Stages of Pregnancy

⇒ Stages

Prenatal Care

Maternity Clothes

Baby Shower

Home and Family Preparation

Labor Preparation

Your pregnancy consists of a total of four trimesters, with the fourth being after the baby is born. This is because your body is still in the process of adjusting back to its original state.

The First Trimester - 0 to 14 weeks

The First Month

The Baby:

• The father's sperm determines the sex of the baby
• The baby grows in a sac of amniotic fluid
• The baby is about 1/4 - 1 inch long
• Small buds for the arms and legs are forming
• The brain, nervous system, heart, and lungs are forming
• Spots show where the ears, eyes, and nose will form

The Mother:

• You are able to tell that you are pregnant about 10 days after conception
• You will no longer get your monthly period (although you may still have spotting during the time you would normally get your period)
• The placenta forms and produces hormones to prepare your body for pregnancy
• You may have morning sickness, feel unusually tired throughout the day, and your breasts feel tender
• This is the time that you should schedule an appointment with your doctor, begin to watch your diet more closely, and start taking prenatal vitamins

The Second Month

The Baby:

• The brain grows faster than any other organs, so the baby's head is large
• The baby's eyes and ears are developing
• Facial features are growing
• The baby's body (from head to buttocks) is about 1 1/4 inches long
• The heart beats
• The umbilical cord has developed

The Mother:

• You may gain 1 - 2 pounds
• You may urinate more often
• You may become more tired this month
• Hormonal changes may cause your skin to become more oily and notice skin problems, such as acne

The Third Month

The Baby:

• The baby's ears, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, and toes are formed
• The baby's reflexes allow them to bend, kick, and make a fist
• The sex of the baby is defined
• Blood flows through the umbilical cord
• The baby is about 2 1/2 - 3 inches long
• Approximately one cup of amniotic fluid surrounds the baby
• The baby's kidneys circulate fluid that they swallow back into the amniotic sac
• The vocal cords are developed

The Mother:

• You will have more energy and feel more hungry
• The uterus may feel hard from contractions that help the uterus grow
• You emotions may flucuate
• You may get headaches
• You may feel constipated

The Second Trimester - 14 to 27 weeks

The Fourth Month

The Baby:

• The baby's hair begins to grow on it's head
• Lanugo (soft, fine hair) covers the baby's body
• Eyebrows and eyelashes grow
• The baby is about 4 inches long
• The baby is sucking a swallowing
• The kidneys produce urine

The Mother:

• Your pregnancy may be noticable now
• You may now start to gain 3/4 - 1 pound a week
• You may have some cravings
• Hormones are released to prepare your body for labor and delivery by softening your joints and muscles
• Your uterus will be just below your naval by the end of the month
• You may experience dizziness, occasional nosebleeds, and urinary tract infections

The Fifth Month

The Baby:

• The baby will start to move a lot more
• The baby's skin is wrinkly and red
• The baby's skin is protected by a white, cheesy film
• The fingernails grow
• The baby is about 12 inches long and weighs about 1 1/2 pounds

The Mother:

• You may experience bleeding of your gums and nose
• You may experience swollen ankles and feet
• You may notice colostrum discharge from your breasts
• Your breasts grow larger and veins show
• You may gain about 3/4 pound a week

The Sixth Month

The Baby:

• The baby's skin is still wrinkly and red
• The baby's fingerprints are forming
• The baby's eyes may open
• The baby may react to noises outside
• The baby can kick, cry, and hiccup
• The baby is about 14 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds

The Mother:

• You will feel the baby moving
• Your lower abdomen may ache
• You may experience headaches, heartburn, indegestion, and constipation
• You may eat more
• You may get stretch marks on your stomach, hips, and breasts
• You may experience Braxton-Hicks contractions (tightening and relaxing of the muscles in your uterus) to prepare you for labor
• Your skin has a healthy glow
• You may begin to worry about things going wrong with your baby
• Your sex drive may change from week to week

The Third Trimester - 28 weeks until birth

The Seventh Month

The Baby:

• The baby may suck their thumb
• The baby may kick and stretch often
• Iron will now be stored to prepare for birth
• The brain and nervous system develop quickly
• Lanugo still covers the baby's body
• The baby's fingerprints are fully developed now
• The baby weighs about 2 1/2 - 3 pounds

The Mother:

• You may now gain weight much faster
• The uterus is much closer to your rib cage
• You can now see the baby's movement in addition to feeling it
• You may feel tired and off balance when walking
• You may experience swelling in your hands, feet, and ankles if it is hot or you have been on your feet for a long time
• Your breasts may leak

The Eighth Month

The Baby:

• The baby's eyes are open
• The skin is smooth now that fat has begun to fill out the wrinkles
• The baby's lungs are still maturing, but it's body is mature enough to survive if it is born early
• The lanugo is gradually disappearing
• The baby will develop a schedule of sleep and wakefulness
• The baby is about 18 inches long and weighs about 5 1/2 pounds

The Mother:

• This month may feel like the most unconfortable month
• You may feel short of breath and have trouble sitting for long periods of time
• You may experience swelling in your ankles, feet, hands, and face
• You may become absentminded
• You may experience leg cramps
• You may feel Braxton-Hicks contractions
• YOu may feel anxious knowing that the time is near

The Ninth Month

The Baby:

• The baby maneuvers to a head-down position
• The baby still has a schedule of sleep and wakefulness
• The baby may move less due to the decreased amount of space
• The baby is about 20 inches long and weighs about 6 1/2 - 7 1/2 pounds

The Mother:

• You may feel tired of being pregnant and be ready to give birth
• Your abdomen may look lopsided when the baby moves
• You may have difficulty sleeping through the night
• You may feel exhausted and sleepy
• You may feel an increase in pressure in your pelvic and buttocks area as the baby gets in position for birth

The Fourth Trimester - postpartum

Two Weeks

The Baby:

• The baby can focus on your face and follow it as it moves
• The baby will recognize your voice
• The baby can raise his head a little when lying on his stomach
• Most of the baby's time will be spent sleeping and eating as the baby grows and crying when the baby needs something
• The umbilical cord will become a black, hard scab and fall of in 1- 2 weeks
• The baby will have a "soft spot" on top if his head where the skull bones have not yet closed
• The baby may have a rash on her face
• A baby girl may have a swollen vulva from your hormones and a small amount of bloody or white discharge
• A baby boy's penis may be slightly swollen and you may notice a small amount of blood on the diaper
• A circumcised baby boy's plastic bell will fall off in 1 -2 weeks
• The baby will feed every 2 - 4 hours

The Mother:

• Your breasts may become swollen 2 - 5 days after birth caused by extra blood flow to help mature the milk
• Your belly will continue to get smaller throughout the next six weeks
• Your uterus may feel tender when the nurse presses on it
• You may have mentral-like cramps as the uterus contracts to shrink down
• You will have vaginal discharge for the first 4 - 6 weeks, called Lochia, that will be bright red for the first week and then become darker in color
• You may have difficulty urinating if you had anesthesia, episiotomy (stitches), and/or swelling
• Hemorrhoids or varicose veins may develop in the perineal area
• You may experience emotional changes, such as feelings of sadness, tiredness, confusion, inability to concentrate, irritability, loss of apetite
• You may experience postpartum depression if you are depressed for longer than three weeks

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