Pregnancy is one of the best phases a woman goes through. But it can also be daunting if it’s sudden and unwanted. It will be troubling if you’re eventually forced into having a baby, or if it’s unplanned. But you must be aware of your early signs to plan how you want to take up your pregnancy period forward. However, if you were expecting the answer to be positive, we’re sure you’ll be excited. More so, you would want to know every minute details about your baby. So, we’ve got everything you need to know about the early signs and your pregnancy stages, right here in this blog.
Table of Contents
Early Signs of Pregnancy
If you want to know when’s the right time you need to get a pregnancy test done, follow the first symptoms. It will help you to do a self-assessment, and be sure if you’re showing any signs of pregnancy, or not.
Missed period
You will find a late period to show the first signs of pregnancy. It’s one of the most common pregnancy signs. But you may even find late periods quite normal in some women. However, you must not ignore this sign, if you have chances of conceiving.
If getting your periods late is usual for you, be sure of how long you need to wait. We recommend you not to wait for more than five days. It’s always safe to be sure, and confirm if you’re pregnant.
You may find it easier to check using a home pregnancy kit. But it’s always best to get a proper diagnosis done by your gynecologist. This will ensure you of your pregnancy, or any other gynae problems you may have.
Changing breasts
Pregnancy changes the way your breast looks and feels during the first few weeks. You may find your breasts to be tender, painful, heavy, sensitive, swollen, and dark.
When you’re pregnant the hormonal level fluctuates tremendously. It further leads to varying changes in your body. Tender breasts are a common discomfort for all pregnant women. However, you will notice the pain and discomfort, to subside just as the hormones stabilize.
Frequent Urination
Once you are pregnant for around six weeks, the schedules of urination changes. You tend to urinate very frequently, or may often get urges of it too. But if you have an existing urinating problem, then it could be signs of a vaginal infection or diabetes. Always keep in close touch with your doctor to keep a note of why exactly your urination is so frequent.
Abdominal Cramps
A fertilized egg attaches to the uterus wall for you to get pregnant. When this happens your abdominal cramps, and aches which is quite similar to a period spasm.
You may often confuse yourself with a period cramp to be a pregnancy cramp. So, if you are late on your periods, and your abdominal is still cramping, don’t waste a second. Get your pregnancy test done immediately.
Pregnancy spasms reduce gradually with time. But if it persists, consult your doctor at once. Symptoms like severe pain and bleeding may be worrying and should be addressed immediately. It can be signs of a miscarriage.
Morning sicknesses
Morning sicknesses and nausea are very common signs to detect early pregnancy. Most women assure themselves of being pregnant, when they get sick in the mornings. Hormonal changes cause such problems, and may even occur at any time of the day too.
Fatigue
Social pressure and work knacker us completely. But if you find yourself to be more tired than you usually are, you may get indications of something else.
If you’re tired and sleepy all day long, it could be early signs of pregnancy. It’s usual for a few pregnant women to be disoriented and lack concentration at work all day long.
When you conceive, progesterone releases from your body, which gives you unusual tiredness. However, diabetes, thyroid, and blood sugar fluctuations may indicate similar symptoms too. So, it’s important to speak to your doctor and know the exact reason for your tiredness.
Food Cravings
If you are pregnant, you may get bizarre food cravings. You’ll notice this quite early in the pregnancy, and will notice women craving for something sour to eat every now, and then. However, many women even get nausea with the smell of certain food items. This weird food cravings vary from one woman to another.
But you should always follow a very healthy diet in order to keep yourself well and have a healthy baby. The doctor will provide you with a proper diet chart that will give you the right nutrition in correct amounts and adequate levels. This is extremely important and you must follow it meticulously.
Spotting and Light Bleeding
If you notice spotting or light bleeding within 6-12 days after conceiving, you should show your doctor at once. You may have this along with abdominal cramps. These signs must not be taken lightly and need immediate attention. However, pregnancy discharge is common and you see this due to increasing development in the vaginal linings. But you may even notice this throughout your pregnancy and is quite normal to get it.
You can speak to your gynecologist if you notice a foul smell, or if your vagina feels itchy. It may be a bacterial infection that requires medical care.
Emotional vulnerability
Pregnancy can make you extremely sensitive and emotionally vulnerable. This too happens because the body goes through a lot of hormonal changes. Keeping yourself in a positive environment, and staying happy and healthy are very essential to give birth to a happy child. This, in turn, will also help you deal with the emotional turmoil, you will be facing during the entire pregnancy period.
Missed contraceptive pills
The first thing that can make you doubtful is missing out on your contraceptive pills. In addition, if your late on periods, it definitely makes it quite obvious that you might be pregnant. So, without wasting a second consult your doctor and take medical help.
If you think that you’re not well prepared to have a baby, you must always use protection while having sex. However, if you happen to come into a sexual encounter without protection, keeping your birth control pills handy will be helpful.
Pregnancy stages
Now that you’ve got all the early signs of pregnancy, you must be sure how you want to go about with your pregnancy period.
Nevertheless, if you’re prepared and your longing to know how your baby is growing within you. We’ve got you all the little details you want to know about your baby. Below you will find how your baby grows bit by bit inside you and how your pregnancy stages proceed.
Scroll down and you’ll know the way your baby grows in these 9 months of your pregnancy.
