Pregnancy Week By Week

[Funky Mum]

First Trimester

Week 5


This is the week that most women suspect or discover that they are pregnant. You may be feeling very tired, urinating frequently, have tender breasts with darker nipples, feel queasy and may notice a metallic taste in your mouth.

Your baby has become an embryo and is beginning to form the neural tube which will become over time, the spinal cord and brain. The placenta has begun to develop which will feed your baby, and the heart begins to form from now onwards. Its size is around 0.05 of an inch.



Week 6


You will be experiencing much of the same of week five throughout week six.
Your baby's heart will begin beating this week and it could even be detected on an ultrasound. The Optic vesicles which will become your babies eyes are developing and your babies brain, beginnings of the digestive system and respiritory system are starting to take shape. Little buds are developing which will become your baby's arms and legs. Your baby will be measuring around 3-5 millimetres now.



Week 7


By week seven the early pregnancy symptoms may be stregthening, you could become very hungry, or be totally off food. You may have poor skin due to the increase in hormones and may feel dizzy or faint from time to time especiallly when standing up quickly from sitting or lying positions. You will be forming the mucus plug in your cervix over this week which seals off your uterus and provides protection from infections.

Your baby has an umbilical cord now and you will be providing the oxygen and nutrients, as well as disposing waste, that your baby needs to develop and grow. Your babies face has begun to take shape with the features becoming more defined. The lungs and digestive system are continuing to develop. Your babies movements could now be detected by ultrasound and it is about the size of a 5 pence coin.



Week 8


You may have already but if not, by this week you should be sure to get booked in for your first prenatal visit. Your breasts will continue to change, with the nipple area spreading and becoming darker and you may begin to notice an increase in discharge as your vaginal walls soften. You may even be noticing a thickening to your waist or finding clothing a little tighter than usual.

At week 8 your baby's eyes are becoming more distinctive as they take on pigment (colour) and the retina forms. Little genital buds have begun to form, that will determine the sex of your baby later in your pregnancy or once born. The fingers and toes are forming and your amazing baby even has working wrist and elbow joints! All your baby's teeth buds will be developing and its head is still much bigger in proportion to its body. At this stage your baby is roughly the size of a large grape.



Week 9

Your womb will now be beginning to press on your bladder which will lead to more frequent trips to the toilet. You will be seeing more of thay thickening of your waist and may feel a few aches and pains as your ligaments begin to soften in reaction to the pregnancy hormones. You may notice veins on your chest standing out and will be preparing for your first prenatal visit, which will go over your's, the babies father and both families medical histories.

The eyelids are starting to form this week for your baby, and the tip of the nose can now be clearly seen by ultrasound.Your baby's head has continued to grow, making it more out of proportion with its body, which has begun to form its reproductive system and anus. Your baby's tail will have shrunk and will now be barely noticable. Movements will now be regularly made, but your baby is far too small for you to notice yet.



Week 10

By week 10,. the steady growth of pregnancy hormones begins to slow down, meaning you may begin to notice your symptoms tail off, some women become quite panicked at the change, which can seem quite sudden. You may notice that your gums bleed, and you will be very tired. At this stage, you may notice eyesight issues, such as contacts feeling uncomfortable, as your body retains more fluid.

You are one quarter of the way through your pregnancy.
At this stage, all your babies vital organs are formed and starting to work together and your baby has become a fetus. Deformities rarely form after this time, and your baby loses the webs between its fingers and toes, whilst the tail is now gone. If you are having a boy, he will begin to make the male hormone, testosterone during this week. The eyelids are now formed and sealed, and your babies heart now pumps blood around its body. The skeleton is developed and cartilage is being made, whilst muscle tissue is laid down.



Week 11

In week 11, you may have gained about 10 % of your body weight, about 2-3lb. Tiredness and hormones could be causing you to have mood swings and the dizzyness may be continuing.

The sex of your baby can still as yet not be distingusted at this early stage, by ultrasound. They are continuing to develop however and your baby will be growing to around 8 inches in size by the end of the 11th week. The ears are moving forward to the sides of your baby's head, and its head now makes up nearly half of your babies total length. The intestines are formed and cope with the fluid that your baby now sucks and swallows. Your baby can now wiggle her fingers, make a fist and frown! The most critical point in development has now passed.



