Overview

The third week of pregnancy is the time when you are still unsure about your pregnancy and it is time for you to confirm your pregnancy from a gynecologist. Once the pregnancy is confirmed the next stage is the selection of your obstetrician with whom you will need to be in touch for the rest of the nine months. Once you fix an appointment with a specialist make a list of questions that you would like to ask as nothing can be remembered at the last moment. At this stage you will be curious about the things you need to do to have a healthy pregnancy. The doctor might ask you to get a blood count done and recommend an iron tablet along with a folic acid tablet and a tablet to prevent acidity and nausea which is a very common problem. The doctors will also advice you to stop any medications if you were taking before. After confirmation about the obstetrician the hospital authorities will prepare a register and get you enrolled with them. Every time you visit the doctor you will be required to bring the file which they give you to check your progress. The file will contain details such as your body weight at the beginning of the pregnancy, the medicines or vitamin supplements recommended by the doctor and details of any health problems that you may have which need supervision during the course of the pregnancy.

Baby’s Development

This is a stage of rapid development within your body where the baby which is just a tiny ball consisting of hundreds of cells is multiplying rapidly. A part of the blastocyst will become the placenta which will produce HCG which is a pregnancy hormone also known as human chorionic gonadotropin. During this time the amniotic fluid starts collecting around the cells which will protect and cushion your baby throughout the pregnancy. There are a lot of changes taking place during this time such as the development of the baby’s brain, heart, spinal cord and the gastrointestinal tract. The embryo is very small at this stage and looks like a group of cells without any shape. The size of the head is small as .006 inches and can be seen with the naked eye. The embryo is well fixed in the wall of the uterus and the fertilized egg is now an embryo with the development of the brain and the backbone. The external cover also changes and the placenta and amniotic cavity start developing. At this stage the heart starts beating and the size of the baby is .2 to .5 mm.

Changes with your body

Most of the women do not notice any changes even now especially the physical ones. In fact some women lose weight as the appetite reduces due to the hormonal changes in the body and the bouts of vomiting and nausea. Some women experience mild cramps and increase in vaginal discharge. At this stage conception has already occurred and the sperm has traveled through the uterus to fertilize with the egg in the fallopian tubes. There are a total of 46 chromosomes which combine to form the zygote. At this stage the gender, color, features and characteristics of the baby are already determined. The zygote then travels into the fallopian tubes to attach itself to the uterine walls. Some women night experience small amount of bleeding or discomfort at this stage however the bleeding will be rare and need examination if excessive. This is the time to record your weight as it will probably be the lowest as this is the beginning of your pregnancy and will only rise further once the pregnancy advances. Most women gain a total between 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy and only 7.5 pounds is the weight of the actual baby. However this can vary with the body type and depends upon the weight before pregnancy. Being overweight or underweight can create a range of complications hence it is necessary to monitor your weight right from the beginning. An adequate intake of nutrients is essential such as folic acid, protein, iron and calcium for nourishing the baby. Folic acid is the most important at this stage as it helps to prevent defects of the neural tube which is the structure that gives rise to the brain and the spinal cord. Intake of protein is necessary to create new tissues and calcium is required for the healthy development of the bones and teeth. Iron is essential to have a good blood volume as the loss of blood at the end of pregnancy can be quite large.

What to expect

This is only the third week of the pregnancy so you are still relatively free to carry about your daily tasks as usual unless specially advised. There are no noticeable changes in the body externally however internally the body is experiencing a wide range of changes which may tend to upset the woman’s hormonal balance and she can experience mood swings quite frequently. One should try and uplift one’s mood and avoid getting depressed or disturbed as this will slowly start affecting the womb. Many women start reading religious books or novels to have a calming or soothing effect on their nerves or listen to soft, slow music to have a positive effect on the mental development of the baby.

Exercise and a good diet pattern are vital during pregnancy and should be followed right from the start. You have to remember that whatever you eat is being absorbed by your baby as well hence it is of prime importance to avoid the intake of alcohol, drugs, strong medications, caffeine, junk food and smoking. Eating a balanced high protein and calcium rich diet will benefit you as well as the baby. While selecting an exercise it is better to consult your doctor. The most common exercises recommended during pregnancy are Kegel exercise, swimming, walking, yoga and slow dancing. It is essential to avoid skiing, heavy aerobics and horse riding at all stages of the pregnancy as this can lead to a miscarriage.