Overview of Pregnancy Trimesters
Familiarizing yourself with the events during pregnancy trimesters is the first step in entering motherhood. Once you’ve started to experience the 1st-trimester symptoms, then it’s time to check your pregnancy calendar week by week. So buckle up, moms-to-be, because we’re about to give you a glimpse of what will happen in your 3 trimesters of pregnancy.
Pregnancy Trimesters: Things You Need To Expect and Do
First Trimester
1. Preparation for Conception
Preparing for possible conception is the first circumstance in your pregnancy you have to note. This occurs during the first two weeks of pregnancy wherein the body prepares itself for being pregnant since the calculation is from the day of your last menstrual period and not when you conceive.
2. Fetal Development
On the third week of your pregnancy, the fetus will start to develop. Ovulation and implantation will take place in which the sperm will now fertilize the mature egg. Also, this is the time you can confirm your pregnancy through a pregnancy test. However, most women won’t notice anything unusual about their body yet until the fourth to eighth week of pregnancy.
3. Pregnancy Symptoms
Upon confirming your pregnancy in your first trimester, pregnancy symptoms will arise. Nausea, heartburn, and tender breasts are just a few common symptoms you might begin to experience on your fourth or fifth week of pregnancy.
3 Effective Tips to Relieve Nausea During Pregnancy Trimesters
- Drink or sniff citrus fruits.
- Refrain from eating spicy foods.
- Take a nap in the daytime regularly.
4. Baby’s Vital Organ Development
When you reach the sixth or seventh week, the baby’s vital organs will begin to develop. The hair, tongue, elbows, and toes are just some of the essential body parts your bundle of joy now has. And if you’re wondering the size of your baby inside you at this point, it’s approximately an inch.
5. Morning Sickness
Congratulations, moms-to-be, you’ve survived two pregnant months and you’re now ready to face more pregnancy symptoms. During the eighth or ninth week of pregnancy, morning sickness will start to hit. Although you’ve experienced nausea in the last few weeks, this time it will be on a regular basis and will even be intensified.
Useful Do’s and Don’ts for Morning Sickness
Do:
- Eat small meals only.
- Opt for protein snacks.
- Have slices of watermelon and dried blueberries for nausea.
- Drink small amounts of fluids from time to time to avoid dehydration.
- Eat whatever your senses approve, but with moderation.
- Exercise regularly.
Don’t:
- Skip meals.
- Lie down right after eating.
- Go to warm places.
- Eat oily foods and instant noodles with MSG.
6. Prenatal Appointments
Aside from the morning sickness, gradual changes will start to happen in your body in your first trimester, so it’s best to start having prenatal appointments with your doctor. You might notice weight gain, blood volume increase, tenderness of breasts to prepare you for lactation, and other changes that are indeed surprising to you.
7. Healthy Diet and Exercise for You and Your Baby
On the tenth or eleventh week of pregnancy, your baby’s organs will continue to mature. Moms-to-be must help your little one to grow healthy by living healthy. Do light sets of exercises and a healthy diet to take good care of your baby and yourself.
8. Stretch Marks
As you finish your first trimester on the twelfth to thirteenth week, stretch marks will start to be visible in your body. This is one of the fears of women when becoming pregnant. However, as a mom who’s expecting her bundle of joy, you should not be ashamed of these marks.
Second Trimester
9. Pregnancy Stress Management
In the second trimester of your pregnancy, you’ll expect your baby to weigh a little less than two ounces. And as this little one of yours continues to grow inside you, your pregnancy stress will too. Worries will most likely start to arise during this fourteenth week. You might doubt whether you’ll be a good mom to your unborn child or if this little one will be healthy. By this time, you must learn fun and healthy ways to relieve stress.
10. Pregnancy Glow
Right after the stress comes the pregnancy glow. It usually knocks on a pregnant woman’s door during the fifteenth or sixteenth week, so if you’re at this stage, then just wait at the door. Also, if you’re wondering where this glow comes from, it’s because of the blood circulation increase.
11. Periodic Pain in the Legs
Sciatic nerve pain or periodic pain in the legs occurs around the seventeenth week of pregnancy. This pain is due to pressure on the nerves caused by the developing baby. At this point, you may have difficulties in your motor skills, especially using your legs.
12. Pregnancy Bump
On the eighteenth week of pregnancy, most moms-to-be love to take baby bump photos. Since your bump shows more at this time, you’ll feel excited you are expecting your bundle of joy.
13. Childbirth Education
This is now the right time to take childbirth classes. This step is crucial so you will be less likely to have a hard time with your labor and delivery. Also, it is better to encourage your partner to attend these classes so they’ll know how to act in times of emergency.
14. Maternity Leave
During the twenty-third week of pregnancy, you should now finalize your maternity leave and turnovers if you’re a working mom. This is one way to lessen your stress and mood swings and for you to focus on your baby too.
15. Finding Out the Baby’s Gender
The last weeks of your second trimester are when you can find out if you’re having a boy or a girl. While your baby isn’t big yet as you suspect, this little one is now gaining fat. And at this stage also is where you can start deciding on the baby’s name.
Third Trimester
16. Movements of the Baby
Once you reach the twenty-seventh week of pregnancy trimesters, you are now entering your third trimester. This is when you can feel your baby’s movements inside your tummy and all the mood swings will be gone. Excitement will fill your home as you wait for your baby’s every move.
17. Braxton Hicks Contractions
The thirty-first week of pregnancy trimesters is when Braxton Hicks contractions or “practice contractions” occur. This will prepare you for the actual labor because your uterus’ muscles will tighten that feels like mild cramps. If you’re taking childbirth lessons, then you may apply all the takeaways you’re learning such as the breathing exercise.
18. Labor and Delivery Preparations
By this time, you must finalize all the preparations for your labor and delivery. This includes the hospital and the doctor convenient to your needs.
19. Baby Kick Counts
On the thirty-fifth week of pregnancy, it’s crucial for you to keep track of your baby’s kicks and movements. Although by this time, your baby weighs about five pounds already and the space inside isn’t as big as before, your little one’s kick patterns shall stay the same. If you notice it’s becoming different, then see your doctor immediately.
20. Cervix Dilation and Effacement
Cervical dilation and effacement take place on the thirty-seventh week of pregnancy trimesters. At this point, your weight gain shows more than before and there’ll be an increase in Braxton Hicks contractions. The exact date of your labor isn’t guaranteed because as your cervix opens, you can be in labor anytime.
21. Preparing for Baby’s Arrival
By this time, you shall now be at the hospital, resting calmly regardless of how uncomfortable your cervix makes you feel. Remember, you’re just a few days or even hours away from meeting your bundle of joy. Rest well and make sure everything’s settled for your baby.
To know more about pregnancy trimesters, here’s a video from Health & Fitness featuring the first trimester of pregnancy. Press the play button below to watch!
Upon reviewing the overview of pregnancy trimesters above, may you be at peace in waiting for your bundle of joy. Remember to live healthy so your baby will be healthy as well.
Did we miss anything in our overview of pregnancy trimesters? Tell us in the comments section below!
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