Complete trimester-by-trimester guide with week-by-week milestones, symptoms, nutrition, and preparation for baby's arrival.
Pregnancy typically lasts 40 weeks, calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). The journey is divided into three trimesters, each bringing unique developments, challenges, and milestones. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of what to expect during each phase.
Important Reminder: Every pregnancy is unique. While this guide provides general information, always consult your healthcare provider for personalized medical advice. Call your doctor immediately if you experience severe symptoms, bleeding, or concerns.
The first trimester is a time of incredible transformation, though you may not look pregnant yet. Your baby develops from a single cell to a tiny human with all major organs forming.
For Nausea: Eat small, frequent meals (empty stomach worsens nausea), keep crackers by bedside and eat before getting up, avoid trigger foods and strong smells, try ginger tea or ginger candies, stay hydrated by sipping fluids throughout day, and consider vitamin B6 supplement (ask doctor first).
For Fatigue: Rest when possible and don't fight it, go to bed earlier, take short naps if your schedule allows, ask for help with household tasks, and try light exercise to boost energy.
Your first prenatal visit typically occurs around 8-10 weeks and includes pregnancy confirmation and dating ultrasound, complete medical history review, physical exam and pelvic exam, blood tests (blood type, Rh factor, immunity, STIs, anemia), urine tests, discussion of prenatal vitamins and nutrition, and due date calculation.
Avoid raw or undercooked meat/eggs/fish, high-mercury fish (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish), unpasteurized dairy products and juices, deli meats and hot dogs (unless heated steaming hot), raw sprouts, excessive caffeine (limit to 200mg/day), and alcohol (no safe amount during pregnancy).
Often called the "honeymoon period" of pregnancy, the second trimester brings relief from early symptoms and exciting milestones like feeling baby move. Energy returns and you'll likely start showing.
Visits typically every 4 weeks include 18-22 week anatomy scan (detailed ultrasound checking baby's development and organs), weight and blood pressure monitoring, urine tests at each visit, fundal height measurement (belly measurement), listening to baby's heartbeat, optional genetic screening tests, and glucose screening test (around 24-28 weeks).
You need about 300-350 extra calories per day in the second and third trimesters. Focus on protein (75-100g daily), calcium (1000mg daily), iron (27mg daily), folate (600-800mcg daily), DHA (200-300mg daily), and fiber (25-30g daily). Choose lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, dairy, fortified foods, leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Moderate exercise is safe and beneficial. Aim for 30 minutes most days. Walking, swimming, and prenatal yoga are excellent choices. Avoid contact sports, risk of falling, and lying flat on back after 20 weeks. Stay hydrated, don't overheat, and stop if you experience dizziness, chest pain, or vaginal bleeding.
The home stretch! Baby continues growing rapidly, and your body prepares for labor. While excitement builds, physical discomforts may increase.
Weeks 28-32: Tour hospital/birth center, take childbirth education class, interview pediatricians, start gathering baby essentials.
Weeks 33-36: Pre-register at hospital, install car seat (have it checked by certified technician), prepare nursery, pack hospital bag, finalize birth plan.
Weeks 37-40+: Finish last-minute tasks, stock freezer with easy meals, rest as much as possible, keep hospital bag in car, have phone charged and transportation planned.
Call your healthcare provider when you experience: regular contractions (5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each, for 1 hour - the 5-1-1 rule), water breaking (gush or steady leak of fluid), bloody show (mucus plug with pink/brown tinge), or severe pain (constant abdominal pain).
Call immediately for: Vaginal bleeding, severe headache with vision changes, sudden severe swelling, decreased fetal movement, or signs of infection (fever, chills).
Only about 5% of babies arrive on their exact due date. Full-term pregnancy is 37-42 weeks. Your baby could arrive anytime in this healthy range. Use our pregnancy due date calculator to track your milestones and understand which trimester you're in.