1 Week Pregnancy

You may not feel that you are pregnant The fertilized ovum will produce a zygote which will divides as it is moving down to the uterus where implantation occurs often 6 day after fertilization, at this time the zygote will form the blastocyst reaching 0.1-0.2 mm in diameter You wont have nausea, nor vomiting but, you may notice increased your basal body temperature beyond day 16 (post ovulation). You may see some vaginal spotting as the zygote implants into the uterine wall The mother will start to feel more tired; her breast will become engorged and may experience frequent urination At this time your body will start to produce beta human chorionic gonadotrophin (B-HCG) which will induce estrogen and progesterone production Try to avoid alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, stress and try to get enough sleep. Have appointment with your doctor to confirm pregnancy.

 By ultra sound you will see intrauterine sac. Your belly will be the same size as pre-pregnancy, but you may experience some fatigue, breast engorgement, frequent urination which will fade up by time, so dont be worried Your diet should have increased calcium content because your baby is using calcium for his growing bones and you need to start on folic acid. If you had lactose intolerance, or you are vegetarians or had twins, you need to take prenatal vitamins

During this week, your symptoms will increase, so you will start to complain of more morning sickness because your body will produce more estrogen and progesterone which will affect your gastro intestinal tract by decreasing its motility and gastric emptying is also prolonged If you visit your doctor by this time, you will be weighed and your obstetric and medical history will be taken, blood test is ordered. (Complete blood count, blood random blood sugar, urine analysis). You should start Folic acid, and a nutritional and lifestyle advice is given for you

 5 Weeks Pregnancy
By this week your fetus is 4-6mm long and major organs start to develop, Brain, heart, Kidney and Liver. You will feel the same symptoms as before but you may notice that your areolas are darker in color, more raised, your breast is firmer, you may also feel tingling sensation If you have a cat, let somebody else to care about it, give special care to hygiene, wash your fruit and vegetable very well, cook your meat very well, and wear gloves if you want to care about your garden to avoid contact with toxoplasma which will affect your baby

6 Weeks Pregnancy

The size of your baby is 8 mm and is growing rapidly and he is moving his limbs by the end of this week. By the end of this week your morning sickness will be more obvious, so take care of your diet, avoid fatty food, drink a lot of water, eat small frequent meals all through the day, and dont forget your vitamins and vitamin D Exercise 15 minute a day. Consult your doctor before taking any drugs Avoid ibuprofen If you have vaginal spotting inform your doctor because it may be a sign of miscarriage

 7 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 13 mm long and his brain is growing rapidly, he is moving although you may not feel it By this week his genitalia is formed but it is not recognizable on ultrasound until 16 weeks although the sex of your baby is determined since fertilization

Why you have to urinate more? Because HCG is increased and it affects the blood flow to the kidney, your kidneys are more efficient and they clear waste more, also your uterus is compressing your urinary bladder You will be more moody because your hormones are taking all over the place.

8 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is now 18 mm in length he is growing at a rate of 1 millimeter/day. His limbs are more obvious and ossification of his bone is started, his eyelids start to form but they still fused and wont be opened till 26 weeks He will look like a human by this time, although his head is longer than his body.

You may experience more fatigue, tender breast, abdominal cramps Your moodiness is deceased because the placenta is taking the responsibility of continuation of your pregnancy You may notice some bulge in your tummy.

 9 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is now called a fetus His facial features is more obvious, his iris is formed but his eyelids still fused till 26 weeks His digestive system starts to form and also his diaphragm which allows him to breath and hiccup

You may experience more headache and migraine during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Your breast may be enlarged and its veins are more visible, you nipples are darkened, so you may need to increase your bra size in order to fit your breast You may crave for junk food so avoid toxic materials You may gain 1-2 IB/week, but dont be worried keep on eating healthy food, exercise right, drink enough water and vitamin C rich fluid (avoid sugary fluid) If you notice spotting any time during pregnancy so consult your doctor because it may be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

 10 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 33 mm in length, and he will double in size in the next three weeks His vital organs start to function. The placenta starts to grow and supply the babys need

You may start to feel some cramps in the abdomen due to the stretching ligaments in your pelvis, which are relieved by mild analgesia and rest. You may suffer from bleeding gums because your progesterone makes the gums swollen and fragile, so care about your dental hygiene.

 11 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 35 mm in length. His head and body are equal in size He can kick, stretch and clench his fists although you may not feel him. His intestine will move back to his abdomen by this week.

