Sudden mood swings, food craving, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and swollen, tender breasts. Looks like you’re officially entering the first stage of pregnancy. Pregnancy typically lasts for about 39-40 weeks and is divided into 3 stages or what they call, trimesters. The first trimester includes your pregnancy from conception to 12 weeks.
Second trimester is the 13th to 28th week, and the third trimester, which is the last stage of pregnancy, covers week 29 up to delivery. For first time moms, they say it’ll usually end on the latter weeks. Well, I delivered mine at my 39th week!
Aside from the unpleasant signs of pregnancy, physical and hormonal changes are also comprised of the first trimester. This is a stage where your body adapts to the demands of having a new boarder in your uterus. This is also considered the most crucial part of all the three stages of pregnancy. The heart, lungs, spine, brain and the extremities, development of your baby’s vital and major organs happens on the 4th week onward. The bones, fingers, mouth, eyes and genitals start to develop on the 8th week. It is advised to avoid exposing yourself to radiation, toxic substances, smoking and taking any other medications that may harm your baby. Folic acid, multivitamins and iron supplements on the other hand, are medications mostly prescribed to help with your baby’s development.
We’ve announced our pregnancy after the end of the first trimester due to 3 reasons:
- I wanted to focus more on my pregnancy and prepare myself.
- I wasn’t ready to answer and entertain questions from family and friends while I’m busy feeling horrible!
- Having a miscarriage is more common during the first trimester. I felt like it’ll be easier to announce a pregnancy than to disclose a miscarriage.
Dark neck and underarms, stretch marks and a dark line running along your belly, where’s the “pregnancy glow”? Your pregnancy is visible, and your baby bump will soon show up. Although, the coming months should be exciting. You may also start to feel your potato’s first kick! If you can’t wait to decide if you’ll get the pink or the blue oneness, you can probably confirm your baby’s gender on your upcoming ultrasound. Oh! Did I mention your baby can also hear you now?
The final countdown! On your last stage of pregnancy, your baby is getting bigger fast. Brace yourself for frequent toilet trips, back pains, breathlessness and swollen feet. During the third trimester, your baby’s organs are fully developed and working on its own. Ripening of the cervix and abdominal contractions will naturally start to prepare you for labor. After the 37th week, your baby can be considered full term thus, labor and delivery can be expected any day from now. Start packing your hospital bags (camera included) and make sure you’re ready to go. Once your contractions progress, head to the hospital of your choice and prepare to meet your little one soon!
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