Tiny but Mighty: 1st Trimester Chronicles

You are living your normal day to day life and then all of a sudden, your heart falls to your stomach. You realize you can’t remember the last time you had a period and have recently been sexually active.

You take a pregnancy test and see the positive test results. Maybe you are excited! Maybe you are scared. Maybe you are depressed. Maybe you are in complete shock and have no idea what to do next.

The shock slowly wears off. You begin to picture your life with a little baby. You realize that you feel great! You must be one of the lucky ones with no pregnancy symptoms, right? But then you enter into your sixth week of pregnancy and BAM!

• Nausea
• “Morning sickness” that is really ALL day sickness
• Food aversions
• Frequent urination
• Insomnia
• Breast tenderness
• Intense emotions

[To name a few…] All of a sudden, you definitely feel pregnant! Are these normal signs of pregnancy? Is everything ok?

Let’s talk about it!

So, what actually goes on in these early days of pregnancy?

Week 1 & 2: Your body is preparing for pregnancy!

Week 3: When fertilization occurs in the fallopian tubes. If fertilization does not occur, a woman will typically start her menstrual period.

Week 4: Implantation occurs!

In typical and healthy pregnancies, the fertilized egg divides many times and develops into a Zygote. From there, the Zygote should travel, burrow, and implant inside the uterine lining.

In some instances, the fertilized egg could implant elsewhere—like the fallopian tubes. This is called an ectopic pregnancy[1] and COULD be life threatening if not caught and treated early. This is one of the many reasons why an ultrasound should be performed before making a final pregnancy decision.

Week 4 is also when the body typically has enough “pregnancy hormone” aka HCG for detection of pregnancy with an at home pregnancy test.

Week 5: “The fifth week of pregnancy, or the third week after conception, the levels of HCG hormone produced by the blastocyst quickly increase. This signals your ovaries to stop releasing eggs and produce more estrogen and progesterone. Increased levels of these hormones stop your menstrual period, often the first sign of pregnancy, and fuel the growth of the placenta.”[2]

This surge of hormones explains the sudden emergence of early pregnancy symptoms!

Week 6: A RAPID growth week for the embryo! The Central Nervous System is developing which includes the brain and spinal cord. The heart is also forming. Heart activity can typically be seen via ultrasound by this time. A fetal heart rate is often measureable. A normal heart rate for this gestational age is 90-110 beats per minute. 

Week 7: Retinas are beginning to form. Upper and Lower limb buds are developing and growing.

Weeks 8-9: Facial features are obvious. Fingers are forming. By the end of the 9^th week, the baby is approximately ¾ of an inch long.

”By this point in the pregnancy, everything that is present in an adult human is present in the developing embryo. The embryo has reached the end of the embryonic stage and now enters the fetal stage. A strong fetal heartbeat should be detectable by ultrasound, with a heartbeat of 140-170 bpm by the 9th week.”[1]

So much occurs in the first few weeks of pregnancy! Baby is growing and developing quickly. Your body is also changing in order to accommodate this new life. If you are experiencing any of these common first trimester symptoms, know that it likely will get better by the beginning of the second trimester.

Some recommendations for YOU:

• REST! & don’t feel guilty for doing it. The laundry can wait. Your body is busy growing a baby!

• DRINK! Drink LOTS of fluids! Confirm with your OBGYN first on the recommended amount but hydration is important! When I say fluids—I mean water and electrolyte drinks with low sugar. Towards the third trimester of pregnancy, a woman’s blood volume increases by approximately 50%! This means you need more energy from hydrating fluids and nutrition to sustain your body’s requirements along with the growth of your baby.

• EAT! But not too much. “Eating for Two” does not mean you need to eat double portions. You just need more vitamins and nutrition from protein & fresh fruits & veges! If you are struggling with morning sickness, try small frequent snacks throughout the day vs. large heavy meals. Many women feel the sickest early in the morning after they go all night without eating. Always having something small in your tummy may help alleviate pregnancy nausea.

• RELAX! If you are struggling to make a pregnancy decision, do not rush. Take a breath and look at all of your options. We are here to help you with our free and confidential medical services! We would love to help you walk through this journey, whether it was expected or not.

Give us a call today to make an appointment!

[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ectopic-pregnancy/symptoms-causes/syc-20372088

[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-care/art-20045302

[3] https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/early-fetal-development/