Pregnancy is a thrilling and joyful period in any woman’s life. Many women are curious to understand in detail how it feels like to go through the pregnancy period and what are the feelings associated with the different pregnancy stages.
Knowledge of different stages in the pregnancy period allows a woman to understand the changes occurring in her body. She can keep track of the developments and make a note of her personal experiences. Knowledge of pregnancy stages can also allow her to distinguish between ordinary, acceptable and problematic symptoms.
First Trimester
The first trimester is a crucial period in the pregnancy stages and several changes occur in the woman’s body in this period. The most common changes and symptoms that can be seen in this period include changes in the breasts. In this stage, almost all women experience feelings of exhaustion and nausea.
Women in this stage also experience mood swings, backache, and fatigue. Some women may not experience much discomfort and different women have different symptoms and experiences in the pregnancy stages. The baby is around three inches long when the first trimester ends.
The baby weighs around half an ounce at this time and the eyes and ears of the baby move into position. The baby can move in response to pushing of the abdomen even though the mother cannot feel the baby move.
Second Trimester
Many women find it easier to handle the period of the second trimester among the different pregnancy stages. The symptoms of fatigue and nausea often go away in this period. The abdomen starts expanding as the mother gains weight. The movement of the baby can be felt before the second trimester ends.
The baby has a healthy heartbeat around the end of the 16th week and it is in this period that the baby develops fine body hair. During the second trimester, the woman may experience pain in the abdomen, the appearance of stretch marks, shortness of breath, tingling in fingers and hands, itching on abdomen and backache.
At the end of the second trimester, the baby weighs around 1 ¾ pounds and is around 14 inches long. Fingers, eyelashes, toes, and eyebrows develop in this period. All the essential and vital organs of the baby including kidneys, heart, and lungs are fully formed in this period. An ultrasound can be done in the 18th to 20th week of the pregnancy period.
Third Trimester
The third trimester is perhaps the last and most crucial portion of the pregnancy stages. In the third trimester, many of the discomforts of the second trimester can be seen. Also, some women tend to find it difficult to breathe properly.
As the baby is growing the pressure on the mother’s organs increases and so the mother might feel the need to go to the bathroom often. Some other problems experienced in the third trimester include heartburn, swelling in ankles, face, and fingers. There is marked tenderness in breasts and the woman might have trouble sleeping.
As the due date approaches the cervix of the pregnant woman becomes softer and thinner and this is completely normal and helps in opening of the birth canal during delivery.
In the third trimester, the baby continues to develop and has less room in the mother’s uterus. As a result of this, the mother may not feel the movements and kicks of the baby in this period.
The baby will now be able to open its eyes and close them and may suck its thumb. As the due date draws closer the baby moves into the appropriate birth position.
The baby drops and moves lower into the abdomen and this makes it easier for the mother to breathe as the pressure of the lungs and ribs in reduced. This being the most crucial of all pregnancy stages it is important that the mother relaxes.
