Select the week of your baby's development from the list below to find out how your baby's growing, and to understand changes in your body!
It’s impossible to know the exact moment of conception. Hence, it is the normal practice to count 40 weeks from the date of your last menstrual period, in order to determine your estimated due date. Like most women, you're probably most fertile in the middle of your menstrual cycle, or about two weeks after your last period starts. At that point you'll have a window of about three or four days when you're most likely to conceive. Pregnancy therefore actually starts about two weeks before fertilization, when the sperm penetrates the egg.
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Your baby's sex is determined at the moment of fertilization. Remember, fertilization occurs at about the end of the second week (based on the common method of calculation). Every gene in our body has 23 chromosome pairs. Out of the 46 chromosomes, two chromosomes - one from the father’s sperm and one from the mother’s egg, will combine to determine the baby's sex. All eggs have X chromosomes. Sperm can have either an X or a Y chromosome. If the sperm has an X chromosome, your baby will be a girl (XX). If it has a Y chromosome instead, your baby will be a boy (XY).
The fertilized egg will begin to go through the division process. It divides into two cells at about 30 hours after fertilization. Each of these cells then divides into two, resulting in four cells. These will in turn divide into eight cells, and so and so forth. By the time the dividing cells, which are moving down the fallopian tube, reaches the uterus, the total number of cells will be 32. At this point, it is known as the “morula”.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Your body had secreted the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This caused the egg to mature and be released into the fallopian tube. Your last period probably started 12 to 16 days ago. Your due date (and therefore, your baby's gestational age) is calculated starting from the first day of your last period. Pregnancy usually lasts 38 weeks from conception, but because its usually difficult to know exactly when fertilization occurs, a convenient method would to be could 40 weeks from the first day of the last period.
In a nutshell, when fertilization occurs, you will be considered to be already 2 weeks pregnant!
There are many things you can do to increase your chances of becoming pregnant, including taking vitamins and folic acid, whilst avoiding alcohol, tobacco and all forms of prescription drugs and medicines, unless your doctor approves of them. You should consult a doctor for more information.
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Did you know that from the moment of conception, your baby’s characteristics including the eye and hair color, body shape etc would have already been determined?. During this week, the embryo completes the journey through the fallopian tube and reaches the uterus for implantation. When this happens, you might actually experience light bleeding – so don’t be alarmed or mistake this for menstruation.
Meanwhile, amniotic fluid is beginning to collect around the embryo, and will eventually become the amniotic sac. The amniotic sac will provide “state of the art” cushioning for your baby in the months ahead.
What’s Happening To My Body?
The early stage embryo is known as a “blastocyst”, and it will start secreting hormones that will stop your periods from occurring.
You should increase your consumption of protein as it will be required for the building of new tissue – ie: for your baby’s growth. Do ensure that you take at least 75 grams of protein daily.
At this stage, you should also make sure that you take enough vitamins as well as a good balanced diet that contains calcium (1,200 milligrams daily), iron, protein and folic acid. Folic acid in particular, will help prevent defects of the head and spine, which can occur in early pregnancy. Where can you get these foods from? Well, 2 glasses of high calcium milk daily, or a slice of cheese in substitution for a glass of milk, would be very important components of your diet. Your doctor may prescribe multivitamins that contain a good supply of Iron, which is crucial for the development of baby's blood circulation system. Alternatively, you can take red meat such as beef, eggs, dark leafy green vegetables and legumes to “stock up” on Iron.
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At this point in time, the embryo is made up of 3 layers. The innermost layer is called the endoderm. This layer will become the lungs, liver, and digestive system. The middle layer is called the mesoderm, and will become your baby's kidneys, sex organs, muscle, bone and heart. The outermost layer is called the ectoderm. It will become your baby's organs such as the hair, skins, eyes and nervous system.
Also present will be the amniotic sac that will house your baby. The sac contains amniotic fluid that will cushion your baby as he grows. The yolk sac produces your baby's red blood cells and will helps deliver nutrients to him. This stops once the placenta is ready to take the job.
What’s Happening To My Body?
A urine pregnancy test at this stage, would read positive. The test usually measures the levels of the human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) hormone (ie: what doctors usually call “the pregnancy hormone”). Blood tests are usually more accurate than home pregnancy kits. If you are not certain of the accuracy of the home pregnancy kit, a simple way to get a more accurate result would be to perform the urine test 2 or 3 times, with different brands of kits.
You should know that the test administered at a general practitioners clinic is usually no different than the tests that you can buy off the shelf at the nearby Guardian pharmacy.
What should you do if your test is positive? Well, you should call your gynecologist and schedule a first appointment. Usually, the doctor will schedule the first appointment at about the 8th week. However, you should at this stage ask the doctor if it’s ok to continue taking certain medicines or engaging in more strenuous physical activities, if you are in doubt.
Remember, from week 4 to 9, whatever you eat will enter your baby’s bloodstream. Hence, it is important to ensure that you eat well, rest well, and avoid dangerous substances/foods such as alcohol and tobacco.
