeks, women get used to the idea of being pregnant. Around pregnancy week 11, you should have your first ultrasound. It should confirm the due date as well as check for any abnormalities in your embryo.
Second Trimester
Pregnancy week 14 marks the start of the second trimester. For many, this is the easiest trimester with most of the unpleasant symptoms fading. You may feel full of energy, have an increased appetite, and higher sex drive during the next few weeks.
Unpleasant side effects of pregnancy during the second trimester include having a stuffy nose, sensitive gums, heartburn, leg cramps, and backaches. It’s also normal to feel more forgetful than normal. This is called pregnancy brain, and don’t worry, it goes away, so hang in there!
Pregnancy symptoms in weeks 18 to 22 include mothers-to-be starting to feel their babies kick. This is also the time when you should have your second ultrasound. The scan will check your baby’s development before they're born.
Third Trimester
Pregnancy week 28 starts the final stage of your baby’s development. During the final months, you may feel uncomfortable and exhausted. Pregnancy weight gain can cause stretch marks on your body. It’s usually genetically determining whether you get these or not but the streaks will fade with time. You may notice a yellowish colostrum leaking from your breasts during the third trimester of the pregnancy. The pressure of the uterus against the bladder will cause a need to pee frequently.
With the birth date approaching your body may start preparing for the big day. The Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic hardening or tightening of the uterus. This is how your body practices before labor. In the final month before delivery, your baby will begin dropping into your lower pelvis. You’ll notice this as the pressure will be taken off your internal organs, allowing you to breathe easier. By this time you should prepare a bag for the hospital.
When your water breaks at the end of the third trimester of your pregnancy, it means your baby is ready to come out. Regular contractions, pelvic pressure, and back pain are other signs of labor. Soon, you’ll have your little one in your arms.