Pregnancy Week by Week
This week of pregnancy you start counting from your last menstrual period, but since most women are not aware of the exact day they conceived their baby, it makes sense. No pregnancy symptoms will be evident this week.
Many mother-to-be's can, however, remember the day their period started, so it makes a clear starting point for determining your baby's due date. It can be a bit confusing to remember to begin counting from when your period starts and that in reality you don't become pregnant until about 2 weeks later. For example, if your doctor or midwife says you are 12 weeks pregnant (from your LMP), then you conceived approximately 10 weeks ago.
You may be thinking about starting a family at this point. While planning to conceive, take the time to prepare your body for motherhood. Start planning ahead (if you haven't already), by making sure you and your baby won't be exposed to harmful things during pregnancy. You should start taking prenatal vitamins or vitamin supplements. Stop smoking, drinking alcohol and using over-the-counter meds now. You should begin good habits now- before conception- to give your baby the best possible start.
At the end of week one of pregnancy, your menstrual period should have let up and your uterine lining begins to build up once again and the uterine lining thickens to soon receive the egg. Several of your eggs are ripening and one ovary or the other is preparing to release a single egg that is ready for fertilization.
2nd Week of Pregnancy
You aren't pregnant yet and of course no pregnancy symptoms. Now is the time for you to have sexual intercourse without protection if you want to become pregnant. This is your optimum time to make love every day to help maximize your chances of conceiving.
By the end of this week (or the beginning of next week), your egg is waiting in the fallopian tube for your partner's millions of sperm to travel from your vagina to meet it.
During this week, your body will be getting ready for ovulation. You might possibly be experiencing some cramping towards the end of the week, signaling that you are ovulating.
Your uterus is forming a blood rich lining that is called the endometrium.
Estrogen hormone levels increase as a result the cervix starts to produce cervical mucus, which assists the sperm in swimming up to the fallopian tubes to meet your egg after ovulation (or to wait for your egg just prior to ovulation).
By the end of this week, conception may have taken place.
3rd Week
Fertilization occurs about the beginning of this week of pregnancy. This happens when one of the sperm penetrates the egg and the membranes of the sperm and egg unite thus indicating pregnancy. At that point, it is impossible for other sperm to enter. The fertilized egg divides until a solid ball of cells is formed.
Next, it travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, during a seven to ten day trip, where it eventually implants into the uterine lining and continues to grow and develop.
You're not even aware that you've conceived, yet, since you haven't even missed a period, although you might have noticed when you ovulated. At the end of this week, you may get the first of your pregnancy symptoms. You might experience some spotting or light bleeding at the time of implantation.
4th Week
At the end of this week, you'll be expecting your period (or hoping not to get it). Taking a home pregnancy test at the end of this week might possibly confirm that you are pregnant.
You're not "showing" yet and you haven't gained weight at this point, since your baby is so tiny. Your hormones are undergoing major changes, so mood swings are completely normal during this time and throughout your pregnancy.
By the end of this week of pregnancy, the fertilized egg is embedded more deeply in the lining of your uterus and the amniotic cavity, which will be filled with amniotic fluid, is starting to form.
The early version of the placenta is forming and the very beginning of the connecting stalk- which will become the umbilical cord- has appeared. Until your placenta is fully functioning, the yolk sac, now present, will feed your baby. Different germ layers are developing and the vascular networks that contain maternal blood are being established.
5th Week
The central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), muscle and bone formation are beginning to take shape in your baby. During this time, your baby's skeleton is also starting to form.
Your period is late and if you haven't already taken a home pregnancy test, taking one now should confirm your pregnancy. It?s still too early for you to start "showing", since there hasn't been any big changes in the size of your abdomen.
You may start noticing some early symptoms of pregnancy during this week. Morning sickness (which can really occur at any time of the day or night), nausea and vomiting, frequent urination, breast changes- such as tenderness, tingling in the breasts or nipples- are all early signs. Fatigue or tiring easily is also common at this time.
By the end of this week of pregnancy, the earliest blood elements and vessels have formed in your baby and developing placenta. Circulation now begins and the heart is developing rapidly. The circulatory system becomes the first functioning organ system.
6th Week
Fetal Development:
This week of pregnancy your baby is about 1/4 of an inch in length (always measured crown-to-rump) and triples in size this week! Your baby is now starting to show recognizable physical features and is completely enclosed in the amniotic sac.