Week 12


You will probably be breathing a sigh of relief this week as the danger zone for miscarriage passes to a small percent.During this week you may also begin to develop the pregnant 'glow' that you may have heard of, as the increased blood supply and hormone changes promote smooth skin and thicker hair. You may also be due your first scan this week, the Nuchal Fold scan, depending on where you are from. You may now be developing a noticable bump as your womb, having grown too large, pushes out over your pubic bone. You may now, if you havent already, be thinking about spreading the word of your pregnancy.

Your baby now has fully fuctioning kidneys, the finger and toe nail beds have begun to form, and your baby is developing its vocal cords. The eyes are now moving round to the front of the face. Your baby is now roughly the size of a plum.

Second Trimester

Week 13


Your hormones should be continuing to settle down, leaving you feeling a little more unstable. Unfortunately for some women the morning sickness does not wear off, and can continue for the duration of the pregnancy. Eating little and often is advised at this stage in your pregnancy. You may be gaining weight, though some mothers can also lose weight up to this point, due to morning sickness and a lack of appetite. You may have gained up to 5lb in weight.

Your placenta is fully functioning now and as well as providing oxygen and nutrients to your baby, it is also producing hormones to maintain your pregnancy. Your babies neck is straightening this week, lifting the head and starting to make your baby look a little more in proportion with its body. Your babies eyelids are sealed shut and he or she may even be able to suck a little on its thumb this week. The genital area forms a penis or a clitoris, and your babies bones are growing and lengthening rapidly.



Week 14

You may be having to consider buying some maternity clothes this week as your womb grows to the size of a grapefruit! During this week your care provider may discuss having an amniocentesis, a test which looks for abnormalities in your baby. You may begin to suffer with heartburn and should begin to feel less tired.

This week the lanugo is developing, fine hairs that protect your babies skin and keeps your baby's temperature level, and will cover the whole of your babies body. Your baby will be starting to make more controlled rythmical movements, and whilst it is not common, some ladies report feeling baby movement this early on. The thyroid gland has been developed and begins releasing thyroid hormones this week and your baby weighs roughly 45 grams and is about 9cm long.



Week 15


This week will be much the same as week 14, however some ladies really begin to feel better in this week and start to bloom. You may be showing quite a bit now and if you are working, you may want to be considering telling your employer.
Your baby's hair will be growing this week, the head and eyebrows. The skin is developing but is very frail and transparent. Your baby can suck its thumb and may even grab the umbilical cord. The skeleton is beginning to harden and muscle growth continues. Taste buds are beginning to form on your babies tongue.



Week 16


Again you may feel much the same as last week. Your hair and nails will be growing quicker and your womb will be putting pressure on your bladder and bowel, meaning you may become constipated and urinate frequently.

Your baby's facial muscles are developing well, allowing for lots of expressions. Your baby will be quite active now and again you may feel flutters this week. The bones continue hardening, including the one in your babies inner ear, meaning your baby may hear sound for the first time this week. Your baby is now around 13 cms long and weighing in about 120 grams. Your baby is still very thin, as it hasnt begun laying down fatty stores yet.



Week 17

Breast changes may be even more evident this week and you should make sure they are adequately supported. The area around the nipples may continue to darken and spread, with the nipples themselves darkening. Under the surface the glads that create your breast milk are starting to enlarge. You may be feeling movement by now, but dont worry if you dont, some women dont feel movement as late as 24 weeks.

During this week your baby will have almost doubled in weight, and connections are developing between the nerves and brain. Your babies length on average will be around 14 cms. Its still very small!



Week 18

From this week onwards some women begin to develop a dark line from their navel to lower pubic bone, called the linea nigra. This is normal and is believed to be due to pigment in your skin. Not all women do develop this line however. Your body is working very hard now to support your baby and your heart is working up to 40% harder to cope with the extra blood flow around your body.

This week your baby's eyes are now facing forward, though they are still sealed and your baby will be hearing more sounds now, such as your heart beat. In fact some loud noises may even cause your baby to jump! Some mothers to be like to start singing to the baby at this stage, as there is evidence to suggest the baby will hear and will even respond well to the same songs after birth.



Week 19


You are fast approaching your next scan, some ladies have it this week, some as late as 22 weeks. As your bump continues to grow, and your breasts (some women go up as much as two cups sizes through pregnancy) you may begin to develop stretch marks which tend to be purplish coloured or redish, but fade to silvery lines after the birth. Some women like to rub vitamin E based cream in to them at this stage, though whether this actually helps or not, has not been proved beyond doubt. As you get bigger, you or your partner may feel a bit strange at the thought of having sex, however it is totally safe and will not harm your baby, though perhaps you would like to stick to the less flexible positions!

