Early Signs Of Pregnancy

What is happening to your body during pregnancy?  Week by week there are significant changes in the way that your body is enhancing and providing for your baby's growth.  Here is a look at what happens with your body and with the baby, week by week.

During your first trimester, many things are happening, though most women do not actually show physical signs of pregnancy until they are towards the end of this time.

• Week One:  Week one is actually the week following your menstruation cycle, long before your baby has been conceived.  During your first trimester, many things are happening, though most women do not actually show physical signs of pregnancy until they are towards the end of this time.It is difficult to predict conception, so doctors use this gauge to determine when your baby's due date is.  By week three and four, you have a missed period and perhaps even signs of pregnancy
• Week Four:  Implantation bleeding may occur here.  The baby is just starting to develop as the embryo begins the process of implanting in your uterus..
• Week Six:  At six weeks of pregnancy, your baby's first heartbeats happen.  This is an incredible development!  The baby is about 1/17 of an inch big but it has a developing umbilical cord, eyes and ears too.  While the heart is beating, your baby's other organs are still being developed.  By now, moms may be experiencing morning sickness.  This is a very important time in baby's development and what you eat should be carefully monitored.
• Week Eight:  If you have met with your doctor and had an ultrasound done, the heartbeat can most often be seen.  The baby's elbows, leg buds and arm buds begin to grow.  Even small toes are starting to form.  The baby's intestines are also growing and teeth are developing under their gums.  Your uterus is about the size of an orange and you may be showing early signs of pregnancy like skin problems, and tender breasts.
• Week Ten:  At this time, baby is able to move inside mom.  You will not feel it, though.  All joints are being developed at this time including elbows and knees.  Morning sickness, which has been affecting you all this time, is showing signs of backing off.
• Week Twelve:  Your baby has most of his organs developed or developing now.  Fingers and toes are beginning to separate and the baby's genitals are showing.  Your baby also is making and excreting urine.  The uterus will shift upwards and move forward from now on as it grows.  Week Fourteen:  Right now, you are showing symptoms of pregnancy that are noticeable to others.  Baby is about 3 ½ inches long and weighs up to two ounces.  He has started to learn to inhale and exhale.  He can use his hands now, and he will begin learning to flex his body.  In mom, maternal hormones are balancing out more and many begin to feel constipation as a problem.
• Week Sixteen:  Pregnancy signs now include movement of the baby, though it may not be regular.  Your heart continues to work hard, pumping lots of blood for baby and the amount of blood in your body has increased by as much as 50 percent to accomplish this.
• Week Eighteen:  At about half a pound, baby is making a statement in your life.  His fingertips and toes are forming and baby's first bowel movement is forming.  At this stage, your uterus is just below your belly button.  Monitor blood pressure now, too.
• Week Twenty:  Now that you are half way through pregnancy, the baby has done a lot of developing.   They baby is already at the level of sleeping and being awake the same as it will as a newborn.  The baby's hair is beginning to show itself.  At your navel, the uterus is pushing forward.  You should be feeling the baby move readily now.
• Week Twenty Two:  At about a pound in weight, the baby is doing well size wise.  The eyelids are forming and the baby's brain is developing very quickly at this point.  The uterus is not about an inch above your navel.  Most mothers are gaining weight more readily at this point.  Prepare for that by giving yourself comfortable shoes to stand in.
• Week Twenty Four:  When look at the week to week pregnancy, this week will be a rapid increase in baby's size.  He will gain about six ounces as the body begins to fill out.  He's adding muscle, organs and tissue to his body.  He could be 1 1/3 pounds by now.  At this point, you may have a glucose tolerance test done to determine your health including the likelihood that you have gestational diabetes. 
• Week Twenty Six:  At about two pounds, your baby is also about nine inches long.  He has blood vessels and the air sacs in the lungs start working.  Both visual and auditory brain activity is being used.  Your uterus is about 2 ½ inches above your belly button.  Braxton Hicks contractions start at this point, too, which is just your body learning how to contract for birth.
• Week Twenty Eight:  Your baby is growing rapidly at this pregnancy stage.  He has hair, eyelashes and eyebrows.  He is about two pounds in weight, though up to 3 percent of his body is fat.  Lungs can breathe on their own at this point.  You are entering the third trimester which may mean painful leg cramps, itchy skin and heartburn.  The uterus is at three inches above the navel.
• Week Thirty:  With just ten weeks to go, your baby is likely about three pounds in size and growing rapidly.  He opens and closes his eyelids and bone marrow is now making the red blood cells in his body.  It may become more and more difficult to be comfortable at this point for mom.
• Week Thirty Two:  At up to four pounds, growing is size is what baby's goal is right now.  He has all five working senses and has completely formed toenails.  The uterus is at five inches above the navel now and pushing all organs out of the way.  Increase the amount of fiber you take in as well as water.
• Week Thirty Four:  The baby is functioning as a newborn in terms of responding to sounds.  At this point, he is developing very important immunities.  This stage of pregnancy is all about growing and you will see this as your abdomen rapidly is expanding.  More Braxton Hicks contractions are happening.
• Week Thirty Six:  At this stage of pregnancy, baby is getting ready to be born. He's already turned so he is head down.  You will likely visit your doctor every week now and the average weight gain for you is likely to be about 30 pounds. 
• Week Thirty Eight:  The baby is gaining about an ounce per day.  You may experience false contractions.  At this point, doctors are watching you to determine if you are ready to go into labor.  Labor contractions can be real any time now.
• Week Forty:  Your fully developed child is ready to be born at any time.  You are feeling heaviest now, and you may be anxious.  Not to worry though, baby's arrival goes without problems in most women.

The pregnancy week by week guideline is just that, because every mother and child will develop and change at their own rate.  Nevertheless, this powerful time is an amazing journey of growth.