Have you been feeling nauseated every morning, having mood swings or missed your periods? Congratulations! You might just be pregnant. Whether you are happy, confused, or still shocked, the good news is that you will be creating a new life. Every woman has a story to tell about their pregnancy. In as much as there might be similar signs and symptoms, some vary completely. The minute you realize you are pregnant, you should start taking good care of yourself and use non-toxic skincare products. In this article, we will be looking in detail, the here phases of pregnancy.
Phases of pregnancy
First Trimester
This is the period between conception to about 12 weeks. This is the stage that most women have the hardest time as they are trying to keep up with the body changes that they were never used to before. Some of the changes include fatigue, morning sickness, frequent urination, and tender breasts to mention a few. It is during the fourth week that the heart, nervous system, arm, and legs of the embryo begin to form. When you hit the 8th week, the heartbeat of the child can now be felt, fingers and toes start forming, and the arm and legs continue growing longer.
At the last weeks of the first trimester, your baby’s muscles and nerves coordinate, and the external sex organs of your baby can be seen. Note that you should incorporate a healthy diet to ensure that your baby grows as expected and does not lack any nutrients whatsoever. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol by all means as indulgence in these substances may result in some congenital disabilities.
Second trimester
The three middle months of pregnancy is what is considered to be the second trimester, between 13-28 weeks thereabout. The baby bump at this stage starts becoming visible not only to yourself but to other people too. Some women term it as the honeymoon period of due to the reduced symptoms such as morning sickness and extreme fatigue.
It is at this stage that you will start to hear your baby move inside your body at about 20 weeks, baby’s hair starts growing, lungs start forming, the baby has a regular sleep pattern among other changes. Often than not, the sex of your baby is determined using the ultrasound at this stage. Third trimester
You are almost done! The third trimester is between the 28th-40th weeks. Here, the baby is almost fully developed, all body parts have been formed, and the baby should have turned to a downward position by week 36 for a normal delivery. If not, the doctors might try and make the baby turn or recommend a C-section in cases where it proves impossible.
Conclusion
For a safe delivery and detection of any complications, it is imperative for every expectant mother to go for prenatal visits. Prenatal visits are an excellent way to know the progress of both yourself and your baby. In cases of complications, if detected early enough, doctors are at an upper hand to prevent any birth deficiencies.