You are in the first month of pregnancy. How is your baby developing and what should you expect both emotionally and physically ?
If this is your first pregnancy, you may be both excited and a little scared about the changes that will be taking place in your body as your baby begins to grow inside of you. What will you go through physically and emotionally and how is your baby developing day by day are all questions that may be swirling inside your head. We have all taken biology in school and learned of the basic development cycles of a baby as they grow in the womb, but what exactly is happening on a monthly basis ? When does the baby get her eyes and when do you start to show? Here is an overview of what you can expect your very first month of pregnancy.
The very first action you will need to take is to confirm you pregnancy. Even if you have already taken a home pregnancy test and it has shown up positive, schedule an appointment with your physician so a blood test can be taken to confirm your pregnancy 100%. Some symptoms you may experience that propelled you to test for pregnancy were missed periods, morning sickness (or all day nausea), frequent urination, tiredness and tender breasts, to name a few.
Your Baby
Inside your body, there is a lot happening. The very first thing that occurs is implantation. This occurs approximately a week after the sperm has fertilized the egg whereby the egg will attach itself to the uterus lining. At this point, your baby is the size of the head of a small pin, or merely a group of cells clustered together. However, your baby is growing every single day, as the cells begin to multiply. Almost immediately after the egg has implanted, formation of the umbilical cord and placenta begins to take place. The placenta is responsible for getting the baby all the nutrients she needs from her mother and also disposes of the baby’s waste. Also, the amniotic sac is starting to develop. This sac’s responsibility is to protect the embryo and is full of amniotic fluid. By the fourth week, the spinal cord has started to take shape and three distinct layers of cells are starting to form. Each layer of cells (there are anywhere from 100 to 200 cells at this stage) is slated for its own function. The innermost layer will be your baby’s internal organs used for digestion and breathing (lungs, intestines, liver and stomach). The middle layer will form your baby’s structure (bones, vessels, heart, kidney, muscles and sex organs). The outer layer will develop into your baby’s skin, brain, nerves and hair). After this first month, your baby will be about the size of a dime.
You
As your baby is developing that first month, you may or may not be experiencing any symptoms. Some common symptoms, however, are fatigue, indigestion, nausea, bloating and breast changes. You may also experience symptoms similar to premenstrual syndrome like irritability and mood swings. At this point, you will still be awaiting your next period and may not realize you are pregnant. If you are attempting to have a child, schedule a visit with your physician. He/she will more than likely put you on prenatal vitamins or folic acid, which helps lower the risk of birth defects.