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Now, your baby is probably the size of a tiny bead. His kidneys and liver are starting to develop – so is his neural tube, which will be the foundation for development of his brain, spine, backbone and nerves. His heart will also start to develop in the mesoderm (middle) layer. Amazingly, at this stage, his heart, though tiny in size, begins to actually divide into chambers! It then starts to beat.
Your baby, who looks more like a tadpole at this stage, is currently being supported by the placenta and umbilical cord which supply oxygen and nutrients to him.
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Various symptoms of pregnancy will be evident at this stage. Nausea, bloating, swollen breasts, food cravings and tiredness are the usual symptoms. So don’t be alarmed if you have any of these.
Remember not to engage in strenuous exercise or other forms of physical activity at this stage. Also, ensure that you get enough rest, lay off the house work, and maintain cleanliness. In particular, if you keep cats in your house of flat, avoid cleaning up their faeces – the reason being that diseases which spread through the feaces of infected cats can cause birth defects in the fetus.
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This week, you will be able to detect your baby’s heartbeat with an ultrasound scan. Your doctor may show you the heartbeat – it will look like a single, pulsating dot on the computer screen. It will beat at a rate of 150 beats per minute, almost two times the average adult heart rate. This continues until your baby is delivered. The embryo will also grow quickly to a size of about a quarter of an inch by the end of this week.
What’s Happening To My Body?
The same pregnancy “complaints’ will be more evident this week. In particular, you probably will complain more of fatigue. This is because your body is channeling much of its energy and resources towards the baby’s development. Morning sickness is common at this stage. It can occur at any hour or even throughout the day, despite it’s name.
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This week, your baby is about 5 to 13 millimeters in length from the crown to the rump. Her weight will be approximately 0.8 grams! Wow, that’s not very heavy at all! Her digestive tract and lungs continue to form. Inside his mouth, his teeth are forming. His brains and ears also are developing. His nose, and eyelid folds also begin to develop. His skin will be pretty transparent at this stage. Veins would be visible through the skin.
You baby’s shoulders and hands, which look like tiny paddles at this stage, would have also begun to develop.
What’s Happening To My Body?
The usual pregnancy symptoms would have started to manifest in full force. Ensure that you get enough rest, and try to engage in relaxing activities instead of strenuous exercise. Your clothes may start to feel tight, especially around the waistline.
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By this time, your baby would be about 1.6 cm in length. That’s about the size of a Mentos sweet! His “tail” will start to disappear, arms, fingers and toes will start lengthening and eyelids would have formed over most of her eye. His fingers would still be webbed. Breathing tubes would also start connecting from throat to the branches of his lungs.
His brain is also developing quickly, with nerves starting to connect to one another. These will become the “neural pathways” in his brain.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Your clothes would definitely be much tighter than before at this stage. You should make your first prenatal visit to the gynecologist by this week. This would be especially important for those who’ve had a history of pregnancy complications such as miscarriages. Also, if you’re older than 35, it would be advisable to start seeing the gynecologist sooner than later.
Your gynecologist may be able to show you ultrasound scans of your baby even at this early stage. Ask for a printout if possible, so you can put them in an album for memories sake! The printout won’t show much, so don’t be disappointed. But you will be able to see a rough outline of the embryo if you look carefully.
Some gynecologists have equipment to conduct ultra sound scans by inserting a scanning device through your cervix. Although this is a little uncomfortable, these scans produce clearer pictures of your baby that are more recognizable than those produced by the more common above-abdomen type scans. To your untrained eye, this can make a lot of difference!
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Your baby this week would be about 2.5 cm long. Her embryonic "tail" would be completely gone by this stage and she will look much more human. Her eyelids are still shut – don’t be anxious for them to open as this will happen only at the 27th week. The inner workings of her ears will be fully developed at this stage. She would be able to move her limbs by now.
At this point, her nourishment is being provided through the placenta. The placenta is a flat organ covered with wavy tissue, which contain many capillaries. This tissue is known as chorionic villi. It is thorugh this tissue, that nutrients travel from the mother’s body into placenta, then to the embryo. Waste is also removed from the embryo in the reverse manner.
If your doctor suggests performing a chromosome test or tests for other diseases such as cystic fibrosis, one of the tests would be a chorionic villi sampling test involving the insertion of a needle into your abdomen, to extract tissue from the villi. The chorionic villi is made up of the same type of cells and genetic material as the baby. From an examination of these cells, doctors can know more about the baby’s own genetic makeup at an early stage of pregnancy. However, the test is typically done only after the 11th or 12th week because of the small risks of a miscarriage associated with such tests. You should discuss these issues with your doctor if you are considering performing the test.
What’s Happening To My Body?
If you’ve not already seen your gynecologist, you should definitely make your visit by this week!
Do review your own family history and medical records. Information on any history of allergies, genetic problems, general health problems (such as high blood pressure or heart problems) or previous medical operations, should be given to the doctor. If you are currently taking any medication, you should also let the doctor know.