Your pregnancy symptoms will subside but dont worry. you will have more energy but you may start to have constipation and heart burn Your baby will start to react with you so try to relax, listen to happy relaxing music, think with happy thoughts

 12 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 6cm in length He is now breathing using the amniotic fluid Now you can feel you uterus above the level of pubic bone

You may experience heart burn because of your progesterone which relaxes the gastro-esophageal valve and by this gastric Juice will regurge back to the esophagus, so try to eat smaller meals and avoid spicy food. By this week you should have you 1st fetal anomaly scan by doing the nuchal translucency scan to rule out trisomy's if it was abnormal you will be advised to undergo further testing.

 14 Weeks Pregnancy

Your belly will be pushed up Your nasal passage will be swollen so you may Your baby is 9cm long and 1.5 ounces in weight. notice snoring The Lanugo starts to grow to provide extra warmth. Your blood volume increases and your blood Kidneys start to produce urine and the bladder vessels may become fragile and you may notice The pancreas starts to develop, and produce hormones minimal nose bleed but if it becomes regular and heavy you should inform your doctor You may notice that your breast veins become dilated, your aureoles more darkened and growing in diameter You need to concentrate on protein in your diet in order to provide your baby with amino acids which are needed to build up muscles and organs you can find these in meat, cheese, milk, seeds and nuts

 15 Weeks Pregnancy
The child now breathes in this fluid in order to help in developing the air sacs of his lungs The ears develop, and the child can hear you so you can talk to your baby Now you may know the sex of your baby, depending on the position Your pregnancy symptoms may disappear by this week, so dont be worried. Your weight may increase by 5 pounds There may be a line in the middle of your belly which is called lina nigra which will fade after delivery Enjoy this trimester because you will feel more energetic and fatigue will return again in the 3rd trimester Omega-3 is good for your babys development even its IQ. You can find this in fish, walnuts, omega-3 enhanced eggs You can exercise safely but avoid horse riding, mountain biking, and skiing

16 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 12cm length and 100gm in weight. You may feel tiny movements of your baby, the baby may grasp the umbilical cord with the newly formed hands, if the placenta is located near the interior, it may act as a cushion, and you may not feel these movements, so do not be worried

Your uterus now is located halfway between pubic bone and umbilicus. Try to limit the use of saunas, and tanning beds because they increase your temperature, and can harm the developing fetus

 17 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is now 13-14cm in length, and is growing rapidly Brown fat starts to accumulate, and it has an important role in heat regulation. When traveling in a car, keep the lower strap of the seat belt below your belly

Your eyes may feel dry, so try to use eye drops, avoid wearing contact lenses for long periods. You may experience constipation due to the effect of progesterone, which will slow down your bowel movements
Its time to start pelvic floor exercises Hydrate well, exercise gently in order to relieve stress

Fifth Month Pregnancy - 5 months pregnant (Weeks 18-21)

18 Weeks Pregnancy
The baby is moving all around your uterus, and you may feel these movements. The genitalia are obvious by this week, you can ask for a fetal anomaly scan to check that everything is ok with your baby You may experience an increase in your appetite so be careful about what you eat The target weight gain for the second trimester is no more than 5.5 to 9kg Do not stand up quickly because you may feel dizzy as your blood pressure will be lowered The best position for sleep is at your side, because if you lie on your back, your uterus may press on your major blood vessels, and restrict venous return to the heart, so put a pillow behind you, or under one leg, (between legs)

 19 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 17-18cm long, and 250gm in weight. The hair is now growing on the scalp.
You may feel breathlessness, but dont worry You may notice blurring of vision, which is due to water retention. It usually disappears after birth, and exercise will help in getting rid of it

You may experience a few stabbing pains in your sides, which are caused by stretching ligaments that support your uterus, but if these pains become more persistent or severe, consult your doctor Skin changes occur due to extra estrogen, you may notice red palms, and chloasma nipples are darker

20 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 19-20cm long, and 310gm in weight. Your baby is busy in meconium formation which is a harmless mixture of amniotic fluid, digestive secretions, and dead skin cells; all of these accumulate in the baby's bowels, and is excreted in the first nappy Your uterus now is at the level of your umbilicus Try to eat iron rich foods, like red meat, prunes, green leafy vegetables, and soya products because it is necessary for red blood cell formation Avoid using cleaning products because it may contain harmful chemicals.