Your baby's brain is growing and developing distinct regions and his or her eyes and ears are beginning to form. Limb buds can also be seen at this point. Your baby's heart is now beating, which can be seen on ultrasound.
Changes in You:
Your uterus is growing larger and some women (especially women who have had previous pregnancies) notice their clothes getting a bit tighter around the waist this week. But if this is your first pregnancy, your abdomen might not have changed much.
You might have gained a few pounds by now, or even possibly lost weight if you've been nauseated & not eating well (or keeping food down well).
This week tends to bring on more nausea. Certain smells can make you queasy, so try to avoid foods or smells that seem to aggravate your nausea. Also, drink plenty of fluids and get an adequate amount of rest to help combat nausea. Another thing that really seems to help is avoid having your stomach completely empty or completely full, either can make nausea worse.
Week 7
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 1/3 of an inch in length (crown-to-rump)- about the size of a small bean. The lenses of the eyes are forming and the middle portion of the ears continue to develop. Your baby's brain is developing rapidly and limbs and facial features are forming.
The heart bulges from the body and now has a right and left chamber. Intestines are developing, the appendix is also present at this week. Cavities and passages necessary for circulation of spinal fluid have formed.
Changes in You:
You may be still experiencing morning sickness and most likely haven't gained more than a few pounds. People probably can't tell you're pregnant, just by looking at your belly.
Your face might be breaking out by now, because of the increase of hormones, such as progesterone. Or some lucky women have a clearer complexion during pregnancy! Drinking plenty of water will help keep your complexion looking it's best.
8th Week
Your Baby:
This week of pregnancy your baby is a not even an inch in length, but about the size of a cherry.
Your baby's eye lids are beginning to form, but until their growth is complete; the eyes look open. The tip of the nose is present and the ears are forming internally and externally.
Your baby's heart has 140-150 fluttering beats per minute- about twice as many as yours!
Arms are growing, and wrists and elbows are evident. Your baby's hands and feet are shaped like paddles, while the fingers and toes are beginning to form. Muscle contractions are starting, but early movements aren't noticeable to you, yet.
Changes in You:
Your waistline is likely to have expanded a bit by the end of this week, but the changes are very gradual. Your uterus is about the size of a grapefruit this week.
You may be having some heartburn, indigestion, or a feeling of being bloated. Make sure you wear loose-fitting clothes and remember to eat small, frequent meals and don't overfill your stomach. If your heartburn becomes bothersome enough to keep you from eating properly, your doctor may prescribe an antacid. But never take any over-the-counter medications without talking to your doctor first.
You should have your first prenatal visit with your doctor soon. This is typically the longest, most thorough appointment. Your doctor will usually begin with a review of your medical history, then check your weight, height, blood pressure and quite possibly a physical examination. During your first prenatal visit, you can expect to have several lab tests, which will include: blood tests, urine sample and a cervical sample (a sample of cells collected during the pelvic exam).
9th Week
This week of pregnancy your baby is about an inch in length and weighs close to a gram. Your baby is becoming distinctively human in shape.
The embryonic tail is disappearing and the face is more rounded. He or she now has all the major organs, muscles and nerves. Hands and feet that looked like paddles are forming fingers and toes.
The pancreas and gallbladder have formed, as well as the reproductive organs, although external genitals have no noticeable male or female characteristics, yet. Your baby's tongue is developing during this week.
Changes in You:
You are missing your second menstrual period this week. Your waistline is slowly growing thicker and expanding a little more obviously by now and your pre-pregnancy clothes may be getting very snug at this point, but you still haven't gained much weight by this week.
Fatigue is common during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, so try and sneak in a cat nap here and there, whenever you can during the day. At work, finding time to rest comfortably with your feet up can renew your energy. If you can't nap during the day, maybe you can take one right after work, before dinner or evening activities. Also, cut down on social events if they're wearing you out.
10th Week
Signs and symptoms of pregnancy as well as fetal development are important aspects of your pregnancy. You'll find that and more in the following sections broken down week by week through child birth.
Fetal Development:
Your baby is between 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 5 grams. By the end of this week, the embryonic period is over and the fetal period begins.
