What's growing
Light sensitivity begins
About 10 cm. Even with eyes closed, baby may turn from a bright light on the belly.
Source: Moore, Persaud & Torchia, The Developing Human, 11th ed. (2020)
What's changing in you
Round ligament aches
Sharp pulls in the lower belly when you twist or sneeze are common as the uterus stretches.
Source: Williams Obstetrics, 26th ed. (Cunningham et al., 2022)
General info — not personalized medical advice.
Maternal brain
Maternal mind-reading
Hoekzema's data show changes in regions central to theory-of-mind — preparing you to read a non-verbal baby.
Source: Hoekzema et al., Nature Neuroscience 20, 287–296 (2017)
You & baby
Notice flutters when you're still
Some people feel the first 'bubbles' between 15 and 18 weeks. Lying still after a meal helps.
Source: Cranley, Nursing Research 30(5), 1981 — Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale
For your partner
Read one chapter together
Shared reading (book, podcast) is a low-friction way to align expectations.
Source: Cowan & Cowan, When Partners Become Parents (1992; 2nd ed. 2000)
Move with care
Avoid supine for long workouts
After ~16 weeks, prolonged flat-on-back can compress the vena cava — side-lying or inclined is the default (ACOG 804). Davenport 2025 showed brief supine lifts were acutely tolerated in trained lifters; for everyone else, the standard guidance still applies.
Source: ACOG Committee Opinion 804 (reaffirmed 2020) — Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy
General info — not personalized medical advice.
Eat for two brains
Mediterranean is not a diet
It's a pattern: olive oil, vegetables, legumes, fish, nuts. Adapt to your culture and budget.
Source: Biagi et al., Nutrients 11(5), 2019 — Mediterranean diet in pregnancy
General info — not personalized medical advice.
60-second prompt
What did your mother do well?
Even one thing. Naming it is part of choosing what you'll keep.
Source: Fraiberg, Adelson & Shapiro, JAACAP 14(3), 1975 — Ghosts in the Nursery
Developed and curated by perinatal psychologists, family & couples counsellors, doulas, perinatal health & fitness specialists, and IBCLCs / lactation consultants. Educational — not a substitute for medical care.