Pregnancy Week by Week: Week 3
Are you pregnant? Are you trying? Chances are you won't know the exact day you became pregnant, but then again, you may. Think about writing down your thoughts about when, where, why. Because trying is half the fun!
If you are consciously trying to conceive, go ahead and start taking prenatal vitamins and folic acid. Can't hurt, might help.
What is Conception?
To be technical, conception is when the sperm fertilizes the egg. There's still quite a ways to go from the fallopian tube to the uterus, where the new cells will implant themselves in the lining, but technically, you're pregnant. If you've been trying for a while you may he hyper-sensitive to the slightest of symptoms, or you may not notice any of the early symptoms at all.
Zygotes, Embryos, and Fetuses - Oh My!
If you're not into lingo skip this section. Because really, your baby is just a baby. However, in scientific terms, the baby in a two-week old pregnancy is called a zygote, which is just a fancy name for two cells (sperm and egg) coming together to form a new kind of cell. Once this new kind of cell starts to divide and multiply (and maybe conquer!) it's called an embryo. Eight weeks is the designated time for calling your baby a fetus. This term refers to the stage where the major structures and systems of the body are have been formed.
Got Twins?
There are two types of twins, fraternal and identical. If two eggs are released and both are fertilized, you end up with fraternal twins. When only one egg gets fertilized, but then divides into two, you have identical twins. When you get into triplets or higher multiples, there are a number of combinations you may end up with. In theory you could have three eggs that result in one set of fraternal twins (2 eggs) and another set of identical twins (1 egg).
Boy or Girl?
There are a lot of old wives tales out there but the truth is that you don't have control over what sex your baby will be. Even modern science hasn't cracked that code (although some will charge you a lot of money for big promises!).
Do These Jeans Make My Waist Look Big?
Although your pregnancy weighs barely a thing at conception, many women find they are bloated through the middle so that fitted waistbands and even pantyhose (do people still wear these?) create discomfort. While you probably don't want to make any wardrobe changes just yet, go easy on yourself and opt out of the skin-tight jeans for a while - say, a year.
If you're the counting type, now's the time to bust out the scale and the measuring tape. Some women like to track stats throughout their pregnancies. Others don't. The doctor is going to do it for you anyway, but if you want to do it you may as well begin at the beginning.
