Conception-Pregnancy

Stages of Pregnancy

The Trimesters

There are three stages of pregnancy, these are known as trimesters.
They are each of uneven lengths, and the third trimester will vary depending on how early or late the birth of the baby is.
Each stage has its own unique experiences and developments, and here you can discover what changes to expect in the months ahead.
For a more detailed description of pregnancy changes in both mother and baby, please see our week by week pregnancy calendar.

The First Trimester

Weeks 0-13

The first trimester is when all the magic happens.
The expectant mothers body must work very hard to adjust to supporting the new baby, and many changes will occur in the first few weeks.

~ A mucus plug forms in the cervix to protect the womb from bacteria and infection.

~ The Breasts will become very sensitive early on in the pregnancy, the size and weight of the breasts will increase rapidly as they prepare for milk prodution.
The areola around the nipples will darken, and new milk ducts will develop. as the blood supply increases to the breasts, the breast veins will become more prominet.

~ The walls of the uterus will rapidly grow and thicken, this will cause your growing uterus to press against the bladder, making urination more frequent.
The uterus will also begin to change shape, from that simular to a pear to a more rounded shape.

~ The heart rate and breathing rate will increase, this is because of the extra oxygen needed to be sent to the growing baby.

~ The metabolic rate will increase by 10-25%, as the body accelerates all of its functions.

~ An increase in hormones will cause the skin and gums to soften, this will also cause mood swings and a tendancy to be over emotional.

The Second Trimester

Weeks 14-26

At the start of the second trimester, your growing uterus will be pushing out above the pelvic brim.
By now you will be able to tell you are pregnant, as your belly grows larger, your waist line will begin to dissapear.

~ The breasts will probably get sore ,and you may experience a tingling feeling.

~ You may develop a dark line running down the center of your abdomen, this is known as the linea nigra.

~ Skin pignentation may increase, making things such as freckles, moles and nipples more prominent

~ The intestinal tract becomes more relaxed, so food remains in the stomach longer, this means there are fewer bowel movements.

~ The spinchter at the top of the stomach becomes relaxed, which can cause heartburn and oesophageal reflux.

~ The heart is now working twice as hard as that of a non-pregnant womans, it is now pumping about 6 litres of blood around the body per minute.

~ The kindneys now need about 25% more blood than before, and the uterus needs an extra 50%.

~ You will start feeling the baby's movements in the second trimester.

The Third Trimester

Weeks 27-40

The unborn baby does alot of growing during the third trimester.
The growing uterus presses on the bladder, making urination much more frequent, it also restricts the diaphragm, making the mothers breathing faster and deeper than before.
By the end of this trimester, the baby will settle down deeply into the pelvis, where it will stay untill it is born.

~ As the baby and uterus grow larger, the lower ribs may start to spread outwards.

~ Ligaments will stretch, the stretching of the ligaments in the hips and pelvis may make walking and standing uncomfortable.

~ A thin, milky substance, called colostrum may start to leak from the breasts, as they prepare for nursing.

~ The pregnant womans air intake increses from the usual 7 litres per minute, to 10 litres per minute, this is because of the extra oxygen being sent to the baby.

~ The heart is now working one and a quater times harder than it was before pregnancy, and your blood volume has increased by 2 litres, this is all to support the growing baby.

~ The shift in your center of gravity, and loosening of the pelvic joints may cause lower back pain, and you may be feeling off balance.

~ And finally, the end of the journey.
The baby is born at the end of the third trimester, and a new journey begins.

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