Detailed Information on Different Stages of Pregnancy

Stages of pregnancy outlines the various phases and periods of pregnancy starting from planning a pregnancy, getting pregnant, changes in the woman’s body and the growth of the baby in the womb and the post partum phase. There are different needs of the mother-to-be and the baby, medical tests, steps and precautions to be taken in different stages of pregnancy.

Pre-pregnancy Planning Stage:

Planning for a pregnancy is recommendable, as you get ample time to get organised and healthy, change your lifestyle and make other arrangements required to welcome a new member into the family. Planning helps you deal with and eliminate any potential medical complications or ailments before you conceive and become as healthy as possible to give birth to a healthy baby. You should consult a doctor to understand your monthly reproduction cycle better to conceive easily. Consume 400mcg of folic acid and vitamins daily
This stage helps you conceive easily and faster, have a healthier and hassle free pregnancy, give birth to a healthier baby and recover quickly post partum.

First Trimester Stage:

This stage is the most crucial stage, as the baby’s organs and body systems are formed in this stage and the pregnant woman’s body and emotions undergo rapid changes. You will need monthly prenatal visits in this stage.

It is highly necessary to take prenatal care in this period, eat healthy and balanced diets, take enough exercise but under supervision of an instructor or doctor, consume the recommended dose of vitamins, calcium and multi-vitamins and folic acid, and change to a healthy and better lifestyle. In addition, your doctor will calculate and tell your due date.

The doctor on your first few prenatal visits will evaluate your eating habits and your lifestyle and recommend you the alterations in both. The doctor will measure your height, weight and evaluate your heart rate, blood pressure, diabetes and other important aspects. You might even undergo an ultrasound to see the positioning and growth of the child, and you may be handed a diagram of your body and baby for better understanding. You may undergo various other medical tests depending upon your age, health, family history or prior pregnancies.

Second Trimester Stage:

Second trimester is a little easier for you as you get used to getting pregnant, to your growing body size and the growth of the baby. In this stage, your prenatal visits will be bimonthly or according to the status of your pregnancy. You might even require undergoing some special diagnostic tests.

You will need to acquire knowledge on childbirth education by attending classes, learn the advantages of breast-feeding; the affects pregnancy has on your sexual desires and how to have sex in pregnancy and until when, etc.

Continue consuming the prescribed dose of folic acid, multivitamins and calcium. Have a healthy lifestyle, ample rest and sleep, exercise and a healthy diet. Try to keep yourself happy and stress free.

Third Trimester Stage:

This stage will see you making plans and provisions for welcoming and adjusting the baby in your present lifestyle. This stage requires you to do lots of organising and planning work for a smooth and hassle free delivery and post partum care. You will need to decide and book a birth-giving place, which can be your house, hospital or birth centre. You need to select a health care provider and labour support. Decide whether you want the delivery to be supervised by a mid wife or a certified doctor, etc.

Learn about the two types of delivery methods: Caesarean or vaginal method, their advantages and disadvantages. Acquire knowledge about various pain relief methods during childbirth and decide whether you will need one. In prenatal visits discuss all your doubts and fears about delivery with the doctor and learn about the changes in your body after childbirth. Enrol your spouse and yourself in childbirth and good parenting classes.

After planning everything, just be ready to welcome your little angel in this world!

Birth Giving Stage:

This is the stage when the due date for delivery is very near. In this stage, a pregnant woman can expect to experience bouts of anxiety, fear and excitement all at same time.

You will now have weekly prenatal visits, and the doctor will educate you about labour period. The doctor will tell you how to identify whether you are in labour, what to expect in labour period, and how to react.

There are three stages of labour:

Early Labour and Active Labour : In this, your cervix is ruptured continuously and waves of contractions slowly dilate or open it. The contractions start occurring at regular intervals, with the tightening of uterus at peak of contraction and then relaxing. The pain and contractions intensify gradually.

In the active labour, the cervix dilates to four or more centimetres. In this stage, the baby starts moving downwards into the pelvis and starts turning and rotating.
In transition stage, the cervix will dilates from seven to ten centimetre (full dilation), and you may feel sweaty, pain, and irritation.

• Birth Giving : in this stage, once the cervix is fully dilated you need to push the baby out. The contractions are less strong, less painful and not so frequent in this stage, which gives you time to rest in between. It is better to follow your body’s urge to push and push the baby out slowly and gradually.

Once, the crown or head appears at the opening of the vagina, and then the body of the baby slips out gradually with each contraction. However, many times baby might not find enough space to come at such times different techniques are used to enlarge the opening like hot compresses, episiotomy, etc.

• Post Birth : this is the stage when the baby is born and you need to push out the placenta. The placenta separates itself from the uterus wall, and this may happen after few minutes to half an hour after the delivery. The contraction starts again when the placenta is fully separated, but these contractions are less painful and strong. After you push out the placenta, the uterus shrinks.

Post birth, your doctor or midwife will instruct you on breast feeding, sleeping and playing patterns of the baby.