To be equipped to take care of the growing baby inside you and yourself, you need to be aware of all the alterations and adaptions that your body is undergoing.
The most dramatic changes and the development of the foetus occurs during the first trimester. During the first 10 weeks, the growing baby is called an embryo . After 10 weeks, the foetus develops rapidly and by the end of the first trimester, it measures an average of 6-7 cm.
Week - by- week changes in mother and baby :
Week 1 :
Mother :
You started your period on the first day of this week. This will be the last period you will have for at least the next nine or ten months. We start counting the weeks of pregnancy from the first day of the last period. If you are planning to become pregnant, now is the time to improve your diet and add vitamin supplements such as folic acid and iron.
Week 2 :
Mother :
Preparing for conception, your last period is now over. Your uterus is lined up with a new layer of cells to support and nourish your soon to be conceived baby. An egg is growing in one of your ovaries. Soon it will ripen to the right size and you will ovulate.
Week 3 :
Mother :
Congratulations ! You are pregnant.
Ovulation and conception will occur sometime during this week. One of your ovaries Ripens and release and egg (ovum). Pulled in by the finger like projections of the Fallopian tube, it begins the journey towards the uterus.
Your progesterone levels will start increasing this week . High levels of progesterone keeps the uterus quiescent, making it less likely to cramp. This helps the pregnancy continues.
Week 4 :
Mother :
If you have been trying for pregnancy, you should avoid any medication at this point because some medications can be harmful fro the developing embryo. If you need any medications, tell your doctor that you might be pregnant.
Baby
Although you are as yet unaware that you are pregnant, your baby is undergoing great changes. The fertilised egg is now a quickly growing ball of cells called a blastocyst.
Week 5 :
Mother :
Your period is delayed and you and you starting to wonder if you are pregnant. A home pregnancy kit can also be used. Your breasts become tender, particularly over the nipples. Also, you may notice that you are more tired than usual. You may begin to feel nausea or vomiting.
Baby
Your baby is now an embryo with a little tail at the end of its developing spine and is barely visible by naked eye. The spinal column, brain and heart have begun to develop.
Week 6 :
Mother :
Your baby has begun growing inside you for one month, tough you cannot find any physical changes.
Baby
By week 6, the baby’s heart has begun to beat. On an ultrasound, you can clearly make out the beating of the heart. The baby is as big as your fingernail.
Week 7 :
Mother :
You will stop looking tired and start getting the glow of pregnancy. Some women, however , may find themselves plagued with pimples on the face , these are due to changing hormone levels.
Baby
The baby’s heart is now beating regularly 140-150 beats per minute. The arm buds have grown and the hands begin to develop. The baby’s face is developing rapidly.
Week 8 :
Mother :
The uterus will feel enlarged on an internal examination by the obstetrician. The breast get larger and heavier, and are probably still tender. You may feel the need to urinate more frequently as the uterus puts pressure on the bladder.
Baby
The baby is now 10,000 times bigger then what it was at the time of conception but is still only about 2.5cm long. This week the gonads will either become testes or ovaries i.e the baby will differentiate into a boy or girl. The foetus has started moving inside the uterus but the movements cannot be felt by you yet.
Week 9 :
Mother :
At this stage, your appetite might improve but do not be surprised if the nausea persists for another month or so. Due to hormonal changes, the gums become soft and thicker. You might bleed from your gums while brushing your teeth. Be sure to use a soft toothbrush and also visit a dentist too.
Baby
Baby’s bone and cartilage are beginning to form. The umbilical cord and placenta are forming and growing too. The little fingers have formed but are webbed at this point.
Week 10 :
Mother :
By now, you will have mood swings because of the surgeon hormone levels. You might swing from happiness to crying to anger in minutes. Your husband and family have to be prepared for this! If you are feeling a little more energetic, start going for walks. This will make you feel healthy and fit and is also a good practice to follow throughout pregnancy. You mss. This ay also feel breathless. This may cause you to take deep breaths and sigh a lot. This is an effect of increased levels of progesterone in you blood. The breathlessness will reduce at the end of the trimester but will come back in third.
