This document provides a week-by-week guide to pregnancy from weeks 1 through 40. Each month covers 4 weeks and details the key physical changes occurring with the mother and development of the baby. In the first month, the baby's sex is determined and major organs begin to form. By month 2, all vital organs are in place and the baby resembles a tadpole. In month 3, the baby has human features and fingerprints develop. The guide covers maternal symptoms and advice for each stage of pregnancy through to birth.

1. A WEEK BY WEEK GUIDE
TO PREGNANCY
Presented by
Venupriya boyapati

2. MONTH 1 ( 1-4 WEEKS)
• Week 1: Your body is changing, its time to prepare
 Take supplements like folic acid.
 Your baby growth is at its fastest in 1st week.
 Your baby’s sex is decided.
• Week 2:More rapid changes are on the way this week
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Your body is already producing hormones for pregnancy.
Your baby’s major organs begin to form.

3. • Week 3:Your baby is now at the blastocyst stage
 Your little one is still a small bundle of cells.
 The blastocyst travels form the fallopian tube to the uterus.
 You may experience sore breasts and cramps.
• Week 4:You may start to feel pregnant- time to take a test
 Brain and heart develop.
 Central nervous or circulatory develops.
 Your baby is the size of a sesame seed.

4. MONTH2 (5-8weeks)
• Week 5:You will start to notice more pregnancy symptoms
 Heart beat is visible in scans.
 Limbs begin to develop.
 Your baby will look like a small tadpole at this stage.
• Week 6: All baby’s vital organs are in place
 Notice an increase in breast size.
 Hormones begin to kick in leading to exhaustion.
 Diet may help with morning sickness at this stage.

5. • Week 7:Babys brain develops
 Avoid illnesses such as rubella and parvovirus.
 100+ cells are created every minute.
 Your baby is still an embryo at this stage.
• Week 8: Your baby is officially a foetus
 All fingers and toes are developed, but are still webbed.
 Your baby is the size of a raspberry, weighing 1 gram.
 Morning sickness continues.

6. MONTH 3(9-13weeks)
• Week9-10:Your baby has definite human features
 You can hear baby’s heartbeat in ultrasound at this stage.
 Fuzzy hair covers foetus.
 Finger and toe nails develops.
• Week11:Your sickness eases
 Baby’s torso straightens.
 Your baby start to wriggle inside the womb.
 Your sickness will be replaced by hunger.

7. • Week 12: Time for a first scan
 Many mothers have their first scan in week 12.
 Well done you have reached the end of the first trimester.
 Your baby is the size of a lime.
• Week 13: Second trimester begins
 Your baby’s kidneys and lungs are functional.
 Exercise is a great idea at this stage-swimming , yoga , dance.
 Your baby can burp, swallow and yawn at this stage.

8. MONTH 4(14-17weeks)
• Week14: Sexual organs are in place, fingerprints are visible
 Your baby now has their own unique fingerprints.
 You may experience a blocked nose due to extra blood supply.
 Girls have ovaries, boys have sperm production.
• Week15: Your baby will recognises voices and flavours
 Some mothers may experience gum inflammation and bleeding.
 Food cravings begin at this stage.
 Some women develop linea nigra - a dark line around the baby lump.

9. • Week 16:Limbs and joints are developed, baby gets mobile
 Your little eyes are working now along with their muscles.
 All limbs and joints are fully formed, baby actively uses them.
 Your baby is the size of an avocado.
• Week 17:Baby is growing at pace and gaining functions each day
 Your baby may start to wriggle.
 Queasy days are over , most mothers cant eat enough now.
 Baby is practising sucking and swallowing even now.

10. MONTH5(18-21weeks)
• Week 18:Your baby’s sex identifiable in scan
 There is a 50 percent chance of survival if baby is born at this stage.
 Your baby is very active now.
 Your baby’s sex is identifiable.
• Week 19:Your baby’s hair grows
 You may experience heart burn and indigestion.
 Your baby begins to put on weight rapidly.
 Vemix caseosa protects baby from amniotic fluid.

11. • Week20: Time for 20 week scan
 Many mothers have a 20 week scan and find out babies sex.
 Mothers may have aches due to abdominal stretching.
 Your baby is the size of a pomegranate.
• Week21: Your baby’s test buds are developing
 It’s a good time to start to attend antenatal classes.
 Baby will be able to taste foods via amniotic fluids.
 Movement is often felt first during week 21.

12. MONTH 6(22-26weeks)
• Week22-23:Babys senses grow
 Your back, ankles and feet begin to ache.
 Your baby senses light and recognises voices.
 Stretch marks visible as baby doubles its weight over next 4 weeks.
• Week 24: Baby’s lungs start to mature steadily
 Baby is the size of a coconut.
 Many pregnant mothers belly button pops out.
 If born now a baby has a high chance of survival.

13. • Week 25:Baby is preparing to breathe air
 Baby’s enjoy mothers voice, speak and read to baby.
 Haemorrhoids and constipation may become an issue.
 This week nostrils open/ lungs mature in readiness to breath.
• Week 26: The second trimester ends now, well done
 Baby opens eyes for the first time.
 Baby practices breathing air.
 Well done, the end of the second trimester has been reached.

14. MONTH 7(27-30weeks)
• Week 27:The third trimester begins. Keep fit and healthy
 Time to practice breathing exercises for birth.
 Expect to experience baby hiccups from now.
 You will be hungry , balance food intake with exercise.
• Week 28:Babys heartbeat is especially strong now
 Your partner can hear the heartbeat through your bump.
 Your baby is the size of an aubergine.
 Rapid weight gain continues.

15. • Week 29:Mothers can count babies kicks easily this week
 It is fun to count babies kicks which are now very clear.
 Baby sheds downy hair.
 Its important mothers get as much rest as they can.
• Week 30:Baby is preparing the life out of the womb
 Amniotic fluid starts to reduce.
 Babies brain grows.
 Baby starts making their own red blood cells via bone marrow.

16. MONTH8 (31-34weeks)
• Week 31:Mothers can expect Braxton hicks contractions now
 Baby starts to develop five senses for birth.
 Expect Braxton hicks contractions.
 Heart beat/contractions can occur.
• Week 32:Baby gets into birth position around this stage
 Baby will take delivery position in weeks 32-28.
 Your baby is the size of a pineapple.
 Baby skin is now opaque.

17. • Week 33: Baby’s immune system will develop
• Your baby’s bones will begin to harden.
• Baby is developing an immune system from moms antibodies.
• Get as much rest & light exercise as possible.
• Week 34:Baby is getting ready for birth
• Lungs are fully developed.
• Finger and toe nails will be completely ready.
• Babies appear to be slower ; its due to a lack of room to move.

18. MONTH 9(35-40weeks)
• Week 35:Mother should ensure birth plans are clear
 Baby is fully formed by now.
 Still premature but would fare well out of the womb.
 Baby will be born with a soft skull to aid the birthing process.
• Week 36:Baby is likely to be engaged by now
 Eating and breathing will become easier as baby “drops”.
 Blood flow/ immune systems are ready for birth.
 Your baby is engaged and ready for birth.

19. • Week 37: Your baby is now full term….birth is near
 Breast milk antibodies help develop the immune system.
 37 weeks is considered full term.
 Your baby is the size of a butternut squash.
• Week38-40:Patience is the word.. Rest and prepare
 Cervix will dilate up to 10cm at the time of delivery.
 Consider a self applied perineal massage to ready for birth.
 “Mom to be” cant get enough rest ahead of the big day ahead.

20. THANK YOU