Are you curious about what’s going on inside your body during pregnancy? Are you in search of a guide that tells you what to expect during pregnancy week by week? Let us discuss how the mother-to-be is in for a few surprises, as the journey through pregnancy unfolds week by week.
PREGNANCY WEEK BY WEEK
From the moment you figure out that you’re pregnant to the point you give birth to the baby, your baby passes through a number of developmental stages. While discussing pregnancy week by week, you’ll have a better understanding of these stages and also of what to expect.
Week one to Four – Alright no exaggeration here, because this is the time when you are, most likely, not even aware of being pregnant,until you miss your period.Unless you’re a super sensitive woman,who knows her body really well, you can sense something unusual. Your baby, at the moment is called ’embryo’ and is just a ball of cells that has attached to the uterine wall. With loads of pregnancy hormones being produced, your body is just adjusting itself to embark on the nine month journey.
Week Four to Eight – You might,and I repeat,might,feel a few symptoms at this time, either in the form of morning sickness or food cravings and aversions. As for the embryo, congratulations, it has grown from a two layer structure to three layer structure now and the central nervous system and brain are beginning to develop. Six weeks in to pregnancy now, your baby has the size of a poppy seed. I know it’s annoying to read about the size of your baby being compared to vegetable seeds and grains, but this will soon be growing and doubling in size,as the cells divide. An ultrasound in 1-2 weeks will let you see the heart pumping as well. Also, your baby’s face is taking its form, which is a pleasant thought in itself.
Week nine to twelve – During this stage of pregnancy, your baby is building muscle, bone and cartilage The tiny little creature, which has now started to make you feel like a hot air balloon, will finally be taking a human’s form inside your womb. While changes occur during pregnancy week by week, it’s best to remember that your diet should be in accordance with the changes you feel.
Week thirteen to sixteen – Time for some hair growth! Not for mom-to-be but for the baby. Yes, babies at this stage of pregnancy will have their hair growing, and towards the end of the sixteenth week,your baby will begin to develop eyelashes and eyesight at a faster pace.
Week seventeen to twenty – first baby kick, the sole reason for reading this guide on pregnancy week by week eh? You should expect the first baby kick around this time of your pregnancy. Likewise, expect insomnia to kick in at this time as well! You can always beat the latter by counting the number of times your baby kicks, just a thought. Also, you can now have an ultrasound that will let you know if it’s a baby girl or a baby boy.
Week twenty-one to twenty-four – while your baby’s face gets more form, and the baby gets bigger and bigger in size, the next thing that you’ll notice is the appearance of a dark pigmented line from the umbilicus to the pubic region. Also, during this phase, stretch marks become more prominent, umbilicus pops out and feet get swollen due to fluid retention.
Week twenty-five to twenty-eight – Babies keep growing during these weeks as well, and good news is that babies open their eyes for the first time. While you’re still struggling to catch forty winks, your baby has started blinking. With all that extra weight, you may be suffering with varicose veins and hemorrhoids.
Week twenty-nine to week thirty-two – with so many changes week by week, there is another one on its way, and this is called Braxton hicks contractions.This is your uterus ` sucking` more and more energy from you by contracting a couple of times just to give you an idea of what you’ll experience in the labor room.
Week thirty-three to thirty-six – Along with a boost in the immune system, your baby’s testicles will descend during this time, if the baby is a boy. Also, baby’s head is bigger in size as compared to the rest of the body and that is what is going to exert a lot of pressure on your bladder making you pee often.
Week thirty-seven to week forty – Your baby is in the final stage of development. Baby’s lungs are now producing surfactant that will help him in taking first few breaths. Visiting your doctor at this time would mainly comprise of assessment of impending signs of labor. It’s almost the official end of pregnancy and time for you to get yourself ready for arrival of the new member.
Whilst the changes occurring in a mother’s body during pregnancy week by week may vary from person to person, the babies`development,more or less, go follows the same phases during normal growth and development.
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