Pregnancy Week By Week : 13 Weeks Pregnant - What To Expect

Great news mommies! You have graduated from the first trimester and successfully stepped into your second trimester with the 13th week of your pregnancy. Some of you have bid adieu to your morning sickness and nausea. Many of you are still dealing with the pregnancy discomforts but they will phase out soon. The first trimester was primarily about new developments in your baby. This week onwards the developmental phase will give way to a maintenance phase as your little one's developed organs begin their functioning. To find out about all the changes that will be occurring in your baby this week, keep reading.

Baby Development

A big head

Also the fetus now almost resembles a human baby, it has a comparatively larger head. The crown is about half the size of the entire body length, giving your tiny one an alien-like appearance.

Bone formations

Your baby's bones are forming at a rapid pace during the thirteenth week of your pregnancy. The limbs are taking shape and the skeletal framework is developing. Thanks to the arm and leg movements, your baby can now put her tiny fleshy thumb into the mouth.

Growth of the placenta

In order to cater to the increasing nutritional needs of the fetus, the placenta is also growing significantly. It will weigh a good pound or two when you give birth to your baby.

Vocal cords

Though you won't be able to hear your baby's cooing from the inside of your uterus, its vocal cords, that had started forming last week, are developing quickly this week.

Eyes and eyebrows

The tiny eyes of your baby are coming closer to one another giving a more human appearance to the face. The hair shaping the eyebrows are also slowly forming and will come together in shape within a few more days.

A functional intestine

All this while, the intestines were developing and making its way into the abdominal cavity. By the end of this week, the intestines will have become fully functional.

The look of your baby

At the turn of the second trimester, your little one is taking the shape of a full-fledged human baby, only it is still quite tiny in size. Your baby is now the size of a full grown peach and is three inches long approximately. The weight of the fetus is anywhere between 0.7 to 0.9 ounces at this stage.

Body Changes & Common Symptoms

Increase in your waistline: By the beginning of the second trimester, you will begin to notice a certain increase in the inches around your waist. With the increase in the uterus size, your waistline will also experience a marked growth in the coming weeks.

Abdominal cramps and pain: As your uterus settles against your pelvic bones and grows up and out, the bladder pressure you have been experiencing for the last few weeks will subside. On the flipside, now that it is pressed against your abdomen, you may have to deal with sudden abdominal cramps that can be quite sharp and intense at times.

Ligament pain: In order to accommodate the growing womb, the ligaments supporting your uterus will pull and stretch to make more space. This may result in ligament pain near the lower abdomen and also in your inner thigh area. If the pain is too much, it is a good idea to consult your doctor for an occasional painkiller that is safe for pregnancy.

Acidity and heartburn: Though not all women face this during the second trimester, many pregnant women are prone to heartburn. There is a sharp burning sensation in the chest and throat area, especially during the night. This is because of the loosening of the smooth stomach muscles that leads to acid reflux.

Sensitive breasts: As your body is in full swing to prepare the mammary glands to nourish your little one once it is born, you may have extremely sensitive breasts from this time onwards. You may feel a tingling sensation every now and then as the glands are working towards producing colostrum. The mammary duct will also grow in size thereby making your breasts feel larger.

Health Tips

Now that you have entered the second trimester of your pregnancy, things are mostly going to get better from here on. However, it is always best to take care of yourself and not slide into old lifestyle habits that may affect your little one. Here are the health tips for this week:

• Slow yet steady weight gain: Irrespective of whether you have a slight or a large build, weight gain will happen during pregnancy. However, if the pounds are added too fast, there will be severe stretch marks that may take ages to fade away. Therefore, it is wise to pay attention to your food habits, so that you put on the pounds slowly yet steadily. This reduces your chances of getting deep ugly stretch marks across your body parts such as breasts, arms, tummy, thighs, etc.
• Moisturize your skin thoroughly: Whether you like it or not, stretch marks are to a mother, what scars are to a warrior. You may not combat their appearance completely, but you can make them lighter by keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized. Apply baby oil or olive oil regularly before or after bath on your body, especially the belly, arms and chest areas.
• Practice safe sex: During the second trimester, you may experience an increased sex drive thanks to all the blood supply and hormone secretions in your body. Despite the bloating and heartburn, you may want to indulge in intimate activities with your spouse. It is perfectly alright to have intercourse during this time, but you have to be careful about not hurting yourself in the process. If you are even slightly uncomfortable, refrain from that sexual position immediately. Also, if you have had miscarriages or early labor in the past, it is best to control your sexual activity for the time being.

With that, we come to the end of this week. Hope you are beginning to feel better health wise and also maintaining a positive attitude. A positive mind will help you through your pregnancy journey. Don't shy away from your partner, if you have some concerns, physical or emotional. Share the happiness and the burden of pregnancy together and soon you will have a healthy bony baby in your arms.