When my husband and I found out that I was pregnant in January of 2016, we were over the moon. It was our first pregnancy, our first baby. At the time, we were living in Ecuador and it was just the perfect place to start our next chapter. It was all about the baby from then on. We really took the time to really take in all the wonderful experiences and milestones of the pregnancy week by week. It was such an exciting and nerve racking time.

From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to capture as much of the pregnancy as possible; from the reveal that we were pregnant all the way through to giving birth. It was challenging to take photos, videos and write about the pregnancy week by week. But now looking back, I’m so thankful that I did it because it allowed me to remember the beautiful journey of my first pregnancy, something that my husband and I will always cherish and hopefully one day be able to share with our daughter as she gets older.

Pregnancy Week By Week

Here’s a general run down of what happens each week of the pregnancy journey. Keep in mind that all pregnancies are slightly different and therefore, this run down is a guideline of what generally happens or what is expected to happen.

I also share my own experiences as well and link to further posts that go into more depth about what I experienced.

1 Week Pregnant

It might sound a little strange but technically you are not pregnant yet. There is no sign of a fetus growing in your womb just yet. The day of your pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period. This makes it easier to predict the due date of your baby.

2 Weeks Pregnant

Week 2 is where it really all begins. It’s known as the fertilization period, the only time in the month where you can get pregnant. It occurs just a few days before your period arrives, during the start of ovulation. Many people refer this time as the ‘window’ as it is your best chance to fall pregnant.

3 Weeks Pregnant

At 3 weeks, you may already be pregnant. It’s still early days and you won’t be able to get any sort of confirmation for another week or so. Unlike in the movies and TV shows, you won’t get any early sign of pregnancy or symptoms.

Here are some early pregnancy signs that I had in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy.

4 Weeks Pregnant

This is the official week that many women can finally take a pregnancy test. You may find out you are pregnant, but it can take a few more days to get a proper confirmation. We waited until 5 weeks pregnant, purely because the first month when we tried to have a baby, I got my period 1 day later than expected. I wanted to make sure that I had missed my period to check to see if I was pregnant or not.

5 Weeks Pregnant

And the wonderful growth of your baby begins. The Embryo is super tiny, the size of a grain of sand. Even though the embryo is so tiny, the heart is already pumping blood and vital organs, arms and legs are started to develop.

This is the week I found out I was pregnant. You can watch our reveal and reaction here.

6 Weeks Pregnant

Some women will start feeling symptoms earlier on but most will start to feel bloated, cramps, exhaustion, moodiness and even sore breasts. These are all normal and happen differently for each person.

7 Weeks Pregnant

Miscarriages are most common in the first trimester and now that your pregnancy feels more real and you’ve gotten confirmation of your pregnancy, you may feel protective, scared and worried about having a miscarriage. The best thing to do is to keep positive, calm and take it easy. Self-care is the upmost importance right now to make sure everything goes well.

8 Weeks Pregnant

Your first doctor’s appointment should be happening at 8 weeks pregnant. It’s a magical time where you can hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time and even see your baby. With all the pregnancy hormones increasing, you probably feel very emotional at this point in time. Your baby will have doubled in size, roughly have an inch long. When we went to our first ultrasound, our baby was so tiny but it was amazing that even at half an inch, you can already see the arms, legs and face forming.

9 Weeks Pregnant

Morning sickness should of kicked in already. You may feel tired and have migraines come and go throughout the day. You might be finding yourself in the bathroom more often, constantly going in and out of the bathroom to pee or vomit. The nausea may have kicked in causing you to vomit or feel like you are on a boat 24/7. Keep positive and remember that your body is adapting and nurturing a baby. Although it can be tough, it’s amazing how much the body ensures to create a beautiful human being.

10 Weeks Pregnant

Now that you’ve had your first dose of morning sickness, this is the time to start listening to your body to understand what foods to avoid, what kinds of activities you can do to give relief and what can help minimize any morning sickness symptoms and woes.

