Hey! CONGRATULATIONS… Well, you’re expecting a baby, right. Okay, even if you’re not, as one fine day that’s going to happen, we all kinda know or can feel those vibes, how exciting and emotional phase is that while you also have that nervous stomach. Right!
Those 42 weeks of your life are so beautiful when your body experiences major changes and effects of the pregnancy phase as your fetus undergoes many changes throughout maturation. During this crucial phase, we all consult a doctor who regularly diagnoses the mother’s and baby’s health and development and handles many things professionally but there are a few things too that you need to know which will help you better prepare yourself when you’re expecting a baby. Because, hey! You don’t know if your doctor is always available.
So, first comes the trimesters of pregnancy that’ll let you explore almost everything about a woman’s experience during her pregnancy because the more you know, the better it’ll make you feel!
The typical full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks from the first day of a woman’s last period and can range from 37 to 42 weeks and infants delivered before the end of week 37 are considered premature. They may also have problems with their growth and development. The pregnancy phase is divided into three trimesters, each of which is marked by specific fetus developments.
FIRST TRIMESTER
The early changes that signify pregnancy shows up in the first trimester which lasts for 12 weeks and is crucial for your baby’s development. Although you may not look impregnated during these weeks, your body goes through enormous changes as it accommodates your developing baby. Hormonal changes will affect almost every organ in the body. By the end of the third month, your baby grows from a fertilized egg into a moving fetus with eyes, ears, and working organs. Some early pregnancy symptoms include morning sickness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, constipation, food cravings, breast tenderness, headache, & mood swings. The risk of miscarriage is high during the first trimester, so you need to be extra careful.
SECOND TRIMESTER
You may find the second trimester (13-27 weeks) most comfortable and easier than the first. All that morning sickness, nausea, and many early pregnancy symptoms may lessen or disappear. You will experience more physical changes, and your baby bump will become present. The fetus will grow from approximately 4–5 inches long to around 12 inches long and will also go from weighing about 3 ounces to weighing 1 pound (lb) or more. In thistrimester, your baby’s features and other important body parts develop. You may feel your baby move by the end of this trimester, called “quickening”, and your baby can even hear and recognize your voice. Some second-trimester symptoms include round ligament pain, nipple changes such as darkening, stretch marks, backache, and ankle swelling.
THIRD TRIMESTER
The third trimester lasts from the 28th week until delivery. During this period, your baby will grow rapidly from around 12 inches long and 1.5 lbs in weight to about 18–20 inches long and 7–8 lbs in weight to get ready for birth. Most of the organs and body systems formed by now will continue to grow and mature during this trimester. Discomforts that started from the second trimester might continue along with some new ones during this final pregnancy stage. As the baby grows and puts more pressure on your internal organs, you may have difficulty breathing and may frequently urinate. You will notice more physical changes including backache (due to heavy belly), hemorrhoids, protruding belly button, heartburn, and insomnia. This period is good to educate yourself about labor and delivery.
So, tough cookies, the best you can do for your baby is to be engaged in honest and direct communication with your healthcare provider about the choices you’re making, and follow their advice and a healthy diet.
Lakshika Thakur is a freelance content writer with femsay.com. She can be found on Instagram.