About the baby…
In the third week of pregnancy, the little embryo begins to slowly develop, but surely begins to form the placenta and the protective amniotic fluid, which continues the formation in the next week. It also starts to release the famous HCG pregnancy hormone – which is used for blood pregnancy tests.
The product of conception has not yet the form of an embryo, but an indistinct, barely visible form – of about 3-4 mm. It slowly begins to develop its first vital organs: brain and spinal cord, heart, digestive system. Its physical characteristics are already established, like eye and hair colour, sex, height, conformation.
and the future mom…
Still not sure whether or not you are pregnant? You cannot be sure because you do not have clear signs – but if you take a pregnancy test and the result is positive, it’s time to go to the doctor who will confirm or not the great news – the surest, with a pregnancy test to check for the HCG hormone.
Your body does not change visibly – not even regarding weight gain yet. Instead, the more likely you are dealing with nausea, vomiting (not necessarily in the morning) and stomach pain and high acidity. You may notice an increase in vaginal secretions and the need to urinate becomes increasingly annoying.
What to do in the third week of pregnancy:
– As mentioned in the previous article, very careful with your lifestyle, by avoiding fatigue, having a regular sleep schedule and a balanced diet and stopping the vices;
– Choose carefully an obstetrician – he will be your guide and you have to trust him; he must be willing to give you advice whenever you need them (even outside office hours, by the phone); select the base references of a doctor who can meet your needs; at the first meeting with him, go prepared to ask all the questions that matter to you: especially about what to eat, what vitamins to take, what medication you can still take, what physical activity you should do; make sure you give a complete history of your diseases (even in childhood) and hereditary diseases in the family.
– Beware of vitamins: folic acid is essential and perhaps the most important (it was said in other articles how effective is the protection of the foetus’s neural tube); but it’s also recommended to take vitamins, minerals, iron supplements in addition to a proper nutrition; choose what supplements fits you, with your doctor;
– Establish a regular schedule (at least once a week) of physical activity (walking, swimming, aquatic gymnastics, special exercises for pregnant women) and propose yourself to follow it religiously – to have a strong, healthy body and avoid excessive accumulation of kilograms. It is the perfect time to also start the famous Kegel exercises – you can read about its many advantages in another article on the site.
– Relax: you can already feel a little tired or nervous, irritable; make sure you rest and do relaxing activities – why not adopt a new hobby, something that induces you a positive and optimistic mood; the care for your body is extremely important during pregnancy, but don’t make the mistake to ignore the care for your mental and spiritual state.
If you find out the great news, you can enjoy and have fun by calculating the possible date of birth, starting as mentioned from the first day of the last monthly cycle. Rarely, however, nature takes into account your calculations, so get ready for a trip full of novelty, excitement, joy and also small difficulties and fears! It is a way followed only by you, but always with loved ones besides you.