Baby
This week, your baby graduates from being an embryo to a foetus. Most of the joints are formed – shoulders, elbows, wrists , hands and fingers, knees, ankles, feet and toes. All of the organs are there, but not fully formed or functional.
Week 11 :
Mother :
Your uterus is just about to fill your pelvis. If you press your fingers into your lower abdomen, just above the pubic bone, you may be bale to feel it. Your obstetrician may be able to feel the uterus abdominally. A Doppler device may be used to hear the baby’s heartbeat. The first time you hear the baby’s heartbeat is amazing milestone.
Baby
Baby’s nails are just starting to develop on the little fingers. The length of the baby will probably double this week. Th irises of the eyes are also developing now.
Week 12 :
Mother :
In this week, your uterus will shift upwards a bit so that it does not press on your bladder as much as before. You may also notice changes in your skin. Some women will have irregular brown patches, called the “mask of pregnancy” (chloasma) on their face or neck. A dark line of pigmentation running from the top to the bottom ( known as linea nigra) in the middle of the abdomen may also develop now.
Baby
By now the baby is about 6cm long, fully formed and looks like a human being. She would fit in the palm of your hand. The beginning of the hair can also be seen on the scalp. The webbed hands and feet develop into fingers and toes. With kidneys fully functioning, the baby can swallow amniotic fluid and excrete it as urine. The amniotic fluid is completely replaced every three hours, so the baby’s environment stays fresh.
Week 13 :
Mother :
You will start to feel some heaviness and a mild ache in your lower abdomen, as the uterus grows and stretches. You might find it uncomfortable when you get up after sitting down or when you turn from side to side when you are lying down. This feeling increases over the following few weeks.
Baby
Your baby is almost 8cm long, the vocal cords begin to develop. All the twenty baby teeth are formed and waiting beneath the gums until well after the birth. However, every once in a while a baby is born with a tooth already showing. The baby’s bone marrow, liver and spleen have taken over the production of red blood cells.
Week 14 :
Mother :
Having made to the first three months, your risk of miscarriage is very low. You might start developing acidity, leading to heartburn. Your dovecote will prescribe antacids to relieve it. Try to finish your last meal for the day early, so that you have atleast an hour and a half between your meal and lying down. You may just about to start “showing”. Many first time mothers are concerned that they do not show yet.
Baby
By now your baby is 7.5cm long and the weight has tripled to about 45 gms. The facial features became more defined.the facial muscles became more active and the baby is able to smile, frown and wrinkle its forehead. The external genitalia have clearly differentiated into that of a boy or a girl.
Week 15 :
Mother :
In this week, the heaviness in the lower abdomen is likely to increase. The top of your uterus is now halfway between you pubic bone and umbilicus. It can be easily felt and your obstetrician will be bale to assess if the uterus is growing normally.
From this week onwards, you can undergo the triple screen test for Down syndrome.
Baby
Your baby is more than 10cm long, colourless eyebrows and eyelashes have now appeared. The babes heart is beating well and the blood circulation is fine. The hair on the top of the head is starting to show up more. Skin formations progressive, but is thin. At this stage sometimes, in ultrasound baby can be even seen sucking his thumb.
Week 16 :
Mother :
If you have a baby before, you might start feeling the slightest of flutters as your baby starts moving. First time mothers have to be a little patient for at least another two to three weeks to start feeling the baby’s movement. Sleeping on your stomach
might start becoming uncomfortable.
Baby
By now your baby is 11cm long and the average weight is 100 grams. The head is erect and the lower limbs are well developed. The skin is also getting thicker and is less transparent.
Week 17 :
Mother :
You will start gaining the weight, make sure you start a regular antenatal exercise programme and stick to it. Also, if you have not yet started your iron supplements, this is a good time to do it.
Baby
The baby has started purposeful movements, the fat has started depositing under the bob’s skin. The loud noises outside the uterus may cause the baby to startle and move jerkily.
Week 18 :
Mother :
Many women get worried because they do not seem to have symptoms of pregnancy anymore. The nausea is gone, the appetite is healthy and you have become used to the weight of the uterus so there is no abdominal discomfort. Don’t worry, this is the good time of pregnancy, so enjoy it.