You should speak freely with your gynecologist, making sure you ask all the questions you need to ask, and cooperating with him or her by giving accurate answers.
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Congratulations! By this week, your baby is no longer an embryo. She would be about 2.5 cm long from crown to bottom, and would weigh no more than 7 grams. The most critical part of her development would have been complete. From now on, she will be known as a fetus. It is at this stage that her tissues and organs will start rapidly growing. Vital organs such as the intestines, kidney, brain, heart and lungs would have started to function. Of course, they will continue to develop throughout the pregnancy.
With each day that passes by, more details of her body structure will start to appear, such as cute tiny fingernails, toenails, and “baby” hair. Her fingers would no longer be webbed and her hands will actually come together just over her heart.
What’s she doing at this stage? Well, not much other than swallowing amniotic fluid and kicking her legs about.
What’s Happening To My Body?
You could be experiencing mood swings, and if you are, don’t worry. It’s because your hormone levels are fluctuating. The human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG), prevents the release of additional eggs from the uterus and stimulates the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is a group of hormones responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics. It is also produced by the placenta to ensure fetal health. Progesterone is responsible for proper functioning of the placenta. During pregnancy, the levels of these hormones soar. At some point later, the level falls once they are no longer needed. This is usually the cause of mood swings in expecting mothers. It’s important that your spouse knows the reason for these mood swings – so that he will be able to help you along, and be patient with you during this period.
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If you haven’t already done an ultrasound at this stage, during your prenatal appointment, your doctor will very likely conduct the ultrasound. Conventionally, it is done by applying a gel to your abdomen. Then, a Doppler stethoscope is rubbed across your belly. This produces an ultrasound image of your baby. Ask your doctor to turn up the volume, and you will be able to hear the pounding sound of your baby’s heartbeat, at a steady 150 beats per minute!
Your baby is approximately 4.5 cm in length. He will grow rapidly to about 14 to 16 cm and 260 grams by week 20. His face continues to develop with his ears moving towards the sides of the head. Don’t be surprised if the ultrasound shows that his head is as long as his body! During this week, his reproductive organs will start to develop quickly. The genitals should be recognizable through the scans by the end of this week.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Don’t be surprise if you’re finding it impossible to hold down your food due to nausea. Morning sickness is experiences by a large proportion of expecting mothers. You may also have excessive saliva. You should only have put on about 1 to 3 kg over the past few weeks, although in the weeks ahead, you can expect to by putting about half a kg per week.
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Your baby's should have exceeded 5 cm in length and 14 grams in weight. Her eyes and ears should be near the final positions in her head. Her intestines should have grown significantly, and will start to move into her abdominal cavity. She may have developed more reflexes by now, such as sucking, and squirming if you prod your abdomen, though you still won't be able to feel her movement for several weeks.
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If you’re starting to glow (you’ll know when your family, friends and colleagues start telling you that your skin looks really nice and smooth) it’s because of the increase in blood volume and pregnancy hormone, hCG, in your body! The increased blood volume brings more blood into your blood vessels. The increase in hCG causes your oil glands to secrete, making your skin look redder and smoother!
And if you’ve developed pimples, it’s because of this increase in oil secretions. Don’t worry, it’s a normal bodily reaction and just means that you’re coming along nicely through the pregnancy!
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You’re reaching the end of the first trimester. Your placenta is providing your precious baby with nutrients, oxygen and waste disposal services. Your baby's eyelids are still fused together to protect the eyes as they develop. Although your baby’s sucking muscles are not completely developed yet, he might be able to actually put his thumb into his mouth! His ribs will also have begun to form.
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Congratulations for succeeding in getting past the first 12 weeks! You’re entering the second trimester, which means that your risk of miscarriage now falls significantly, and the early symptoms of pregnancy such as morning sickness will begin the subside. Don’t be surprised though, if your nausea is replaced with heartburn.
You might not realize this, but at this stage, your breasts have already begun manufacturing colostrums, the rich, yellowish fluid that’s produced for your baby’s nourishment in the first few days after delivery before the actual flow of milk.
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This week, your baby will start developing hair on his head. He will also grow fine hair all over his body. This is called Lanugo, and it serves to protect his skin. It will stop growing only during the week before delivery. Your baby should now weight about 25 grams and is measure between 8 to 11 cm in length.
His reproduction organs will continue to mature. He will also start to produce hormones this week, as his thyroid gland would have matured. The ovaries in a girl will descend into the pelvis, from the abdomen. The prostate gland will start developing in boys as well.
What’s Happening To My Body?
90 percent of women will find that skin over various parts of their body will darken. This is due to the effect of the pregnancy hormones. Areas that are usually affected are the navel, armpits, buttocks, thighs, and nipples. You’ll also find that the white line that runs from the navel downwards to the pelvic region, will begin to darken and become rather pronounced.
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Your baby’s length and weight this week should be around 10 cm and 70 grams. He can move all his limbs. He can also sense light, even though his eyes are shut. Try shining a torchlight on your tummy and you’ll see him try to swim way from the light! Taste buds are beginning to form.