Your baby's lungs continue to mature this week and baby will be practising breathing methods. Layers of fat are being laid down and your baby will now be covered in the waxy substance called vernix which protects the delicate skin from chafting or scratching. Your baby's nervous system is continuing to develop and baby may even respond to your touch on your bump.



Week 20


This week you have reached the half way mark, and if you are having your scan, you may be thinking about finding out the sex of your baby. The pregnancy hormones wrking to prepare your body for labour may affect your nose causing nosebleeds or feeling stuffed up. If you are a lucky one, you may be feeling that pregnancy bloom and have a lot of energy, and as your stomach keeps swelling, you may notice changes to your belly button, protruding out.

Your baby's hair and nail growth continues this week and the skin starts to thicken up, beginning to lose some of the paper thin delicacy and transparency. Over this week growth slows down a little as the digestive system matures and bones continue hardening. Your baby ius now around 16 cms in length.



Week 21


Your bump will be continuing to grow and a lot of pregnant women now feel more comfortable in maternity clothes, or clothes a size or so bigger than normal. Some women may begin to notice swelling in the feet/ankles at this stage, which is caused by retained fluids. Making sure you are drinking plenty of waterand staying rehydrated will help.If the swelling seems quite severe however and comes up very quickly, it can be an indicator of pre eclampsia a sometimes serious condition in pregnancy that you can read more about in the pregnancy complications article.

This week your babies growth rate has begun to settle and your baby will now be around 19cms from crown to rump. Your baby still has lots of room in your uterus though and the movements will grow more and more noticable over the next few weeks. Your baby's legs will grow longer over this week, putting your baby more in proportion, and at this stage, your baby will be getting sugar nutrients from the amniotic fluid, though most still comes through the umbilical cord.



Week 22

As your baby continues to grow so does your waistline. This week is the week that stretch marks may start to appear and unfortunately it's not just your stomach that can get them on your breasts, thighs and waist Streatch marks vary in colour from light pink to dark brown depending on your skin type and colour.

Your baby will now have their own fingerprints, also their eyelashes and eyebrows are fully formed and the hair on their head is continuing to grow as their brain begins a rapid growth process. Your baby will now be around 30cm long and weigh about 1 lb. If your baby is a boy his testes will start to descend into his pelvis.



Week 23

You will now begin to put on weight more steadily and as a result of this and changes in pregnancy hormones you may start to get backache.You may also start to feel Braxton hicks contractions, these are mild practice contractions and are harmless. You may also start to have vivid dreams and be anxious about the birth but again this is normal.

Your baby’s eyes continue to develop and this week the eyelids will open although the visual range is still very limited until a few weeks after the birth. The baby’s head and body are also more in proportion now and your baby’s taste buds are also developing and can distinguish between sweet and bitter.. The baby can now also hear noises and voices outside of the womb and it is thought that these sounds will be recognised after the birth so get talking.



Week 24

As your bump begins to grow you may become a bit clumsier and feel off balance as your centre of gravity shifts. You may also have difficulty in remembering things and concentration due to the change in hormone levels.

Your baby now measures around 21 cm. The lungs continue to develop and a substance called surfactant is beginning to be made, this coats the tiny tubes in the lungs and helps the baby to breathe once out of the womb. Baby may now have a sleep and wake cycle that you become aware of.

The baby at 24 weeks is viable, that is to say that if born now there is a chance that they will survive with special care intervention.



Week 25

You may start finding it hard to sleep, try lying on your left side with pillows supporting your bump. You may also notice that ankles start to swell so try elevating your legs as much as possible. You my also see the start of varicose veins in the legs caused by increase in blood flow and standing on your feet for long periods, so try elevating your legs as much as possible and sit when you can.

Baby is still able to move but there is less space to do so as baby begins to fill the space in the uterus. Baby may also become very active when you take a bath or shower. Baby can also curl his hands into a fist. The baby continues to add more fat and most babies at this stage weigh around 1lb.



Week 26

After the 25th week of pregnancy you may need a letter from your doctor to say that you are fit to fly, this is because of the increased risk of getting high blood pressure and going into premature labour.You may notice a darkening of the line down the centre of your abdomen called the linea nigra.

Your baby will now respond to light, so if you shine a light onto your tummy baby will turn towards it. Baby can also respond to touch and will move when you touch your abdomen in response to feeling a hand or foot.

