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Week 1
Mother:
You started your period on the first day of this week. The last period you will have for at least the next nine or ten months. Some women, especially those who choose to breastfeed exclusively, may not have another period for a year and a half!
It seems odd to begin counting the weeks of your pregnancy with your last menstrual period, however, most women are not conscious of the day they ovulate, much less the day they conceive their baby. Since most can remember the day their period started, it makes a very clear starting point for determining the due date for your upcoming birth.
Remember that your due date is just an estimate! The average pregnancy last 40 weeks. Most women deliver their babies between 38 and 40 weeks from the first day of their last period.
If you are hoping or planning to become pregnant now is the time to begin improving your diet and adding vitamin supplements such as folic acid and iron.
Week 2
Mother:
Your last period is finished and now your uterus is building a new layer of endometrium to cushion and nourish your soon to be conceived baby. Interestingly, deep within the uterine walls circular groups of lymphoid aggregates or immune system cells are beginning to develop.
One of your ovaries is growing and ripening an egg, preparing for ovulation.
You will experience a rise in your estrogen levels accompanying ovulation making you more receptive to others. Many women find they are at their peak level of energy and creativity during this week of their cycle.
Week 3
Mother:
You will excrete higher levels of pheromones at this time, making you even more sexually attractive than usual. Enjoy!
Ovulation occurs during the course of this week. One of your ovaries has ripened and released an egg (ovum). It is swept up by the bell shaped end of the fallopian tube and begins its journey toward the uterus.
During intercourse, your partner will ejaculate anywhere from 140 to 350 million sperm. If the conditions are just right with your cervical fluid, some of those sperm can live up to 5 days.
Only about 200 sperm will actually make it through the uterus and into the correct fallopian tube eventually encountering your ovum.
Sometime between 12 and 24 hours after you ovulate, only one, or in some cases of twins, two of the sperm will have enough strength left after they reach the egg in order to break through the outer layers of the ovum and complete conception.
Congratulations, you are pregnant!
Your progesterone levels will increase this week causing the lining of the uterus to build up its supply of glycogen, arterial blood, secretory glands, amino acids and water. Those higher levels of progesterone also have a calming effect on the uterus, making it less contractible, thereby stopping your menstrual period and allowing the pregnancy to continue. This is why progesterone is often called the hormone of pregnancy.
The fertilized egg, will spend the next 3 to 7 days traveling down the fallopian tube to the uterus. When it arrives, it will float freely within the uterus for another few days before it implants in the wall of the uterus. You may experience a little bloody spotting at the time of this implantation.
Week 4
Mother:
You should be avoiding all medications unless you’ve checked with your caregiver about their safety during pregnancy.
Some women notice a metallic taste in their mouths about now, no one knows the reason for this, but researchers suspect that it has to do with the change in hormone levels.
Baby:
Although you are as yet unaware that you are pregnant, your baby is already undergoing great changes. The fertilized egg is now a quickly growing ball of cells called a blastocyst. It is embedded more deeply in the uterine wall and the amniotic cavity is being formed. The group of cells that will make up the placenta is being organized and circulatory networks containing maternal blood are being formed.
Three layers of cells are sorting themselves out within the blastocyst. The ectoderm will form the nervous system, hair and skin of your baby. The endoderm will become the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, and various organs like the thyroid, liver and pancreas. Finally the mesoderm will develop into the skeleton, connective tissues, blood systems, urogenital system and most of the muscles.
Week 5
Mother:
Since you were probably expecting your period to start sometime last week, by now you are beginning to wonder if perhaps you are pregnant. You may have already purchased a home pregnancy test and gotten a positive result. If your result was negative, don’t despair, try again in a few days or weeks. These tests measure the amount of the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. The level of this hormone will rise as your pregnancy progresses and will become easier to detect.
You may notice that your breasts are tender, perhaps a bit more tender than just before your period starts. Due to congestion of blood in your pelvis, you may need to urinate more frequently than usual. Also, you may notice that you are more tired than usual. Not surprising considering all the changes your body is going through.
You may begin to experience nausea or vomiting. Lots of women feel this only in the morning, but some may have to deal with it all day long. Click here for some suggestions on how to deal with morning sickness: Home Remedies for Morning Sickness
Baby:
Your baby is now an embryo (so-called due to the little tail at the end of its developing spine) and is only barely visible to the naked eye.
The spinal column, brain and heart have begun to develop.
Baby is about 1/16th of an inch long.
Week 6
Mother:
You have been pregnant for one month now and your waist may already be a little thicker. However, many women who are pregnant for the first time are still waiting for some visible change in their belly.
