You are in the first few weeks of your pregnancy and you and your baby are going through a lot of changes right now. Here is exactly what to expect in the first trimester.
These First Few Weeks Of Pregnancy
Your pregnant! Your body and your emotions are going through a lot of changes right not. Outwardly your body won’t change all that much, but inside there’s a whole lot of miracles going on.
During the first trimester, which is the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy an amazing transformation will begin to take place. Everything will happen extremely quickly with hormones flowing and your body nourishing your baby from conception.
This is a crazy confusing time, a tiny being has taken over your body and for a while the hormones will be in charge. Knowing what to expect from early pregnancy, and what exactly is going on inside your body will ease your worry and confusion and prepare you from the months ahead.
We are going to talk about the common early pregnancy symptoms and exactly how your baby is developing each week. So if you are pregnant for the first time here’s what to expect in the first trimester.
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As well as giving your friends and family gift ideas, having a registry is a great way to keep track of what you need for baby.
What To Expect In The First Trimester Of Pregnancy
First Trimester Symptoms
One of the most common early signs of pregnancy is a missed period but there are other common early pregnancy symptoms that you may experience.
Physical Symptoms
Nausea and/or vomiting – Morning sickness usually begins when you are about 4 weeks pregnant. This tends to be caused by increased hormone levels. Check out my tips for coping with morning sickness here.
Tender Breasts – Hormone changes may make your breasts sore and sensitive to touch. This will usually start to improve after a few weeks as your body begins to adjust. Your nipples may also darken.
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Fatigue – Your levels of progesterone will significantly rise in early pregnancy, which may cause increased tiredness. Rest up as much as you can.
Increased Urination – Your blood volume will increase during pregnancy. This causes your kidneys to process extra fluid. The result being that you will need to pass urine much more often than usual.
Constipation – This is a very common symptom of early pregnancy. Progesterone will slow down the digestion process, causing you to be constipated. Drinking plenty of fluids and regular exercise should help.
Heartburn – Those awful hormones are at it again! They can relax the valve between your stomach and your oesophagus causing stomach acid to leak. The acid in your oesophagus is what causes the pain known as heartburn. To help prevent this eat small and often, and avoid fried foods.
Aversion to foods and odours – During pregnancy your taste buds can change. You may also become sensitive to certain smells. Again, this is probably due to hormone changes.
Emotional Symptoms
So how do you feel in the first trimester of pregnancy?
Stress – It’s perfectly normal for stress and worry to increase in the first months of pregnancy. Your life and your body are going through huge changes. You may worry about your baby’s health, the birth, or how you will manage financially.
Mood swings – You may experience mood swings in early pregnancy You will be very happy and excited to be having a baby but you may find yourself having crying spells as the hormones kick in.
Feeling down – You may find yourself feeling very sad during the first trimester of pregnancy. Fatigue, broken sleep may contribute towards low mood and depression. Consult your doctor if this happens frequently.
Fetal Development – What To Expect In The First Trimester
Week 4 – Your baby will measure approximately 2mm right now.
The baby’s heart, nervous system and blood vessels have begun to develop.
Week 5 – Your baby is roughly 9mm long, which is about the size of a fingernail.
The face has started to form and your baby already has the beginnings of eyes and a nose.
The skull has started to close around what will become the brain.
Week 6 – Your baby is approximately the size of an orange pip now.
The heart will start to beat this week and may be found on an ultrasound scan.
The head and brain will begin to grow and ears will start to form.
Week 7 – Your baby is now the size of a grape! The head will now start to grow faster than the body as the brain develops extremely quickly.
Cartilage is developing in the arms and legs and the hands will start to form.
Nerves are growing throughout the body and your baby will soon experience temperature and taste.
Week 8 – Your baby will double in size this week. It’s head will uncurl and it’s arms and legs will get longer. At this stage your baby is no longer an embryo and becomes a fetus.
Week 9 – Baby is 22mm long, roughly the size of a strawberry.
Eyelids have formed and eye colour is starting to appear. Gentitals begin to grow around this time.
Week 10 – Your baby is now 3cm long. Their face is progressing and they now have an upper lip and nostrils. The jawbone is forming and what will be their milk teeth are starting to develop.
Your baby will now be making tiny movements but you won’t feel this just yet.
Week 11 – Your baby now has fingernails, and the fingers and toes are starting to separate. The kidneys and stomach are producing fluids and the eyes have closed.
Week 12 – Your baby is now fully formed and is the size of a plum. The placenta is fully developed and your baby’s skeleton is beginning to turn from cartilage to bone.
They also start swallowing at this stage.
Once you have made it through the first trimester your morning sickness and fatigue should subside.
Knowing what to expect in the first trimester will prepare you and you will be able to relax and enjoy your pregnancy.
It is so hard to know what to expect since everyone has different symptoms. I am just starting my second trimester, but during the first I barely had any nausea, which concerned me because I thought I needed to be sick all the time! I also didn’t have much food aversions, except for coffee, which I assume is a good thing!