Your baby looks less like a tad-pole and more human. Everything to be found in a fully grown human being is already in place. The beginnings of the external genitalia appear this week. Bones of the skeleton are rapidly forming and the eyelids have grown, but are fused shut until about week 24.
Changes in You:
Since you have been pregnant, this may be the first time that you are really thinking about looking at maternity clothes. You are starting to show a little "pooch" towards the end of this week; but your changes are much more gradual, than your baby's and you may be able to put off those maternity clothes for a little while longer.
Now that your pregnancy has entered a more stable phase, with less dramatic shifts in hormone levels, you might notice that your nausea is gradually subsiding; or will most likely within the next 4 weeks.
You may start to notice your veins more, particularly in your tummy, breasts and legs, as a result of your increased blood volume.
Week 11
Your baby is between 1 1/2- 2 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 8 grams. All of your baby's organ systems are in place and the brain, nerves and muscles are beginning to function. Your baby flexes his or her arms and kicks it's legs, but you still can't feel these movements quite yet. More below:
Changes in You:
You're almost to the end of the first trimester of pregnancy now. Your changes are probably happening more slowly than with your baby, but your uterus has risen above your pelvic bones and your doctor can feel it during an external exam. A dark vertical line of pigmentation, called the linea nigra- that runs from your naval down to your pubic hair- may appear shortly.
Week 12
Your Baby: By the end of this week of pregnancy, your baby will be about 2 1/2 inches in length and will weigh about 14 grams. If you visit your doctor after this week, you'll most likely be able to hear your baby's heartbeat with a Doppler; not a stethoscope.
Your baby has the ability to swallow and discharge fluids. His or her fingers and toes have separated; the hands are now complete and fingernails are growing. Your baby's face now has a distinctively human appearance and hair is starting to appear on his or her body.
Changes in You: You may find that you feel more comfortable in loose-fitting clothes and possibly maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. Your morning sickness may be getting better, although some women suffer well into the second trimester.
Second Trimester:
13th Week
Signs and symptoms of pregnancy as well as fetal development are important aspects of your pregnancy. You'll find that and more in the following sections broken down week by week through child birth.
This week of pregnancy your baby is about 2 1/2 - 3 inches in length and weighs close to 1 ounce. The growth of your baby's head begins to slow down, compared to the rest of his or her body. Your baby's head has been nearly as large as it's body up until now. Your baby's intestines have moved from outside the body to inside the abdomen.
Changes in You:
You may be feeling better at this point. Many women begin to notice less frequent urination, increased energy and less nausea during their second trimester. Although other pregnancy may arise, such as heartburn, back pain and swelling. The risk of miscarriage in the second trimester, although it still exists, is lower than in the first trimester.
14th Week
By the end of this week of pregnancy, your baby will be between 3 and 4 inches in length and will weigh about 2 ounces. Fetal movement, or "quickening", can occur as early as this week, although you're more likely to begin feeling movement closer to 16-18 weeks. The external genitalia are more developed, and it's becoming easier to determine male from female. Your baby may be able to suck it's thumb and make facial expressions.
Changes in You:
There's no doubt; your waist is thickening and your uterus is moving upward and you'll be able to feel it more every week. Don't worry if you haven't felt your baby move yet. You will be able to feel him or her move within the next few weeks.
15th Week
Signs and symptoms of pregnancy as well as fetal development are important aspects of your pregnancy. You'll find that and more in the following sections broken down week by week through child birth.
Fetal Development:
During this week of pregnancy, your baby is about 4 -4 1/2 inches in length and weighs a little over 2 ounces. Your baby's growth is quite rapid and your baby's skin is very thin- so blood vessels can be seen. Fine hair called lanugo covers your baby's body at this point. Bones are getting harder and ossifying very rapidly. Your baby has taste buds and also may get the hiccups from time to time.
16th Week
This week of pregnancy, your baby is a little over 4 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 2 1/2- 3 ounces. Fine lanugo hair covers your baby's body and head. Gender is recognizable now during an ultrasound exam and you can also see your baby's movements and possibly the sucking reflex as your baby sucks his or her thumb.
Changes in You:
You can easily feel your uterus below your belly button and you've most likely gained 5-10 pounds by now. This would be a good time to learn to sleep on your side, since you shouldn't lie directly on your back because it can place the uterus on top of major blood vessels, which can decrease circulation to your baby. Lying on your stomach isn't a good idea either, since it puts pressure on your growing uterus. So, invest in a pregnancy pillow or a body pillow for support.