Third Trimester

Week 27

This week marks the start of the third trimester. Antenatal classes should start soon so check with your midwife.

The baby's immune system continues to develop from the antibodies from you that pass across the placenta. Immunity is further increases after the birth by breastfeeding. The baby's liver and lungs also carry on developing this week.Your baby now measures 25cm from head to bottom.



Week 28

Colostrum which is the early milk is starting to be produced in your breasts now and may start to leak at times. Also as your ligaments and abdominal muscles start to stretch you may get mild cramping and pains in your side, all of which are quite normal. You will also have an antenatal check this week with your midwife and more blood tests will be done for antibodies and haemoglobin. If you are rhesus negative you will also be given anti D prophylaxis.

Baby's nostrils are now open and the lanugo, the fine hair covering baby's body is starting to disappear although some babies are born with patches of it still on the skin. All of the organs are now functioning apart from the lungs which are still full of amniotic fluid. Baby also continues to lay down layers of fat.



Week 29

Over the next few weeks your breasts may increase by up to a third of their usual size. You may also experience cramp like pains in the back of your calves as your body is having to carry extra weight. Talk to your midwife is experiencing this as she there is medication that can help.

Baby's head, body and limbs are now more in proportion with each other and baby is now resembling a new born. All organs are now fully developed but over the next 11 weeks they will continue to mature in preparation for the birth.



Week 30

Your growing uterus is now pushing further upwards and is putting more pressure on your bladder and spine causing further backache. As your bump continues to expand the skin stretches and may become itchy, to help rub in aqueous cream onto the skin.

Your baby's brain activity is very active and baby is learning new skills such as sucking and swallowing and continues to kick about. Your baby will spend about 80%of the time now in REM [dream] sleep.



Week 31

You may be beginning to feel practise contractions now, called braxton hicks, some ladies experience this earlier or later than this week too. They are believed to help tone the uterus and help labour go smoother. They should not be too uncomfortable and shouldnt last too long. You may also be experiencing leaking nipples from now up until the birth of your baby. This is natural and if it is heavy, you could begin to wear breast pads.

This week your baby is weighing close to 4 pounds and should be approaching 16-18 inches in length. From this week on your baby will begin to gain half a pound a week! Its immune system will continue to strengthen ready for the birth.



Week 32

By pregnancy at 32 weeks your uterus probably measures 4.5 inches above your navel. You will probably find you have some trouble catching your breath by about this time in pregnancy. Keep in mind you should take things easy and take your time to prevent excessive fatigue or dizziness. As you continue your pregnancy week by week you might consider some prenatal yoga or some stretching around this time to help prepare your body for labor and help you relax despite your growing size.

During the final weeks of your pregnancy week by week your baby will spend lots of time building layers of fat under her skin to keep her warm and safe after delivery. During pregnancy week 32 and beyond your baby's legs and arms start looking less wrinkly as they begin to fill out and plump up. Your baby will soon discover the space in your womb getting much tighter in the last weeks of pregnancy. You too may experience some discomfort as your belly continues to expand and your baby takes up more room in your uterus.

By pregnancy week 32 your baby's movements will continue to be strong but will also feel less dramatic or sporadic by this point in time. Your baby has less room to swim about, thus will move one or two body parts more slowly many times within your uterus. You may notice particularly strong movements or kicks and sudden changes that will occasionally startle you and often delight you. Onlookers often have a good deal of fun watching an expectant mother start and gasp at the sudden and exciting movements of their increasingly strong baby by this time in pregnancy.



Week 33

By pregnancy week 33 your uterus now measures roughly 5 inches above your belly button. You may have gained up to 28 pounds or more by this point in your pregnancy. Many women will gain weight more rapidly in the third trimester due to the rapid growth in their baby. Most babies start gaining anywhere from five to nine ounces every week from pregnancy week 33 until delivery.

By pregnancy week 33 many women start experiencing mild swelling or edema. This pattern often remains as you continue your pregnancy week by week. Some women find that swelling is worse during warm weather or in hot climates. If you are experiencing your third trimester in the middle of summer more kudos to you! You are probably very warm and quite bloated. Just be sure to drink plenty of water to keep your body as hydrated as possible. This will help with swelling and improve your comfort.

Your baby is steadily gaining weight during pregnancy at 33 weeks. For the remainder of your pregnancy your baby will continue to put on weight. The amniotic fluid surrounding your baby will reach its highest level during pregnancy week 33, then decline somewhat as your baby continues to grow larger. During pregnancy week 33 and beyond your baby's brain is working hard at maturing. This week your baby's head will increase in size by as much as 2/8 of an inch due to rapid brain growth and maturity! Your baby's skin will also start transforming into a more pink color as your baby starts to add fat to his body.



