Your body undergoes many changes during pregnancy for preparing itself for the growth and development of the baby. Numerous biological changes happen in the fetus and mother throughout the pregnancy. A typical pregnancy is said to last from 38 to 40 weeks. This is broken down into three equal parts called trimesters, known as the different pregnancy stages.
The first trimester is the most crucial period for you and your baby. Five to seven days after the sperm fertilizes the egg, the egg implants itself deep into the uterine lining which can cause implantation bleeding or spotting. This is an early sign of pregnancy women.
The fertilized egg, now known as a zygote, will then travel down to the uterus through fallopian tube after fertilization. By six weeks, your baby’s heart will begin to beat and blood will start circulating throughout his/her body. Some parts such as the head, eyes, intestine, liver, and umbilical cord will start developing. Week ten marks the end of the embryonic stage of development and the baby enters the stage of fetal development. There is a risk of miscarriage during your first trimester. So you need to be very careful with your diet and exercise routines. The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger and continues to provide blood and nutrients to your growing baby.
When you enter the second trimester, your baby’s reproductive organs will start developing and the toenails and fingernails also begin to grow. You may also feel your baby moving inside you. By the end of the first trimester, you will start to show the baby bulge. You will experience pregnancy discomforts like sleeping problems and Braxton Hicks contractions. But these are temporary problems and a part of pregnancy. By the end of this trimester your baby will grow hair all over its body and its senses will also begin to develop. Your baby now measures around 10 inches and will frequently practice kicking movements. If it is a baby girl, the uterus will start to develop. If it’s a boy, the genitals have already been formed and are recognizable now.
By the start of the third trimester, your belly looks like it’s ready to explode. The third trimester brings many changes in your body and in your baby. Your baby will gain two to three pounds in this trimester and will measure approximately 18 to 20 inches. Your baby’s bones have fully developed and start storing iron, calcium and phosphorus. By the end of 35 to 36 weeks, you may feel that your baby is gradually dropping. You experience this because there is increased pressure in your lower abdomen.
And the ninth month is the last month of pregnancy. The baby is covered with a creamy protective layer on its skin to maintain its body temperature. The head of the baby is usually turned down during last few weeks of pregnancy. Now the due date is near and your baby can arrive anytime.
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