17th Week
This week of pregnancy, your baby is over 4 inches in length and weighs about 3 ounces. With the help of the placenta and the umbilical cord, your baby's system is operating as it will after it's born. Your baby has it's own circulation, pumped by the heart, which at this stage, pumps the equivalent of 25 quarts of blood a day. Fat begins to form this week and continues forming during the weeks to come.
Changes in You:
You may be starting to notice your baby's movements now or in the next few weeks for sure. Sometimes the sensations feel like butterflies, bubbles, twitches or even like jello- as your baby moves about. Change positions slowly, especially if you are getting up from lying down, to avoid feeling faint or dizzy. If you are feeling lightheaded, sit down and lower your head or lie down and elevate your feet. Low blood sugar may be to blame, so munching occasionally on snacks such as dried or fresh fruit, yogurt or sipping on juice may help.
18th Week
This week of your baby is about 5 - 5 1/2 inches in length and weighs 5 - 6 ounces by now. By this week, meconium (the early fecal waste material) will begin to accumulate in your baby's bowels. This material is the result of the digestive system practicing digestion while your baby is still in the womb. Many of your baby's bones have begun to harden into bone, rather than rubbery cartilage.
Changes in You:
Your belly is getting bigger and you're probably starting to think about maternity clothes, if you're not wearing them already. You might notice a thin, whitish vaginal discharge called leukorrhea, which is normally secreted during pregnancy. This discharge may become heavier as your pregnancy continues.
Week 19
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 5 1/2 - 6 inches in length and weighs 7-8 ounces. Your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid and his or her kidneys are making urine.
Vernix is forming at this point. This is a creamy-looking substance that covers the baby's skin in order to protect it and it''s developing glands and sensory cells. The vernix is composed of dead skin, oil and lanugo.
Changes in You:
Your breasts have increased in size and weight. Your areola, the darkish area around your nipples, is getting larger.
As you gain more weight, you may want to switch to fuller, less restrictive clothing made from lighter-weight fabrics. This will keep you more comfortable as your body temperature increases.
Week 20 - Twenty
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 6 inches in length and weighs close to 10 ounces. By this week, heat-producing brown fat has begun to form on your baby's neck, chest and crotch areas. Brown fat has a protective function: it helps your baby stay warm after birth. Your baby sleeps and wakes as much as a newborn does now and has sleep and wake patterns.
Changes in You:
Congratulations! You've made it to the halfway mark! You're halfway through your pregnancy. Your baby's movements are becoming stronger as the ossification process continues and soft cartilage is hardened into bone. Mothers who are slim may feel their babies move much earlier than heavier moms will.
Week 21 - Twenty-One
Your baby is about 7 - 8 inches in length and weighs about 10 ounces. Your baby has a lot of amniotic fluid to move around in and your baby can spin, turn and somersault. Your baby is very active! Your baby is able to hear now, so if you talk, read or sing to him or her- your baby can hear you.
Changes in You:
This week of pregnancy, your waistline is completely gone! You're probably feeling much better these days- since you're not too big yet and most of the nausea and fatigue- are for the most part gone. Your gums may be sensitive and sometimes swell and bleed, as a result of increased blood flow and increased levels of pregnancy hormones.
Week 22 - Twenty-Two
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 8 inches in length and weighs close to a pound. Your baby's eyelids and eyebrows are well developed and even though your baby's eyelids are fused, he or she is now making blinking movements. The first signs of teeth appear as buds beneath the gum line.
Changes in You
:
You may begin to notice leg and foot cramps and some mild swelling (edema) of the ankles and feet. Prolonged standing and fatigue may be responsible for the cramping. Your doctor may report that your heart rate has increased somewhat during this week of pregnancy. That's normal and just a sign that your body is having to work a little harder.
Week 23 - Twenty-Three
This week of pregnancy, your baby is over 8 inches in length and weighs a little over a pound. Your baby's body is getting plumper, as he or she accumulates fat. Your baby's hearing is well established and he or she can hear your heart beating, your digestive noises, as well as your voice.
