3 Weeks Pregnant

-From Egg to Embryo and Beating Heart!

At the beginning, when you are 3 weeks pregnant, it becomes mandatory for you to start taking essential nutrients, protein, calcium and folic acid. This is important for the development of your baby and ideally you should have started taking them since your conception.

Folic acid

The intake of folic acid is extremely important because it helps preventing defects of the neural tube responsible for the structure from which the brain and the spinal cord will form in the early stages of pregnancy.

Follow the doctor’s advice

When you are 3 week pregnant your doctor will prescribe you a treatment for nausea and stomach acid and he or she will also advise you to stop taking any medicine or nutrition supplements without him or her knowing about them.

This is the time to discuss pregnancy details with your doctor and plan the future check-ups.

Providing the doctor with all the information he or she requires will help determine the kind of medical supervision you need.

Your doctor will encourage you to rest and you must take the advice seriously.

This week is the start of drastic changes inside your body and the combination of hormones that support these changes will make you feel a bit overwhelmed.

3 weeks pregnant pictures

Holistic approach

Alternative medicine recommends meditation and contemplation during this week but if this is not your style, make sure you listen to music, read some relaxing book or simply stop and smell the flowers. Your time of relax will help the little life inside you in the most delicate moments of its growth.

3rd week of pregnancy symptoms and physical changes that occur in your body

3 weeks pregnant symptoms such as fatigue, frequent urination and swollen breasts and in some cases nausea, may become more obvious.

Weight loss and mood swings

Some women may lose weight because of the hormonal changes that take place and also because of the same changes the mood swings are very frequent. The most important thing in this case is to keep a positive state of mind and remember that depression and nerves can affect the baby’s development.

These symptoms are natural and there is nothing to worry about. As your pregnancy progresses, you will no longer experience some of these symptoms.

Keep your lifestyle at a steady pace

Although there might be some discomforts when you are in week 3 of pregnancy, it will be good for you to keep a calm mind, exercise regularly and eat healthy, and of course keep in touch with your health care provider for any information you may require.

Vitamins you need to start taking when you are 3 weeks pregnant

When you are 3 weeks pregnant, doctors will recommend you to start prenatal vitamins and this is the perfect time to begin. Women with history of substance abuse, women expecting twins, or with lactose intolerance are at increased need of prenatal vitamins and supplements.

Calcium

Calcium is an essential nutrient during pregnancy, because your body will use the calcium from your bones to build the bones of your baby. This increases the risk of getting osteoporosis as you age. If you don’t get enough calcium in your child bearing years, there are high chances of developing osteoporosis when you grow older.

Protein

Increase the protein intake which is essential to build new tissues. Also make sure that you are getting the right dose of dairy products, legumes and green leafy vegetables. Iron is essential during your pregnancy to increase your baby’s blood volume and this is why you should stay on a balanced diet.

Exercise

Doing the right type of exercise during the third week of pregnancy is also a good idea. You should avoid heavy cardio, riding and skiing because they increase the risk of miscarriage. The right exercise for this time is swimming, walking and Kegel Exercises.

Changes that occur in the fetus when you are in week 3 pregnancy

When you are in 3rd week of pregnancy, your 3 week fetus will begin to attain an identifiable physical dimension, which is similar to a very small pear.

First heartbeats

The round part of the pear will grow into the head and pointy part will become spine. At the end of this week, your little pear has a fast beating heart. However the valves and heart chambers will not be completely developed for another couple of weeks.

Placenta formation

A part of the blastocyst has turned into the placenta that will be responsible for the human chorionic gonadotropin production. This is the time when the amniotic fluid gathers around the cells that will protect your baby all through the pregnancy. Silently and unseen, important changes happen to your little one.

First changes leading to baby’s anatomy

The head is no bigger than 0.006 inches and becomes visible to the naked human eye.

The embryo is only 2-5 mm, is safely attached to the uterus’s wall, and tucked inside an external layer which will change gradually its shape becoming the amniotic cavity.

The most amazing part of this whole process is the fact that you can hear the heartbeat of your future baby even at this stage.

EPF secretion to support embryo development

Your body will release something called EPF, which is an immune-suppressant protein. The way EPF works is amazing because it actually tells your body that your baby is not an invader and prevents your body from causing any harm to the baby.

By the end of the week your egg has turned into an embryo. Being 3 weeks pregnant means that your body is officially starting to be aware of the task of nourishing the new life inside of it.

Increasing blood volume

The higher blood volume from this week is actually the way your body responds to the baby’s need for nutrients. The kidneys are filtering the blood of impurities and this results in a larger number of visits to the toilet.

The increase in the blood flow will give you more color and make you look more beautiful. This is the time when the notorious “pregnancy glow” installs and you should not be surprised if people tell you that you look better.

Want to know what happens next week? Here’s what to expect when you are 4 weeks pregnant.

pregnancy week by week

What to Expect At 3 Weeks Pregnant

20 COMMENTS

  1. I found out today that I’m pregnant but I must be 3-4 weeks now but I haven’t told anyone yet apart from my nurse I’m excited but frightened at the same time.

  2. I am feeling so uneasy and very sick.what to do to over come this feeling.its really horrible situation for me please help me.

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