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Written by Barbara Lurie
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Becoming a mother is one of the greatest experiences that a woman can ever get. To be able to produce a life is no doubt, the best gift to womankind. But the period of pregnancy is one of the most demanding phases of a woman's life. With so many physical changes happening in the body, times can get trying with the proceeding stage of pregnancy.
Right from the time when you conceive to the stage of labor, you go through different stages on your pregnancy calendar. Going through various discomforts like nausea/vomiting, fatigue, back pain, dizziness, cramps, indigestion and blood pressure problems, the early stage of pregnancy can be extremely trying .
Since every pregnancy is a unique experience, the nature of problems can differ in every case.
The various stages of fetal development are as follows:
Month One This is the initial period when your body starts adjusting with the changing circumstances. Weakness, dizziness and morning sickness are the normal symptoms that one goes through. In this month the fertilized egg grows into a ball of cells (blastocyst) and gets implanted on the wall of the uterus and starts growing. Brain and spinal cord gets developed by the end of the first month. This is the period when certain hormonal and physical changes like breast enlargement and tenderness, darkening of areoles, etc. is seen.
Month TwoThis is the second stage of pregnancy in which the embryo starts growing and most of the vital organs get formed besides brain, spinal cord and nervous system. The embryo takes a more human form and the size of the head grows and the limbs start developing. This is the time when your bad habits like smoking and drinking can seriously affect the growth of the embryo and in worst cases, can cause a miscarriage.
Month Three This is the time when the embryo is formally called the fetus, as all the vital organs, toes, fingers; sex organs are in a developed form. The teeth get formed in the gums of the fetus, during this time period. By the end of the third month of pregnancy, the fetus weighs around 14 grams and becomes less susceptible to the infections as compared to before.
Month Four This is the start of the stable period for a woman, as the discomforts and pain in the early stages of pregnancy disappear and the hormonal levels get stabilized. The fourth month is the period when the fetus grows in size to about 6 inches and hair starts appearing over the body.
Month Five The fetus grows in size and features like eyelashes and eyebrows start appearing. This is the time when the baby's senses start to develop. The woman should start wearing loose clothes as they give more space for the fetus to grow.
Month SixThe growth of the fetus slows to some extent. Lungs, digestive and immune system of the fetus get developed in this stage of pregnancy.
Month SevenThe development of all the vital features of the fetus gets completed in this month. The fetus starts using the organs except for the lungs. The brain develops even more and this is the time when the fetus is almost ready for delivery.
Month EightIn this abdominal pain pregnancy period, fetus is fully developed in every form. Most often women face some discomforts similar to pain in the early stage of pregnancy, like dizziness, fatigue, back pain, heartburn etc. Though these pains and discomforts are normal, but to avoid these, the mother should have a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits. Regular exercise is also important but with the proceeding stages of pregnancy the kind of exercises also need to be changed.
Month NineThe final step to become a mother can seem to be an exciting phase, but it is very important to keep the excitement within control. The baby takes the ready-for-delivery position during this stage. This is the stage when the would-be-mothers, especially those who are expecting their first babies, can suffer from Braxton- Hicks contractions, i.e false labor pains.
These nine stages of pregnancy may seem to be demanding and difficult ones, but the moment the baby arrives, all the pains that a mother undergoes vanish. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the post-pregnancy period is also very important. Smoking and drinking are two things to be avoided by expecting mothers. It doesn't only increases the risk of miscarriage, but can also affect the development of the babies after their birth. Taking care of a baby is not easier than facing difficulties during the pregnancy period. The phase of motherhood then starts and is yet another momentous journey for a woman.
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