Changes in You:
Your belly definitely has a round appearance now. Stretch marks are common in pregnancy. If your belly begins to itch, as your skin stretches; keep the area moist with lotion. Also, if you have itchiness, avoid getting overheated, since anything that itches will usually itch more if you're warm.
Week 24 - Twenty-Four
This week of pregnancy, your baby is 8 - 9 inches in length and weighs a little more than 1 pound. Your baby's environment is becoming more crowded as he or she is growing and filling up the space inside the uterus. As the weeks pass, space gets even tighter. Right now, your baby's skin is wrinkled. When more fat is deposited and more muscle development takes place, it will begin to look smooth.
Changes in You:
Every day, you should become more and more aware of your baby's movements. Although the bumps and thumps are now obvious to you, it may be a few more weeks before someone else can feel your baby move by touching your abdomen.
Week 25 - Twenty-Five
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 9 - 10 inches in length and weighs almost 1 pound. Your baby's nostrils (which have been plugged) begin to open. By this week, blood vessels have developed in your baby's lungs. Your baby makes breathing movements, but there's no air in the lungs yet.
Changes in You:
You may be gaining close to a pound a week now. Your weight gain is probably more than 15 pounds now- if your morning sickness has vanished. Sometime soon, your doctor may perform a glucose tolerance test to determine whether you have gestational diabetes. The test is usually done between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Week 26 - Twenty-Six
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 11- 11 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 1 3/4 pounds. This week, air sacs (alveoli) will have developed in your baby's lungs. Your baby's lungs will begin to secrete surfactant, a substance which keeps the lung tissue from sticking to itself. Since your baby can hear, he or she may jump in response to loud, startling sounds.
Changes in You:
While your baby's nails are growing, yours may be growing well, too. Strong, long, healthy nails often accompany pregnancy because of improvements in circulation and metabolism. You are approaching the end of the second trimester. As you get bigger, discomforts such as back pain, pressure in your pelvis, leg cramps and headaches may occur more frequently.
Week 27 - Twenty-Seven
This week of pregnancy, your baby's crown-to-rump length is over 12 inches and your baby weighs about 2 pounds. This week marks the beginning of the third trimester. Around this time, your baby's eyelids open, so now your baby is capable of opening and closing his or her eyes while still inside your uterus!
Changes in You:
As your baby grows bigger, you may notice some shortness of breath, because your growing uterus presses on your diaphragm and it becomes harder to fill your lungs and breathe out completely. Improving posture will help you to breathe better, both during pregnancy and afterward. When sleeping, lying propped up on pillows or on your side may help lesson the pressure on your diaphragm.
Third Trimester:
Week 28 - Twenty-Eight
This week of pregnancy, your baby is close to 13 inches in length and weighs almost 2 1/2 pounds. Your baby's eyelashes are present on his or her eyelids and your baby is becoming more sensitive to light, sound, taste and smell. The touch sensitivity of your baby's skin is already well established.
Changes in You:
You may start seeing your doctor every two weeks soon and at about 36 weeks of pregnancy, you'll likely switch to weekly visits. Your uterus continues to push on your bladder, reducing it's capacity. Since the muscles of your pelvic floor may not be able to prevent leakage, when you laugh, cough, or strain to lift something, empty your bladder often. This will also help in reducing your chances of getting a urinary tract infection.
Week 29
Up until now, we've been measuring your baby's crown-to-rump length. Your baby's total length from head to toe is 15 1/2- 16 1/2 inches and your baby weighs close to 2 1/2 pounds. Each day of your pregnancy that passes brings your baby closer to birth and closer to completing the prenatal phase of development. Your baby's ability to thrive outside your womb improves with each passing day.
Changes in You:
Your weight gain by this week of pregnancy is probably close to 20 pounds or more. As you get closer to delivery, you may be finding it more and more difficult to sleep through the night. The size of your abdomen may make it seem impossible for you to find a comfortable position. Also, the natural anticipation, or even anxiety, may make you have sleep problems. The best position for sleeping in late pregnancy is on your left or right side, with your legs and knees bent. To deal with anxiety, the relaxation exercises you learned in childbirth classes can help you even now, well before labor begins.
Week 30 - Thirty
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 17 inches in length and weighs close to 3 pounds. By now, most of the lanugo (the downy hair that covered your baby's body) has disappeared except for patches on the back and shoulders. Since your baby's eyelids are now unfused, they can open and close and the eyes are practicing "looking" movements. Your baby can even distinguish light from dark at this point.
