YOUR PREGNANCY IN 40 WEEKS: What You Should Know

Chiomah Momah

Being pregnant is amazing! It’s even more exciting when one sees what goes on as one’s baby grows from an embryo to a newborn. However, pregnancy is different for every woman. While some women glow with good health and vitality and do not fall ill for a single day, others feel miserable throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

This pregnancy calendar is a rough guide on how your baby will develop over the course of pregnancy and the changes you are most likely to experience.

Week 0-4

Baby: You may be surprised to learn that though pregnancy is counted from the date of your last period, actual conception doesn’t begin until about the third week of pregnancy. By the third week, the sperm and egg unite in one of your fallopian tubes to form a zygote which is about the size of the head of a pin! If more than one egg is released and fertilized, you may have multiple zygotes and will be expecting twins or more! Each zygote has 46 chromosomes (half from you and the other half from the father) that will determine the baby’s sex, personality, hair, eye colour and more. As this zygote starts its journey down the fallopian tube, it starts dividing rapidly and becomes an embryo. The embryo will then be firmly planted in the wall of the uterus, and the placenta, whose role is to provide nourishment to your baby throughout the pregnancy and remove waste, will begin to form.

Mother: You may begin to notice a change in taste and start experiencing early stages of morning sickness. Your sensitivity may heighten and you may be easily irritated by things that normally would not irritate you. If you hadn’t previously been on some form of prenatal tablets, this is the time to start taking your folic acid. It’s also important to make sure you eat right.

Week 4 to 8

Baby: This is the beginning of the embryonic phase of your baby’s development. During the next few weeks, the spinal cord, brain, heart and other vital organs are formed and by the 6th week, your baby’s heart will start pumping! Basic facial features will also begin to develop during this period and the baby’s arms and legs start to form as buds. By the end of the 8th week, your baby might be about 1/2 inch long.

Mother: Your breasts will feel enlarged and tender while your areola will darken. Your sense of smell will be extra sensitive and you may begin to feel nauseous when you perceive certain smells.

Week 8 -12

Baby: Your baby’s arms grow, develop bones and bend at the elbows. Toes form, and your baby’s eyelids and ears continue developing. Before long, your baby’s neck begins to develop and his or her head takes a more round shape and the eyelids begin to close. At about 11 weeks, the baby’s genitals are beginning to develop. It’s during this period that your baby officially becomes a foetus. Your baby’s face now looks human and fingernails have developed. At the end of this period, your baby may be about two and a half inches long and weigh about 14 grams.

Mother: During these weeks, pregnancy hormones may cause that much talked about glow and your gums may become tender. Even if your tummy is not obviously bigger, those close to you may notice your features (especially your nose) change. Your vaginal discharge will also have increased considerably.

Note: If the discharge has an offensive odour, please see your doctor.

After the first 12 weeks, you are now progressing into your second trimester. This is when you can feel your baby actually move! This is also the period where you may have a few physical changes and be forced to put away your non-maternity tightly fitted clothes. This is also the most enjoyable part of pregnancy for most women as the morning sickness of the first trimester is often over and you’ll be nowhere as big as you’ll be in your third trimester. Remember, in pregnancy, your comfort is key, so don’t force yourself into uncomfortable clothes just because you like them.

Week 12 to 16

Baby: As your pregnancy progresses, your baby will begin to seem more real. You might hear the heartbeat at your prenatal appointments and your baby’s skeleton should have begun to develop bones which can be viewed by an ultrasound. Your baby will also start urinating into the amniotic fluid. At this time, the baby’s sex will become apparent during ultrasound scans. By the fifteenth week, the baby’s skeletons develop bones which can be viewed on ultrasound. The baby will also be able to make sucking motions and may be more than four and a half inches long.

Mother: Your abdomen may not be obviously larger but you will definitely not be able to wear your usual pair of jeans. Your morning sickness may also be a thing of the past. Most women will also develop a dark line which runs down the centre of the abdomen called the linea nigra. This line is formed by hormonal changes and will disappear after pregnancy.

Week 16 -20

Baby: During this period, fat begins to accumulate under the baby’s skin. This is very important as this fat will enable the baby keep warm and retain energy after birth. This may be a good time to start speaking, reading or playing some soft music to your baby as he or she may be able to hear as the ears are now well formed. During an ultrasound, you may see your baby grasping the umbilical cord or sucking its thumb. Around 19 weeks into your pregnancy, a cheese-like protective coating called vernix caseosa begins to cover your baby. For girls, the uterus and vagina would have begun to form. By now, your baby may be about 6.5 inches long!

