Pregnancy Month by Month - The First Month of Pregnancy

Your Baby's Growth:

For the first eight weeks your developing baby is called an embryo. Limb buds, which will grow into arms and legs, appear during this time. The embryo resembles a tadpole. The heart and lungs are beginning to form. Around the 25th day the heart starts to beat. The neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal cord, also begins to form in the first month. At the end of the first month the embryo is approximately a half an inch long and weighs less than an ounce.

Your Body's Changes:

The first change is a missed period. Your body is making the hormones needed to nurture your baby. Your breasts are slightly bigger and tender. Morning sickness may show up, which can be sometimes be relieved by eating crackers. You may have cravings, or an aversion to foods you usually like. You will urinate more often because your growing uterus is putting pressure on your bladder.

Prenatal Care:

It is important to supplement your diet with the B-vitamin folic acid (it's found in most multivitamins) to reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine. You should schedule an appointment with your health care provider for your first prenatal care check-up as soon as you think you are pregnant.

Ask your health care provider before taking any prescription drugs or over-the-counter products and it is crucial to stop smoking and drinking alcohol. If you are taking any illegal drugs, now is the time to stop.

Your Pregnancy Week by Week