Congratulations! You’re going to have a baby! This first trimester can be a hard one, but it’ll be rewarding in the end. Taking care of yourself is going to be even more important from here on out, and that means both pregnancy care and self-care. Here’s more on what to expect during your first trimester of pregnancy.
How Long Is The First Trimester?
A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks long. Your Doylestown, PA, ObGyn will consider you in your first trimester from the first week of pregnancy through the end of your 13th week.
How Big Is The Baby In The First Trimester?
Your baby is incredible and will go through a lot of changes during the first trimester. As your Bucks County OBGYN will explain, he or she will begin as a single fertilized cell, change into an embryo, and end up a little bundle of limbs and beginning organs. Some fun growth milestones for baby during this time include:
- Limbs – By week six, the baby will have little arms, hands, legs and feet. Week 10 brings on the fingers and toes.
- Brain – Movement begins at about week eight because the baby’s brain begins sending messages to the body!
- Heart – Week five begins baby’s heartbeat, though you probably won’t be able to hear it until week nine or a few weeks later.
- Digestion – Around week eight, the baby will have forming intestines. Two sets of kidneys will have already come and gone, with the final set developing shortly after.
What Is My Body Doing?
Every woman experiences different symptoms during pregnancy, though there are some that are more stereotypical and common than others. They include:
- Breast Tenderness – By week six, your breasts could be super tender, a bit tingly and very large!
- Morning Sickness – Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but morning sickness can occur at any time of the day. Most women start experiencing it around week six, but it doesn’t often last beyond the first trimester. Phew!
- Moodiness – Warn those close to you that you could be moody. By about week seven, especially in women who already deal with depression, the mood swings could start to hit.
Learning More
With pregnancy comes a lot of changes, both for your body and your life. To learn more about maintaining a healthy pregnancy, contact Doylestown Women’s Health Center at 215-340-2229.