Pregnancy Guide - The Three Trimesters in GIST

First Trimesters 0 - 12 Weeks

Baby

3 Months old fetus

• Face, arms, legs, tooth buds form
• Brain, digestive and nervous'systems develop
• Amniotic'sac with fluid develop
• Using a doppler machine, heart beat can be heard from 8-12 weeks
• Arm and leg movements possible, as well as frowns and'smiles

Mom

• Periods'stop
• Nausea, faintness, fatigue may become commonplace
• Vaginal'secretions increase
• Urge to pee rises
• Fuller and more tender breasts. Nipple'size grows and becomes darker in hue.

Second Trimesters 13 - 24 Weeks

5 Months old fetus

• At this'stage growth is rapid
• sex organs form
• skin is transparent and wrinkled
• Body is covered with downy hair (lanugo) and coated with cheesy material (vernix) to protect'skin during its long'stay in the amniotic'sac
• Eye lashes, head hair, fingernails form
• Baby sucks swallows and hiccups and even cries
• Heart beat is strong and can be detected with fetoscope

Mom

• May experience food cravings
• Constipation becomes an issue
• some may have leg cramps and bleeding gums
• Movement of baby can be felt
• 'skin changes'such as'stretch marks become visible on breasts and abdomen; line running down from navel to middle of abdomen occurs and brown'spots on face appears

Third Trimesters 25 - 40 Weeks

9 Months old fetus

• Between 25-28 weeks baby is about 14-17 inches long; body'starts to fill up
• Becomes more active in movement and develops breathing techniques
• Between 29-32 weeks baby grows to about 16.5-18 inches; alternates between rest and active phases
• Responds to'sounds; liver begins functioning
• Between 33-36 weeks baby is about 19 inches and weighs 6 lbs;'skin is less wrinkled and baby is less active
• In the final weeks baby gains another inch and pound, puts on more fat, lungs mature
• Firstborn'settle into pelvis during this'stage;'subsequent babies drop into pelvis when labor begins

Mom

• A host of discomforts may'set in during this trimester viz. insomnia, anemia, heartburn, backaches, varicose veins contributing to energy depletion
• Other problems may include'shortness of breath, hemorrhoids, edema
• Urination and perspiration increases
• Braxton Hicks becomes more frequent. This is also called false labor whereby uterus may harden and tighten at times'similar to labor contractions but it is not actual labor
• 'some may have a bloody'show, an indication that real labor is just around the corner
• 'shortness of breath continues until baby drops into pelvis. The urge to urinate rises due to the pressure on pelvic muscles
• Cervix may efface (thin out) or dilate (open up) during this final stage.