You can feel pregnant before you’ve even seen a positive test. Or you can feel completely normal until one day you realise your jeans are suddenly rude. Both are common – and both can make you wonder, “Is this normal for this week?”
This is a practical, week-by-week guide to pregnancy symptoms. It’s not a promise of what you will feel (pregnancy is too individual for that), but it will help you match what’s happening in your body to where you are in pregnancy, and spot the moments when it’s worth getting checked.
Week by week pregnancy symptoms (weeks 1-4)
Weeks 1-2: the “not pregnant yet” weeks
Pregnancy dating is weird: “week 1” starts from the first day of your last period. In these first two weeks, any symptoms you notice are usually your normal cycle. You might have cramping, lower back ache, tender breasts, or mood swings driven by hormonal changes you’ve had many times before.
If you’re trying to conceive, this is the phase where it’s easy to over-interpret. Try to treat your body kindly, keep up folic acid, and focus on basics like sleep and hydration rather than symptom-spotting.
Week 3: ovulation and fertilisation
Some people notice one-sided twinges around ovulation, a small rise in basal body temperature, or a change in cervical mucus. Many don’t feel anything at all. After fertilisation, your body hasn’t had time to produce enough pregnancy hormone (hCG) to create “classic” symptoms yet.
Week 4: implantation and “is this my period?”
If you’re going to get implantation bleeding, it’s usually light spotting around now. Mild cramping can also happen. The tricky part is that early pregnancy symptoms can mimic PMS – sore breasts, fatigue, irritability, bloating.
If your period is late, take a test. If you have strong one-sided pain, shoulder tip pain, or feel faint, seek urgent medical advice (those can be red flags for ectopic pregnancy).
Weeks 5-8: symptoms often ramp up
Week 5: fatigue arrives
Many people are shocked by the tiredness. It can feel like you’re coming down with something, but without the cold. Frequent urination can start early too, because hormones increase blood flow to your kidneys.
Nausea can begin now, even if you never actually vomit. “Morning sickness” is a misnomer – for some it’s worse at night, or it comes in waves all day.
Week 6: nausea, smells, and food aversions
This is the week a lot of people start saying, “I don’t feel like myself.” Strong smells can be unbearable. Foods you normally like can suddenly feel impossible. Your sense of taste may change, and you may feel queasy when your stomach is empty.
Try small, frequent snacks, and keep something bland by the bed if mornings are rough. If you’re vomiting repeatedly, can’t keep fluids down, or you’re losing weight, talk to your midwife or GP – severe nausea and vomiting (hyperemesis) needs support.
Week 7: breast changes and bloating
Breasts can feel fuller, heavier, tender, or tingly. You may also notice bloating and constipation as progesterone relaxes smooth muscles, slowing digestion.
If constipation hits, fibre plus fluids plus gentle movement helps. Iron supplements can worsen it, so if you’re taking iron and struggling, ask your clinician about options.
Week 8: emotional whiplash
The combination of hormones, nausea, poor sleep, and the mental load of “this is real” can make emotions feel big. Some people also notice dizziness when standing up quickly.
A quiet worry many parents carry: “If I’m not excited 24/7, is that bad?” No. Mixed feelings are normal. If anxiety is intense or you feel persistently low, bring it up early – support works best when it’s not left to simmer.
Weeks 9-13: first trimester, but shifting
Week 9-10: peak nausea for many
For lots of people, nausea and fatigue peak around weeks 9 to 10. You might gag while brushing your teeth, feel carsick in the passenger seat, or struggle with strong fragrances.
Heartburn can start early too. Eating smaller meals and avoiding lying down straight after food can help. If symptoms are disrupting life, ask about pregnancy-safe medicines – you do not need to just suffer.
Week 11-12: headaches and congestion
Hormonal changes can trigger headaches, and increased blood flow can cause a blocked nose or nosebleeds. If you’re prone to migraines, pregnancy can change your pattern – sometimes better, sometimes worse.
Speak to a clinician about pain relief options that are safe for you. If you get a severe headache with vision changes, swelling, or high blood pressure, seek medical advice promptly.
Week 13: the “energy comes back” week… sometimes
Some people start to feel more human around week 13. Others don’t – and that’s not a sign anything is wrong. Bloating may still make you look more pregnant than you are, especially by evening.
Weeks 14-20: the “second trimester” reputation
Weeks 14-16: steadier mood, new aches
Nausea may ease. Appetite can return. You might notice round ligament pain – sharp or pulling discomfort in the lower abdomen or groin when you move, roll over, or stand quickly.
