Pregnancy Week By Week
Pregnancy is mixed journey of mostly a lot of irritation, frustration, confusion and aching body parts. But when you hold your baby for the first time at the end of it all, everything that you have endured for the last 9 months suddenly seems worth it. You will forget all your worries and problems for that moment and feel only the tender life that you have given birth to.
For the sake of your baby and your self, it is good to monitor the changes in your body along with changes in your baby's growth. For this, you must follow a week-by-week calendar that mentions everything that should be happening. However, these are mainly used for reference purposes. All babies go through the same stages but at different rates. So if something does not match, do not panic. Things can easily get delayed or advanced a week or two.
Here's what to expect: -
Week 1 13: Your pregnancy is measured from the day your last period began because you usually won't know when you ovulate, let alone when you actually conceive. So in a way you are actually considered pregnant in hindsight when you weren't on reality. At the beginning the baby is not a baby but just a fertilized egg. Then it travels down the fallopian tube and gets implanted into your ovary, which has been getting ready in the mean time.
Stop all medications at this point except those that you are explicitly told are safe during pregnancy. By week 5 your baby has grown in to an embryo through rapid cell division and is barely visible to the naked eye. By week 7, you will be able to tell whether it is a girl or a boy. By week 8, the baby has arms and legs that are long enough to allow it to hug itself. By week 10 most of baby's joints are formed and by week 13 most of baby's major organs have formed. You will get food cravings at this time but if you crave inedible things, see your obstetrician.
Week 14-26: By now the amniotic fluid inside the uterus is being refreshed every 3-4 hours and the baby is swallowing it and passing it out as urine. By week 15 baby's heart is beating at twice the average human heart rate. By week 19 you will be experiencing all the signals of pregnancy, including an enlarge belly due to the large uterus. By week 19 your baby has buds for teeth and by week 20 you are halfway through. By week 26 you will be able to feel your baby through your belly and vice-versa. Your baby can see and hear things by now.
Week 27 to birth: These last weeks will see you gain the last of your pregnancy weight and your baby will be gaining the last of its newborn weight. Anything between a 2.5kg 3.8kg is a healthy baby. Girls are usually lighter than boys. Congratulations, you have finally given birth to a new life.
For the sake of your baby and your self, it is good to monitor the changes in your body along with changes in your baby's growth. For this, you must follow a week-by-week calendar that mentions everything that should be happening. However, these are mainly used for reference purposes. All babies go through the same stages but at different rates. So if something does not match, do not panic. Things can easily get delayed or advanced a week or two.
Here's what to expect: -
Week 1 13: Your pregnancy is measured from the day your last period began because you usually won't know when you ovulate, let alone when you actually conceive. So in a way you are actually considered pregnant in hindsight when you weren't on reality. At the beginning the baby is not a baby but just a fertilized egg. Then it travels down the fallopian tube and gets implanted into your ovary, which has been getting ready in the mean time.
Stop all medications at this point except those that you are explicitly told are safe during pregnancy. By week 5 your baby has grown in to an embryo through rapid cell division and is barely visible to the naked eye. By week 7, you will be able to tell whether it is a girl or a boy. By week 8, the baby has arms and legs that are long enough to allow it to hug itself. By week 10 most of baby's joints are formed and by week 13 most of baby's major organs have formed. You will get food cravings at this time but if you crave inedible things, see your obstetrician.
Week 14-26: By now the amniotic fluid inside the uterus is being refreshed every 3-4 hours and the baby is swallowing it and passing it out as urine. By week 15 baby's heart is beating at twice the average human heart rate. By week 19 you will be experiencing all the signals of pregnancy, including an enlarge belly due to the large uterus. By week 19 your baby has buds for teeth and by week 20 you are halfway through. By week 26 you will be able to feel your baby through your belly and vice-versa. Your baby can see and hear things by now.
Week 27 to birth: These last weeks will see you gain the last of your pregnancy weight and your baby will be gaining the last of its newborn weight. Anything between a 2.5kg 3.8kg is a healthy baby. Girls are usually lighter than boys. Congratulations, you have finally given birth to a new life.
