Your Baby's Development Week 3

Week 3
Week 3 You are now three weeks pregnant and during this week your baby continues to grow and develop. Over the past week, the fertilized egg has divided into hundreds of cells and is now called a blastocyst. The blastocyst is hollow and filled with fluid. Around this time, the blastocyst will implant itself in the lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium.

Pregnancy Tip
	Specially formulated to provide you with the right nutrients for your first trimester, Biotegrity's Stage 1 are made with increased levels of folic acid to help protect against neural tube defects.

A Late Period - First Signs of Pregnancy

If implantation is successful, it is here that your baby will start to grow and receive its nourishment. Over time, this implantation site will develop into the placenta. During pregnancy, the placenta nourishes and protects your developing baby.

Your body may now begin to let you know that you're pregnant! The blastocyst will begin to secrete hormones that stop your body from releasing the endometrium and tissue in your uterus, causing you to miss your period.

Make sure you are taking a prenatal vitamin and are getting enough folic acid, protein, calcium, and iron - all essential for nourishing your baby. A folic acid supplement - which, ideally, you've been taking since before you conceived - is particularly important because folic acid helps prevent defects of the neural tube, which form quite early in development.

Your intake of protein, which is the building block of new tissue, should double during pregnancy - you should be eating at least 60 grams a day. In addition, calcium, at least 1,200 milligrams, is necessary for the development of bones and teeth make sure you're getting a good dose of dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and legumes. Iron is essential during pregnancy as you support the continual increase of your baby's blood volume. Good sources of iron include red meat, legumes, eggs, and leafy green vegetables, and you should consume at least 30 milligrams of iron daily. Read more detailed information on nutrition during pregnancy.

Previous Week | Next Week

Select a week of development to read detailed information:

Week 1	Week 11	Week 21	Week 31
Week 2	Week 12	Week 22	Week 32
Week 3	Week 13	Week 23	Week 33
Week 4	Week 14	Week 24	Week 34
Week 5	Week 15	Week 25	Week 35
Week 6	Week 16	Week 26	Week 36
Week 7	Week 17	Week 27	Week 37
Week 8	Week 18	Week 28	Week 38
Week 9	Week 19	Week 29	Week 39
Week 10	Week 20	Week 30	Week 40