If you don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl at this stage, ask your doctor to perform an ultrasound to find out. Hopefully, your baby will be in a position that makes viewing of the genitals possible. That’s how your gynecologist will be able to tell his or her sex.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Has the realization that you’re pregnant set in yet? It can be both wonderful and scary. If you experience mood swings, it’s because of your hormones.
Many expectant mothers also report becoming forgetful and uncoordinated. If it’s happening to you, don’t worry – it’ normal! What you can do to help the situation is to relax and avoid strenuous or stressful activity.
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Your baby weighs 80 grams and is 11.5 cm long. She can hold her head up, and move her facial muscles, making various “faces”. Her bones will continue to grow, and millions of ova will form in her ovaries. She will also be able to move her muscles voluntarily.
Also, don’t be surprised to know that your baby may develop hiccups at this stage, caused by the involuntary movement of her diaphragm.
What’s Happening To My Body?
You may be able to actually feel your baby move! Usually this comes at the 18th week, but for some women, it occurs earlier! It usually happens later (around the 20th week) for first childs, so don’t be alarmed if you can’t feel any movement yet.
What does it feel like? Imagine a sort of fluttering, like “butterflies” in your stomach, or dull vibration.
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Your baby weighs about 140 grams and is about 12 to 13 cm long! He’s roughly the size of a small potato! His skeleton begins to harden and he can move his limbs. Until now, he would not have had any sense of hearing. However, during this week, his hearing will begin to develop up until delivery.
What’s Happening To My Body?
The moment you’ve been waiting for may arrive this week – yes, you may actually feel your baby kick! You may mistake these kicks for gas in your stomach. This is what’s known as the “quickening”
Did you know that every baby’s kicking pattern is unique. Some baby’s have a constant, regular kick. Others will give you an occasional knock here and there. You might want to record your baby’s kicking pattern in a diary for keeps sake!
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By this time, all major areas of your baby’s brain would be identifiable. The part of his brain that controls specific functions (called the cortical layers), will begin to form.
The bones of the inner ear and the nerve endings from the brain have developed enough so that your baby will hear sounds like your heartbeat and blood gushing through the umbilical cord. Very soon, your baby will be able to respond to music and other sounds. It's time to fine-tune your singing and storytelling skills!
You should also be careful not to make loud noises, as it may even startle your baby!
What’s Happening To My Body?
Your waistline will start increasing significantly. You should wear proper maternity clothes, designed not to put too much pressure on your belly.
If you take your blood pressure reading, you might find it lower than normal. This is because your cardiovascular system undergoes changes during the second trimester. You should therefore avoid getting up suddenly, or you might feel dizzy or faint.
From now onwards, when you sleep, you should lie on your side. If you lie on your back, your uterus will compress the pelvic veins, including the inferior vena cava (a major vein that sends blood from the lower half of your body to the heart). You can prevent this by lying on your side. If this puts a strain on your backbone, try placing a rolled tower under the side of your belly, or use the wedged-shaped pillow sold at maternity stores, such as Mothercare.
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Your baby will be covered with a vernix caseosa, a kind of wax that will help keep his skin from becoming chapped. This coating can sometimes be seen upon delivery, especially if the baby is premature.
At this stage, motor neurons will be developing very rapidly by the millions! These are connections between the baby’s brain and his muscles. This means that your baby will be able to deliberately move his muscles – and you’ll notice this when you see him suck his thumb or play with his feet!
What’s Happening To My Body?
Your body will be producing a lot more blood which serves as a reserve in case you bleeed excessively during childbirth. The blood is also needed because the heart pumps will be pumping up to 50% more blood through your body in order to ensure that your baby gets enough oxygen and nutrients.
Now that your heart’s working extra hard, you may be at risk of developing a heart murmur. Studies have shown that in a very small percentage (less than 7%) of women, heart murmurs (mitral valve prolapse) develops due to changes in the heart valves during pregnancy. However, this rarely interferes with pregnancy. Your gynecologist might regard this as normal, but its best to let him or her tell you what to do about it, if you do develop a murmur.
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Your baby weighs almost 300 grams, and is about 16.5 cm long now. The vernix caseosa (waxy white substance that we mentioned last week), will help your baby journey down the birth canal.
At this stage, she’s swallowing a lot more, and is producing meconium, a black, gooey substance that's the result of swallowed amniotic fluid. Meconium will gather in her bowels until she dirties her diapers for the first time upon delivery. Some babies though, will pass Meconium in the womb, especially if delivery is delayed for too long.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Don’t be surprised if you feel clumsy and uncoordinated. This is due to the change in the center of gravity of your body, thanks to the weight of your womb! You’re now at risk of developing back aches, as your body adjusts itself subtly to compensate for this imbalance. One trick to prevent this is to try walking with your hips aligned with your shoulders, being careful not to slouch your shoulders forward, nor leaning back too much.