Baby
The baby weighs 200 grams by now. The baby’s bone are growing harder and stronger.the kidneys are producing 7-14 of urine everyday. Meconium, a greenish substance, is beginning to accumulate in the bowel. It is made up of undigested debris from the amniotic fluid and various secretions of the digestive tract. This will come out in the early days after birth as the baby’s worst few bowel movements. The baby is beginning to be covered in a white, waxy substance called vernix. This protects the delicate baby’s skin from getting wrinkled due to constantly being in the amniotic fluid.
Week 19 :
Mother :
The lower abdomen starts to get fuller, if this is your first pregnancy, this is when all your friends can easily notice that you are pregnant. Th skin on over the abdomen may start developing “stretch marks” in the coming months. Though you cannot always avoid them, this is a good time to start applying moisturisers over the abdominal skin to minimise the stretch marks.
Baby
If the baby is a little girl, millions of undeveloped eggs will start forming in the ovaries. By the time she is born, she will have a million undeveloped eggs in her ovaries. Buds for permanent teeth start forming behind the buds for the baby(milk) teeth.
Week 20 :
Mother :
You have reached the midpoint of your pregnancy. Right from the beginning of pregnancy, you might have noticed increased vaginal discharge. It might get more pronounced now. If it is accompanied by itching or burning, contact your obstetrician. The feet might get a little puffy, there is nothing to be concerned about. As the pregnancy progresses, you will retain more and more water in your body and the feet will get more swollen. Putting up your feet will help reduce the oedema.
Baby
The baby weighs approx 320 grams by now. If the baby is a girl, the uterus has started developing now. The baby’s heart is beating at a rate of 120 to 160 beats per minute.
Week 21 :
Mother :
By now you will be able to feel the baby’s movement easily. Be active as you can. Keep up the daily walking and don’t forget to do your prenatal exercises. Try to avoid standing for long periods of time as this can increase the swelling in your legs.
Baby
Didn’t worry if she sleeps for a while. Her movements will be felt vigorously bone day and may be mild the other day. The baba’s bone marrow starts making blood cells. This was done by the liver and spleen now.
Week 22 :
Mother :
In this week you may feel the effects of the change in your centre of gravity. Your gait will change when you walk. Avoid wearing high heels. You may be more comfortable with a slight heel on your footwear, rather than completely flat footwear.
Baby
The baby weighs about 460 grams and is about 25 cm long. Their is a downy layer of hair on the skin, called lanugo. This will disappear before the baby is born or soon after the birth. Taste buds are starting to form on the baby’s tongue. For boys, the testes begin to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum this week.
Week 23 :
Mother :
The baby’s movement are quite obvious now, is replaying football there? Your sides may ache, in the lower abdomen. This is due to the stretching of the round ligaments which hold the uterus up. Lying down and resting on the same side as the pain will help relive it. Try to lean back when you sit, so that the uterus does not push directly into the ribs.
Baby
By now the baby weighs 500 grams. The pancreas is developing well and ever begins to produce insulin. The bones in the little ones middle ear are hardening now and the baby can hear muffled sounds. In fact, can hear the rhythmic beat of your heart !
Week 24 :
Mother :
It might start getting uncomfortable when you turn to your sides while lying down. Keep a pillow under your belly to support the uterus while you lie on your side. You can also keep a pillow between your knees. Anytime, from the 24th to 28th week you might be asked to undergo a blood test to determine whether you have diabetes in pregnancy. Keep exercising, keep fit.
Baby
The baby gains weigh rapidly and weighs around 650 grams. The lungs are developing blood vessels now, preparing them to take over the task of getting oxygen into the blood stream. The lungs began to produce surfactant. This substance allows the air sacs in the lungs to inflate and prevents them from collapsing. This substance is the reason why newborn babies can breathe air as soon as they are born. Baby shave just opposite of our sleep rhythms. That is why you will find her jumping around at night and sleeping more during the day. Play some music, she can’t hear the words but she can definitely listen to the intonation and the rhythm.
Week 25 :
Mother :
By now your face looks rounder. The nose may start changing shape and may get a little plumper. Your skin may darken in various places : neck, abdomen, and around the mouth. Don’t worry, this will fade after the baby is born and your skin colour will return to its normal tone.
