Month two

During the second month of the pregnancy, the embryo is rapidly developing into a foetus, which occurs at about the sixth week. Over the four weeks of this month, amazing feats will be taking place inside the womb. The neural tube and spinal cord will be starting to develop, as will the heart which will grow from being a single tube to a beating organ. The buds of arms and legs will appear, as do the first cells of the stomach and intestine. Indentations that are the beginnings of facial features start to form. By the eighth week, the baby will have tiny limbs, the start of lungs and eyes, a developing nervous system and a heartbeat that will show up on a scan. In the second month the embryo will have gone from a size of 2 millimetres to a size of anything up to 17 millimetres, becoming the size and shape of a large peanut.

Meanwhile, the ovary which produced the egg continues to produce progesterone, which thickens the lining of the uterus, and stimulates its production of hormones. Mums-to-be may find that their breasts start to feel tender, much like they can during menstruation. Nipples may change in appearance, with tiny raised spots called Montgomery's tubercules, which will secrete a fluid to prepare your breasts for feeding. Also, many women experience nausea, or 'morning sickness', tiredness and mood swings, which though unpleasant are usually temporary.

In terms of planning for this stage, now is the time to make arrangements for antenatal care with a doctor or midwife. It is common to have a scan at six to eight weeks of pregnancy. Also, if a mum-to-be is working she should ensure that her job does not carry any risk to herself or her baby, asking her employer to transfer her role if it does.