Getting pregnant is certainly the most beautiful dream of every woman. In earlier times, pregnant women were guided about the signs and stages of pregnancy through word of mouth. They relied on their mother, mother-in-law, friends, or even a woman next door. But now, machines have taken the place of humans.

Women now prefer to use the Internet to know more about pregnancy and its stages. They are more curious to gather information on the day-to-day development of the fetus. Tracking the growth of their baby becomes the most important task.

Signs of pregnancy

Before moving ahead, let’s first find out what are the signs of pregnancy. Generally, a missed period is considered a green signal for pregnancy but that’s not always true. There might be other reasons for a missed period. As soon as you conceive, your body experiences many changes that you can look for before taking a pregnancy test. Find out more common signs of pregnancy like sore breasts, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, lethargy, craving for some foods, and change in the size of breasts.

Stages of pregnancy

Once the pregnancy is confirmed, the desire to know more about pregnancy and its stages is obvious. The stages of pregnancy are divided into three trimesters and each trimester represents unique emotional and physical changes in a pregnant woman.

* First Trimester: The first 12 weeks or around three months falls under the first trimester. This trimester demands intensive care of your fetus. Most women experience morning sickness. This is the stage when doctors recommend vitamins, minerals and especially iron. At the end of this trimester, a cluster of cells transforms into a baby.

** Second Trimester: The baby looks more human now. Sometimes, the baby may smile or frown as the facial part is developing. But, the most important part of the baby’s development is that now he/she has his/her own fingerprints! For women, the second trimester is considered safer and the easiest one. The risk of miscarriage disappears all of a sudden. Energy levels boost and the breasts start producing colostrum. The belly grows big and at the end of the second trimester, it becomes difficult to sleep.

*** Third Trimester: The baby grows fully in the last trimester. You may experience cramps in legs, swelling in hands or feet. In the eighth month, many women feel heartburn and indigestion. Anxiety and fear surround you. An increase in the baby’s weight and size may also cause back pain. Some women fall short of breath during this trimester. In the last month, the baby’s head comes down, which increases your urge to urinate more.

Although a wonderful experience, pregnancy brings about uncertain moments accompanied with the physical and the emotional changes in a woman’s life. Every woman wishes to know about the pregnancy stages and the precautions to be taken during them. Women should take adequate care by taking proper rest and a good diet in each stage of their pregnancy.

The Three Stages Of Pregnancy

The first sign of pregnancy may bring both fear and happiness in the minds of the pregnant woman. However, one can ensure a safe pregnancy by becoming aware about the pregnancy stages, and the care required during them. Generally a pregnancy lasts 40 weeks and can be divided into three trimesters.

The First Trimester

The first stage refers to the period from the conception of a baby to the 12th week into pregnancy. During the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman witnesses several physical and emotional changes. Tenderness or soreness in breasts, frequent urination, feeling of tiredness and exhaustion, and nausea are some of major symptoms experienced by a pregnant lady in the initial months. A number of women also witness food aversion and cravings, besides heartburn and indigestion, mainly due to the hormonal changes taking place in their body. These minor problems can be resolved by eating small but healthy meals, drinking lots of water and doing some exercises.

The baby’s body starts developing in the first trimester itself and by the end of the three months period, the baby has well defined limbs and the development of its vital organs starts.

The Second Trimester

The second stage of pregnancy refers to the changes experienced by the to-be-mother and the baby during the 13th and the 28th weeks. While the initial problems like nausea and tiredness reduce during this stage, the lady witnesses some changes in her physical appearance. She starts putting on weight, her body posture changes due to the additional weight and the changes in her limbs and ligaments. Swelling on legs, hands and face, stretch marks, itching plus backache are some of the common problems faced by women in this trimester.

The baby, meanwhile continues to grow, tries to move, develops a strong heartbeat, and has well grown hair. Nutritive diet and some light exercises are recommended for ensuring a safe second trimester.

The Third Trimester

The time from the 29th week to the birth of the baby is very crucial for both the mother and the baby. The fetus continues to grow, and thus leads to a change in the physical appearance of the pregnant lady. The mother-to-be may find difficulty in breathing, witness swelling on her body, and even find it difficult to sleep. As the due date comes near, the cervix becomes thinner and softer so as to allow the vagina to open during the delivery process. Adequate rest, proper breathing exercises, and nutritive diet are recommended during this stage. The third stage of pregnancy ends with the delivery of the baby.

The journey during the pregnancy stages is a happy one, but involves lot of stress too. The stages involve the transformation of an embryo to a fetus and finally a fully developed human being.