The little bundles of joy that they are, babies change the way you live forever. Full of curiosity and love and random tear-fests, babies can be immensely fascinating. However, before all the crawling and gurgling and the diaper changes, babies are even more amazing inside the womb - downright miraculous, even, in terms of how they grow and develop a lot in a very short span of time.
In fact, the more we learn about a baby’s journey from a wee fertilized egg to a fully grown new-born, the more fascinated we become. From one ultrasound to the other, babies never cease to surprise you. So, from the first week to the last, here are a few comparisons to help you keep track of your ever-growing little one:
WEEKS 1 TO 3:
At this stage, the fertilisation of the egg is still recent within the mother’s womb and the zygote is just about getting down to attaching itself to the uterus. By this stage, your baby has been formed and is busy growing from the initial 2 cells.
WEEK 4:
By now, the medical term for your baby is blastocyst - where multiple cells bunch up to form a fuzzy little ball. A lot like a bunch of tiny little peppercorns coming together to form a hazy ball.
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
This is the start of the first signs that you are pregnant – slight spotting or missed periods. However, most women dismiss these symptoms as they can easily be confused with regular occurrence since they are not entirely out of the ordinary.
WEEK 6:
Your baby is bigger than last week, but not by much. For now, your baby is the size of a sweet little pea! And what’s more, your little cutiepea’s now growing its very eyes, nose, tongue, and vocal chords!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
Your baby bump may still not be visible, but you may experience pregnancy-related issues like mood swings, cramps and sore breasts.
WEEK 8:
Did you know a 7-week old baby has a little tail? Yes, you read that right! But, worry not, by the eighth week, the tail is long gone! By now, your baby is about half an inch in length and very closely resembles a rajma bean! Like so -
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
Moms-to-be find themselves becoming more and more familiar with the early stages of pregnancy during this stage. A rush of hormones will leave you more sensitive to the faintest of smells and will also cause you to dream about stranger things than usual! Other issues could possibly include nausea, lightheadedness, and bloating.
WEEK 10:
At this stage, your baby very closely resembles a cherry and has a fully functioning heart. He or she will also begin to grow a set of arms and legs by now!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
Apart from the prevailing symptoms and feelings, you may also begin to experience pain in the abdomen as your uterus begins to expand to make room for your little ‘tenant’!
WEEK 14:
Your baby is still a lemon - but a bigger one at that! Moreover, he or she is now beginning to express himself or herself with their facial muscles and change expressions ever so often!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
This is the best phase of your pregnancy. Levels of nausea will go down as you begin to see a spike in your energy levels as well as your libido! You will have surprisingly thick, silky hair and won’t feel lethargic anymore.
WEEK 18:
Your baby is now growing at a rapid pace. He or she now has a more developed sense of hearing now and is also now capable of hearing the soothing rhythm of your heartbeat. And guess what? Your baby is now the size of a sweet potato!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
Since the baby is now growing at a rapid pace, you will begin to feel more different than ever as you experience dreams strangers than ever before, some weight gain as well as an increase in the fluids within your body.
WEEK 20:
Your baby is almost as big as a banana now. Second-time mothers can usually feel the baby move at this stage as the baby becomes more active every day.
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
As your uterus expands to make more and more room for your little one, it puts pressure on your body and puts pressure on your ligaments. You may feel dizzy and lightheaded; Swelling and shortness of breath may also occur. On the other hand, you may even experience high bursts of energy!
WEEK 24:
Your baby is quite the big girl/big boy now! Almost big enough as an ear of corn, their lungs are now developed enough to survive a premature delivery!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
The linea nigra or the line that runs along the centre of your belly below the belly button, will darken and be very visible at this stage. You may also see stretch marks as your baby pushes your uterus out, and your skin expands to accommodate this change.
WEEK 28:
Your baby’s hearing is so well-developed by this stage that it can distinguish the sound of your voice! Oh, and he or she also resembles a small-sized bottle gourd and weighs around a kilogram at this stage!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
As your baby grows and your stomach expands, you will experience several difficulties. The growing size of your uterus will create pressure on your bladder, thus creating frequent urges to empty it. Your baby’s movements will also be stronger, and will probably keep you up at night.
WEEK 32:
Not only will your baby be able to taste by now but he or she will also be able to sneak in a hiccup every now and then! Your baby’s brain is also developing at a rapid pace right now, which is a huge reason behind the not-so-little one now closely resembling a Chinese cabbage! Your baby, at this stage, would weigh around 1.5kg to 2kgs.
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
By now, your baby is now almost at your rib cage - causing shortness of breath, an achy back, heartburn as well as the swelling of your extremities. Vaginal discharge is also likely to increase, followed by the darkening of your nipples and leaky breasts. It wouldn’t be out of place for you to even experience light contractions by this point!
WEEK 36:
Well, from a Chinese cabbage, your baby has progressed to a happy little muskmelon by now - tilting his or her head down to the pelvis.
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
Since your baby is now tilted downwards, you will feel more pressure on your pelvis. However, this will automatically free up more of your lung space - making breathing easier than before. Oh, you might also be needing bathroom breaks more frequently than before because your baby is now pressing down on your bladder.
WEEK 40:
Congratulations! You have made it to the end - and so has your little one who now, by the way, is as big as a watermelon!
HOW YOU WILL FEEL:
By now, you would already have experienced the Braxton Hicks contractions. Apart from this, you may also experience a mucous-like blood stained discharge. You may also experience anxiety as you anticipate the baby’s delivery.
After a certain stage, every baby takes his or her own pace of growth. Now, more than ever, hereditary factors, maternal nutrition and overall health come into play at this stage. This is why every baby has a different size, weight and head circumference at the time of birth.
Resting well and eating right are the best things you can do for yourself right now. So do that, and everything else you can to keep yourself feeling fine and healthy because soon, it would be time for you to bring your tiny little tenant out into the real world!
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