Quick Pregnancy guide

Pregnancy has three trimesters:

For each and every pregnancy, the duration might not be the same. Each case is different.

In general, doctors start counting pregnancy from the first day of a woman's last period.

40 weeks is the usual time frame.

A full-term baby can be born as early as 37 weeks and as late as 42 weeks.

First semester is usually the most difficult. It lasts from 6–8 weeks.

- Nausea and vomiting

- Excess fatigue, Mood swings due to hormonal imbalance

- Breast tenderness

- Food cravings or aversions

The second trimester

The second trimester lasts between week 13 and 26 weeks of pregnancy. The fetus will go through a lot of changes.

During this time, it grows from approximately 4–5 inches to around 12 inches long.

During the second trimester, the fetus will also go from weighing about 3 ounces to weighing 1 pound (lb) or more.

In addition to the major structures and organs, other important parts of the body will also form during the second trimester, including:

the skeleton muscle, testes skin, eye, and eye brows, eyelashes, fingernails, toe nails, blood cells, etc...

At this step, the fetus now has regular sleeping and waking patterns. They can also hear sounds from outside the womb, and they will begin to practice swallowing, which is an important skill after delivery.

The woman will also likely begin to feel better. In most cases, morning sickness and fatigue start to go away at the beginning of the second trimester. Food cravings and aversions can continue, however.

On the other hand, the mum to be :

Notice that her belly is starting to grow "look pregnant".

She feels the baby moving (quickening)

She feels the Braxton–Hicks contractions, they normally start toward the end of the second trimester.

The third trimester

The third trimester lasts from week 27 until delivery. It's usually goes till around week 40. During this trimester, the developing baby grow from 12 inches long to about 18–20 inches long, weighing 7–8 lbs.

Most of the organs and body systems have formed by now, but continues to grow and mature.

A growing baby will start practicing breathing motions to help prepare for life after birth. Kicks and rolls become stronger, and expectant should feel the baby move regularly.

Postpartum, or the 'fourth trimester'

This period can be very difficult for both the baby and their caregiver. Keeping the baby calm means replicating life in the womb as closely as possible.

This can be accomplished by:

Holding the baby close gently swaying or rocking the baby making swishing or shushing noises;

swaddling, giving the baby opportunities to suck during breastfeeding.

Pacifier are not recommended .Here are some of the side effects:

• Early pacifier use might interfere with breast-feeding.

• Your baby might become dependent on the pacifier.

• Pacifier use might increase the risk of middle ear infections.

• Prolonged pacifier use might lead to dental problems.

Tips on how make this time a little easier:

Accept help from family and friends. This help may be in the form of meals, babysitting older siblings, and cleaning or laundry.

Use the opportunity while the baby is sleeping, try to rest as well.

Limit visit. New born love calmness. they get too much excited when there is too much activities going on eround them.

Unfortunately some women may experience postpartum depression after childbirth. This includes feelings of intense sadness, fatigue, anxiety, and hopelessness that can affect her ability to care for herself and the baby.

Postpartum depression is treatable, so anyone experiencing these symptoms should speak to a doctor as soon as possible.

Summary

Pregnancy, childbirth, and the first few months with a newborn are unlike any other time in life. They are full of new experiences, great uncertainty, and many new emotions.

Getting regular prenatal care is vital during each trimester. A doctor can help ensure the growing baby is meeting their developmental milestones, and that the woman is in good health.