 21 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 21-22cm long, and 360gm in weight.

You may notice acne is increased, because oil production is increased in pregnancy, so use oil free makeup, and avoid acne medication. You can book to have antenatal massage to relieve stress

You may remain awake all through the night because of your moving baby You may experience varicose veins, swollen ankles, and so exercise regularly and elevate your legs and feet and wear maternity stockings which will relieve you

22 Weeks Pregnancy
Your well formed is more obvious, and his lips are

You may experience stretch marks on your abdomen, so try to keep your skin well moisturized during pregnancy. You may be forgetful Try to buy your babys equipment like buggies, car seats.

Consider thinking about your babys name

23 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby will double in its weight during the next month, because of fat deposition under skin, and muscle development Your baby is quite active

You may experience more vaginal discharge You may be more emotional, so dont worry

Youre ankles , and feet swell up, so drink a lot of water, and elevate your legs, avoid standing or sitting for long periods and be careful this may be a sign of pre-eclampsia especially, if there is facial swelling or eye puffiness

 24 Weeks Pregnancy
Now your baby is 30cm long, 600gm in weight, and is gaining 90gm/ week, and will start to fill up

You need to do a glucose screening test, if you are at high risk to develop diabetes, in order to avoid pregnancy complications, difficult delivery, and large size baby. Piles become itchy, and painful so drink a lot of water and eat a high fiber diet. You can do your fetal anomaly scan (4D) during this week

Your belly looks like a football You may have hot flushes and sweating, this is because more blood is pumped around your baby

 Now your baby is 34cm, and weight is 690gm.

Check your hemoglobin level, and if you are anemic, check ferritin level.

Your husband can hear your baby's heartbeat when he presses his ear against your belly.

Your hair may look thicker, shiny; because of pregnancy hormones, but unfortunately this will shed off after birth Exercise regularly, and drink plenty of water, but don't exercise if you feel dizzy or have shortness of breath

26 Weeks Pregnancy
You may feel that your baby is responding to loud voices by jumping. Eat well, get a lot of rest Your blood pressure may increase slightly, but it is still lower than pre-pregnancy.

Be aware that you don't have pre-eclampsia and these are its symptoms: 1. Photophobia 2. Pain at the upper abdomen 3. Vomiting 4. Increased blood pressure

 Your Baby is now 36.5 cm long and around 875 gm in weight Your Baby opens his eyelids. Your Baby's lungs are immature but they can function with the help of a mechanical ventilator if delivered at this time. You need to think about what sort of birth you would like such as, at home, submerged water or hospital birth. Think about the type of pain relief you need and are comfortable with during labour. Your Doctor will need to know beforehand. You may have more and more muscle cramps because of your enlarging uterus which compresses on the veins and nerves of your legs. To reduce the cramps you need to exercise daily. You may experience symphysis pubis dysfunction which may cause you pain while walking up stairs.

 Your Baby is 1 kg in weight, 37.5 in length. Antibodies are transferred from your blood to your Baby in order to boost the immune system

You may increase in weight 5.5 kg in the last 1/3 of pregnancy You need to visit your Doctor every 2 weeks You may have an increase in vaginal secretion, so do not worry, but visit your Doctor if it becomes offensive or itchy If you feel any breast lump, do not ignore it. Visit your Doctor to check it immediately

If your screening test for diabetes was positive, you may be offered a glucose intolerance test If you have a negative blood group and your husband has positive blood group, you may be offered the first dose of anti-D. You need to do stretching exercises and massage your legs. Cut out caffeine consumption in order to get rid of restless leg

 Your Baby is 38.5 cm in length, his weight 1.15kg. You may feel more movements some days more than others because your Baby is like you, more energetic at certain times.

You need to eat a high protein diet, full of vitamins, folic acid, iron and calcium (calcium is found in milk, cheese, yogurt and enriched orange juice). You may experience heartburn and constipation. Stay with a high fiber diet and include plenty of water.

You may experience hemorrhoids. If they become painful do a sitz bath but do not take any medication before consulting your Doctor Do not lie flat on your back as this may make you feel dizzy. Avoid wearing contact lenses as your eyes may become dry. Stretching exercises will help you in relieving stress.

 Your Baby is 40 cm in length, 1.4 kg in weight You may feel tired by this time of pregnancy, also your ligaments may be more loose, causing your feet to spread. You may need to buy new, more comfortable shoes. Do not worry. You will return to your normal size, shortly after birth. Your mood swings may reappear again so try to take a warm bath and drink milk before bed time to make you feel more relaxed, comfortable. You may experience Braxton hicks contractions.

