Highlights this week
Baby development at 3 weeks
- The fertilized egg is moving down the fallopian tube to the uterus
- Called a blastocyst, your baby-to-be is now a rapidly dividing ball of cells
Implantation
3 weeks pregnant body
Early pregnancy hormones
The cells that will become the placenta are pumping out the pregnancy hormone hCG. It tells your ovaries to stop releasing eggs and keep producing progesterone, which prevents your uterus from shedding its lining – and its tiny passenger. Once there's enough hCG in your urine, you'll get a positive pregnancy test result.
Amniotic fluid
Amniotic fluid is beginning to collect within the amniotic sac. This fluid will cushion your baby in the weeks and months ahead, and it's what may eventually come gushing out of you if your water breaks before or during labor.
Pregnancy symptoms during week 3
No pregnancy symptoms?
Some women feel pregnant even before the test is positive, but most don't. If you have pregnancy symptoms this week, they may feel like PMS. But don't worry if you haven't felt anything different yet. Even at 5 weeks pregnant, only half of women feel pregnancy symptoms.
Gas and bloating
The hormone progesterone relaxes muscles throughout your body, including in your digestive tract. These relaxed muscles slow down your digestion, which can lead to gas and bloating and create uncomfortable sensations in your gut. About half of pregnant women experience constipation at some point during their pregnancy. To keep things moving, stay hydrated and eat high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Sore breasts
Some women say their sore breasts in early pregnancy are like an exaggerated version of how they feel before a period. Your breasts may feel swollen, tender, or tingly – and your nipples may be extra sensitive and uncomfortable. Later in pregnancy, you may notice your nipples getting darker.
Spotting
You may have a bit of light bleeding (spotting) this week. This is implantation bleeding – it can happen around the time the fertilized egg implants in your uterus. It's a lot lighter than a typical period, and only lasts for one to three days. (If you have pain along with bleeding, call your healthcare provider immediately. This can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.)
Basal body temperature stays high
If you're charting your temperature, it should stay elevated this week. To keep track, use a basal body thermometer and take your temperature after you wake up in the morning, before you get out of bed.
- Your baby-to-be is burrowing into the lush lining of your uterus
Pregnancy checklist at 3 weeks pregnant
Pay attention to your emotions
When you're waiting to learn whether you're pregnant or not, or just finding out, it's normal to be anxious. If you're feeling stressed or worried, talk to your partner or a trusted friend. Or, try writing down everything that's bothering you. Journaling can improve your emotional well-being, mental clarity, and even physical health.
Avoid overheating
Hot baths are okay during pregnancy as long as they aren't too hot. But avoid steam baths, hot tubs, and saunas. Elevated body temperature, especially early in pregnancy, has been associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects in babies.
Eat nutritious meals and snacks
Eat pregnancy-friendly foods such as fruits and vegetables, low-mercury fish, and whole grains. Choose foods containing vitamin C (like strawberries, citrus fruits, bell peppers, and tomatoes), iron (like beef, poultry, soy products, and spinach), and calcium (like Greek yogurt, fortified cereal, and pasteurized cheese). For snack ideas, check out 10 of our favorite healthy snacks for expecting moms.
Cut down on coffee
While you're trying to conceive and once you get pregnant, experts recommend limiting caffeine to about one cup of coffee a day. It's important to watch your caffeine intake because having too much can affect your pregnancy and your baby. See how much caffeine is in different foods and drinks so you can stay under the recommended daily limit.
Get help quitting
If you need help quitting smoking, drinking, or taking drugs, talk to your healthcare provider and ask for a referral to a program or counselor.
Improve your sleep
When pregnancy-related sleep problems hit in a few months, be ready for them. Create better habits around sleep and work on good sleep practices like establishing a regular bedtime routine and making your bedroom a sleep sanctuary.
Make sure your work and home are safe
Some jobs can be hazardous to you and your baby. If you're routinely exposed to chemicals, loud noises, or radiation at work, or if you have to be on your feet constantly or lift heavy objects, talk to your provider about how to stay safe while working during pregnancy. Also, keep in mind that some things in your home may be dangerous for your developing baby. Lead (in drinking water from old pipes), mercury (in certain fish), certain pesticides and fertilizers, and cat litter containing feces are all potentially harmful.
This week's video
BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.
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Cleveland Clinic. 2022. Blastocyst. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22889-blastocyst Opens a new window[Accessed August 2024]
FDA. 2019. Home use tests: Pregnancy. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/home-use-tests/pregnancyOpens a new window [Accessed August 2024]
Mayo Clinic. 2022. Fetal development: The 1st trimester. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/prenatal-care/art-20045302Opens a new window [Accessed August 2024]
Mayo Clinic. 2024. Symptoms of pregnancy: What happens first. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/symptoms-of-pregnancy/art-20043853Opens a new window [Accessed August 2024]
MedlinePlus (ADAM). 2023. Fetal development. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002398.htmOpens a new window [Accessed August 2024]
NIH. 2017. What are some common signs of pregnancy? National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/signsOpens a new window [Accessed August 2024]