Baby
The hands are fully developed by now. With her sense of touch well developed, she spends her time trying to touch everything. The spine has developed completely.
Week 26 :
Mother :
Have you your tetanus toxoid injection? If not, make sure your start immunisation schedule now. You might feel your abdomen tighten and relax at irregular intervals. These painless contractions are called Braxton Hicks contractions. They help uterus to prepare for the birth.
Baby
The baby is about 800 grams now. The skin is becoming less transparent. The baby’s brain is now registering brain wave activity for sight and hearing.
Week 27 :
Mother :
You will gain weight more rapidly now, make sure you do not put more than one to two kilos per month. You may also feel short of breath at times. That’s because the baby pushes against ribs, giving less space for the lungs to expand. You will be able to see parts of your baby move around in your abdomen, as she pushes against your body.
Baby
This week marks the end of the second trimester. The baby’s lungs, liver and immune system are continuing to mature. At 27 weeks, your baby’s length would have tripled or even quadrupled from the length she was when you were 12 weeks pregnant. The baby’s skin is still wrinkled and red. The fat deposited under the skin will start slowly even out the skin texture.
Week 28 :
Mother :
You may loose some amount of urine when you cough or sneeze. This is quite normal in pregnancy. Make sure you learn Kegel’s exercises to make your pelvic muscles supple and strong.
Baby
Your baby reaches the 1 kilo (1000grams) mark! The hair is growing thicker and is getting darker. The lungs are more mature and if the baby is born now, the lungs are capable of breathing air. The baby’s eyes are partially open and sensitive to light. The surface of the brain, smooth till now, will start developing wrinkles called sulci and gyri. This is part of the normal development of the brain.
Week 29 :
Mother :
By now your breasts may feel heavy. The nipples and the area around them (areolae) became larger and deeply pigmented. You may feel small bumps on the areolae. This is normal. Some women may notice a clear discharge from the breast. This is common and just a sign that the breasts are getting ready for the breastfeeding. The amount of circulating blood in our body just doubles. Acidity and heartburn became more common now.
Baby
In this week you will find the baby tucking itself under your ribs. Sometimes, you might experience pain under the ribs on the right side- this is because the baby is pushing against your liver. She will now be in the classic ” foetal position” with her arms and legs curled over the body. The bone marrow takes over production of the red blood cells.
Week 30 :
Mother :
In this week, your antenatal check ups will become more frequent now. You will be seen in every two weeks from now on. You might have pain in the lower sides of the abdomen. This is because the ligaments which hold the uterus in place ( Calle dthe round ligaments ) gets stretched. Lying down on your sides may help.
Baby
Your baby now weighs about 1,250 grams. The baby’s skin is getting smooth though some wrinkles still remain. The downy hair over the body (lanugo) starting to disappear. The baby’s brain is growing rapidly, developing hundreds of billions of new nerve cell. No new nerve cells will be added after birth, though the brain will not reach full size until your child is 5 years old.
Week 31 :
Mother :
Your gait might be getting altered. Your centre of gravity changes because of protuberant stomach. The hormones produced in pregnancy cause relaxation of the joints between the bones in your pelvic area. This relaxation will cause you to waddle. The back pain can get worse as the pregnancy progresses. Finding a comfortable position to sleep can be difficult. Try lying pn your sides with pillows to support the uterus and a pillow between your knees.
Baby
As the baby gets more padded with fat, her skin goes from deep red to pink. The eyes are open now. She has plenty of hair on her head. Some babies even respond and above a great deal when they hear music.
Week 32 :
Mother :
Getting nervous and anxious? Remember that every mother- to -be, specially a first time one, worries about the baby and the coming labour. Prepare your self by reading about labour and delivery and by attending prenatal classes.
The baby will still be tumbling around in your uterus. It may not get into head down position for another week or two. If you are carrying twins, your uterus is already as large as if you were full term with a single baby.
Baby
The baby is starting to fill out and probably weighs around 1,700 grams. From this point on, baby ‘s weight will increase faster than the length. As your baby continues to grow, her movements will become more frequent and vigorous. Some of your baby’s kicks may actually be painful!
