Truth be told, your journey to pregnancy can begin as early as week 1! Sounds crazy right? But it’s true. The signs are very subtle at this stage and you won’t know anything is going on. Except your body will start laying the groundwork of one of the most magical times to come in your life! The good news is you don’t really have to do much to adapt to these pregnancy changes. They will naturally happen in the background. But we know you have a curious mind so that is why today, we will tell you what to expect during the very first week of your pregnancy.

What Happens In Your Body During Week 1 Of Pregnancy?

Technically, it would be a stretch to call Week 1 pregnancy because you are not actually pregnant at this stage. Not yet anyway. This is the foundational stage as we talked about before.

In fact, the first week of pregnancy is supposed to be your period week – which is the same as the week in which conception takes place. That’s why you end up missing your period, you see. It’s all very systematic. Your body follows a very orderly procedure to pregnancy and that’s where things get interesting.

Did you know a typical pregnancy term is calculated? The count begins from the first day of your last period and goes up all the way to week 40, which indicates the end of pregnancy and the beginning of your journey with your newborn. Fascinating, isn’t it?

Coming back to Week 1, at this stage your body is basically in prep mode. It starts getting ready for ovulation, which as we all know, takes place during the midway mark of your menstrual cycle. This is generally Day 14 of a 28-day cycle.

So the key takeaway here is your baby is not a baby yet in Week 1. They are in their pre-embryo stage, waiting for the fertilised egg to implant itself in your uterus, which will happen in Week 2.

How To Prepare For Pregnancy?

So now that you know you are not technically pregnant in Week 1, how do you find out if the egg has latched?

Well, the most obvious symptom of pregnancy is a missed period. You might also experience a couple of other symptoms such as breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue, and frequent urination. You can take a test to confirm, and if it comes positive, congratulations! You are pregnant.

Now it’s time to prepare for the real pregnancy changes to come and they are going to be big. Here’s what you can do to ensure healthy fertilisation of your eggs and a successful pregnancy term:

• Do not consume any kind of toxic substances including drugs, alcohol or tobacco-based products. They can cause a wide variety of issues including birth defects, respiratory problems, fetal alcohol syndrome etc.

• Speak to your doctor about any medications you are on, including prescription and non-prescription drugs. This will help you understand which medicines are safe for your baby and which are potentially harmful so you can discontinue use of the latter ones.

• Eat a balanced diet that is rich in foods good for you and your baby. This primarily includes a diet packed in vitamins and folic acid. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida. However, be sure to talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes.

Prenatal Care Points To Be Mindful Of

When you get pregnant, scheduling a prenatal visit should be one of your top priorities. Start as early as you can and plan regular visits to monitor the growth and development of your foetus, and of course, your own health. Regular check-ups allow your medical team to spot any problem as soon as possible so it can be promptly fixed without harming you or your baby.

Your medical team might also advise you to consider cord blood banking for your unborn child. It is essentially a medical investment into the health and wellbeing of your baby’s future. Cord blood banking involves harvesting your baby’s stem cells via the detached umbilical cord right after birth and storing them in high-tech cryogenic facilities for future use. It is a non-invasive, pain-free process with a massive payoff. After all, storing your child’s stem cells can protect them from 80+ diseases in the future including fatal ones such as cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders and more.

Conclusion

Your path to pregnancy begins even before your conscious mind catches up. A lot might not happen in Week 1 but it lays the foundation of the many pregnancy changes to come while effectively setting your due date. It’s good to be excited for what’s to come, and it’s even better to plan your baby’s arrival and future with smart strategies such as cord blood banking. But more than that, it’s important to enjoy each day as it comes.