You may notice that your vulva is a slightly bluish or violet color. This is due to the extra blood circulating in that area.
Occasionally some women may feel dizzy or faint if they stand up too long. You know the scene in the classic movies…the woman faints and it is a subtle clue that she is pregnant. Well, sometimes it really happens.
Many women’s sense of smell becomes sensitive and things that used to be acceptable to them, for instance; tobacco, frying food and alcohol, may now trigger nausea.
If you suspect that you may have a sexually transmitted disease (STD), it is very important that you have it treated. Some STDs are capable of harming your unborn baby. Some common STDs are: genital herpes, yeast infections, trichomonal vaginitis, venereal warts, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. If you suspect you may have HIV this article may help: Doctors: It’s Your Responsibility.
Everyone is concerned about the possibility of losing the baby in a miscarriage. If you experience any bleeding, cramping or if you pass any clots be sure to contact your caregiver. Keep in mind though that some women may bleed a little during their pregnancy and still go on to have a healthy baby. Sometimes in a twin pregnancy it is possible to lose one baby and carry the other to term.
Baby:
The baby’s heart has begun to beat!
At about ½ inch long your little one is the size of your little fingernail. He has begun to grow buds where his arms and legs will be and his head has the beginnings of eyes, ears and a mouth.
Starting prenatal care now is essential. For the next four weeks your baby will be most vulnerable to factors that can interfere with proper development. Now is the time, if you haven’t already, to stop smoking, drinking or indulging in recreational drugs. Also, be particularly sensitive to environmental risks such as exposure to chemicals, tobacco smoke and animal diseases; some of which, toxoplasmosis for instance, can be contracted by humans. Several articles that can give you more information are:
Decreasing the Chance of Birth Defects
How Folate Can Help Prevent Birth Defects
Precious Babies Better Chances
Healthy Pregnancy Healthy Baby: Exercise Good Food And Prenatal Care Are the Key
Week 7
Mother:
You are glowing! Due to the change in your hormones your skin may have a beautiful, healthy color. On the other hand, you may be having the worst outbreak of pimples you’ve had in a long time.
Due to all the increase in your blood supply and the unaccustomed activity in the lower abdomen, some women experience constipation. It is fairly easy to correct by making sure that you drink lots and lots of water, as much as eight 8 ounce glasses a day and adding extra fiber to your diet. You can add the fiber by eating more raw fruits and vegetables or trying some of the commercial high fiber cookies designed specifically for relieving constipation.
You are still probably not ‘showing’ yet. You may have gained or lost a few pounds, but are basically the same are prepregnancy.
You should be getting your nutrition in order. You will want to make sure that both you and the baby are well nourished. Here are some helpful articles to check out:
Pregnancy and Diet
The Vegan Diet During Pregnancy and Lactation
How Folate Can Help Prevent Birth Defects
Baby:
The baby’s heart is now beating regularly at 150 beats per minute.
The arm buds have grown and now the hands are beginning to develop.
The whole baby is still only 1/3 of an inch long, about the size of a grain of rice, but the brain, intestines, pituitary gland and pancreas are growing.
Though the genital tubercle is present, you can’t tell by looking whether it is a girl or a boy, yet.
The baby’s face is developing rapidly, the nasal pits have formed, the ears are developing and there are developing lenses on the eyes.
Week 8
Mother:
Your uterus is now about the size of a grapefruit. Before you were pregnant it was about the size of your fist.
Your breasts are larger now, and probably still sore.
Your nipples may be darker and the little bumps around the edge of the areola more pronounced.
You have probably noticed that you need to urinate more frequently now as the growing uterus puts pressure on your bladder.
You may be suffering a bit from heartburn. Hopefully it will pass, though it may get worse at the end of your pregnancy.
Keeping your pelvic muscles in good order will make your birth easier and have big pay-offs as you grow older. Read this article to learn how to go about care for this vulnerable part of your body. Exercising Your Pelvic Muscles
Baby:
Your baby is now about 10,000 times bigger that it was at conception but is still only about an inch long.
This week the baby’s gonads will either become testes or ovaries.
The eyes are formed and covered by a fold of skin, though the eyelid will not open yet.
The arms and legs are growing longer and the arms are bent at the elbow, allowing the baby to hug herself.
The tip of the nose is now visible and teeth are forming under the baby’s gums.
Your little one is beginning to move around now and kick his legs, but he is still way too small for you to feel it.
Week 9
Mother:
From this point on you should find yourself gaining weight regularly.
If you are losing weight due to morning sickness, have a talk with your caregiver about it.