31 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 42cm in length, 1.60 in weight Fetal movement may awake you at night. Kick chart can be used to monitor your fetal movement You may experience heartburn

It is safe to have sex during this stage of pregnancy.

32 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 1.8kg in weight, 43cm in length. You may gain weight, 1 pound/week, and of this extra weight is from fetus growth. You may experience heart burn, as your uterus is compressing your stomach. Try to eat small, frequent meals, and when sleeping, while elevate your head on a pillow Back pain may increase as pregnancy advances. But if you didnt experience it before, consult your doctor immediately. It may be a sign of labour.

33 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 2kg now, and 44cm in length. Your Antibodies are travelling to your babys immune system, to help in fighting germs after birth You need to consume more calcium in your diet in order to help your babys skeleton to harden. You may face a problem to find a comfortable, appropriate position for you to sit or to sleep You may experience aches and numbness in your hands and wrists. Try to splint your wrist or take frequent breaks away from your work in order to flex your fingers and exercise your wrist.

As skin stretches more, it may become more itchy. You can use a moisturizer, but after consulting your doctor, as it may be a sign of obstetric cholestasis If your babys face is not yet directed downward, try to spend some time on your hands and knees and wiggle your hips and arch your back.

Swelling of your hands, feet and face could be a sign of preeclampsia. Consult your doctor immediately if this happens

34 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is now 2.3kg in weight, and 45cm long. Your Baby can breathe with his lungs without a problem.

You may experience polymorphic eruption in pregnancy, which is a harmless condition. You may take topical antihistamine, moisturizers steroid cream to decrease the itch. Take frequent rests and save your energy for the big day. Do not jump up immediately from a sitting position, as you may become dizzy.

35 Weeks Pregnancy
You may have frequent urination or experience heartburn, because of the enlarged uterus. You may experience Braxton Hicks contractions as abdominal cramps You may have increased in vaginal discharge which may be accompanied with blood, this is called the show Your baby is 47cm in length, and 2.7kg in weight. It is safe to drive a car, but put the seat belt beneath your bump. If you are thinking of returning to your job, you should think about childcare

By this week, you should determine your birth plan, and discuss it with your partners

36 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 2.75kg in weight, and 48cm in length. Movements may slow down, but you should expect about 10 movements / day, if you do not drink a sweet drink and / or lie on your left side. After 36 weeks, the baby will be regarded full term

You may have an antenatal visit once per week. If you notice any vaginal bleeding, constant abdominal pain, persistent or severe headache or blurred vision, you should go to the hospital immediately

If your Baby is presenting by the bottom, your doctor may try to do an external cephalic version in order to push your babys buttocks upward, under ultrasound guidance

37 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 50cm in length, and weighs about 3kg Antibodies will continue to transfer to your babys body, and then they will be transferred through your breast milk

You may experience diarrhea in preparation for labour. Do not be worried if your umbilicus is protruding as it will disappear after delivery after few months.

You may feel uncomfortable while walking. Braxton Hicks contractions or false contractions may be more frequent this week

38 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 3.4kg, and 51cm in length

If you feel tired take a nap, catch-up on reading, and spend more time with your partner. Watch your feet, and ankles for swelling, and elevate your legs

Contractions may be more painful, but true contractions start at the top of the uterus, and spread downward through your back into the pelvis. They will be stronger and painful, and will not be relieved even when you change position.

39 Weeks Pregnancy
Your baby is 3.45kg in weight, and 52 cm in length When your baby is ready to be born, a chemical message is sent to the placenta, and this will increase estrogen production, which will lead to labour Look for bloody show, mucus plug passage, nausea, contraction; breaking water which may be in the form of a gush or a small slow leak. All or any of these could be signs of labour starting. If you pass your due date, you need to do a fetal test to ensure that it is safe to continue pregnancy, or if it is necessary to induce labour.

Most doctors will induce labour after 41 weeks You may have leaking water before contractions begin. If this happens, labour needs to be induced

 Do not be stressed out because of these extra few days. Enjoy spending more time with your partner.

Babies differ in their weight when they are born, but most of them will be 45-55cm in length.

You may be anxious about when your water will break, or when labour will start. Try to relax and always make a plan for everything.

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