Pregnancy not only brings unfamiliar changes, but also many questions. Your body reacts more or less strongly to hormonal changes. What you eat during this time is important for your baby. The information on these pages ranges from wanting a child to prepare for childbirth and is intended to be a helpful companion before, during, and after pregnancy.
First Trimester of Pregnancy
The first 12 – 13 weeks are summarized in the 1st trimester. This is the time when every woman keeps her pregnancy to herself as much as possible. In any case, you are mathematically already in the 5th or 6th week before you can even notice anything about your pregnancy. Since problems can sometimes, unfortunately, occur in this early phase, most women do not inform anyone about their pregnancy except their partner. All the greater is the joy than when you can announce at the end of the 1st trimester with little risk of miscarriage: I am pregnant!
Second Trimester of Pregnancy
From the 2nd trimester onwards, experts no longer refer to the fetus as an embryo, but as a fetus. Between gestational weeks 14 and 26, development progresses particularly rapidly. Among other things, this involves the formation of the sex, the skeleton, and the skin layers. Towards the end of the 2nd trimester, the baby’s eyes slowly open. For most women, this is a time to breathe a sigh of relief: initial pregnancy discomforts go bye-bye and the belly is still small enough not to restrict the expectant mom too much.
Third Trimester of Pregnancy
Not only is your wardrobe about to change for your 3rd trimester, but you’ll also want to make some decisions early on: Where do you deliver? How will you set up your apartment for the baby? As a first-time mom, how can you imagine giving birth? Luckily, by the end of the 3rd trimester, you’ll begin to have time to sit back and relax. Maternity leave begins 6 weeks before the expected due date. Around the 40th week of pregnancy, you finally welcome your new addition to the family. Now you are no longer carrying your child under your heart, but you are in the middle of it for life.
- Third Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect
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- Best Nursing Pillows for Breastfeeding Moms
- What is nesting in pregnancy
Baby Size & Weight by Week
| Week | Baby development | Size | Weight |
| 5 weeks | The baby now consists of three layers of cells, organs develop, and the heart begins to beat. | about 0.05 in. | less than 0.04 oz. |
| 6 weeks | The embryo grows rapidly: it doubles in size and can often be seen on ultrasound. | 0.13 in. | less than 0.04 oz. |
| 7 weeks | The mouth, nostrils, and eye sockets are formed, and the baby begins to move for the first time. | about .5 in. | less than 0.04 oz. |
| 8 weeks | Sensory development is now at an important stage, and facial features are also becoming more pronounced. | about 0.63 in. | less than 0.04 oz. |
| 9 weeks | All major organs are laid out, even fingers, toes, and the nose have already formed. | about .9 in. | about .07 oz. |
| 10 weeks | In the last week of the embryonic phase, the baby is only 3 cm tall but already looks like a tiny human being. | 1.22 in. | 0.14 oz. |
| 11 weeks | The sensory organs continue to develop, taste buds develop and hair follicles are formed. | 1.61 in. | 0.25 oz. |
| 12 weeks | The baby’s bones become denser, the vocal cords and tooth buds are formed. | 2.13 in. | 0.49 oz. |
| 13 weeks | The 2nd trimester is now starting: the baby is growing strongly, the muscles and organs are continuing to strengthen. | 2.91 in. | 0.81 oz. |
| 14 weeks | A delicate fuzz of hair (lanugo hair) covers the body of the fetus, sebaceous glands produce the protective cheese gunk. | 3.42 in. | 1.52 oz. |
| 15 weeks | The bones continue to harden – including in the inner ear, causing the baby to hear mom’s voice. | 3.98 in. | 2.47 oz. |
| 16 weeks | The thyroid gland now produces more and more important hormones that contribute to the baby’s development. | 4.57 in. | 3.53 oz. |
| 17 weeks | Controlled movements are trained extensively, and at the same time, the first fat pads are already forming. | 5.12 in. | 4.94 oz. |
| 18 weeks | Arms and legs now grow more, the sense of hearing improves, and the baby can distinguish sounds. | 5.59 in. | 6.70 oz. |
| 19 weeks | Organs such as the spleen and liver take up an activity, and sensory perceptions also become more pronounced. | 6.02 in. | 8.47 oz. |
| 20 weeks | The brain develops rapidly, the baby moves actively and can already distinguish between light and dark. | 6.46 in. | 10.58 oz. |
| 21 weeks | From now on, the baby’s size is measured from the crown to the heel, and touch is perceived more and more intensively. | 10.51 in. | 12.70 oz. |
| 22 weeks | Now the baby is so big that it makes the belly jiggle with hiccups – not uncommon at this stage. | 10.94 in. | 15.17 oz. |
| 23 weeks | Different voices and melodies are particularly interesting now, the baby is already storing memories. | 11.38 in. | 1.10 lb. |
| 24 weeks | For the first time, the baby opens its eyes, the lungs develop rapidly, and the sense of taste becomes more differentiated. | 11.81 in. | 1.32 lb. |
| 25 weeks | The brain makes great leaps in development, now the sense of balance is also developed and posture is trained. | 13.62 in. | 1.46 lb. |
| 26 weeks | The baby plays with the umbilical cord and uses it to train its grasping reflex; it also continues to grow vigorously, of course. | 14.02 in. | 1.68 lb. |
| 27 weeks | Now the brain furrows are formed, and the baby – now weighing about 1 kg – has its first dreams. | 14.41 in. | 1.93 lb. |
| 28 weeks | The baby’s immune system begins to work on its own, and brain activity becomes stronger and stronger. | 14.80 in. | 2.22 lbs |
| 29 weeks | The organs are almost fully formed, now fat reserves are increased, and the baby puts on a lot of weight. | 15.2 in. | 2.54 lbs. |
| 30 weeks | Lanugo hair recedes, the skin becomes rosy, and the baby opens his eyes more and more often. | 15.71 in. | 2.91 lbs. |
| 31 weeks | The lungs work increasingly better, and the baby diligently trains his reflexes and grasping movements. | 16.18 in. | 3.31 lbs. |
| 32 weeks | As they grow, space in the belly becomes more limited – so some babies are already assuming the birthing position. | 16.69 in. | 3.75 lbs. |
| 33 weeks | Now the baby’s head gets a growth spurt, and brain functions develop rapidly. | 17.20 in. | 4.23 lbs. |
| 34 weeks | From now on, the baby’s lungs are developed to the point where it could breathe on its own, even in the air. | 17.72 in. | 4.73 lbs. |
| 35 weeks | The baby has intense dreams, yet the noticeable kicks may eventually become fewer as space becomes scarcer. | 18.19 in. | 5.25 lbs. |
| 36 weeks | Now the baby is ready for life outside the womb and should have taken the birth position. | 18.66 in. | 5.78 lbs. |
| 37 weeks | If the baby is born with hair on the head, they now begin to sprout, at the same time the fat deposits grow. | 19.13 in. | 6.30 lbs. |
| 38 weeks | From now on, it can actually start – a baby born in this period is already no longer considered a premature baby. | 19.61 in. | 6.80 lbs. |
| 39 weeks | The baby is getting ready to be born and is still laying down some fat reserves – you can always use them. | 19.96 in. | 7.25 lbs. |
| 40 weeks | In the official last week of pregnancy, there is only one question left: When will it finally start? | 20.16 to 21 in. | 7.63 to 9 lbs. |
