What Is 13 Weeks In Pregnancy

Feeling More Like Yourself

Now that you’re 13 weeks pregnant and just a week away from the second trimester, you should be feeling pretty good soon. After all, the second trimester doesn’t get its reputation for being the easiest and most comfortable of the three for nothing.

But if you’re not feeling better yet, don’t worry. While most early pregnancy symptoms will probably be behind you soon, some women find that nausea and fatigue linger into the fourth and even fifth months.

And unfortunately for some women, those and other usual first trimester suspects such as bloating, constipation, headaches and breast tenderness can continue to some extent throughout pregnancy.

What Changes Are Occurring With Your Body During The 13th Week Of Pregnancy

You may not have begun to wear maternity clothes yet, but you have most likely replaced tight-fitting clothes with more comfortable clothing. Stretch marks may be appearing on your abdomen, breasts, hips, or buttocks. Your morning sickness may begin to subside at this point, but you may be experiencing more frequent heartburn. You may also notice some distinct changes in your breasts. By now your breasts might have become larger and may feel lumpy or nodular, which is caused by the mammary ducts as they begin to prepare for milk production. You may also have noticed veins appearing right under the skin on your breasts. Additionally, colostrum begins to form during the second trimester this is the first stage of breast milk, and it can be expressed from the nipple when massaged.

Baby’s Development At 13 Weeks Pregnant

Your mini diva-in-the-making is now developing vocal chords and has the cutest little set of lungs. Shell soon start to take her first few breaths, sort of shes surrounded by amniotic fluid so oxygen comes in her blood from the umbilical cord. A bit like breathing under water.

Baby is thicker skinned now literally, but shes still very transparent with all her veins and organs showing. Shes also beginning to create melanin, which will eventually determine her skin colour. Although most babies take almost a year after birth to reach their natural tone.

In week 13, your babys skeleton is starting to develop with the clavicle, aka collar bone, and femur, aka thigh bone, being first.

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Sex At Week 13 Of Pregnancy

Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, your sex life can continue as normal throughout pregnancy.

Heres your week 13 pregnancy checklist:

• Care to share?

Different couples work differently together: some partners become very involved in pregnancy from the get-go, while others are more reticent. Whatever the case, week 13 is a great opportunity to try to involve your partner more in your and your babys experiences. Why not suggest to your partner that he join you at your next checkup? Its a chance for him to hear the babys heartbeat and catch up on whats been going on.

• And while youre being intimate with your partner

Many women experience heightened sex drive in the early part of the second trimester theres lots of blood flowing to your pelvis and your hormones are raging. If this makes you feel like being intimate with your partner, then let them know about it! Some couples can feel a little disconnected over the course of a pregnancy, so try to take advantage of the opportunity to restore your bond. Unless your health practitioner has told you otherwise, sex is safe for you and your partner throughout pregnancy.

• Remember to be cautious about urinary tract infections

Now that your uterus is expanding into your abdomen, it will put less pressure on your bladder and this will mean fewer bathroom breaks. Stay alert to any sign of a UTI . UTIs do occur when pregnant and should be treated promptly to reduce the risk of kidney infection.

References

What Should You Plan For The 13th Week Of Pregnancy

As women finish the first trimester, they may notice an increased libido. It is common for couples to wonder whether sex during pregnancy is safe. Many dont realize that the baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in the womb, by your abdomen, and by the mucus plug which seals your cervix and helps guard against infection. For many couples, it is safe to engage in sex while pregnant. However, sex should be avoided if:

• You have a history of premature birth or labor.
• You have a history of miscarriage.
• Your water has broken.
• You or your partner has a sexually transmitted disease.

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Weeks Pregnant Your Body

When it comes to sex during pregnancy, you may feel thirstier for sex than ever, while your partner feels something completely different. It may however just as well be that your husband feels enormously captivated by your mature breasts and stomach, but that his eager hands are the last thing you want on your body right now.

Whatever the case, its perfectly normal for sex life to be a little different right now. However, this will change, and it may well change several times before it is time to give birth .

It should now start to tighten more and more around your stomach when you try to get in your old pants. Maybe youre expecting twins? The probability of having twins is greatest if you have a history of dizygotic twins in the family or if you are over 35.

There are however more, more likely explanations for why your stomach begins to increase in size. This may, for example, be due to gassiness or bloating, it may be due to your week being miscalculated, i.e. that you have gone longer than you think or it may be due to you adopting the eating for two a little too literally.

You should talk to your doctor or midwife to get as fair an assessment as possible of what the reason for the increase in size is due to.

What Does My Baby Look Like

Your baby, or foetus, is around 7.4cm long, which is about the size of a peach. The weight is about 25g, which is as heavy as a toothbrush with toothpaste on it.