Changes in You:
You only have 10 more weeks of pregnancy to go! Varicose veins may develop around this time. Varicose veins are caused by a weakness in he small veins that carry blood back to the heart, they show up as fine bluish, reddish, or purplish lines under the skin, most often on the legs and ankles. Varicose veins may surface for the first time or may worsen during late pregnancy, when the uterus exerts greater pressure on the veins in the legs. Avoid standing for long periods, don't sit with your legs crossed and elevate your legs whenever you can.
Week 31 - Thirty-One
Fetal Development
:
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 18 inches in length and weighs just over 3 pounds. Your baby's growth in height and weight will begin to slow between now and birth. Your baby most likely has a full head of hair and is looking more like a newborn.
Changes in You:
You may begin to notice burning and numbness in your hands, which is a symptom of carpel tunnel syndrome. It is common in up to 25 percent of all pregnant women. In pregnancy, hormonal effects, swelling and weight gain can compress the nerves inside your wrists. The symptoms are numbness, tingling and pain. The effects of carpel tunnel syndrome can keep you up at night, but most of the time- they disappear after delivery.
32 - Thirty-Two
Fetal Development:
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 18 1/2 inches in length and weighs close to 4 pounds. In most boys, the testicles have moved into the scrotom. Sometimes, however one or even both testicles don't move into position until after birth. Your baby can move his or her head from side to side and is also practicing breathing.
Changes in You:
As your baby's due date approaches, your body is going to spend more and more time practicing for the birth. Specifically, the muscles of your uterus will practice contracting and relaxing. These contractions are called Braxton-Hicks contractions and are generally painless.
Week 33 - Thirty-Three
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 19 inches in length and weighs about 4 1/3 pounds. By about this point, the volume of amniotic fluid has reached it's maximum. As your baby grows, there will be less fluid and more baby, which makes movements feel more frequent and vigorous. The amniotic fluid is clear and by the time your baby is born, there will be about 2-6 cups of fluid in the amniotic sac. As fat accumulates under your baby's skin, your baby's skin color changes from dark red and transparent to pinkish (even in babies who will eventually be dark-skinned) and translucent.
Changes in You:
Although you may be quite tired, you still may have difficulty sleeping because of backache, baby's movement, feeling too hot, headaches, leg cramps or trouble finding a comfortable position. Remember that when you lie down, try always to roll to your left side, since it improves your circulation and also your baby's, while aiding in digestion and breathing. A full body pillow may be a must to help achieve a comfortable position for sleeping.
Week 34
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 19 inches in length and weighs almost 5 pounds this week. Your baby is still growing rapidly. From this time on, your baby has the maturity to adapt to living outside the womb if he or she is born. This is reassuring news, especially since some babies apparently can't wait to leave their cramped quarters! In addition to the immune protection provided by you, your baby is also beginning to develop his or her own immune reaction to mild infections.
Changes in You:
This week marks the end of 8 months of pregnancy. You're heading for the home stretch! At this point, hip pain may be a constant problem. The increased hormones of pregnancy tend to cause the connective tissue in your body to soften and loosen up. One result is that the joints between the bones of your pelvis become more relaxed. This can produce hip pain. It seems that hip pain in late pregnancy usually occurs on one side or the other. The changes in your posture, along with lower back pain, that results from the heavier uterus can add to your discomfort. Warm baths and compresses may be helpful.
Week 35 - Thirty-Five
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 20-20 1/2 inches in length and weighs over 5 1/2 pounds. Babies delivered around this time tend to lose considerably more weight than a full-term baby because their digestive tract is still too immature for complete independence. As a sort of safety precaution, the babies store nutrition from their mother against the possibility of an early birth. By now, your baby's arms and legs are beginning to be chubby as more and more fat is deposited. Fat deposits increase from about 2% at mid-pregnancy to 12-15% at term.
Changes in You:
Your baby might "drop" (shift into your pelvis) before labor begins, but not all babies drop prior to the onset of labor. If your baby drops (this is also called "lightening" or "settling"), you will begin to notice a decrease in lap space when seated, a sudden ease of breathing and more stomach capacity (since the load has shifted down), more pelvic pressure, and more frequent urination- maybe even slight incontinence. At each prenatal visit, your doctor will check to see if your baby has dropped into your pelvis.
