Having a baby is a surreal feeling. It is a wonder of life that gives a couple the chance to bring their offspring into the world. You can feel the existence of your child the moment you conceive it. How a baby grows and develops inside the womb of her mother is nothing short of a miracle. If you too want to understand what goes inside your womb during those precious 9 months and how just a fertilised egg becomes the centre of your world then, just keep on reading. We have gathered all the pregnancy stages week by week.
A normal pregnancy lasts for about 40 to 41 weeks. Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters which are all very different from each other. We have explained all the trimesters as well as the development of the baby inside your womb here so that the new moms can understand their pregnancy easily. Following is a detailed description of stages of pregnancy week by week and symptoms:
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The first three months of your pregnancy are collectively called the first trimester. It is the time when your body is fluxed with so many hormones. You will see a lot of changes in your body during this trimester. More than the growth of the baby, this trimester is devoted to the body of the mother. Your body will change itself to make it strong enough to complete the term of your pregnancy. Following are the pregnancy stages for the first trimester telling you how your baby will develop during the first stage of your pregnancy:
These are crucial weeks as it is the time when the egg and the sperm fuse to form a zygote. You will be ovulating during this time and if the sperm etches on to the egg; you are pregnant.
At this stage, the zygote becomes a blastocyst. Your baby is just a tiny ball made up of thousands of human cells. These cells multiply rapidly during this stage. Your child is still attached to the lining of your uterus.
Deep inside the uterus, the blastocyst develops into an embryo. Your baby now shows some development and has two layers of tissues. Along with your baby, your primitive placenta will start developing.
The baby grows rapidly at this stage. This is also the week when morning sickness starts. Your breasts will feel sore and you might feel a little lazy as well because your baby is drawing from your energy. The pregnancy changes will start.
With the completion of one and a half month of your pregnancy, you will realise that the discomfort will increase. The ears, mouth and nose of your baby start developing in this week.
Your little one is still an embryo at this stage but with developing hands and feet. Your uterus will grow to double its size to accommodate the growing embryo. This is a tough week for pregnant women.
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The embryo is still developing and rapidly moving inside your uterus. You might not feel it just now, but your baby has come a long way since conception.
Your waist will start to thicken a little because your baby is almost an inch long now. It will start to look more like a baby. This is when the pregnancy cravings kick in.
This is a crucial week as the basic structure of your baby’s organs will shape up and become permanent. You have to be careful during this time.
The organs are developing, and the baby will be able to open and close its hands into fists. Tiny gum buds in the mouth also develop during the 11th week of pregnancy.
This week is dedicated to the development of the brain of the baby. Its kidneys will start to excrete urine. The baby can now curl its toes.
This is the last week of your first trimester. Your pregnancy will become more stable after this. Your 3-inches long baby develops its unique fingerprints is the last leg of the first trimester.
The second trimester is the trimester when you can enjoy your pregnancy. Morning sickness and soreness are almost gone. Your baby is about 3 inches long with developing organs. It will start hearing soon. According to the doctors, your pregnancy is the strongest in the second trimester and you can do almost everything that you used to do before you got pregnant as your energy levels will be on the higher side. As far as pregnancy facts are concerned, following are the pregnancy stages for second trimester telling you how your baby will develop during the second stage of your pregnancy:
You will feel energetic and less nauseous. Your baby is now able to move its facial features and will be making weird expressions.
You will probably have a stuffy nose during this week as your baby starts to develop little taste buds. It can also sense light now.
It’s time for you to buy maternity clothes because your baby will be growing rapidly this week. Its weight and size will increase, and you will witness a growth spurt.
The soft cartilages are building up into a strong skeleton. Your baby and you will feel more connected as the umbilical cord will get stronger during this week.
The genitals of the baby are developing. You will soon get to know if you are having a boy or a girl. Your appetite will increase as well. Constipation in pregnancy is not an uncommon phenomenon. It starts around this time.
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The ears of your baby are well developed now, and it can recognise your voice. It can hear anything now so sing for your baby.