Week 33 :
Mother :
This week you might feel breathless most of the time as the uterus pushes your diaphragm up and that in turn compresses the lungs. You will be urinating more often. As the baby pushes against your bladder, you might get up more often in the night to go to toilet. Pressure on the bowels may cause you to have frequent or irregular bowel movements. Start planning for what you will need to do when you go into labour. Start buying the things you need for the newborn baby to avoid last minute rush.
Baby
By now so you feel taps or thumps in one particular point in your abdomen, lasting for a few minutes? That’s your baby having hiccups! This is common and she will continue to have them even after she is born. Iron is being store din the baby’s liver. If its boy, his testicles are descending into the scrotum. Baby may practice breathing by moving his or her diaphragm in respective rhythm. Th waxy layer of vernix covering the skin gets thicker now.
Week 34 :
Mother :
Do you know how to recognise when labour pains has started? Its the time to attend labour preparation classes or read about it so that you know when actual labour has started. Also, make sure you keep up with your walking and exercise regime. Keep fit ins particularly important at this time.
Baby
The baby weighs about 2 kilos now. The nails are are long enough to reach to the tip of the fingers or beyond. When she is born, the nails might be long and she might even scratch herself.
Week 35 :
Mother :
This week there would be lot of pressure in your pelvic area. When you walk, you might feel the weight in your vagina. There may be pain and discomfort when you get up after sitting for a while.the cramps in your calf muscles might become more frequent. Remember to stretch your calf muscles.
Baby
The baby is getting into the head down position. The movements are changing – instead of kicks, the baby will roll and wriggle. This is because the space is getting less in the uterus as she continues to grow. The fat deposition all over the body continues and the baby is starting to look plump now.
Week 36 :
Mother :
You will start your weekly checkups now. The baby should have got into its final position by now. Most babies will be in the head down position but about 4 out of 100 will breech (buttocks down) position. The uterus has grown to 1000 times its non pregnant volume.
Baby
The baby’s face is getting rounder now. There is fat deposited on its cheeks. The baby’s head is finding its way into the birth canal. The movements are not so vigorous now.
Week 37 :
Mother :
Once 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed, you are considered as a ‘full term’. If the baby is born anytime after this, she is considered mature. If she is born before 37 weeks, the baby is considered ‘premature’. Th pressure on the ribs may be eased off considerably now. This is called ‘lightening ‘because the baby’s head is dropped into the birth canal. The mucus or the watery discharge from the vagina will increase since the cervix has started top open up a little.
Baby
The waxy white coating over the baby;s skin lessens. If the baby is born now, you will find vernix over the scalp and in the creases of the joints. As the baby occupies more and more space, the movement became less. The baby can survive comfortably if born now.
Week 38 :
Mother :
This week there might be frequent false pains. False pains are irregular, more over the low back and do not progress in frequency and intensity. These pains are there because the cervix is thinning out and starting to open slightly in preparation for labour. The obstetrician will do an internal examination to find out how your cervix is preparing for labour and also how the baby’s head has dropped into the birth canal.
Baby
The baby weighs between 2000 – 2900 grams on an average. The downy hair over the body (lanugo) is almost gone. The baby is plump because of a good deposition of fat under the skin.
Week 39 :
Mother :
The last week Is the toughest to get through. Everybody will call to find out if you have delivered the baby yet. You might be domino want to do much since the uterus is so stretched out and you are really uncomfortable. Be sure to have all your stuff ready to take to the hospital. Make all the arrangements at home for you to go to the hospital.
Baby
The is preparing for life outside the uterus. He will have plenty of breathing movements – pushing his little chest in and out. He might weigh between 2700- 3000 grams on an average. An Indian baby is considered large if he weighs 3500 grams.
Week 40 :
Mother :
The obstetrician will make sure the baby is doing well inside. She might want to wait till 41 weeks to induce labour. Remember that most babies are born a week before or after the due date. Only four percent of babies are born exact on the due date.
Baby
The baby is mature enough to face life outside your womb and the vital organs are ready to function.the baby’s bowels are filled with meconium, a greenish black stool which is the first motion that the baby passes. Though the most of the lanugo is gone, the baby may still be born with downy hair over the forehead, on top of the ears and over the shoulders.
