Major pregnancy milestones and when to expect them

Important pregnancy milestones in the first trimester

Feeling the early symptoms of pregnancy

A missed period is the first symptom of pregnancy for most women, although some women experience morning sickness even before their period. In early pregnancy, you may also experience mood swings, difficulty sleeping, and other early pregnancy symptoms.

Getting a positive pregnancy test result

To be sure, you will need to take a home pregnancy test to find out if you are pregnant or not. A home pregnancy test will show if the level of pregnancy hormone is high in your urine, which often indicates pregnancy. The result of the pregnancy test depends on several factors, including the time of the test, the delay in the period, and the level of pregnancy hormone in the urine.

First prenatal checkup

Most pregnant women visit their doctor between the sixth and seventh week of pregnancy to begin their prenatal check-ups. During this visit, your doctor will take your medical history, perform a comprehensive blood and urine test, and perform an ultrasound. You can see your small gestational sac; you may even hear your baby's heartbeat for the first time.

Hearing the baby’s heartbeat

Your doctor may be able to hear your baby's heartbeat at your first prenatal visit, even if you're less than seven weeks pregnant, using a vaginal ultrasound. But do not worry if this is not possible at the first visit, as accurately calculating the pregnancy at this stage may not be possible, and you will be able to hear the fetal heartbeat at the next prenatal checkup.

Pregnancy announcement

Some women prefer to delay announcing their pregnancy, especially if they have had a previous miscarriage. At the same time, some mothers rush to tell everyone about their pregnancy to share the good news with everyone. Whether you announce it immediately or delay it is entirely up to you and your husband.

Cravings

The desire for certain foods and aversion to others. Obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Adba Franjieh discussed it in detail in this article. Whatever foods you crave, it is an important milestone in your pregnancy that you will remember for years to come.

Shopping

Even before you know the baby's gender, sometimes your excitement and joy for your expected baby will push you to start shopping for newborn essentials during the first weeks of pregnancy. The first thing you buy for your baby will remain a precious memory in your heart.

Important pregnancy milestones in the second trimester

The start of the second trimester

This stage of pregnancy is worth celebrating as the annoying pregnancy symptoms of nausea and vomiting subside, the pregnancy becomes more stable, and the risk of miscarriage also decreases. The second trimester of pregnancy begins at week 13 and continues until week 27 of pregnancy. You will start to notice physical changes, your belly will get bigger, and you can wear maternity clothes.

Finding out the baby’s gender

This is perhaps one of the most beautiful milestones; I have never understood those who choose not to know the sex of the fetus! If the pregnancy is through IVF or artificial insemination, it is possible to determine the sex of the fetus in advance. If the pregnancy is without any fertility treatments, the surest way to know the baby’s gender is through an ultrasound examination between the 18th and 21st week. Other methods, such as amniotic fluid examination and blood tests, are less standard than ultrasound.

Feeling the baby’s movement

Your heart may stop with joy when you feel little flutters in your belly. As your pregnancy progresses, the fetus's movements become more robust, and the soft flutters turn into strong kicks that may wake you up from your sleep, but they are little messages telling you that your baby is okay, that he is active and eager to come out to meet you.

Important pregnancy milestones in the third trimester

The last weeks of pregnancy begin from the twenty-eighth week and extend until the day of delivery. Pregnancy is considered full term by week 37, and for many women, it continues until week 40.

Final preparations

If you haven't bought the baby essentials, now is the time to do it. You should also prepare the hospital bag and your baby's nursery. Some mothers organize a baby shower during the last trimester of pregnancy to receive gifts.

Feeling signs of labor

False labor may start as early as the seventh month, and false labor sometimes continues until the day of delivery. There are many signs of imminent labor that we have discussed in detail in this article. Whether labor started naturally, you felt labor pains, your water broke, you chose induced labor, or you booked a cesarean section, this moment will remain a special moment and part of your story as a mother.

Giving Birth

Every woman's birth experience is different, and even for the same woman, her birth may be different every time. The important thing is that at the end of labor and delivery, you will finally meet your baby and be able to hold him or her. You may experience different and mixed feelings of fatigue, pain, joy, and tension. In short, these are the feelings of motherhood that you will feel concentrated and flowing together when you hold your little one in your arms.

Learn more about all the pregnancy milestones and track your pregnancy with Omooma’s Pregnancy Tracker. 

To sum up,

Pregnancy may not be pretty and worthy of Instagram photos and posts every day; it may be accompanied by fatigue, exhaustion, nausea, pain, and sometimes even some stress and anxiety that can develop into depression. However, pregnancy is undoubtedly a journey with many different stations, and each one deserves to be documented and remembered. So, write down the most important moments of pregnancy and share them with your loved ones and your little one as he grows. And remember that every step of this long and difficult journey is a blessing that deserves all gratitude and praise—wishing you an easy pregnancy and smooth delivery, a beautiful, healthy baby.