At 4 weeks pregnant, though your baby is a tiny dot, his organs are starting to develop and even function! Learn more amazing facts in our week by week pregnancy guide.
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4 weeks pregnant
Most first-time moms may find being pregnant unpredictable. During the 4 weeks of pregnancy, if you regularly have menstruation, your menstrual cycle might miss this period. At this point, you may want to buy a pregnancy test kit to make sure that it is positive.
That being said, if it turns out to be positive, how would you handle your growing baby? In this article, we will briefly talk about your 4 weeks pregnancy.
How long first trimester last?
The first trimester of pregnancy typically lasts for about 12 to 14 weeks. This period is calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period and lasts until the end of the 13th week or the beginning of the 14th week. It’s a crucial stage of pregnancy when many significant developments occur in the fetus.
How big is your baby?
This is the week that marks the beginning of your baby’s embryonic period even if your baby is still microscopic.
Your baby’s development at 4 weeks pregnant
- The amniotic sac is now present. This will be home to your baby until the time of birth. Also present is the yolk sac which will produce your baby’s red blood cells. The yolk sac is also responsible for delivering all nutrients to him till the placenta is developed and ready to take over this function.
- This is the beginning of major activity for him. From now onwards, for the next six weeks, all of his organs will begin to develop (and some of them will even begin functioning!)
At this early stage, the embryo is extremely small, and many of the baby’s major organs and structures are just starting to develop. It’s important for pregnant individuals to take prenatal vitamins and maintain a healthy lifestyle during this time to support the baby’s growth and development. Keep in mind that these developmental milestones are approximate, and individual variations can occur.
Baby’s movement at 4 weeks of pregnancy
The first signs of fetal movement typically occur much later in the pregnancy, usually around the end of the first trimester or the beginning of the second trimester (around weeks 16 to 25). These early movements are often described as flutters or gentle “butterfly” sensations by pregnant individuals.
So, at 4 weeks, the baby’s development primarily involves the formation of essential structures and organs, and movement capabilities have not yet developed.
Pregnancy symptoms at 4 weeks pregnant
4 weeks pregnant symptoms are not visible or evident yet. But then, for 4 weeks pregnant moms, a missed period is one of the symptoms or signs. As well as, your breasts can become tender during this period.
This is because conception happens 2 weeks after your last notable period, or when you are ovulating (or when you release an egg).
3 to 4 weeks pregnant symptoms
Sometimes, a 3 to 4 weeks pregnant mom may find noticeable symptoms since pregnancy are different for each mom. The following are the things that might be symptoms or signs of 3 to 4 weeks pregnant:
- You will probably be taking a home pregnancy test to confirm your suspicions of being pregnant–not all women find out about their pregnancy this early on. Just remember that for the most accurate results you must wait for at least a week after your expected period.
- You may not yet be feeling much different yet, but brace yourself for morning sickness in the very near future.
- You may experience some bloating, due to the increased levels of progesterone, the pregnancy hormone.
- There might be some mild cramps and perhaps a bit of bleeding, this is because your baby travels up the fallopian tube and implants himself into the wall of your uterus.
- Your fluctuating hormones could be causing mood swings.
Image from | pexels.com
4 weeks pregnant belly
At 4 weeks your pregnant belly will not be noticeable. Your pregnant belly might show off until you are 12 weeks pregnant.
While for moms who had previous pregnancies, they might show some early signs of 4 weeks pregnant belly. This is because of the stretching of the muscles in the uterus and belly.
4 weeks pregnant moms may also wonder what their baby looks like, so they might think of having an ultrasound scan. Is it advisable for 4 weeks pregnant to have an ultrasound to see their baby? Continue reading this article.
Pregnancy care for 4 weeks pregnant
- Once you confirm your pregnancy you need to stop smoking and absolutely limit the intake of alcohol and caffeine.
- Avoid unpasteurized soft cheeses such as camembert and brie, as well as undercooked meats and soft-boiled eggs to avoid e-coli and salmonella infections.
- Avoid fish with high mercury levels such as sharks, swordfish, and king mackerel.
4 weeks pregnant ultrasound
It might be too soon to have an ultrasound scan for 4 weeks pregnant moms. Usually, the first ultrasound scan is for moms who are way beyond 4 weeks pregnant, or at 8 to 12 weeks pregnancy. This is commonly followed by another scan at 18 to 21 weeks.
4 weeks pregnant moms would be so excited to see their baby through ultrasound. But, they will need to wait up for more weeks to be scanned.
Consequences of not having sex during pregnancy
As new parents, sex is the key to being pregnant. But, how about if you want to have sex while you are pregnant?
Your growing baby is protected by the amniotic fluid inside your uterus. Like how your strong uterus muscles protect your baby. Any sexual desire and activity won’t get your baby in trouble. Unless, while you are pregnant, complications like preterm labor placenta problems occur.
However, you might have a different level of sexual desire and comfortability in which pregnancy is the culprit.
Therefore, the consequences of not having sex during pregnancy may not happen, or as your doctor may or may not advise it.
Image from | pexels.com
Your Checklist as 4 weeks pregnant mom
- If the home test is positive, you need to call and fix your first prenatal visit to your gynecologist.
- You need to make a list of any medications that you might be taking, whether prescription or over-the-counter and check with your doctor if it is safe to continue with them.
- You need to pay a lot more attention to what you are eating and begin taking prenatal vitamins.
Your next week: 5 weeks pregnant
Your previous week: 1-3 weeks pregnant
Republished with permission from theAsianparent Singapore
Additional information by Nathanielle Torre
Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.