First trimester: 1st to 12th week of pregnancy
You can’t tell you’re pregnant yet, but the baby in your belly is developing from a collection of cells into an embryo about 8 centimeters tall. All the major organs are being formed: Head, trunk, arms and legs will soon be visible. By the end of the 12th week of gestation, your baby’s eyes will even be formed. From now on, your gynecologist will invite you to regular check-ups, which you should attend without interruption. She will examine you thoroughly by ultrasound and record your weight and the growth of your baby in the maternity passport, which you should always carry with you from now on – in case you have to go to hospital unexpectedly. At this early stage of pregnancy, urinary tract infections and bouts of nausea are not uncommon. But don’t worry – it will pass. If you don’t feel well, talk to your doctor about it. She’ll prescribe medicines that won’t hurt your baby. Look for a midwife early on and enroll in a childbirth class. This doesn’t start until the end of the 2nd trimester from week 24, but places are often in high demand. The course provides you and other expectant mothers with valuable information about childbirth. You’ll also learn relaxation and breathing techniques that can ease labor pain during delivery.
Second trimester 13th to 28th week of pregnancy
From now on, your belly rounds out as your baby grows steadily and increases in size by a factor of 30. The body structures and organs that have formed during the first twelve weeks become more and more visible. From the 16th week, the sex of your baby can be seen on the ultrasound scanner. The baby’s hearing develops to such an extent that your child can hear the sounds of your body in the womb as well as from the external environment. It begins to process light information. Its eyelids are still closed, but the pupils behind them can already roll from side to side. From the 27th week, the baby develops a sleeping and waking rhythm; quiet and active phases alternate. You feel it moving in your belly more and more often – but still very gently for the time being. You yourself are doing really well in this phase of your pregnancy. The nausea is over and you feel much more energetic. However, you now have to take care of the clothing issue – you no longer fit into your old favorite jeans. Due to the high estrogen level, a dark line may now appear on your abdomen – the so-called linea nigra. However, this pigment change will disappear completely after delivery.
Third trimester: 29th to 40th week of pregnancy
If your baby were born now, before the due date, it could survive in an incubator thanks to modern intensive care medicine. The next few weeks are crucial, because now the fetus is becoming more self-viable with each passing day. The brain, lungs and digestive system are maturing so your baby can maintain its bodily functions on its own after delivery. The baby’s movements now become more vigorous; you will be kicked more often as he somersaults in your belly. His brain and nervous system are now fully developed. Your belly is now so fat that every movement is difficult for you. Because the baby now needs a lot of space, your organs are squeezed together. Your stomach in particular is getting a beating, it is being pushed upwards – that’s why you suffer from heartburn more often now. Your circulation is working at full speed, and your veins are under a lot of strain from your extra weight. To avoid varicose veins, you should have your doctor prescribe support stockings. You should wear them all day long, even in warm weather, to maintain optimal circulation in your legs. As your due date approaches, you need to think about which clinic you would like to give birth in. Look not only to see if the delivery room is friendly – but also if the hospital has a pediatric intensive care unit. After all, the birth may not go as smoothly as you would like. And it would be terrible if your child was transferred to another hospital and you couldn’t be with him or her.
