Pregnancy Is A Journey In Small Steps

Pregnancy is a journey in small steps. In this article we will tell you about the growth of your baby during the different stages of pregnancy. We also tell you about some phenomena that you may experience during this special time.

Let go of all your doubts and surrender to the butterflies in your stomach. Deep down, you may have already known that the long-awaited news would be positive. You are expecting! How wonderful, how exciting!

This is a day you will never forget. This is also the day that will no doubt change your life forever.

You will experience new feelings every week. Enjoy it as much as possible and don’t forget : this is all one-time, unique!

Every baby is unique and no pregnancy is exactly the same as the last.

Once we realize that more than a month has passed since our last period, we often take a pregnancy test. The absence of menstruation is our way of knowing whether we are pregnant or not.

Pregnancy normally lasts nine months or forty weeks. This means that your baby is already four weeks into the making after a missed period and a positive pregnancy test result.

To help you learn more about what will happen in these nine months,  we’ll take a closer look at some of the key aspects of each trimester. We also tell you what is important to know about the different stages of pregnancy.

The first trimester of pregnancy

This is from the first to the 12th week.

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• The placenta begins to grow. This is vital for fetal development as it allows it to receive nutrients from what you eat. Your baby also gets oxygen through the placenta as well. The bag containing the amniotic fluid also grows. This is where the baby will be bobbing around for the entire pregnancy.
  

  Mother

• Fatigue
• Nausea at the beginning of the day
• Craving or loathing certain foods
• blockage
• Bad digestion
• Headache
• Constant urge to urinate
• But…. maybe you are one of the lucky ones who doesn’t suffer from these inconveniences.

The second trimester of pregnancy

This is from the 13th to the 26th week of pregnancy.

Baby

• During this period, the baby continues to grow and develop every day. At the beginning of this trimester, around the 13th week, the baby is about 7.5 cm long.
• Around the 20th week of pregnancy, the baby starts to move. This is one of the most fascinating and fun aspects of pregnancy.
• After the 18th week, your baby can hear the sound of your voice. With that, the time has come to talk to him, to tell him how much you love him. Tell him how you look forward to meeting him.

• His eyes open. However, they cannot see anything until the beginning of the third trimester.

Mother

• You will notice that your belly is getting bigger.
• The nausea in the morning starts to subside or even disappears completely.  
• You feel the baby move more and more. What a joy it is to guess which part of the baby’s body is moving in there!
• You are probably getting more and more thirsty. It is good to drink 2 to 3 liters of water per day.
• Your legs may be a little swollen.

The third trimester of pregnancy

This starts in the 27th week and ends with the birth of your baby.

Baby

• All parts of the body and also the organs are now fully formed and continue to grow.

• The baby already has a sense of the world out there through touch and hearing. The little one will recognize your voice and may move in response to what you say. That little baby already knows who his mom and dad are, even though he’s still inside your tummy.
• He moves constantly. He stretches, kicks and turns. You will feel his movements more and more intense as the space in your womb becomes smaller and smaller.
• His eyes can now see light, but only very bright light because he is still used to the dark.

Mother

• Your breasts will get even bigger. You may have a yellowish fluid leaking from your nipples: don’t worry, this is called colostrum. It will be your baby’s food for the first few days of his life.
• At this stage, you will feel contractions in your lower abdomen. No need to worry as this is completely normal. If these contractions are very frequent and painful, it is important to notify your doctor immediately.

• Your vaginal discharge will increase significantly.
• You probably have back pain. This is due to the increasing weight of your baby and your own body.

Creating a new life and bringing a baby into the world is without a doubt  one of the most amazing adventures of our lives.

Be aware and fully enjoy this miracle every day, every second and during all stages of pregnancy!