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By the end of this week, your baby should be 17 to 18 cm long from crown to rump and weigh nearly a 450 grams. By this time, he should really be able to hear sounds from your conversations, and begin recognizing his mother’s voice! He would definitely also be able to hear your heartbeat and the pulsing of blood vessels. The womb’s actually a noisy place, akin to a noisy train station!
What’s Happening To My Body?
You should not be experiencing too much discomfort at this stage. You shouldn’t be too big in size, and the nausea and fatigue should have tapered off somewhat. The same goes for the usual aches and pains. This is the time to really enjoy yourself, before you get too big during the third trimester.
One thing that might pose as a problem is varicose veins, which are cuased by the added pressure in the veins in your legs. Remember, your blood volume would have increased and your womb would place pressure on the inferior vena cava. Also, the hormone progesterone causes the walls of your blood vessels to relax, so as your baby and uterus are able to grow. This however, causes the veins to become more prominent.
What you can do to alleviate this problem is to use a good cream – you can get these at a nearby Guardian pharmacy. From the experience of many of our Malaysian mums, these creams really do help!
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Taste buds would have started to form on your baby’s tongue, and his brain would have developed enough for him to feel touch. You’ll know this when your baby starts to suck his thumb or feel the other parts of his body.
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Expect to feel aches and pains. These are common at this stage of pregnancy. Occasionally, you may experience very faint spotting over the weeks ahead especially if you do too much walking, but if you are ever in doubt, you should see your doctor. Generally, you should not worry about going out or continuing to work. Just don’t overstrain yourself!
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By the end of this week, your baby will have an excellent chance of survival if he were to be delivered! Statistics show that the survival rate will be in the region of 85%. Of course, the earlier he’s born, the greater the risk of complications arising (such as breathing problems).
Your baby’s lungs are still developing in preparing for his breathing. He still needs to put on some body fat, although generally his body will be quite well proportioned by this time.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Have you been experiencing headaches? They should stop around now.
You might notice mild gradual swelling in your ankles and feet. This occurs because changes in your blood causes fluid to shift into your tissue. It’s called edema, and is usually worse in the evenings. Don’t worry, your body has its own way of getting rid of the excess fluid once you’ve delivered. You’ll find yourself going to the toilet and perspiring a whole lot more immediately after delivery.
You should exercise regularly and perhaps wear support stockings – but the last thing you want to do is to stop drinking water. Surprisingly, keeping yourself well hydrated will actually reduce the swelling!
Take note that sudden swelling of any kind should be reported to your doctor immediately.
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Your baby should have gained more than 100 grams since last week. She will start to put on more body fat. Her skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled. Her lungs start to develop branches and cells that produce surfactant (a chemical that helps the air sacs inflate). Her brain continues to grow at a very fast pace as well.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Glucose screening will normally be done between the 24th and 28th weeks, to check for gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in your newborn, such as low blood sugar.
It can also increase chances of having to have a cesarean section because it can lead to your baby becoming unusually large. To do the test, you’ll need to drink a sugar solution after which a blood sample will be taken. If you have gestational diabetes, you’ll be happy to know that it can be controlled by dieting, and in more serious cases, using insulin.
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Your baby’s dexterity would have increased. He can now make a fist, and his hands would have been fully developed. Tiny fingernails would have grown too!
You should notice that he’s more active whilst you’re resting (eg. When you lie down to sleep or lounge around, the kicking begins!) You should speak lovingly to your baby as he can hear you very well now. Studies have shown that immediately upon birth, babies are able to recognize and be comforted by their mother’s or father’s voice. One of our Malaysiamums reports that in the delivery ward, her newborn opened his eyes and stopped crying immediately upon hearing her husband’s singing!
What’s Happening To My Body?
You’ll notice that you’re growing more hair and that your hair’s becoming thicker and darker!
Naturally, your belly’s getting much larger than before, and you’ll feel even more clumsy. This should not stop you from exercising (which is good for you and baby), but do ensure that you don’t exhaust yourself. Make sure you take plenty of water too.
If you feel tired regularly, your doctor may conduct an anemia test, to check if your red blood cell concentration has fallen. This can actually be done together with your glucose screening test. Don’t worry, even if you have anemia, the solution is to simply take mineral/vitamin supplements.
Now’s the time to start choosing a name for your baby, if you haven’t done so already. Make this an enjoyable experience with your hubby. There are plenty of books you can buy from the MPH or Times bookstore. Better still, checkout our Weblinks section for great websites that will help you choose your baby’s English name.
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Your baby now weighs about 900 grams. His head to heel length will be about 35 cm! Her lungs continue to develop – so does her hearing.
For boys, this is when their testicles beginning the descent into the scrotum – a process that takes up to 3 days.
What’s Happening To My Body?
You might be experiencing incontinency – the leakage of urine, which affects up to 50% of all pregnant mothers! The increased weight of your uterus exerts greater pressure on your bladder. This happens especially when you jump, laugh, cough, sneeze or hiccup. You can simply wear a panty liner to keep yourself dry. You should also do pelvic exercises to strengthen the muscle in the pelvic region. This is important, as incontinence may recur eventually after birth.