Week 36 - Thirty-Six
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 20 - 20 1/2 inches in length and weighs about 6 pounds. During this finishing period of your baby's development, fat is being laid down under the surface of your baby's skin, which will help him or her maintain an even body temperature and which can be burned as energy. Your baby's growth has slowed-perhaps to conserve energy for the birth process. Your baby's arms and legs are beginning to dimple at the elbows and knees, and creases are forming around the wrists and neck as fat deposit continues.
Changes in You:
You'll notice more fluctuations in your energy level this month. Fatigue is experienced by most pregnant women, but this month, you may find that fatigue alternates with periods of extra energy. Use your energy bursts wisely doing things you absolutely need to do and preparing for the birth and time after birth. Don?t overdo it, though.
Week 37 - Thirty-Seven
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 21 inches in length and weighs at least 6 1/2 pounds. If your baby was born after this week, he or she would be considered full-term. While the ossification process has been progressing steadily (cartilage turning into bone), not all of your baby's bones will be ossified by birth. This is an advantage for both of you, since your baby's skeleton is more flexible when it contains more cartilage, making the passage through the narrow birth canal easier. Fewer hard bones means fewer hard pokes during delivery.
Changes in You:
Sometimes, the amniotic sac breaks or leaks before labor begins, and the fluid that has cushioned your baby comes out in a trickle or a gush. Most frequently, your membranes rupture sometime during labor, often during the second stage. If you are uncertain about whether the leaking fluid is amniotic fluid or urine (many pregnant women leak urine in the later stages of pregnancy), be sure to have it checked.
Week 38 - Thirty-Eight
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 21 inches in length and weighs around 7 pounds.
Your baby's intestines are accumulating considerable meconium, a dark-green mass of cells and waste product from the liver, pancreas, and gall bladder. The meconium in your baby's intestines will be eliminated shortly after birth, but it sometimes can be eliminated before, if the birth is delayed too long.
By this week, your baby's toenails have reached the end of the toes and after your baby is born, you may need to trim the fingernails and toenails.
Changes in You:
You may be feeling increasingly uncomfortable by this week and feel as if you are running out of space! Watch for signs of labor such as: Bloody show (loss of mucus plug), rupture of membranes (breaking of waters), digestive disturbances (many women experience diarrhea or nausea at the onset of labor), spurts of energy, and contractions.
During pregnancy, the cervical opening becomes blocked with a thick plug of mucus that prevents bacteria from entering the uterus. When the cervix begins to thin and relax, this plug is sometimes discharged- a sign that things could happen soon- although labor might still be up to a week away. This plug does not look like a cork, as some women might expect, but more like stringy mucus or thick discharge. It can be clear, pink or blood-tinged and can appear minutes, hours or even days before actual labor begins. Some women, however, don't notice it at all.
Week 39
Changes in Baby:
This week of pregnancy, your baby is close to 21 inches and weighs over 7 pounds. Your baby is fully developed and just about ready for life outside your womb.
The "lanugo" hair that covered a large portion of your baby's body is mostly gone now, but your baby still might have a small amount of vernix (the creamy, white substance) around joints.
Changes in You:
Your Braxton-Hicks contractions may become more frequent and sometimes a bit uncomfortable. True labor will develop into a pattern, with contractions growing closer together, but Braxton-Hicks tend to remain the same.
The contractions during true labor won't go away regardless of activity and may grow stronger with increased activity such as walking.
Remember, if your contractions continue to get longer, stronger and closer together, call your doctor or the hospital. You're most likely in labor!
Week 40 - Forty
Fetal Development:
This week of pregnancy, your baby is about 2 1/2 inches in length and weighs probably close to 7 1/2 pounds. Full term babies weight varies greatly, so really your baby could be 6 pounds or weigh as much as 10 pounds! Your baby is quite prepared for life outside your womb and his or her lungs are still manufacturing large quantities of surfactant, in order to keep the air sacs open.
In general, your baby continues to grow and his or her hair gets longer and the nails continue to grow longer as well.
Changes in You:
Your due date is this week and if you're like many women, you are probably tired of being pregnant and very anxious to hold your new baby in your arms! Your baby has completely filled your uterus and your belly is as big as it can get. Remember, you won't be pregnant forever!