Pregnancy Stages
This free online resource details day by day help and information about Pregnancy Stages. Looking for help and info? Many answers to your questions can be found in the day by day and week by week Pregnancy Stages guide detailed below. Not surprisingly, a pregnant woman has lots of questions. The pregnancy stages and symptoms to expect during the first trimester, the second trimester and the third trimester are also described.
Day by Day and Week by Week Guide - Pregnancy Stages
Our Day by Week by Stages can be used as a guide to help you understand the changes in your body and to your baby. There are facts, information and helpful tips about each of the trimesters. We have also detailed the average growth of a baby - its length and its weight each week.
Day by Day, Week and Month
Check out the development phases, and possible symptoms that might be experienced Day by Week by Month during your maternity. Discover when your baby’s eyelids and toes form. Find out when your baby can frown turn its head or hiccup! Did you know that by week 5 your baby is 10,000 times larger than the fertilized egg! And that by week 8 your baby begins to hear. And that by week 9 your baby's heart beat has 140-150 beats every minute - about twice as many as yours! Check out the Day by Week and Month by Month changes during your maternity. The contents of this section provides facts, definitions and helpful information for pregnant women. The start, the various signs and symptoms and development phases.
Pregnancy Stages - the Trimesters
Every pregnancy is divided into three time periods, or trimesters, which are each about three months in duration - the first, second, and third trimesters.
Pregnancy Stages - Trimesters |
| First Trimester | Conception to 12 weeks |
| Second Trimester | Week 13 - Week 28 |
| Third Trimester | Week 29 - Birth of Baby |
Pregnancy Stages - Trimesters |
The first trimester carries the highest risk of miscarriage. During the second trimester, the development of the baby can be more easily monitored and diagnosed. From the beginning of the third trimester the baby is able to survive, with or without medical help, outside of the womb.
First Trimester
Second Trimester
Third Trimester
Pregnancy Stages and Symptoms - the First Trimester
There are various symptoms associated with the weeks during the first trimester and unfortunately approximately 70% of all pregnant women suffer from morning sickness or feelings of nausea at this time. Other symptoms during the first trimester include fatigue, swollen breasts, darkening of areolas (the skin around your nipples), headache, backache and frequent urination. Cravings for unusual food can also occur during the early stages. The first trimester carries the highest risk of miscarriage.
Pregnancy Stages and Symptoms - the Second Trimester
During the second trimester, the development of the baby can be more easily monitored and diagnosed. Most pregnant women feel more energized during the second trimester and start to put on weight as the symptoms of morning sickness subside and eventually fade away. Other symptoms of the second trimester include heartburn, backache, constipation, piles, leg cramps and Braxton Hicks contractions. The woman's belly is usually very upright during this stage of pregnancy. Weight gain during the second trimester - expect weight gain of about 4lbs per week until you give birth.
Pregnancy Stages and Symptoms - the Third Trimester
From the beginning of the third trimester the baby is able to survive, with or without medical help, outside of the womb. The final weight gain takes place during the third trimester. It is the most weight gain throughout maternity period. The baby grows the most rapidly during the third trimester stage and can gain up to 28g per day. The weight gain shows in the size of your belly! The shape of your belly changes as the belly drops due to the baby turning in a downward position ready for birth. Your belly will drop down quite low and a pregnant woman is able to lift her belly up and down! Symptoms during the third trimester include the navel sometimes becoming convex and "popping" out due to the expanding abdomen. Other symptoms include weak bladder control, heartburn and back-ache.