11 Weeks Pregnant

The cravings for all things good, unhealthy and weird come into play. You might all of a sudden feel really hungry and as you get closer to your second trimester, it’s time to start eating for two! I share my own experience of cravings here. Although many of us have been led to believe that eating for two means eating as much of anything as you want, you need to remember to eat healthy and add a bit more to your diet.

The fetus continues to grow and the organs are now beginning to function. Genitals are also beginning to form and you’ll soon be able to find out the sex of the baby!

12 Weeks Pregnant

You may start to show, a little baby bump may be emerging and your clothes may start to feel a little tighter, particularly the jeans! If it’s not your first baby, you can expect to show. The risk of miscarriage is extremely low if any and so this is a safe time to announce your pregnancy.

13 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations! You’ve now complete your first trimester. The first trimester is the hardest (besides giving birth!). You may get relief from morning sickness. Majority of women will stop having morning sickness and as a result have more energy and interest in eating for two. You will start gaining weight but this is both natural and normal.

14 Weeks Pregnant

You’ll start feeling renewed, refreshed and a little more like yourself. The second trimester is known as the best trimester since you can get back on your feet, work and live life without any problems.

15 Weeks Pregnant

This is the start of screenings and diagnostic tests for any disorders, problems and concerns for your baby. It is up to you whether or not you decide to undergo them. This can be determined by researching online, talking to your health professional and also your own better judgement. There are a few tests and screenings that may not be as applicable to you depending on your age and situation.

16 Weeks Pregnant

Preparing for childbirth is important but it’s also important to start reading and preparing for the arrival of your baby. Although you are only 16 weeks pregnant, starting to inform yourself on the parenting resources available can help you feel more confident when your baby arrives.

There are a lot of books and information floating everywhere and it can be very overwhelming. Here are my 2 favorite books that I read, which have still till this day helped me through parenting my child.

17 Weeks Pregnant

Cue in the very real and very strange dreams. You might start noticing some very old dreams. This might have something to do with anxiety of parenthood, childbirth or even body changes. It’s very normal to have vivid dreams.

From now until 20 weeks pregnant, you might be able to find out the gender of the baby at your next ultrasound.

18 Weeks Pregnant

If you haven’t already, you can now book your next ultrasound appointment known as the morphology scan. It is a more in-depth ultrasound screening that helps detect any concerns. You’ll also be able to get 3D and 4D imaging of your baby, which is pretty cool!

19 Weeks Pregnant

OMG. Leg cramps are upon us all. I definitely felt the pain of these leg cramps too often and would actually dread going to bed because of it! Legs cramps can be the worst feeling at night when you are trying to get some rest. Luckily there are things that can help relieve and prevent leg cramps from happening. Women may also experience heartburn as well throughout their pregnancy.

20 Weeks Pregnant

You’ve reached half way through your pregnancy. You might want to start talking with your partner and health professional about your birthing plan. Having a birthing plan can help ease any stress or concerns you may be feeling. Although there’s still a fair bit to go in your pregnancy, it’s always nice to know where you are heading.

21 Weeks Pregnant

The first moment you feel your baby kick is an incredible and surreal feeling. By now you will start feeling flutters of kicks and as the weeks go on, these kicks will start feeling stronger and more obvious. Take the time to lie down and relax. You’ll notice the kicks more when you are lying down.

22 Weeks Pregnant

The term preeclampsia might pop up in conversations with your health professional if you are 35 years or older, have diabetes, are expecting multiples or if you have chronic high blood pressure. But for everyone else, you may start noticing constipation, which can be relieved through changing your diet with more fiber.

23 Weeks Pregnant

If you are a traveler like me, this is where many health professionals will draw the line of what is deemed to safe in terms of boarding a flight or even embarking on long distance traveling on road. Many airlines and companies will start asking you to sign forms and paperwork before boarding planes as the risk of complications can be high. Make sure to plan your coming weeks close to the hospital or medical center where you plan to have your baby to reduce any unnecessary delivery problems.

24 Weeks Pregnant

A lot of body changes will start happening around this time. You’ll notice visible stretch marks on the lower stomach, particularly as your belly begins to grow bigger and bigger. Many women swear by Bio Oil to reduce any lasting effects of the stretch marks.