The exercise is simple. You need to tighten your pelvic muscles, imagining you are stopping your flow of urine midstream. Hold this for 10 seconds, then release your muscle. Repeat this 10 times. In total you should do 300 “holds” a day. You can do this anywhere, everywhere.
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You’ve now entered your third trimester. Your baby is close to what he will look like at birth, although he will be bigger and fatter. His lungs and immune system as well as his liver continue to mature.
Sounds that he hears may be muffled, as his ears are still covered with vernix. However, he will be able to recognize your voice. Now’s the time to start singing to him, if you haven’t done so already!
What’s Happening To My Body?
You’d have put on a fair amount of weight by now. Don’t be surprised if it’s as much as 9 Kgs! It’s also common to feel less inclined to have sex at this stage.
Now’s a good time to sign up for classes on infant care, especially if you’re a first time mom. Many Malaysians involve their moms, maids and confinement ladies in caring for their babies. However, it is good to hear from a trained nurse or pediatrician, at least once, on what you should or should not be doing for your newborn. If you have questions about breastfeeding, you’ll find your answers at the class.
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By this week, your baby weighs about 1.1 Kg and is 25 cm from crown to rump. She can open her eyes and will turn her head towards light. As she prepares for life outside the womb, her body gains fat.
What’s Happening To My Body?
At this stage you should be visiting your gynecologist every week (up from once a month). Some doctors may conduct tests to see if your blood type is Rh negative in order to give you a Rh-immune globulin shot to prevent complications such as jaundice and anemia, in case your baby’s blood mixes with yours. If baby’s blood is Rh-positive and it mixes with yours, it can cause an immune reaction against the baby’s red blood cells, leading to jaundice or severe anemia.
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At this stage, baby will have started kicking hard and vigorously. He should move at least 10 times within each hour. Having said that, there are times when the baby does go to sleep and moves less. But those kicks should come back eventually. If he move less for prolonged periods, you should check with your doctor.
What’s Happening To My Body?
It’s important that you take sufficient iron to help in red blood cell replacement and to provide your baby with enough iron stores that he requires after birth. Take at least 30 mg of iron every day during the second and third trimesters. Don’t forget your folic acid and vitamin C as well!
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By this week, your baby's senses are developed to the point where she can taste, touch, see, and hear. Try pressing on your belly, and she might even kick or press the same spot. Take to her gently, with loving reassuring words.
She now weighs about 1.4 kg and measures 27 cm from crown to rump. Because she’s gaining fat, she looks less wrinkly. She will make breathing movements in a rhythmic manner to prepare for breathing after delivery. Should she accidentally inhale amniotic fluid, she’s develop hiccups!
What’s Happening To My Body?
Tired and clumsy, off balance, and weak – that’s how most mothers feel at this stage. Your joints will have loosened, making you prone to sprains. Due to this loosening of joints, don’t be surprised if you grow a shoe size! And you might not be able to return to wearing your older shoes!
10 percent of expectant mothers experience moderate depression during their pregnancies.
My Baby This Week
Your baby urinates about half a liter of urine every day into the amniotic fluid. That’s a lot of fluid for a small baby! He also swallows amniotic fluid. Excess fluid in the amniotic sac could be an indication your baby isn't swallowing normally. Insufficient fluid could mean that the baby isn't urinating properly, indicating kidneys or urinary tract problems.
Your baby is entering a growth spurt this week, for the next 9. You can expect him to gain about 250 grams each week.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Help my breasts are leaking milk! Actually, it’s more likely to be colostrum, a nutrient rich, yellowish substance. Don’t worry if you do experience this – it happens to some mothers. Use a nursing bra or nursing pads to keep your clothes from getting wet. Incidentally, you should be shopping for a nursing bra soon.
You may also start having random contractions – called Braxton Hicks contractions. They usually last up to a minute, and are non-rhythmic/irregular. This is what’s termed sometimes as “false labor". If they become frequent, regular or painful, you should check with your doctor as it may be a sign of impending premature delivery. In particular, watch out for increased vaginal discharge or a sudden pain in your lower back.
My Baby This Week
Phew, you’ve made it to 32 weeks! There’s good reason to celebrate as babies who are born after this week have a very good chance of having no complications even though they are premature! Did you know that almost 10% of all babies are born before the 37th week?
By now, all major organs are functioning except the lungs, which need a little more time to develop. Your little bundle of joy will weigh about 1.8 kg.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Your blood volume is almost 50 percent greater than before you became pregnant, in order to provide for your needs as well as your baby’s. You can expect to be gaining 500 grams a week at this stage, in terms of your weight. About half of that goes to your baby!
You’ll also have increased occurrence of heartburn and shortness of breath, as your uterus has enlarged and pushes against the diaphragm. A tip that really helps is to eat in smaller quantities, but more often. This prevents indigestion and bloatedness that will add to your discomfort.
Due to the weight of the uterus, and the laxing of your muscles, it is not uncommon at this stage to feel a constant low back pain.
