What to Expect

Knowing What to Expect During Pregnancy

First Trimester

Second trimester

Third trimester

First trimester

During pregnancy, your growing baby will change your body and your life. In the first three months, you will experience many changes. Remember that the symptoms of early pregnancy vary greatly from one woman to another. You may or may not experience:

  • Stopped period
  • Enlarged tender breasts
  • Protruding nipples
  • Frequent urination
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Food cravings
  • Lost appetite
  • Heartburn & indigestion
  • Constipation
  • Bloated, heavy feelings
  • Change in weight, plus or minus

in the first month of pregnancy, a baby is about one-half inch long and weighs less than one ounce. At 14 weeks, the baby’s major organs are developed. By the third month, a baby is about three and one-half inches long and weighs little more than one ounce.

Second trimester

This is when many women experience increased energy levels. Most women feel those exciting first fetal movements between weeks 16 and 20. Remember the date you first feel fetal movement. This will help us more accurately date your pregnancy. Your nausea and extreme fatigue will go away. Here are some of the changes you may expect from weeks 15 to 27:

  • Increased appetite
  • Abdominal expansion
  • Abdominal/breast skin stretches
  • Tummy aches from stretching of uterine ligaments
  • Darkening areolas
  • Dark line may appear down the middle of your stomach
  • Brown patches of skin may appear on the face
  • Feet & ankles swell
  • Back pain, hip pain
  • Fullness in lower abdomen

After the fourth month, a baby is six or seven inches long and weighs about five ounces. At the end of the fifth month, a baby is nearly 10 inches long and weighs between 8 and 16 ounces. After the sixth month, a baby is 12 inches long and weighs one and one-half to two pounds.

Third trimester

Starting at 26 weeks and ending with birth is the third and last trimester. The baby grows much larger as organs mature. The baby also moves frequently. You may experience false labor. In preparation for labor and delivery, you may expect:

  • Strong fetal movements
  • Shortness of breath
  • Need to urinate more often
  • Nipples may leak yellow, watery colostrum
  • Navel protruding
  • Contractions (may be false)

At this time, a baby will typically shift to a head-down position. This can cause discomfort as you get close to delivery. Your due date marks the end of your 40th week, even though full-term pregnancy may occur at 37 to 42 weeks. Your uterus only held a half-ounce of liquid before pregnancy. Now it holds about one quart of amniotic fluid. After the seventh month, the baby is about 14 inches long and weighs two to two and one-half pounds. After the eighth month, the baby is about 18 inches long and weighs about five pounds. At birth, the average baby is about 20 inches long and weighs six to nine pounds.