You have completed half of the term of your pregnancy. Your baby is now swallowing and producing meconium which is its first faeces.
Your baby now has a strong eyebrow game. It will start kicking a lot now. It can get a little uncomfortable, but you will love it.
Your baby now actually looks like a baby. Its features are set, the skeleton is developed, and it has eyebrows.
Your baby is now big enough to detect the motion. It will notice how you move and react accordingly. It will respond to your various motions in terms of kicks and somersaults.
This is the stage when your belly will grow. Your baby will need more space in the coming weeks so this week is all about the expansion of your uterus.
It is the stage when your baby will start adding that cute baby fat. Its wrinkled skin will become smoother. Its hair will grow, and your hair will look lustrous too.
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Your baby will inhale and exhale a small amount of amniotic fluid. It is developing its breathing system.
Your baby can now open and close its eyes. It will start sucking its fingers. Also, if you feel a little ticklish, it is because of your baby’s hiccups. Your baby now weighs around 2 pounds.
The third trimester is the final leg of your pregnancy and the toughest one as well. You will be anxious and scared. The discomfort will increase along with the size of your belly. Your baby will come to full maturity, getting ready to meet you. You will put on a lot of weight and almost lose the bladder control. So, be ready because your baby is the final stage of development. As far as pregnancy facts are concerned, following are the pregnancy stages for third trimester telling you how your baby will develop during the last stage of pregnancy:
This is the first week of your last trimester. The sense organs of your baby are now a lot developed. It can even see the light filtering through your womb.
Your baby’s muscles will get stronger. Its lungs and will strengthen and the skull will grow to accommodate its developing brain.
Your baby is now almost half the weight that it would have at the time of birth. You will be having a lot more mood swings during this time. Hot flashes are common too.
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The muscles of your baby’s legs will get stronger and you will feel a lot more kicks now. Your baby will move a lot and keep you up at night.
Your baby is now just gaining weight and developing its muscles and bones. You will feel more heartburns and shortness of breath because your baby will be taking up a lot of space inside your body.
Your baby has now gained a lot of weight. It will need more room to move. Along with its weight, your weight will increase too. Sitting and going to bed will become very uncomfortable.
It is the time when the central nervous system and lungs will mature. Its heart is pumping more blood. With all these activities going on inside the body, you are bound to feel tired.
Your baby will stop moving as much as it used to because it is all grown-up and your womb is not big enough for it. You will feel a few kicks but no major movements.
From now onwards till your due date, your baby will gain almost an ounce each day. Its weight will push your bladder and you will feel a constant pressure in your pelvic region.
The brain and the lungs of your baby are in the final stage of development. After this week, its organs will develop after the delivery.
Your baby now has a firm grasp. You may witness some vaginal discharge and contractions.
You have successfully nurtured your baby to the full term. At this stage, it will only gain weight. Your water can break any time now. Prepare yourself for childbirth.
Your baby is now ready to meet the world. It is the size of a little ball with developed organs, skeleton and muscles.
It is not uncommon to go past the due date. If you still don’t feel the contractions, see your doctor.
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There are some changes that are necessary for the healthy development of the baby inside your womb. Here is what you should keep in mind:
The fetal development is generally divided into three stages namely, the germinal stage, the embryonic stage, and the fetal stage. Basically, the first two-week period of the pregnancy journey is known as the germinal stage. Conception takes place as and when a sperm cell syndicates with an egg cell to form a zygote.
If in case this is your first pregnancy, you might be feeling a little bloated as if you have had a big meal. But then, there are other women who have a little baby-belly pooch by the end of their first trimester. So, yeah, it completely depends from a woman to woman.
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Carrying a baby inside your womb is both challenging and amazing at the same time. Taking care of a life growing inside of you is not a child’s play. Every week of your pregnancy will bring a different experience and you will love every bit of it. During pregnancy, you will witness how a ball of human cells develops into a baby is something beyond explanation. We hope you have an easy and healthy pregnancy.