There’s a whole lotta science goin’ on when you’re 3 weeks pregnant

You may not realize it, but there’s quite a bit of cellular activity happening in your uterus. This ball of cells is called a blastocyst, which may sound like a space-aged rocket ship is actually even more incredible. A portion of these cells will amazingly enough become a human. The other cells will eventually for the placenta, which will serve as your baby’s temporary home and carrier for nutrients from the mother (that’s you!). The placenta is considered an organ – which if you think about it, is pretty darn remarkable. Your body is growing a whole new organ. Get ready, because your pregnancy will be filled with all sorts of mind-blowing factoids.

A pregnancy may be nigh!

This primitive placenta is busy producing human chorionic gonadotropin, or hGC, which is the hormone responsible for making the “yep! your pregnant!” on your home pregnancy test. Speaking of which, you may want to hold off on taking a pregnancy test just yet. There may not be enough hGC while you are 3 weeks pregnant to give you accurate results. But, the suspense may be killing you, so have at it – just make sure you buy a multi-pack just in case. Just think, this only lasts for one week. Sit tight, you’ll be 4 weeks pregnant before you know it!

Pregnancy symptoms? Or just an annoying visitor?

Detecting pregnancy symptoms while 3 weeks pregnant can be tricky. Pregnancy symptoms tend to very similar to symptoms that some women get right before their period begins, which of course coincides with the time you could determine for certain that you are indeed pregnant. Bloating, feeling a bit nauseous, feeling very emotional – all of these could either be pregnancy symptoms, or just plain ol’ period stuff. It’s cruel joke, isn’t it? If you’re not careful, you could end up with a pretty bad case of the “Am I? Am I Nots?” which will quickly take over. The 3 weeks pregnant mark presents the most intense waiting game for sure, so try and relax and do things to take your mind off of it for now. Patience is, after all, a virtue and now is an excellent time to get good at it because boy oh boy (or girl oh girl!) you’re going to need it throughout your pregnancy and most importantly as a parent.If you have by now, been able to get confirmation that you have begun your pregnancy (confirmation this early would be most accurate through blood work false positives on home pregnancy tests are possible) and the unpleasantries you are experiencing can now be categorized as pregnancy symptoms, now would be a good time to figure out a strategy to not letting them affect your day-to-day too much. Dealing with interfering pregnancy symptoms will be especially challenging if this is is not the time you were planning on letting the cat out of the bag. If you are feeling exhausted, which is a pregnancy symptom many women report (symptoms especially fierce in the first trimester, and at 3 weeks pregnant maybe the most intense), try and see if you can manage a quick power nap on your lunch break. Just fifteen minutes could do wonders for your energy level and may be just the thing to give you an all important second wind before the work day ends. Be sure and set an alarm on your phone or computer to ensure that you don’t wake up in a puddle of drool after your coworkers have left for the day. If taking a snooze at work is not possible, skip the sugar and go for healthy and more sustaining snacks that will give you a much needed energy. Almonds and walnuts are great, as are some veggies dipped in hummus. Granola or energy bars are perfect for stashing in your bag or desk drawer. Nausea is one of the especially difficult pregnancy symptoms to deal with and best to discuss with a doctor, nurse, or midwife. Frequently referred to as “morning sickness”, it’s an absolute myth that a funny tummy happens only in the morning. On the contrary, pregnancy symptoms that can strike at any time, and as early as 3 weeks. Prescription medication can also be prescribed in severe cases. Some believe that nausea is one of the pregnancy symptoms that is a sign that you are carrying a healthy baby. There is actually no truth to this claim, and perhaps pretty scary for the lucky lady who wasn’t sick to her stomach at any point in her pregnancy! No one knows for sure why some women experience pregnancy symptoms that others may not. Hormonal responses are unique to each woman, and especially varied in women who are as early as 3 weeks into their pregnancy.

A watched pot (or pot belly) never boils…

The anticipation may be killing you, but only time will tell. Annoying, isn’t it? Until then, live your life like you have entered your pregnancy – remember to make healthy choices, keep your stress level down to a minimum, and don’t forget to blink!

2 Weeks Pregnant – 3 Weeks Pregnant – 4 Weeks Pregnant