Your baby’s ovaries or testes are fully developed inside and final tweaks are being made on the outside. The baby is moving around. At first the movements are very jerky and random but then they start to look more deliberate.

You may not feel any movement until around week 17. Some babies suck their thumb in the womb. This actually serves a purpose as it helps to develop their sucking reflex. They’ll need this when it comes to feeding.

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How Does Your Belly Feel At 13 Weeks Pregnant

Youre probably feeling great in terms of nausea and morning sickness! However, to make room for your fast-growing 13-week fetus, your uterus is moving upward and outward. This expansion can cause stretch marks and itchy belly skin. Dont forget to moisturize and eat well to keep skin soft and supple!

Symptoms To Watch Out For

Vaginal bleeding is not uncommon. When it is not paired with menstrual cramps, its usually harmless although medical professionals will call it a threatened miscarriage. Bleeding may continue for some days but generally changes from bright red to dark red to brown before it disappears. In some cases a bruise is seen on the placenta on ultrasound scan: this is called a subchorionic haematoma. The dark red bleeding is likely to be persistent if this is present. If you have any concerns at all, call your midwife or call in to see your Doctor.

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Weeks Pregnant: Your Checklist

• Start doing research into your childcare options. You can ask friends, neighbors, or coworkers for recommendations for in-home care or childcare centers.

• If you work, find out about your maternity leave rights and options, including how many weeks you may have, and how much of that time might be paid. You can also ask if your employer offers any additional benefits.

• Plan how to share your big news with your wider circle of family and friends.

• Start making a shortlist of possible names for your little one with the help of our Baby Name Generator.

• As you enter the second trimester, read up on the trimesters of pregnancy for an overview of whatâs to come.

• Sign up for even more pregnancy tips here:

Baby At 13 Weeks Pregnant

This week, baby is the size of a peach, and shes looking sweeter than ever. Measured crown to rump, shes about 3 inches long and becoming more interested in the world around her.

In fact, babies have been known to suck their thumbs as early as 13 weeks . Even more interesting, some studies suggest that which thumb she chooses to suck may indicate her eventual handedness, since the vast majority of babies prefer to suck their right thumb, just as the vast majority of grown-ups in the world are right-handed.

Heres something even crazier to think about. If youre having a girl, she already has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Who knows, there may be one of your grandchildren among them!

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What Happens During The 13th Week Of Pregnancy

• Smiley or frowning: Your little ones mouth muscles are slowly developing and, at week 13, can form a smile or frown. Your baby may also start to suck on their thumb as a form of self-soothing.
• Theres a lot of growing going on: Bone tissue is forming in their arms, legs, and around your little ones head, along with functioning nerves, muscles, and organs.
• Warming up the pipes: Your babys vocal cords are developing and will be ready to make some noise before you know it. Speaking of noise, week 13 is when many parents-to-be typically start to share their good news with close friends and family members.
• The waiting game: Although your babys genitals are growing, they are still hard to discern on an ultrasound. Youll have to hold out until sometime between weeks 18 and 23 to get the news youve been waiting for.
• The bump is growing: Now that your baby is moving up and out, so is your tummy. A small baby bump may become more noticeable.
• Left brain, meet right brain: Your babys corpus callosum began to develop last week, and it will continue to grow through the teenage years. This C-shaped structure communicates information between the left and right halves of the brain.

Your Baby At 13 Weeks

At 13 weeks, babys kidneys are developed and actively produce urine. Thats righttheyre peeing in utero . Your baby is hard at work practicing their swallowing reflex and keeping those kidneys functioning by constantly drinking amniotic fluid, processing it, peeing it out and then doing it all over again.

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Can I Miscarry At 13 Weeks

But there can be other causes, too. Miscarriages in the first trimester, or before week 13 of your pregnancy, are fairly common. At this stage of pregnancy, many women do not feel symptoms of miscarriage. A late miscarriage is when you lose a baby after week 13, but before week 20, or during the second trimester.

Premature Labor And Birth

If you start having regular contractions that cause your cervix to begin to open or thin out before you reach 37 weeks of pregnancy, you’re in preterm or premature labor. When a baby is delivered before 37 weeks, it’s called a preterm birth and the baby is considered premature. About 10 percent of babies in the United States are born prematurely.

Preterm birth can cause health problems or even be fatal for the baby if it happens too early. The more mature a child is at birth, the more likely he is to survive and be healthy.

Read more about preterm labor.

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Can You Feel The Baby At 13 Weeks

Possibly! Its different for everyone, but some women may start to feel those telltale movements when babys at 13 weeks. If you havent felt the first flutters yet, dont worryit can take up to 25 weeks along to feel whats called the quickening.