First Trimester
Week 1 and 2
Your body goes through the change of fertilization after your sexual intercourse in the first two weeks. The body starts preparing itself for ovulation, and it’s yet time for you to conceive the baby. Just as the egg fertilizes, you have conceived.
Week 3
The third week also marks the early stages of pregnancy. During this time the sperm fertilizes the egg, and your baby starts forming. At the beginning of the formation, the baby is tiny as a poppy seed and is just a small group of cells.
Week 4
Week 4 is the time for implantation. Your body is absolutely ready for it, and blastocysts enter the uterine lining and breaks to form the embryo and placenta. Now, it’s time for the different body parts to start its formation.
Week 5
Your baby now is just as the size of an orange seed. Slowly the circulatory system and heart start developing during this week. Now, the levels of HCG increase in your body, and you’ll be facing all the possible symptoms of pregnancy.
Week 6
During the sixth week of pregnancy, your baby is similar to the size of a pea. The face also comes into shape gradually, and you notice yourself to urinate much more often.
Week 7
Now your baby is just as the size of a blueberry. Your breasts will become a lot sensitive and shall start aching too. This is when the brain your baby is developing.
Week 8
Week eight completes two months of your pregnancy, and morning sicknesses will start bothering you. The embryo slowly moves to your womb, and frequent urination is quite normal right now.
Week 9
The ninth week makes you feel lethargic and you may find yourself in bed all day long. If you’re wondering how big your baby has grown, then we’ll tell you. It’s just the size of an olive.
Week 10
It’s time now, you start having all the fibrous foods to overcome constipation. That’s because your baby is getting strong and developing bones and cartilages.
Week 11
Well, now you can be sure that your baby has developed human features and is just as big as a lime.
Week 12
You must have been putting on weight by this week, as your baby is growing healthier and bigger in size.
Week 13
This week completes the first trimester of the pregnancy stages. Now your baby looks a lot like the size of a peach.
Second Trimester
Week 14
Week 14 marks the beginning of the second trimester and now, is the time your baby develops a body, eyebrows, and a proper head. It will be much easier for you to deal with your pregnancy now, as your uneasiness and nausea will start to subside.
Week 15
Its time your baby starts kicking, but you need to wait for a few more weeks to feel them in your tummy. You may even face dental problems, so keep your dentist just away from a phone call.
Week 16
Its time now your baby develops eyes and eyelashes and is just as big as an avocado.
Week 17
You must keep a close watch on what you eat now. Your baby is as big as your palm and starts swallowing and sucking anything. So, important you eat the right things now.
Week 18
By the eighteenth week, you’ll feel something as big as sweet potato to move around in your tummy.
Week 19
Now is the time you’re baby’s developing skin as it’s almost mango-sized.
Week 20
The twentieth week determines if you’re going to have a baby boy or a baby girl.
Week 21
Your baby now just eats everything in your tummy and is just as the size of a carrot.
Week 22
Your baby is almost the size of a little doll and now, the sensory organs start to develop.
Week 23
Your baby is now just getting plumper and you’ll surely feel something moving around your belly.
Week 24
When you finish six months of your pregnancy, you’ve already got a popping belly button. It’s also time, your baby gets all the facial features.
Week 25
Your baby has grown quite a bit and is almost the size of a cauliflower. The baby even starts taking the first breath during this week.
Week 26
Now the baby slowly opens his/her eyes. But you’ll feel like sleeping all the time.
Week 27
You’ll need to keep yourself prepared to get swollen ankles and plumped up feet. Your baby like just big an eggplant by now.
Third Trimester
Week 28
Your baby is already dreaming, coughing, blinking, and hiccupping by now.
Week 29
During this week, you may get varicose veins and your baby may be adding to your body weight too.
Week 30
Your baby has grown quite big now, a lot like a cabbage. Keep informing your doctor if you have any acidic heartburns or pains during this week and the weeks later.
Week 31
You may face breathing troubles from this week, as the baby starts to use his/her senses.
Week 32
Your baby has already learned the skills of survival by now, like sucking and breathing.
Week 33
You start having sleepless nights at this stage. However, your baby is developing his/her immune system by now.
Week 34
If you’re going to have a baby boy, his testicles start descending in this week. You as a mom may face eyesight problems during this stage.
Week 35
Now it’s time for your baby to grow very fast and start weighing heavy. This will make you feel an immense pressure on your bladders.
Week 36
While your bones aching by now, your baby is developing strong bones at this stage.
Week 37
It’s time your baby starts moving and your gynecologist will check your labor signs.
Week 38
Its time your baby produces surfactant. It helps the baby to produce colostrum and breathe well.
Week 39
During this week you will start getting your labor symptoms, as the baby has a full-grown head.
Week 40
The fortieth weeks marks the official end to the pregnancy stages. It’s time you may expect delivery at any moment.
Week 41
You should get your labor pains by now and it’s time you can hold your baby in your arms.
Week 42
Almost all babies delivered at their own time. However, only a percentage of 5 is seen to be born after their due dates.
Conclusive insights on pregnancy stages
Now, that you know all about your pregnancy stages. You must stay in good care, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Follow every instruction your doctor gives you, and soon you’ll see a happy and healthy baby in your arms. We’ve given you the best idea you need to know about your pregnancy stages. You can now enjoy every bit of your tiny steps to motherhood!