Your Trimester by Trimester Guide for Pregnancy
You’ve watched that fuzzy blue line slowly appears confirming the news.
Hello Baby! You’re pregnant! Over the next 40 weeks your body’s about to
get pretty busy as baby develops and grows - you’ll be amazed by what’s
taking place. Here’s a helpful guide to explain what’s happening at each
stage of your pregnancy.
First Trimester
Weeks 1 – 13
You
While the first few weeks of your pregnancy may seem relatively quiet, there’s loads happening that’s important to the success of your pregnancy. You may be feeling nauseous, fatigued, craving or have strong aversions to food, your breasts are tender, and you’ll be heading to the loo frequently. And, morning sickness and mood swings add to the load! Get as much rest as possible, stock up on pharmacy items to help you out and make that important first appointment with your GP!
Baby
By the time you realise you’re pregnant your baby is already a small blob. While you don’t feel any movement just yet, its heartbeat can be heard, and your first scan gives you a teary-eyed view of the cutest little jellybean. By week 6 that bean sprouts little buds that are legs and arms and its eyes are starting to take shape. Breathing passages, digestive tracts and muscle fibres mean that by the end of Trimester One your first scan picks up little jerky movements.
Trimester 1 Tip:
With doctor’s appointments and adjusting to the side effects of pregnancy, you might not be up for sharing the news just yet. The risk of miscarriage is also a higher in the first trimester. Many couples like to keep the news to themselves until they pass the Week 13 mark.
Second Trimester
Weeks 14 – 26
You
The second trimester is often approached with relief as most women start noticing a decrease in those pesky early pregnancy symptoms of nausea and fatigue. Hopefully by now you’ll be feeling a little more energetic and a lot more used to your body changing on you.
Many calls this the ‘honeymoon phase’ of pregnancy - your sleeping patterns return to normal; your hormone levels settle down; your hair can sometimes become shinier and thicker and your skin clear and radiant. That baby bump of yours is starting to show itself, and those flutters are making themselves known.
Right now – you’re in full bloom!
This is also a time of choices – you’re starting to make decisions about where you’ll have baby, who your support will be and adjusting your habits to give baby the best chance for development.
Experts advice that this is a great time to stay active to keep yourself and bubba healthy.
Baby
For baby, the second trimester is a time of fast paced change too.
Your scans of bub will now show a fully formed baby complete with fingerprints! Baby’s tiny bones inside its ears are now working and they can hear your voice. You may start feeling tummy somersaults as your baby is more active and in control of their movements. Your baby can now respond to light, sound and touch and it’s exciting to make that lovely connection.
By the end of this trimester your bump is growing and growing as baby is the size of a cauliflower!
Trimester 2 Tip:
You’ve shared the news that you’re pregnant and the biggest question is - are you having a boy or a girl? While scans after 12 weeks can show baby’s gender, it’s up to you whether you choose to know, or share the news.
Third Trimester
Weeks 27 – 40
You
You’re on the home stretch now and it won’t be long till baby arrives. During this time of excitement and some anxiety, you’ll be having frequent visits with your birth specialists, midwife and doctor. They keep an eye on baby’s health and you. You may become more uncomfortable as you battle a few unexpected symptoms. Indigestion, heartburn, constipation, sciatic nerve pain, shortness of breath are some of the side effects as your body adjusts to being pregnant – your baby is now a mini watermelon who is making itself at home!
Your body is producing a tonne of progesterone, so you’ll find you’re slowing down more. And, Braxton Hicks contractions are the dress rehearsal for the real thing.
It’s all worth it though when you hold bub in your arms! Hang in there.
The third trimester is the time to check in with your systems and processes. Maternity leave plans and preparing pets or other children for a new baby are on your mind. Vivid dreams and concerns about the birth are a natural process too, so now is a great time to write down a birth plan to help you prepare for labour.
Baby
You might feel like your belly is ready to burst but your baby still has important growing to do. It’s a butternut pumpkin fast growing into a supersized cabbage!
In the last trimester of pregnancy your baby’s brain will begin developing billions of neurons and bub’s nervous system is developing. Your baby’s skin also fills out, acting as padding for organs and helping regulate body temperature after birth. Your baby is preparing for the outside world – and to meet you!
Trimester 3 Tip:
Eat well to support your baby’s brain development. Experts recommend eating food that is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, supported by folate and Vitamin B.
Each trimester brings new experiences, changes and challenges. But before you know it, baby is here! Keeping on top of appointments, balancing rest, exercise and healthy eating can help you manage your pregnancy and prepare to welcome baby.