Week 34

You may be starting to feel uncomfortable and breathless now. This is because of your growing baby and the fact that the baby's head might be pushing down
into your pelvis and your cervix. You are usually offered around now
to have a tour of the maternity unit and it is also a good time to
prepare your birth plan if not already done so.

The lanugo, the fine hair covering the baby will now begin to disappear Baby's brain and nervous system are now fully developed and for boys the testes are
now starting to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum.



Week 35

In these last weeks you may start to notice signs of pre labour, such as Braxton Hicks, the practice contractions. These usually last around 30 seconds and
although uncomfortable should not be painful. You my around now begin
to get a nesting instinct in preparing the house and ready for baby,
just remember to take things easy and to conserve energy for the
labour. You may also begin to feel a heavy dragging feeling in your pelvis
as the weight of baby bears down.

Your baby will be gaining around 1oz a day from now and the baby's intestines start to fill with meconium, a sticky green substance that is made from dead
cells and waste from the liver and bowel and this will be your baby's
first bowel movement once born.



Week 36

You may have started your maternity leave and if so take this opportunity and get lots of rest. You may also start to experience lightening, which is when the
baby's head engages in the pelvis, if you are starting to feel heavy
and uncomfortable warm baths and swimming can help. this process of
lightening usually happens later in second and subsequent
pregnancies.

Your baby is slowly running out of room and will be starting to get into the cephalic or head down position, although 3% of full term pregnancies remain in
the breech position.



Week 37

The nesting instinct usually kicks in around now where you start to clean and get the house ready for baby. you may also start to feel hot as you have more
blood circulating and you are burning more calories.

Baby is now starting to prepare for birth and will practice breathing and will even turn towards light. Baby's head may now start to engage, dropping right
down into cervix and the lungs are now ready for the birth.



Week 38

You may find it hard to sleep at night now so try and rest as much as you can In the day. You may also start to feel apprehensive about the birth but excited about
meeting your new baby and this is totally normal.
Because the baby is now pushing down on your cervix and bladder you may need to urinate more often but it is still important to drink plenty of fluids.

Baby may feel less active now but that is because there is less room for baby to move.
Baby is now very close to full term weight and height.



Week 39

You will probably be able to breathe much easier now as baby will have dropped into position. You will be feeling tired and uncomfortable but still try
to get as much rest as you can.

The bones in your baby's skull are now ready for birth and baby is now considered full term and your labour will be allowed to progress naturally. The
lanugo, the fine hair covering baby has now almost disappeared.



Week 40

You are probably feeling impatient now and wanting the birth to be over with. Most
units only allow women to go 10 days overdue although this can differ.

Baby is now fully mature although only around 5% of babies arrive on their due date.


Signs of the onset of labour:

• A show - This is the mucousy plug that sits in the neck of the womb. As the neck of the womb begins to open this mucus may be dislodged. The mucus may be clear, slightly brown or pink. You may notice some streaks of blood. This is normal. If there is more than just a few streaks of blood, if there is bleeding without mucous or if your baby has not been moving please contact a midwife to make sure things are OK. Otherwise just wait and see. A show can actually happen a few weeks before you actually go into labour so it may or may not be a sign.
  
• Waters breaking - Your waters are the amniotic fluid that surrounds your baby. They can break before you go into labour or during the labour process. When they do break you will be aware of leaking fluid all at once or keep leaking small amounts. Some women feel a popping sensation.
  
  Most women go into labour when their waters break after 37 weeks, but it can take a day or two. You will need to contact your midwife or the delivery suite to let them know what is happening. If you do not go into labour yourself then your labour may be induced because once the waters have broken there is a small risk of infection to your baby which increases with time.
• 
  
• Contractions - This is the muscle of your womb tightening, pulling up on your cervix and pushing down on your baby. At first you may be aware of just some discomfort or period type pain that comes and goes. As time goes on you will become more aware of definite contractions, usually felt low down in the front of your abdomen or in your back. They will become longer and stronger and more intense.
  
  Once your contractions are lasting about 45 seconds to a minute they will probably not go away. Up until this time they can stop for a number of hours or days and then come back again. Do not worry if this happens. You will start again where you left off. Once the cervix has begun to open it does not close again.