What's Normal Week by Week

Week 1¹

Week 1 is the week of your menstrual period. There's no baby yet, but your body is preparing for conception this cycle.

Week 2¹

Ovulation! This week marks your fertile window. If you have had sexual intercourse within your fertile window, sperm should fertilize the egg and you will conceive. You won't experience typical pregnancy symptoms this week.

Week 3²

This week the fertilized egg should have implanted into the uterine lining and starts to produce the hormone responsible for a positive pregnancy test: human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The most common tell-tale pregnancy signs are lower abdominal pressure, or you may feel twinges related to implantation and the increased blood flow. You may also experience a metallic taste in your mouth and a heightened sense of smell.

Week 4³

This week is when you should have your missed menstrual period! You may also get a positive pregnancy test, if taken the first day of your missed period. If it's negative, and your period still hasn't started, re-test in 48–72 hours, as the negative test may be due to low levels of hCG. This week 25% of women may experience mild spotting known as implantation bleeding.⁴ Nausea, mild cramping, and pre-menstrual-like symptoms are also very common at week 4.³

Week 5⁵

By now your hCG levels will be high enough to get a positive pregnancy test. As hCG, progesterone and oestrogen are rapidly rising this week, nausea (with or without vomiting) may pick up this week. It can appear at any time of day or night and may contribute to the food aversions and cravings that may also appear. It's important to rest when you can as you may also begin to start to feel more fatigued throughout the day.

Week 6⁶

At 6 weeks typical morning sickness (with or without vomiting) has usually appeared for most people. The added fatigue can make morning sickness feel worse, so try rest when you can and eat and drink little and often.

Bloating and gas are also common symptoms at 6 weeks due to rapidly rising progesterone levels slowing down your digestive system. Keeping hydrated can help.

You may notice you need to invest in a bigger bra! it is common for breasts to swell, feel more sensitive and the area around your nipples, known as the areolas, to darken and appear larger.

Week 7⁷

If you haven't experienced morning sickness yet, it may appear this week, or you may be the lucky 15-30% of women who have no morning sickness!⁸ Food aversions and food cravings are also common alongside heartburn and indigestion. If you're uncomfortable, or finding these symptoms are making your nausea worse, try avoiding spicy or fatty foods, but speak with your healthcare provider as there are pregnancy approved remedies.⁷

Rising hCG levels increase the blood flow to your uterus increasing the number of times you need to urinate, day or night.⁷

Another symptom typical by week 7 is excess saliva. It may make you feel more nauseous, but chewing gum can help.⁷

Week 8⁹

By week 8 you may be experiencing all the typical pregnancy symptoms, morning sickness, fatigue, breast tenderness, food cravings and aversions, heightened sense of smell, bloating and gas. You may also start to feel constipated, this is due to that hormone progesterone slowing down your digestive system. Keep hydrated and eat fibre-rich foods.

A surprising symptom for many women is increased vaginal discharge, also known as leukorrhea. It should be a thin, milky-white discharge, with no foul smell. Leukorrhea is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina, protecting the birth canal from infection.

Week 9¹⁰

Weeks 9–10 are known as the peak weeks for morning sickness and pregnancy symptoms. This is because these weeks are where your hCG should be at their highest before the placenta takes over.

Week 10¹¹

By week 10 you may still be feeling in the thick of pregnancy symptoms, or you may feel fine! Both are completely normal. However, some people by week 10 may start to experience headaches due to the high hormone levels, fatigue and increased hunger. Remember, it is not safe to take ibuprofen during pregnancy. If you are unsure on what medication is suitable, speak with your healthcare provider.

Feeling some dull aches around your growing belly? These are known as round ligament pain. The ligaments on both sides of your abdomen are stretching to make room for your growing baby. You may also notice visible veins across your breasts and sometimes across your abdomen due to the increased blood pumping around your body.

Week 11¹²

For some women, morning sickness may be starting to subside, but for most morning sickness, breast tenderness, fatigue, food aversions and cravings, bloating and gas, and frequent urination may still be going strong. The good news is, is that there's not too long to go until the worst of those symptoms should start to calm down!

Week 12¹³

You're nearly at the end of the first trimester! Your morning sickness may have subsided, or it may still be hanging around for a couple of weeks yet. Most women find morning sickness gets better by 16 to 20 weeks.

By 12 weeks all those frequent toilet trips to urinate should also calm down, until it picks back up when baby is big enough to press on your bladder!

Fatigue and headaches are also common at 12 weeks. Make sure you have plenty of rest and speak to your healthcare provider if your headaches are persistent or become severe.

Week 13¹⁴

Congratulations, you have reached the end of the first trimester!

You may be feeling a lot better, morning sickness and fatigue should be starting to subside and you may feel like you're getting some energy back. However, those symptoms related to rapidly rising hormone levels may be replaced by other symptoms such as dizziness due to the increased blood flow through your body. You may also find constipation and heartburn and indigestion happen more frequently. Make sure you speak with your healthcare provider about pregnancy-approved treatments and for any support if you need it.