There are hundreds of things that happen during a pregnancy. The baby is developing and growing and the woman’s body goes through numerous changes as well.

If you have recently found out that you’re expecting, congratulations! And now the journey begins! You probably have thousands of questions running through your head about how to stay healthy, what foods to eat, what vitamins to take, how the baby is developing, and more.

At Hey Baby! We want to help make your pregnancy go as smoothly as possible. Your doctor should always be your primary resource for medical information and guidance, but if you’re looking for a general overview of some things to expect during your first trimester (or the first 12 weeks of pregnancy), keep reading to learn more!

Expect Cravings! But Also Food Aversions

It’s common for women to start experiencing food cravings during the first trimester, everything from chocolate and pickles to bacon or even weird combinations of foods like fruit with hot sauce. Even though most cravings are fun and enjoyable, you may also experience food aversions. Foods that you used to love may now cause you to feel nauseous. If foods don’t sit well with you either from the smell or after eating them, try to avoid them as best as possible, even if they are good for you.

Fatigue

It’s common for women in their first trimester to feel tired. While fatigue generally lessens after the first trimester is over, it’s important to eat right to help give you and your baby enough energy. Be sure to eat foods that are high in iron to avoid becoming anemic.

Doctors Appointments and Tests

It’s recommended that you talk with your doctor soon after you get a positive pregnancy test. Your doctor may want to see you right away, while others may wait until you are at eight weeks for you to schedule an appointment.

At your first appointment, your doctor will determine your due date and will complete a prenatal ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy. Another test that you can expect is a chorionic villus sampling (CVS). This is done to test for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome. This test is typically done between 10 and 12 weeks.

Your Baby’s Development

There are a few very important stages that occur during the first trimester:

• The Gender: The baby's gender is determined when the sperm fertilizes the egg. If the sperm contains an X chromosome, the baby is a girl; if the sperm contains a Y, it’s a boy! You can officially learn the gender of the baby at week 14 at the earliest.
• At Five Weeks: Your baby is known as an embryo at this point and is the size of a strawberry seed! The placenta and umbilical cord are functioning.
• At Eight or Nine Weeks: All of your baby’s organs have been formed, and your baby is about the size of a cherry. It is referred to as a fetus at this point.
• The End of the First Trimester: Your baby is about the size of a plum and will have recognizable features.

When to Tell People

Because there is a risk of miscarriage during the first trimester, many couples choose to wait to share the good news until after the first 12 weeks. The risk drops considerably after 14 weeks. Women typically don’t appear to be pregnant until after the fourth month.

Schedule Your Heartbeat Package With Hey Baby!

To hear your baby’s heartbeat and to see a 2D visual of your baby, you can schedule an appointment with Hey Baby! for our heartbeat package. This is a shorter, 10-minute appointment so you can hear your baby from the womb.

If you’re eager to meet your baby, get in touch with Hey Baby in Kirkland for prenatal ultrasound imaging.