What's growing
Facial features begin
Eye spots, nasal pits, and the basics of jaw and ears appear. Heart now has chambers.
Source: Moore, Persaud & Torchia, The Developing Human, 11th ed. (2020)
What's changing in you
Nausea may begin
Up to 80% experience nausea in T1. It is real physiology, not weakness.
Source: ACOG Practice Bulletin 189 — Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (2018)
General info — not personalized medical advice.
Maternal brain
Sensitivity to smell sharpens
Likely an evolved teratogen-avoidance response. Honor the aversions; they pass.
Source: Williams Obstetrics, 26th ed. (Cunningham et al., 2022)
You & baby
Talk to the embryo
There is no audience yet — but the act of speaking to the baby builds your own attachment.
Source: Cranley, Nursing Research 30(5), 1981 — Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale
For your partner
Be the smell-shield
Cook, take out trash, avoid strong scents nearby. Practical > reassurance.
Source: Dennis & Dowswell, Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2013 — Psychosocial interventions, perinatal depression
Move with care
Slow down on a queasy day
10 min of walking on a nauseous day still counts. Movement does not have to be earned.
Source: ACOG Committee Opinion 804 (reaffirmed 2020) — Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy
General info — not personalized medical advice.
Eat for two brains
Bland-and-frequent
Crackers before getting up, small meals every 2–3 hours. Protein helps stabilize nausea more than ginger alone.
Source: ACOG Practice Bulletin 189 — Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (2018)
General info — not personalized medical advice.
60-second prompt
What are you grieving, even quietly?
Old freedoms. Old plans. Naming grief makes room for what's next.
Source: Athan, Matrescence framework, Columbia University (2011–present)
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.