My Baby This Week
Did you know there are billions of neurons in your baby's brain? These would have developed by now, and help her learn about the environment, listen, see, and feel.
By this stage, baby’s lungs are almost fully developed. She will start putting on more body fat, in preparation for delivery. She will spend a lot of time sleeping and studies show that when she sleeps, rapid eye movement often occurs!
She should also have changed to an upside-down position by this time.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Many moms report that they experience insomnia during the last trimester. Baby’s kicking may keep you from sleeping. Also, other complaints such as back pains, and heartburn could be contributing factors.
Use a support pillow to alleviate your back pain, and do make sure you eat frequently, in small quantities.
My Baby This Week
Your baby may now weight 2.1 kg and is about 45 cm long (head to toe)! Her lungs would be well delivered by now. At this stage, 99 percent of babies survive even though they are delivered prematurely (preterm labor).
What’s Happening To My Body?
Like most other moms, you probably will experience fatigue at this stage. The anxiety over labor and deliver doesn’t help either! You should continue taking your supplements, eating well (but again, in small quantities) and resting as much as possible. Light exercise like walking can be beneficial and will probably help you sleep better.
Don’t forget to do your pelvic exercises as well!
If you haven’t packed your bags by now, you should prepare your little “kit” to bring to the hospital in case you deliver prematurely. Bring a set of baby’s sleeper suit and mittens, a towel to wrap him up, your toothbrush and a change of clothing. Also, don’t forget your marriage certificate and your NRIC (plus your husbands) as many hospitals allow you to register for your baby’s birth certificate at the hospital itself! If you have a Chinese name for him, you need to remember it or bring a copy along as you will be required to write it on the registration form yourself.
My Baby This Week
2.3 kg and growing! That’s how heavy your baby is! You might feel a numbness in your pelvic region due to the extra weight of the uterus. Because his feet are facing upward, when he kicks, you will feel it in your rib cage! Don’t be alarmed. That just confirms that baby is in the correct position!
If baby doesn’t turn, it will be a potential “breeched” case. This happens in 3% of all full term babies.
Your doctor will advise you whether it will necessary for you to undergo a cesarean section. It is actually possible for the doctor to turn the baby around from the outside.
What’s Happening To My Body?
You should be seeing your doctor every week by now. Your Gynecologist will also do a bacterial culture test to ensure that you don’t have Group B streptococci (GBS). GBS is harmless to adults, but can cause meningitis, blood infections and other problems in newborns. About 20% of pregnant mothers have this bacteria – hence it’s important to screen for this. If you are a carrier, don’t despair! You’ll be treated with antibiotics when you are in labor, and this will significantly reduce chances of your baby’s infection.
My Baby This Week
Baby’s about 2.7 kg now, and he’s plump and cuddly! His cheeks will start to fatten up.
Your baby’s skull is soft enough to deform slightly, to make it easier for him to pass through the birth canal. When this happens, his head might be slightly elongated or pointed…nothing to worry about! It will return back to its normal shape after a couple of days.
What’s Happening To My Body?
You might feel your baby descend lower into your pelvic region. This is what’s commonly known as “engagement” and occurs early especially for first time moms. It may be uncomfortable and take some getting used to, especially when you’re walking.
Braxton Hicks contractions (the irregular, false labor contractions) may start becoming more frequent now. Once they become regular, it probably means that you’ve gone into labor. Initially, the contractions may be far apart…but once they are a mere 10 minutes apart, you should be making your way to the hospital without delay!
If your water breaks, you notice that your baby’s not kicking, or if you have abdominal pains, severe headaches or fever, or bleeding, then you should see your doctor immediately. It could be a sign that you are about to deliver.
My Baby This Week
You would have reached full term by now. Baby will be almost 3 kg and 50 cm head to toe! He has developed enough coordination to be able to grasp with his fingers. Note however that most Asian babies tend to be up to 20% lighter than babies of western races.
To prepare for birth, your baby will have moved his head down, facing your back. This is the ideal position for labor. In some cases, babies may be breeched or even lying sideways in the uterus, which may necessitate a cesarean section.
What’s Happening To My Body?
Anytime now, you may discharge the mucus plug that sealed off your uterus from the outside world, keeping it safe from infection. It happens days or even weeks before labor. It is thick and may contain blood. Upon the dilation of your cervix as you enter into labor, the plug automatically discharges itself from the body.
My Baby This Week
Your baby may be as heavy as 3.2 kg by this week. Boys are often heavier than girls. All of her organs are fully developed. Baby’s heart and lungs will continue to mature throughout the entire childhood. She will still continue to accumulate fat, although growth will be slower now. You may actually lose some of your own weight, or at least stop gaining.
Waste material called meconium would have accumulated in her intestines and will be released during her very first bowel movement!
What’s Happening To My Body?
Heard of “nesting behavious”? Just like some animals such as birds, cats or dogs, we too have this nesting instinct. It manifests itself in a strong desire to arrange the nursery as labor approaches.