25 Weeks Pregnant

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to do a test to check whether or not you have gestational diabetes. This is where you need to take better care of yourself and make sure you are eating low IG foods to help reduce the risk of gestational diabetes throughout your pregnancy.

26 Weeks Pregnant

You may start to feel a greater sense of tiredness from now on. As your baby is growing a lot more and requires more sleep for longer periods, your body will indicate that you too need more rest. Sleeping early from 9pm can ensure that you can getting a full night’s rest.

27 Weeks Pregnant

Gaining weight is perfectly normal in any pregnancy. It would be a major concern if you didn’t. By now you should be eating 300 calories more per day than usual, making it very easy for you to gain a little more weight. If you are struggling with your body changes or have concerns about your body image, it’s time to speak to your partner and health professional for advice and reassurance.

28 Weeks Pregnant

Woohoo! You’ve reached the third trimester. There’s not long to go and you may start feeling the jitters about childbirth. Stay calm and keep relaxed.

29 Weeks Pregnant

If you start feeling contractions and are a little confused, it may be what’s called Braxton Hicks. It’s your body’s way of practicing and getting ready for the real contractions. Although these contractions may feel very real and painful, you are most likely not having the real contractions and are not in labor.

30 Weeks Pregnant

You’ll feel a bit of a drop lower in your pelvis. This is because your baby is making its way downwards in preparation of childbirth. You may also find out that your baby is in breech position, making the birthing a little more complicated. Luckily it’s still early days and there’s a few exercises to help encourage your baby to get out of the breech position.

Read more about breech position and the exercises that worked for me to turn my baby round!

31 Weeks Pregnant

For many women, the baby’s kicks will start to decrease. This is nothing to be concerned about. It just means there’s less and less room in the womb for your baby to freely move around as before. I personally felt my baby kick pretty much all the way through.

32 Weeks Pregnant

If you are planning on having a baby shower, now is the time to do so. It’s the prefect time where you can showoff your belly but still have enough energy to interact with family and friends. It may also be the boost you need to keep you going and having something for yourself is a great way to help prepare for the next chapter in your life.

33 Weeks Pregnant

It’s time to start preparing for the arrival of your baby. This means getting everything in order. From work and leave, all the way to packing your nightly hospital bag. You should start preparing in advance in case there are any unexpected complications or if the baby decides to come earlier than expected. Getting things ready will help ease any feelings of stress and anxiety.

34 Weeks Pregnant

This is the time where you might want to put your blinders on and disregard any recommendations, suggestions and crap people might say you need to buy or have. Keep it simple and don’t buy everything in the store. Remember that stores, brands and companies want you to spend and buy as much as possible, regardless of whether or not you actually need it. You may want to give in but it’s important to realize just how little you actually need to feel prepared.

I share the top ten essential baby products you need and that you’ll only need so you can be ready and confident when you take your baby home for the first time!

35 Weeks Pregnant

Working out can seem a little out of reach and impossible to do but as the weeks go on, you might want to start thinking about how to make your childbirth experience more pleasant, fast and less stressful. Many recommend to start doing a few exercises to help with childbirth.

36 Weeks Pregnant

From 36 weeks onward, you can expect your baby to arrive at anytime. It’s the best time to start preparing your overnight bag for the hospital and have everything in place just in case your baby decides to come at any moment.

37 Weeks Pregnant

You may start to notice minor leaks from your breast. Don’t worry, it’s not the breast milk but what is known as colostrum. Your body produces this as your baby’s first food and is filled with antibodies that will help protect your body.

38 Weeks Pregnant

Your pregnancy is considered full-term now

39 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby should be ready to make it’s way out into the world. If it hasn’t happen yet, don’t worry.
If you’re still working, don’t beat yourself up if you decide to go on leave a little earlier than you planned.

40 Weeks Pregnant

If there’s still no sign of your baby, your obstetrician, midwife or OBGYN will monitor you daily to check to see if everything is okay. Some women may go 2 weeks over their due date so don’t worry too much. You may also be recommended to have an induce delivery instead for the health of you and your baby.