A maternity support band, slower movements, and resting when it flares can help. Sudden severe pain, bleeding, or pain with fever should be checked.
Weeks 17-18: skin and sleep changes
Some people develop acne, others get glowing skin. You may notice pigmentation changes or a dark line down the abdomen (linea nigra). Sleep can get lighter. Vivid dreams are common.
Weeks 19-20: feeling movement
If this is your first pregnancy, you might start to feel flutters that later become obvious kicks. If it’s not your first, you may recognise movement earlier.
If you’re not sure what you’re feeling, that’s normal too. Babies have sleepy days and busy days, and patterns become more reliable later.
Weeks 21-28: baby grows, your body adapts
Weeks 21-24: back pain, heartburn, breathlessness
As your bump grows, your posture shifts. Lower back pain and pelvic discomfort can appear, especially after a long day. Heartburn often increases as your uterus presses on your stomach.
Breathlessness can happen even without any chest illness – your lungs have less room, and your body is working harder. However, sudden breathlessness, chest pain, or calf swelling/pain needs urgent assessment.
Weeks 25-26: leg cramps and restless nights
Night-time leg cramps can arrive. Hydration, gentle calf stretches, and supportive footwear can help. Sleep may be disturbed by needing the loo, heartburn, or just not finding a comfortable position.
Weeks 27-28: Braxton Hicks and “third trimester starts soon” feelings
Braxton Hicks contractions can feel like a tightening across the belly. They’re usually irregular and ease with rest or hydration. If tightening becomes regular, painful, or is accompanied by bleeding, fluid leaking, or pressure, contact your maternity unit.
Weeks 29-36: third trimester realities
Weeks 29-32: swelling and fatigue return
Swelling in feet and ankles is common, especially at the end of the day. Elevating your legs and gentle movement can help. Some fatigue returns as sleep becomes more disrupted.
Be alert to swelling that’s sudden or severe, especially with headaches or vision changes – that can be a sign of pre-eclampsia and needs prompt medical review.
Weeks 33-34: pelvic pressure and “everything is heavy”
You might feel increased pelvic pressure, waddling, or pubic symphysis pain. If it hurts to turn in bed, get in and out of the car, or climb stairs, ask for a physiotherapy referral or pelvic health support.
It’s also common to feel more short-tempered. You’re not failing at mindfulness – you’re uncomfortable, you’re carrying the household mental load, and you’re doing it on fragmented sleep.
Weeks 35-36: nesting and mixed emotions
Some people get a burst of “must organise everything now” energy; others feel flat and overwhelmed. Both can be true in the same day.
If you’re feeling anxious about labour, it helps to turn vague fear into specific questions for your midwife: pain relief options, when to call, what early labour at home can look like, and what counts as urgent.
Weeks 37-40+: the “is this it?” phase
Weeks 37-38: lightning crotch, discharge, and sleep disruption
Sharp vaginal or pelvic pains (often called “lightning crotch”) can happen as baby engages and nerves get pressed. Increased discharge is common, but watery fluid that keeps leaking could be your waters – get checked.
Week 39: cramps, loose stools, and stop-start signs
You may get period-like cramps, backache, or loose stools. Sleep can be awful. Braxton Hicks may ramp up, then disappear the moment you decide you’re definitely in labour.
Week 40 and beyond: waiting is a sport
Many pregnancies go past the due date. You may feel emotionally done and physically uncomfortable, especially if friends keep texting “any baby yet?” If you notice reduced movements, bleeding, or severe pain, contact your maternity unit straight away – do not wait.
When to call your midwife or GP (even if you’re not sure)
You never need to earn care by being “bad enough”. Call if you have vaginal bleeding, fluid leaking, severe abdominal pain, a persistent severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, fever, pain when you wee, reduced fetal movements (once movements are established), or if you’re vomiting and can’t keep fluids down.
And if something just feels off, trust that instinct. A quick check is often reassuring, and when it’s not, it’s the fastest route to treatment.
If you want more stage-based, plain-English support across pregnancy and parenting, Kiwi Families has a deep library you can dip into when your brain is full: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz.
A final thought to carry with you: pregnancy symptoms are information, not a performance. You don’t need to “do” pregnancy in any particular way – you just need to keep showing up, one week at a time, and ask for help the moment you’d tell a friend to do the same.