Feel free to do so, but make sure you avoid straining yourself or using industrial cleaners that may contain harmful chemicals that could possible enter your bloodstream!
My Baby This Week
Did you know that the umbilical cord would have reached a length of almost 50 centimeters by this time? And it is rather thick, at over 1.2 cm.
Your baby would be well over 3.3 kg (Asian babies may be up to 20% smaller) and would take up most of the space in the uterus. His kicking will have turned into an uncomfortable wriggling.
The vernix (waxy coating) that used to cover his skin would have disappeared along with the lanugo (fine hair) and your body will begin supplying baby with antibodies to prepare his immune system for the first few months of life!
What’s Happening To My Body?
You might experience false labor contractions this week. They may however, be as strong (and painful!) as the real labor contractions. The main differentiating factor is that these false contractions don’t come at regular intervals!
Also, your waterbag could break at any time now. Sometimes, it happens as a sudden gush of small amounts of water, wetting your bed of chair. Other times, it will be a slow, steady trickle.
The more common sign of labor is the release of a thick mucus plug. This may be tinged with a small amount of blood. Remember, once labor starts, it will take a while before the labor contractions are 10 minutes apart. So don’t rush to the hospital too early or you might be too tired from the process of waiting for delivery! It’s always easier to rest at home, in a familiar environment.
If you are in doubt whether or not you’re going into labor, call your doctor – who will tell you what to do. If the doctor thinks its time for you to deliver, you’ll be required to be admitted into hospital. If you haven’t packed your bags by now, you quickly put together a few essentials. Bring a set of baby’s sleeper suit and mittens, a towel to wrap him up, your toothbrush and a change of clothing. Also, don’t forget your marriage certificate and your NRIC (plus your husbands) as many hospitals allow you to register for your baby’s birth certificate at the hospital itself! If you have a Chinese name for him, you need to remember it or bring a copy along as you will be required to write it on the registration form yourself.
If you do not enter labor within a week of your due date, your doctor may recommend a nonstress test, which will monitor your baby’s heart rate and movement to ascertain if he is receiving enough oxygen. It will also tell us whether his nervous system is responding properly. If the doctor thinks that your baby is at risk of being “stressed”, labor will very likely be induced.
Once you’ve been admitted, you will either be prepared for a cesarean section or be given the hormomne oxytocin via an intravenous drip to help the process of labor along. Then, it’s a matter of waiting for the big moment!
Note of caution:
Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin, which may trigger labor but can also result in long contractions that will place unnecessary stress on your baby!
My Baby This Week
Congratulations! Your big day has arrived and baby’s safe in your arms! If you’re one of the many first time mothers who have to wait up to 2 weeks after the estimated due date for their baby, don’t despair! It’s very common for this to happen, and you’ll just need a little more patience!
At 40 weeks, baby will have an average weight of 3.5 kg and measure up 48 to 51 cm in length. They often arrive covered with vernix and blood (ie: slimy and grimy!), and have slightly misshaped heads! Don’t be alarmed.
As baby journeys through the birth canal, his head will turn sideways instinctively, in order to squeeze through the narrow opening. His shoulders will emerge one at a time as he turns. The doctor will “catch” the baby and present it to you – sometimes offering the father the privilege of cutting the umbilical cord!
If you intend to store his umbilical cord blood, you should have this arranged well before you’re admitted. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells that can be cryogenically frozen and used later on the treat certain diseases such as leukemia. It’s not very expensive to store his blood, other than the initial setup charge, and serves as a sort of backup or insurance policy for your baby’s health. In Malaysia, many parents opt for this.
Though it’s a tremendous relief for you when baby’s pushed out of the birth canal, he will be harassed by strange hands, wiping him dry and putting suction hoses into his nose and mouth! Right after birth, your doctor will suction mucus out of his mouth and nose, and you'll hear that long-awaited first cry!
Within minutes, a neonatologist will then have baby’s respiration, muscle tone, skin color and reflexes checked to determine your baby's “Apgar” score. Also baby will receive antibiotic eyedrops and a vitamin K injection to help with blood clotting. At birth, the neonatologist will also check for abnormalities of the unirary tract and for dislocation.
What’s Happening To My Body?
While the doctors and nurses check on your baby, you’ll continue to have contractions to help you deliver the placenta, which weighs 1.2 kg and is a dark bluish-red in color, covered with a membrane. This is the stuff that nourished your baby whilst he was in the womb. Some mothers actually ask for the placenta to be returned to them, as they plan to use for cosmetic purposes. Rumor has it that many hospitals in Malaysia sell these discarded placenta to cosmetic companies!
For natural or forcep-assisted births, the process usually takes an average of 18 hours from the onset of labor contractions. For caesarean sections, the baby will be delivered in the first 10 minutes of the procedure, and the placenta removed shortly afterwards. The entire procedure takes no more than 40 minutes.
If you know that you’re going for a C-section in advance, you might be able to choose a particular date for your baby’s birth.
Congratulations, you’re a proud new mother!