Trimesters
- First Trimester
- Second Trimester
- Third Trimester
First Trimester
Within two weeks of fertilization, a blood test can confirm that you are pregnant. Congratulations! In this, your first trimester, your body is very busy not only preparing itself for the rest of your pregnancy, but also growing your baby's organs. Stem cells begin to specialize into other cells to create your baby's pancreas, liver, brain, heart, etc. In your first month, you will notice that your breasts are swollen and sensitive; then, you will find that your areolas and nipples are darker and the veins on your breasts are more visible. By your second month, you may experience the nausea commonly referred to as morning sickness and you may be find yourself needing to urinate much more frequently as your body increases its blood flow to nourish your baby, which in turn causes your kidneys to process more fluids. And, of course, as your uterus expands it will begin to press on your bladder. Surging progesterone will make you feel sluggish and tired. By week 12, your placenta has taken charge of hormone production and will continue to provide your baby with nourishment, eliminate its wastes and exchange respiratory gases for the remainder of your pregnancy.
By the end of this trimester, your baby will weigh approximately one ounce and will measure about three inches long. Your baby will have all its major organs, eyes, hands with fingernails, teeth and even vocal cords!
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Second Trimester
Welcome to your second trimester - often considered the honeymoon period of pregnancy as the nausea and fatigue of your first trimester are (hopefully) behind you yet you are not too big to be uncomfortable. You will gain the majority of your weight in this trimester and you also may notice more symptoms, such as skin changes, forgetfulness, swelling, clumsiness, backaches, nosebleeds, and Braxton Hicks contractions. You will also begin to feel your baby moving inside you, an event called quickening. He or she will spend the next few months somersaulting around in your amniotic fluid, reacting to loud noises and changes in light.
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