It’s debatable how much calorie needs actually increase during pregnancy, because the data shows that it varies widely between women . One researcher suggests that the adage of eating for two be replaced with eating for 1.1 to better reflect the moderate increase in calories per day. Focus on nutrient-dense foods, so every bite is as packed with nutrition as possible. – Lily NIchols, RDN, CDE, a registered dietitian and nutritionist and certified diabetes educator.

Things To Do This Week For A Healthy Pregnancy

Its never too late to start healthy eating habits that will nourish your body and your baby. Focus on whole foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and good fats. Whole-grain toast with peanut butter is a solid way to start the day. Fruits high in antioxidants, like berries, make wonderful snacks. Try incorporating lean protein from beans, eggs, and oily fish into your meals. Just remember to steer clear of:

• seafood high in mercury
• lunch meats, though these are generally considered safe if you heat them up before eating
• unpasteurized foods, which include many soft cheeses
• unwashed fruits and vegetables
• caffeine and alcohol
• some herbal teas

Exercise is still recommended if its been cleared by your doctor. Walking, swimming, jogging, yoga, and light weights are all great options. At 13 weeks, you should start finding alternatives to abdominal exercises, like situps, that require you to lie flat on your back. The increasing weight from your uterus can decrease blood flow to your heart, making you lightheaded, and in turn, slowing the delivery of oxygen to your baby. Read about the best pregnancy exercise apps of 2016.

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Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 14

No more morning sickness?

Your energy is likely returning, and your queasiness may have eased by now. If not, hang on chances are good that morning sickness will soon be behind you if it’s not already. Although it’s uncommon, some expecting moms will still feel nauseated months from now. Tell your healthcare provider at your next appointment if you’re still having nausea or vomiting.

Starting to show

The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad. Starting to show can be quite a thrill, giving you and your partner visible evidence of the baby you’re waiting for. If you’re curious about how other women look at 14 weeks pregnant, check out our pregnant bellies photo gallery.

Bleeding gums

About half of pregnant women have swollen, red, tender gums that bleed when flossed or brushed. This gum inflammation, called pregnancy gingivitis, is partly caused by hormonal changes that make your gums more sensitive to the bacteria in plaque. Be sure to brush your teeth twice daily, and floss daily.

Round ligament pain

Increased appetite

Don’t see your symptom?

Wondering about a symptom you have? Find it on our pregnancy symptoms page.

Your Pregnant Belly At 13 Weeks

Your uterus is now big enough that its growing up and out of your pelvis. That means youre starting to actually look pregnant. Finally, right? Expect to look more and more pregnant from here on out, because carrying a 13-week fetus calls for a weight gain increase. OBs recommend you gain weight in the healthiest way possiblethat means slowly and steadily throughout your pregnancy. Here are the weight gain guidelines outlined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists :

If youre underweight :

• Your recommended total pregnancy weight gain is 28 to 40 pounds.
• In the second and third trimesters, aim to gain about a pound per week.

If youre normal weight :

• Your recommended total pregnancy weight gain is 25 to 35 pounds.
• In the second and third trimesters, aim to gain about a pound or a little less per week.

If youre overweight :

• Your recommended total pregnancy weight gain is 15 to 25 pounds.
• In the second and third trimesters, aim to gain a little over a half pound per week.

If youre obese :

• Your recommended total pregnancy weight gain is 11 to 20 pounds.
• In the second and third trimesters, aim to gain about a half pound per week.

If youre 13 weeks pregnant with twins:

• Your recommended total pregnancy weight gain is 37 to 54 pounds.
• In the first half of your pregnancy, aim to gain about a pound per week. In the second half, aim to gain a little over a pound per week.

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There Is No Heart At Six Weeks Of Pregnancy

At six weeks of pregnancy, some of the cells that will later form the heart begin to “beat.”

This electrical activity can be seen on an ultrasound, giving rise to so-called “heartbeat bills” that ban abortion after six weeks.

However, the heart does not yet exist at six weeks of pregnancy. There are cells that will come together to form the heart, but they don’t function as a heart until much later in the pregnancy.

In fact, many states outlaw abortion at before the fetus would be able to survive outside of the uterus. An embryo becomes a fetus at 10 weeks of pregnancy, but that fetus is unlikely to survive outside of a pregnant person until about 23 weeks gestation, Brandi said.

What’s Happening Inside You

Your baby’s fingers and toes are well-defined their eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails, and hair are formed. Teeth and bones become denser. Your baby can even suck their thumb, yawn, stretch and make faces.

The baby’s reproductive organs and genitals are now fully developed, and your health care provider can see on ultrasound if you are having a boy or a girl. You don’t have to find out the baby’s sex yet — that’s up to you.

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