Pregnancy Week 3
How big is your baby?
At the beginning of this week conception will be taking place and by the end of this week your 'baby' will be made up of only a cluster of cells.
Once conception has taken place it takes around 5 days for the embryo to enter
your uterus.
By the end of the week your embryo is only 0.006 inches (0.150mm) long. This is
about as big as this full stop .
Your baby's development
Although your baby is still so small, there is a great deal which is happening. Your baby's sex has already been determined, as this takes place at fertilization. This developing ball of cells is called a Zygote and it will pass through the uterine tube on it's way to the uterus.
As this is taking place the cells are dividing and growing
continueously to form a blastomere, and they in turn will divide to form a solid ball of cells which is called the morula. This in turn will form a blastocyst, which will enter your uterus. It will lie free in the uterus until it attaches itself to the uterus wall.
This is known as implantation, and it is not uncommon the experince some light
spotting and bleeding as the blastocyst implants itself into the uterine lining.
Once implantation occurs development will start to take place at a very fast
pace. In fact the amniotic sac, amniotic cavity, placenta and the yolk sac are already forming.
Your development
It is quite possible that most women who are in the third week don't even know that they are pregnant at this stage. However, if you have planned your pregnancy and are aware that you are now pregnant, then now is the time to start making changes to your lifestyle, especially your eating habits and exercise routine.
What You Can Do
Exercise is extremely important to both you and your baby over the course of your
pregnancy. It helps with a number of key issues, and some of these include:
 Helps reduce backaches
Reduces constipation,
bloating and swelling
Gives you energy
Improves your mood
Improves your posture
Promotes muscle tone, strength and endurance
May help you sleep better
If you followed a regular exercise program before you were pregnant, then you should refine your program to suit your new life style, and if you haven't been following a regular exercise program, then I suggest you get started. You can start by speaking to your healthcare provider and discussing what may be best for you.
Remember that during your pregnancy your blood volume increases by almost 1 1/2 the normal amount, which will increase your heart rate and lower your blood pressure
- this is known as pregnancy induced hypotension.
When you exercise, blood is diverted away from the working muscles to the placenta, which will increase your heart rate even more. Your respitory system will also increase it's work load as you will require 20% more oxygen.
Be sure to read through the fitness section of the site to make sure your fitness routine is good and that you are not pushing yourself incorrectly.
Did You Know?
 Fertilization takes up to 24 hours to be complete
Girl or Boy? Your baby's gender is determined at conception by the chromosomes in the sperm. If your designated sperm was an X chromosome, you're having a girl and if it was a Y, you can expect to have a boy.
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