3 Weeks Pregnant: Baby is as big as a vanilla bean seed!

Week 3 at a glance

3 weeks pregnant is when your baby-to-be moves themselves into the place they’re going to call home for the next 9 months: your uterus!

In something that feels straight out of Alice in Wonderland, around 3 weeks pregnant is, in many cases, the moment where pregnancy actually begins.

That’s right, the weeks before this were simply about getting to the starting point so that the race could actually start.

In this article: 📝

Baby development at 3 weeks

So what’s baby-to-be up to this early on in your pregnancy?

Well…

Having a blast(ocyst)!

Crazy thought that we begin our lives as a zygote, one single cell that develops itself into a multiplying ball of fun called a blastocyst.

This transformation happens about five days after fertilization, while it is on its journey from the fallopian tube to the uterus.

Home sweet home

At three weeks then, this multiplying effect is in full force and the blastocyst is ready to set up shop, burrowing itself into the lining of your uterus.

Splitting hairs

At three weeks, the blastocyst is so incredibly small (as in somewhere between 0.1mm and 0.2mm small), that it’s about the size of the diameter of a piece of thick-ish hair.

It’s so tiny that an ultrasound at 3 weeks pregnant may not register it at all.

Pregnancy symptoms at 3 weeks

What does 3 weeks pregnant feel like?

The short answer?

Well, you may not be feeling much at all.

In fact, it may even be too early for you to take note of a skipped period.

While all bodies are different, it may only be after you have missed a period that you start to feel symptoms.

• Abdominal pressure and bloating. Just consider what’s happening inside you at 3 weeks pregnant. A blastocyst is taking up residence in the lining of your uterus. No wonder you’re feeling a little pressure in that region.
  
• The world tastes and smells a little different. Your senses are going to go on a bit of a rollercoaster ride at this point. Some strange effects you may notice at 3 weeks pregnant? A heightened sense of smell and maybe even a metallic taste in your mouth.
  
• Pregnancy hormones join the party. Remember the part about the egg being released so that it could be fertilized? Well, it leaves room for what is called the corpus luteum to emerge in its place – a body of cells that produces progesterone and estrogen. These hormones do the job of keeping your soon-to-be baby supported until the placenta joins the party in about a week or so’s time. Our bodies are pretty impressive, hey?
  
• Morning sickness will likely not start for another 2 or 3 weeks. So if you’re asking, ‘can nausea start at 3 weeks?’, it may for you, but this wouldn’t be typical.

Pregnancy tips at 3 weeks

Finally, it’s time to up the self-care, both physically and emotionally.

This can be an intense time where you spend a lot of time watching and waiting and hoping and praying.

Some things to consider while in this early stage:

• Pop the prenatal vitamins. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to ensure that you get onto a prenatal vitamin to boost the health of both you and your little one.
  
• Do some mild to moderate physical activity. Exercise is not only about getting fit and strong. It can also be an excellent stress reducer. While it is not a good idea to overdo it, keeping active is always a good idea.
  
• Tune in to what your body is asking for. You’re about to embark on an incredible journey where your body is going to communicate all sorts of needs to you. Listen in. Trust yourself. Eat healthy foods that you love. Relax when you need to.
  
• Chat with your doctor. For your own peace of mind, line up your care now. Find someone who fits your specific needs and that you feel comfortable with. You’re about to go on quite a ride with them!

This time may feel something like being in the waiting room to enter the rest of your life.

Excitement, dread, nervousness, trepidation, elation… whatever you are feeling right now is legitimate.

There is no wrong way to be 3 weeks pregnant.

Congratulations!