Trimesters, Stages of Pregnancy - Pregnancy - Knowledge Area

Making the difference from the bottom up

PREGNANCY - TRIMESTERS

Here is a brief description of what is physically happening to you and your baby during each trimester - which is the term for each 3 month period of your pregnancy.

For more detailed knowledge please see your midwife.

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FIRST TRIMESTER

You

Missed menstrual periods
(You can take a pregnancy test in the days after your period would normally be due)
Changes to your breast (probably larger and more tender)
Morning sickness
More trips to the toilet
Tiredness
Weight gain
Increased basal temperature (the body's temperature at rest, usually measured first thing in the morning)
Increase in emotions (I cried constantly & for practically no reason during my first trimester of my first pregnancy!)

Pelvic floor exercises

It's important to do pelvic floor exercises regularly throughout your pregnancy - these help strengthen your internal muscles, help your body cope with labour and make it easier to regain muscle control in your pelvis after the birth thus reducing the risk of incontinence. Even if you are having a planned Caesarean, it is still important as the baby's weight is sitting on your pelvis during pregnancy.

Try several sets a day - some people put stickers in certain places (fridge, car, bathroom mirror) to remind them to do some exercises.

What to do:

Tighten the muscles from your bottom to your vagina, as if trying to stop in the middle of a wee. Squeeze and lift up inside.
Hold for a few moments (try counting to 5), but keep breathing.
Gently relax then repeat 10 times.

The Baby

The date of the start of your pregnancy is taken from the first day of your last period - conception is usually two weeks after your period began, in the middle of your cycle. When you conceive you are already 2 weeks pregnant!

First Month - Weeks 3-4

the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus & develops rapidly
day 25 - the heartbeat starts
day 26 - arm buds appear
day 28 - leg buds appear
primitive digestion system begins to develop
the embryo is about half a cm long (about the size of a grain of rice)

Second Month - Weeks 5-8

the face is beginning to form
ears are covered by thin membrane & continue to develop
some organs developing - brain, liver, kidneys, bloodstream
arms and legs developed
moving around (but you won't be able to feel it yet)
basic umbilical cord circulating blood & nourishment
the embryo is now a foetus (by the end of the 2nd month)
almost 30mm long and weighing about 1g (about the size of a kidney bean)

Third Month - Weeks 9-12

eyelids are fused over at 10 weeks
nose and outer ears are formed
nail beds established
movements begin (head turning, sucking)
teeth buds forming
head accounts for almost half the total body length
all internal organs formed
about 75mm long and weighing about 30g
placenta fully developed, also weighing about 30g

You'll have your first midwives' appointment at about 12 weeks - you should have already seen your GP to register the pregnancy.

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SECOND TRIMESTER

You

you'll be more aware of the changes happening to you
should feel the first movements of the foetus
the uterus grows to your navel between 20-22 weeks, and is about the size of a grapefruit
colostrum (pre-milk) will be in your breasts
your nipples may darken and the areolas (the coloured area around the nipple) will get larger
blood vessels pressure increases in the lower part of your body, which may result in haemorrhoids or varicose veins
your heart is working 20%-40% harder to cope with the extra volume of blood in your body
skin changes may occur, primarily on your face

The Baby

Fourth Month - Weeks 13-16

a strong heart beat begins
the baby now resembles a miniature human being
lanugo (fine body hair) develops
sex organs are maturing
the body is growing fast to catch up with the head
at the end of the fourth month, the foetus is about 15cm long and weighs about 120g (about the same as a small pot of yoghurt!)

Fifth Month - Weeks 17-20

heartbeat can be heard with a stethoscope
laying down "brown fat" to keep warm after birth
nails are formed
can suck thumb
responds to noise
hair and eyebrows grow
movements increase & you may begin to feel some kicks
about 30cm long (half the birth length) and weighs 230-450g

Sixth Month - Weeks 21-24

eyes open
tastebuds form on the tongue
vernix (a creamy substance) covers the skin
skin is wrinkled & foetus appears thin
muscles getting stronger - you should have felt the baby move by 22 weeks
placenta and umbilical cord fully developed
about 29-34 cm long and weighs 700g

A baby born any time after 24 weeks is considered "viable" because it has a chance of surviving.

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THIRD TRIMESTER

You

you may experience a burst of energy as you prepare for the arrival - get organised!
you may have backache, leg cramps, heartburn, shortness of breath
a dark line (called linea nigra) may appear running down from the naval - this goes after the birth
you'll need to wee a lot & if you sneeze or cough there may be loss of bladder control
Braxton-Hicks contractions may start (painless contractions of the uterus) - if you are concerned this is the beginning of labour, time them over an hour. If it is real labour they'll become stronger & more frequent
you may have vivid dreams about your baby
38 weeks - the uterus will have reached the breastbone
you may experience early labour

The Baby

Seventh Month - Weeks 25-29

fingerprints developing
baby can hear and possibly recognise your voice
skin becoming thicker and more opaque
eyes open and close
the retina at the back of the eye develops & responds to light
moving regularly but space is becoming more restricted
weighs about 1.15kg & is about 37.5cm long

Eighth Month - Weeks 30-34

brain is bigger and very complex
can distinguish between sweet and sour tastes, light and dark, and different noises
lungs maturing in preparation for first breath
baby can feel Braxton Hicks contractions, but is protected by amniotic fluid
body fat accumulates and smooths out the body
lanugo (fine hair) mostly disappears
if born at 32 weeks, would still need to be kept in special care
dramatic size increase to 2.3kg and 40-44 cm long

Ninth Month - Weeks 35-40

can differentiate between dark and light through the wall of your tummy
gaining about 28g a day
toe & fingernails now complete
a boy's testicles will have descended from his abdomen into his scrotum
movements becoming more restricted
your antibodies are passing through the placenta into the baby's bloodstream to give a boost to the immune system
the baby's bowels contain meconium - a sticky black substance which is excreted as the first poo soon after birth
roughly 51cm long, average weight is 3.4kg
head settles into pelvic canal between 37-40 wks (engagement)

Next = Labour!

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