The second week of pregnancy is considered to be the official start of your pregnancy. At this week, you still won’t be showing and you may not be experiencing symptoms yet, but if you were to take a pregnancy test in the second week of fertilization, it would come up positive. Also in the second week of pregnancy, your body will start seeing and feeling some changes. Pregnancy begins to seem more real during this week.
Now, there will be changes to the embryo as well as changes to your body. By the second week, the embryo is now made up of 150 cells. These cells become divided into three layers and each layer will take on functions of their own. These layers on their own are an important function but they will come together to form a human being with personality, looks and a developed body.
The inside layer is called the endoderm which will develop into the baby’s digestive system and respiratory tract. The liver, pancreas and thyroid will all form from the endoderm layer. The middle section is called the mesoderm layer. In this layer the bones, cartridge, muscles, genitalia and skin layers all develop. The last layer is called the ectoderm. This will contain the nervous system. The brain and skin, hair and nails are all developed in this layer.
By the second week of pregnancy, the embryo will actually float in the uterus and be 100% protected by the uterine lining. The baby is about .1 to .2 mm at this stage of pregnancy. Once your pregnancy has been confirmed and you begin the doctor’s appointments, you will have regular sonograms. At first, you will be amazed at how small the baby is. But don’t get too used to this. Before you know it, it will be quite big! The development of the baby is just amazing. By 20 weeks you will be able to tell the sex of the baby.
Changes In Your Body
By now, you will have had your last period for the next 42 weeks. The estrogen levels in your body will increase because there is no release. At this time in your pregnancy, you will experience high levels of energy. Take advantage of this because as you progress into the first trimester, you are going to through a period of fatigue and exhaustion.
At this stage of pregnancy, the uterus is building new levels to help keep the baby protected and well fed. The baby will also be developing an immune system. Now, one of your ovaries is growing back into shape and is getting ready for ovulation. At this stage of pregnancy, your doctor will ask you about you and your significant others family history. It is important to know all of the family medical history.
The first three months of pregnancy are considered to be the crucial time in a pregnancy. If you feel something that you don’t think feels right, consult your doctor. Most of the time it is nothing more than your body adjusting to the baby. But don’t feel embarrassed to call your doctor for anything. That is what they are there for. Some women call their doctors up to 10 times a day. Pregnancy is a wonderful and exiting thing but it can be nerve racking at times.
What To Expect
At this time, there are really no new changes to report. The embryo is very small and is still developing. You may start to experience some symptoms of pregnancy such as a tenderness or soreness in the breasts. You may experience nausea as well. The nausea or morning sickness could last all the way through the 4th month of pregnancy. Some women do not experience any nausea or morning sickness at all. Hope that you are one of the lucky ones.
The doctor at this point will calculate the due date and as we mentioned in the first week of pregnancy, the doctor will give you a two-week window, making pregnancy 42 weeks. You can even try to estimate the due date yourself and see if you were right. Once women find out that they are pregnant, start the most incredible and exciting time in their lives. Like we mentioned in the first week of pregnancy, now would be a good time to start changing the way you eat and sleep.
Start taking prenatal vitamins. If you are one of those women who is constantly on the go and eats in the car, now is a good time to slow down and eat more healthy, regular meals. Try to stay away from the drive thru’s and take time to eat. Also if you are one of those people who can function on 4 or 5 hours of sleep, you should be sleeping 7 to 8 hours a night. Sleep can actually build strength and in the coming months you are going to need it.
There are so many things that you may be feeling at this point. You may be feeling everything from excitement to worry. These emotions are normal. What a lot of women find helpful during pregnancy is keeping a journal. They write down day by day everything what they are feeling. This actually helps with all of the feelings they are having. If you have any family members that were recently pregnant, talk to them and find out the experiences that they had. Every woman is different but sometimes the experiences are the same.
Pregnancy is an exiting time and it can be stressful. Try to cut out as much stress as you can. Slow down and enjoy it. If you notice or feel anything out of the ordinary don’t hesitate to call your doctor. First time Mom’s will be experiencing everything that comes with pregnancy. It can be scary and it will take some getting used to but most of what you are feeling is your body adjusting to the baby and her growth.