Pregnancy Week By Week

Congratulations, you are pregnant. Or are you? The first dilemma in pregnancy is in working out whether you actually are pregnant and then when you conceived. Tests bought from the pharmacy can tell you with a high degree of accuracy whether you actually are pregnant, and the dating then depends on your last ovulation period.

Use the UKPL ovulation and due date calculator to work out your dates.

The first trimester

This week by week guide breaks the pregnancy down into smaller stages, with useful links to further information, books or advice at each stage. Just use the menu on the right hand side.

The first trimester starts, obviously, at week one. Not much happens during the first eight weeks. Obviously you will not have a period, and your foetus will be microscopic. You may suffer sickness, mood changes and other symptoms of early pregnancy, but you won't start noticing any size or weight difference until week eight or nine.

The second trimester

When you get to week 14 you are in your second trimester. Your hormone levels should ease a little, reducing any morning sickness you have suffered in the first trimester - although all expectant mothers experience different time scales and levels of symptom.

Colostrum is forming in your breasts, your risk of miscarriage has dropped considerably and your baby has grown considerably - although still only about 45g in weight and four and a half inches long. A common test at this stage is the amniocentesis test, which looks for such things as Down's Syndrome.

The third trimester

The third trimester, starting at week 27, is the one where you feel like you are carrying the largest pumpkin in the world and you are uncomfortable, itchy and you need a wee every hour.

The nesting phase kicks in towards the end of the pregnancy, along with those famous Braxton-Hicks contractions and practice runs to the labour ward when you think "this is it". Just keep that bag packed, make sure you have everything you need for baby and a car seat ready to bring the little new family member home.

Your new baby

Here are some useful sections of the website to help you in your new step with your new baby.

• Your Baby - useful features, links and products.
• Birth stories - hear from real life mums sharing their delivery experiences.
• Baby Gurus - celebrity parenting experts and their books.
• Me and My Baby discussion forum - chat to mums about your new baby.
• Birth announcements - announce your birth to the world.