As a mother-to-be, you will feel very normal and most likely be completely unaware that you’ve become pregnant during the first few weeks. However, at the moment the egg and sperm unite, every genetic detail regarding your baby will be down in writing. This includes the baby’s gender, hair and eye colour, height, and much more.

Some women do experience signs of pregnancy during these otherwise normal first few weeks. The earliest signs of pregnancy include a metallic taste in the mouth, a slightly weakened immune system, and a higher basal body temperature. Of course, the most tell-tale sign of all is a missed period, although this generally occurs around the sixth week. While it may be tempting to purchase a pregnancy test kit right away, most doctors advise waiting until you are late for your menstrual cycle. This allows plenty of time for the hCG hormone to be strong enough to show up on the average commercial pregnancy test.

Even though it is likely that you’ll be among the majority of women who only discover their pregnancy around week six, it is important to take good care of yourself early on. If you are planning to become pregnant or are sexually active without birth control, it is best to stop drinking and smoking before becoming pregnant. Because such crucial embryonic development occurs before most women even know they are pregnant, eating well and taking a multivitamin can go a long way in protecting the baby’s future health and getting him or her off to the best possible start in life.