Since all the mucus membranes tend to swell during pregnancy due to the higher levels of progesterone and estrogen, you may find yourself with a stuffy nose, middle ear fluid or even carpal tunnel problems. The good news is that the cervix is also benefiting from these softening and swelling effects.
Due to hormonal changes your gums are becoming softer and thicker. You need to brush them regularly to avoid gum infections.
If you were not pregnant, you would be having your second period this week. Some women have a small amount of bloody spotting, called break through spotting, at this time.
Baby:
The baby officially changes from being an embryo to a fetus this week. This is mostly due to the fact that his little embryonic tail has disappeared.
Bones and cartilage are beginning to form.
The umbilical cord and placenta are forming and growing.
If touched from the outside of the uterus, the baby will respond by moving.
The fingers have formed but are webbed.
Week 10
Mother:
Is it warm in here? Since your blood volume has increased, you may find that you feel warmer than you did previously and your veins will become more noticeable.
Moodiness is entirely normal; pregnancy causes a lot of hormonal shifts, never mind adjusting to the fact that your life will change forever with the birth of this baby.
Weight gain is pretty much a given, how much is enough and how much is too much? That depends on a lot of factors including how much you weighed when you got pregnant and how good your eating habits are. What is far more important than how much you gain is how good your eating habits are. Here is another good article on nutrition during pregnancy. All About Eating For Two
Regular moderate exercise is good for helping those mood swings. It won’t cure them, but it will help to make them more bearable.
Baby:
Most of the baby’s joints are formed now-shoulders, elbows, wrist, hands and fingers, knees, ankles, feet and toes.
All of his organs are present and accounted for, but not fully formed or functional.
Your little one is now about as long as a paper clip and weighs the same as four paperclips, in other words: 1 ¾ inch and ¼ oz.
Week 11
Mother:
Your uterus is now about the size of a small grapefruit and just about fills your pelvis. If you press your fingers into your belly just above your pubic bone, you may be able to feel it. Your caregiver will check how your pregnancy is progressing by measuring from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus or fundus.
You may still be suffering the effects of morning sickness, but, believe it or not the end is in sight.
If you have leg or foot cramps, remember that regular, gentle exercise and plenty of calcium in your diet can help a lot.
Baby:
Your baby’s little fingers are growing nails now.
The baby probably will double his length this week.
The irises of your baby’s eyes are developing now.
Week 12
Mother:
Your uterus will shift upwards a bit now so that it will not be pressing on your bladder.
The fatigue that you’ve been feeling will be replaced in the coming weeks with a glorious feeling of energy and well-being.
You may notice more changes in your skin. Some women will have irregular brown patches, called the ‘mask of pregnancy’ (chloasma) show up on their face or neck.
Look for the linea nigra, a dark line of pigmentation running from the top of your belly to the bottom of your belly.
The placenta is functioning now and will take over the production of hormones.
Baby:
The baby’s chest is rising and falling as it practices breathing movements.
With kidneys that are fully functioning the baby can swallow amniotic fluid and excrete it as urine.
The amniotic fluid is completely replaced every 3 hours, so the baby’s environment stays fresh.
Even though she is not eating yet, the baby’s intestines are contracting in peristaltic movements as if she were digesting food.
Week 13
Mother:
If you are experiencing some abdominal achiness it may be due to the stretching of the round ligaments that support your uterus.
Are pickles and ice cream sounding appealing? Even if that combo still sounds disgusting, many women do experience food cravings. As long as they are not harmful go ahead and give in to them in a moderate way.
Some women do crave harmful things like kerosene, clay, starch, ice or nail polish. This is a disorder known as pica and should be discussed with your caregiver. This article has some good information about pica, its causes and treatment: All About Eating For Two
Since you are really beginning to show, the subject of stretch marks will come up. You may or may not get them. This has far more to do with your genetic heritage than whether or not you use an expensive anti-stretch mark cream.
The veins on your breasts are probably much more noticeable and your nipples darker in color.
Baby:
Your baby’s vocal cords have begun to develop.
More and more of the organs are functioning every day. The liver has begun to secrete bile and the pancreas to produce insulin.
All twenty baby teeth are formed and waiting beneath his gums until well after birth. However, every once in a while a baby is born with teeth already showing.
The baby’s bone marrow, liver and spleen have taken over the production of red blood cells.
Although the baby’s intestines were originally formed inside the umbilical cord, they are now moving into the abdomen.
Fuzzy hair is beginning to form on your little one’s head. Regardless of what color that hair will eventually be, it is white (unpigmented) right now.
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