If you have recently learned of your pregnancy, or have been planning to get pregnant, you may have started thinking in terms of trimesters. This is because most women who are pregnant are generally told to think of their pregnancy in terms of 90-day periods, but this view is somewhat flawed. Though pregnancy is typically divided into three sections, it’s essential to remember that every woman and every pregnancy is unique. There is no set rule for how your pregnancy will unfold.
Why? If you see the changes that you and your baby will go through on a weekly basis, it’s going to be easier for you to take a more specific, week-by-week approach to keeping track of development.
If you’re pregnant, you’ll start to see very clear signs of it by the fourth week. This is when you would have missed a period, and you may have nausea, bloating, and increased urination.
You may not have any symptoms for a few weeks, which is common for many women. Some women might not start to experience symptoms until they are eight weeks along, when the hormone levels are high and the breasts become tender. At this point, the uterus is also swollen to the size of a small orange. Other common symptoms include fatigue and very clear signs that you are pregnant.
During the second trimester – which runs from weeks 13 to 26 – there’s a lot going on both for you and your developing baby. Around week 15, you may “start to show” (though it’s more common for women to appear pregnant anywhere from weeks 14 to 20). A few weeks after that, you may notice the appearance of the “linea nigra” – a dark line that runs from your belly button to your pubic area. This is caused by the pressures developing in your uterus and is a good sign that your baby is growing well!
As we enter the final trimester, the pregnancy is changing extremely quickly on a week-by-week basis. By week 26, you may start to experience common Braxton Hicks contractions and your baby will begin becoming extremely responsive. At 30 weeks, you will have stretch marks and a bit of edema due to water retention. Your baby’s movements are very noticeable, and you are probably hungrier than ever due to all of the growth occurring.
Keep an eye on your pregnancy week by week so that you know what changes to expect and when. This way, you can be prepared for anything that comes up and enjoy this special time in your life!
The final ten weeks are a crucial time for the baby’s development. Many of the baby’s organs and systems begin operating during this time, and the baby slowly drops into position for delivery. This is an important time to make sure that everything is on track for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
