How Far Along Am I in My Pregnancy?

If you have just found out that you are pregnant, one of the first questions that will pop up in your mind is, how far along are you in your pregnancy? Has it just been days or weeks? And then will come the question of the due date as to when will your due date fall? And if you know how far along in your pregnancy you are, it will be easier to know an estimate due date to. So, here we come up with a guide on how to figure out since how long have you been pregnant.

How Can I Calculate How Far Along I Am and My Due Date?

Keep in mind that it is only your healthcare provider who can give you a more accurate answer but there are several different ways to estimate how far along you are and on what date can you expect your baby to arrive:

• Last Menstrual Period (LMP): Normally, pregnancy lasts for 38 to 40 weeks from your last menstrual period. And to know your due date, all you have to do is to count 40 weeks or 280 days from the first day of your last period. And the number of weeks that have passed can indicate what week of pregnancy you are in.
• Date of Conception: The chances of conception are most when you are in your ovulation period which is around after 14 days of your 28 day menstrual cycle. So, if you have conceived around that time, you can count 38 weeks or 266 days from the date of conception and that will be your due date.
• Ultrasound: At some point during your pregnancy, your doctor will advise you to get an ultrasound test. This is to check on the foetal growth and monitor the other developments of your baby. Having an ultrasound is currently the most accurate method by which you can find out how far along you are in your pregnancy and what will your due date be.

When you are figuring out how far along you are, it is possible that you confuse with the gestational age of the baby. Always remember that pregnancy is calculated from the beginning of your last menstrual cycle whereas gestational age is calculated from the date of conception and there can be around two week difference between the two. Which means that if you are 6 weeks pregnant, you baby’s gestational age is 4 weeks.

Can My Due Date Change?

Don’t be surprised if your calculated due date differs from the due date that your doctor has estimated. Also, it is a very common sight that babies don’t exactly arrive on the due date given by the doctors as the calculated due date is based on prior knowledge but each baby is unique and grows at a different pace. So, your baby can be typically born anywhere between 38 to 42 weeks of pregnancy. In rare cases, when the babies are born preterm, the doctor advises to take extra care of the baby and if the baby doesn’t come even by the end of 42 weeks, then the doctors may advise to induce labour.

What’s in Store for Me Until My Due Date?

You should know that the pregnancy is usually calculated in weeks, months or trimesters and here is a brief guide on what to expect in each of the trimester:

• • First Trimester (0-13^th Week): This is the time when you experience some early symptoms of pregnancy including morning sickness and food cravings. Your healthcare provider will advise you to visit frequently to make sure you and your baby are healthy during this initial stage.

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• • Second Trimester (14-27^th Week): This trimester is usually known as the honeymoon phase of pregnancy as you will feel sudden boost of energy and want to get things done like baby proofing the house, going to prenatal classes, doing exercise. This is also the right time to start Kegel exercise to strengthen your pelvic muscles.

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• • Third Trimester (28-42^nd Week): You are almost there! As you move closer to the birth, you will have to be prepared with the baby gear, get your hospital bag ready. But this is also the time that you don’t do a lot of work and take rest in small intervals.

It is a really exciting news when women get to know that they are pregnant. During this time, they are filled with curiosity and number of questions come to their mind. And one of the main questions is “when am I going to see my baby?” and to know this the best way is to contact your healthcare provider. But you can also make note of the milestones in your pregnancy journal to keep yourself updated and it can be a nice little book filled with memories during your amazing period of pregnancy.