Mother: For most women, the belly will be noticeably showing and the size of the buttocks would have increased, so, they will need to start wearing some maternity clothing. Nasal congestion is also common, and this is why most pregnant women are prone to coughs and colds. It’s advised that during pregnancy you drink plenty of fluids to keep your nasal passages hydrated. Remember not to take any medication without your doctor’s approval as some drugs are dangerous during pregnancy.

Week 20 to 24

Baby: Your baby has developed lanugo which is a hair like covering that forms around his entire body and helps the vernix stay in place. Your baby is also beginning to have rapid eye movements and his tongue will soon develop taste buds. Fingerprints and footprints are also forming. For boys, the testes are descending from the abdomen and for girls, the uterus and ovaries are in place with a lifetime supply of eggs. A premature baby born at this time can survive with proper intensive care. Your baby may be about 8 inches and weigh more than 650 grams.

Mother: Baby movements have become much more active and you will notice your abdomen move! You may develop acidity or heartburn as the uterus pushes on your stomach. To help combat this, reduce your food portion per meal and chew your food thoroughly before swallowing.

Week 24-28

Baby: By now the baby already recognises your voice and may respond to it through movement. The baby’s lungs produce surfactant which ensures the air sacs in the lungs inflate and don’t stick together when they deflate. In addition, your baby’s eyelids are partially open and eyelashes have formed. Your baby is gaining weight rapidly, which is smoothing out many of the wrinkles in his or her skin. He may be nearly 10 inches long and weigh almost 1 kilogram!

Mother: At this point, finding a comfortable sleeping position may be difficult and you may experience back pain. You may also begin to feel leg cramps while asleep. While this is normal, make sure you mention it to your doctor.

28 weeks signals the beginning of the final trimester of pregnancy! By now, you’re tired of being pregnant already and counting the weeks, anxious that there’s just few months left to welcome your baby into the world.

Week 28-32

Baby: Your baby’s eyes are now wide open inside your womb. The baby’s bones are also fully developed and it may already have a full head of hair! Although your baby’s lungs aren’t fully formed, it practices how to breathe. Your baby’s body begins absorbing vital minerals, such as iron and calcium from the intestinal tract. The layers such as lanugo will start falling off this week. Your baby may be 11 inches long and weigh almost 2kg.

Mother:  You breasts will begin to leak colostrum in preparation for nursing. You are gaining weight consistently and positively blooming at this stage as your abdomen has really stretched! Make sure you apply cocoa or shea butter throughout your pregnancy to reduce the incidence of stretch marks. During this period, you will have an increased amount of visits to the bathroom as your baby’s head rests on your bladder.

Week 32 to 36

Baby: Your baby’s fingernails are growing and now reach his or her fingertips. The vernix caseosa is getting thicker. Your baby is also gaining weight even more rapidly (about 200 grams per week) and at this point has limited space to move around the uterus but you will still feel a lot of movements as it stretches, rolls and wiggles. You might want to check on your baby’s movements from time to time, especially if you think you’ve noticed decreased activity.

A good way to do this would be to drink a bottle of milk or soda and lie down. Babies are normally more active when you are resting at night (they continue with this sleeping pattern as newborns) and rest when you’re on the move.

Mother: You are beginning to waddle and should have your hospital bag all packed!

Week 36 to 40

Baby: Hurray! Your baby is full term! This means your baby’s organs can function fully on their own and your baby is ready to be born any time from now. Your baby has developed a firm grasp and his or her head should have started descending into your pelvis in preparation for labour. Your baby is growing rapidly, putting on as much as 25 grams per day, and should weigh anything from 2.5 kilogram to 4 kilogram!

Mother: At this time, your doctor will be examining you every week to check if your body is ready for labour. If your baby’s head hasn’t descended, then going on long walks will help. Once your baby’s head drops, you will see and feel the difference as your breathing will be much easier. Your baby keeps on squirming inside you and your cervix begins to ripen (soften) in preparation for birth. At this stage, you should be having quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions as you waddle along!

When your date of delivery arrives and your precious baby becomes an official citizen of the world, brace up for the sleepless nights and several joys of parenthood!