3 weeks pregnant

Generally women feel great at the start of their pregnancy but this quickly declines, with a low point of around 8 weeks. It may be now that you experience nausea. The first 3 months are known for this. Consider eating smaller meals and foods that are easily digested. Start the day gently. Do not leap out of bed but take it easy. Let yourself be treated by your partner to a light breakfast in bed and then get up slowly.

The first cells are forming and beginning to divide. When 16 cells are formed the embryo embeds into the uterus wall. A lot of information is already in place such as hair and eye colour, the baby’s IQ, body build and character. It is fascinating to think that a little person is growing inside you.

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The midwife or gynaecologist calculates the due date by taking the first day of your last menstruation and adding 9 months and one week. This date is then called your due date. However it is often just an estimate as just 5% of women deliver on the exact due date. Read more about How to calculate the due date

When you are pregnant your body produces hCG hormone. A pregnancy test measures if this is present in the urine. At the start of pregnancy this is often so minimal that most tests cannot detect it. The tests only react when there is 25 milli-international units of hCG per ml of urine (mlU/ml). You can buy more sensitive tests which react to 20 mlU/ml. This test can then be used 4 days before menstruation. It is not usually worth using a test which is even more sensitive, reacting to just 10 mlU/ml, as a pregnancy can miscarry in the first week. This could cause disappointment if the test shows positive but a few days later menstruation starts. Read more about The sensitivity of pregnancy tests

If you are pregnant – congratulations, you probably feel the whole thing is rather unreal, especially if it is your first pregnancy. The thought of there being a life growing inside you can be quite abstract. Some women tell the important news immediately, to their mother or a close friend, whilst others prefer to wait a while. What you and your partner decide is up to you it is your pregnancy.