During your pregnancy you may wonder how your little one is growing and developing. Each milestone is a precious memory throughout your entire pregnancy, from the first time you hear a heart beat to the first time you feel a kick. Your doctor will determine your estimated due date, or EDD, based upon your last menstrual period, or LMP.
History
Your pregnancy is measured in terms of trimesters, each consisting of three months for a total of nine months. The first trimester ends at week 12, the second at week 26 and your last trimester ends around week 40. Week 40 is only an approximation, as your baby may arrive early or late. Your EDD may be a bit off if your last menstrual period wasn't exactly when you remembered it or if the date wasn't recorded properly in your medical chart.
Size
In the beginning of your pregnancy, your baby is a small lump of cells called an embryo that will rapidly multiply. The end of the eighth week marks the end of the embryonic stage and the beginning of the fetal period. By the end of your first trimester, or third month of pregnancy, your baby is approximately three and one-half inches in length and weighs just over an ounce. Near the end of your second trimester, or sixth month of pregnancy, your baby is 12 inches long and weighs about one pound or slightly over one pound. In your final trimester, your baby will rapidly increase in size in regard to length and weight. Around week 36, your baby will gain roughly one-half pound per week until he is born. Birth weights vary but he may weigh six to nine pounds.
Development
By the fourth week of pregnancy, your baby will develop a heartbeat. Few changes will occur in the first trimester in regard to size but she will begin to develop and form all major organs. During the second trimester, she will begin to form external sex organs, body hair and swallow, hear, open her eyes as well as suck her thumb. In the last trimester, she will sense changes in light, respond to sound and develop a sleeping pattern.
Monitoring
Throughout your pregnancy, your doctor may order specific tests to ensure you and your baby are healthy. Screening for gestational diabetes, birth defects and other possible complications such as a certain infections can help the doctor determine possible solutions for your pregnancy. Your doctor may use a Doppler to listen to the baby's heart beat or perform ultrasounds to look for certain birth defects, such as scoliosis or spina bifida, and order blood tests or cultures to monitor infections, if any exist, such as a yeast infection.
Considerations
Should you notice any alarming signs, such as a sudden cease in fetal movement or a gush of fluid, which could be your water breaking before it's time, contact your physician immediately. A sudden halt in fetal movement can indicate the loss of your baby but it could also mean that your baby is resting, which is normal and not a threat. Speak with your physician about proper nutrition and the use of prenatal vitamins for you and your developing baby. Your doctor will provide suggestions based on your caloric needs and stage of pregnancy.
