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Welcome to the beginning of your second trimester as a pregnant woman. At week 13, You have about 27 weeks remaining to complete your pregnancy journey. Your baby has been growing bigger and bigger every week and is now about the size of a lemon. You should be feeling relaxed now as the second trimester is generally known as the easiest, with fewer symptoms and more energy.
Your baby’s big head is becoming more balanced with the other body parts. His head is currently about half the size of his entire frame.
This week, your baby’s eyes have arrived but are still closed. The eyelids are shut to protect those tiny peepers as they evolve.
Your baby is getting ready for its very first cry at birth. With the formation of the vocal cords which have started forming this week, their laughter and the first words are promised.
Your baby’s big head is becoming more balanced with the other body parts. His head is currently about half the size of his entire frame.
This week, your baby’s eyes have arrived but are still closed. The eyelids are shut to protect those tiny peepers as they evolve.
Your baby is getting ready for its very first cry at birth. With the formation of the vocal cords which have started forming this week, their laughter and the first words are promised.
Your baby’s fingers must have developed the week before, but now the fingerprints are forming. In just a few weeks, your baby would have a fingerprint. Your baby now has eyes that are closed all the time during this period for protection. Their eyes will remain closed till about the twenty-eighth week.
The vocal cords are still developing, and your baby can now swallow. Your baby has also begun to consume amniotic fluid, this helps them practice swallowing and recycling the entire quantity of liquid every few hours. The placenta is growing in size as well. In this week, your baby’s body is now growing proportional. Unlike before, their head is not so much bigger than the rest of their body; their head is now about twice the size of their body.
Your baby is now developing bones in their arms and legs, as well as their backbones which enable them to move around in your belly. It will be random and jerky at first, but as time goes on, it will become much more smooth and more deliberate. Your baby has also started learning how to suck, starting from sucking their thumb while in your womb.
The sex organs which started growing in week twelve are now becoming more specific. In a few weeks, you will be able to know the gender of your baby through an ultrasound.
At thirteen weeks, your baby is about the size of a lemon and weighs about twenty-three grams which is what a toothbrush weighs when it has toothpaste on it. Your baby’s length is about 2.19 inches or 7.4 centimetres. The head of your baby is twice the rest of their body right now, but it will even out by the time of their birth. All babies grow at different rates, so don’t worry if your baby is not the same size as the other lady who lives next to your door.
In the thirteenth week, your uterus has now grown big enough that it has expanded your pelvis. You will most likely get stretched marks in your stomach area because of the growth; you are now starting to look like a pregnant woman. You will also start to gain weight as your baby grows more.
At 13 weeks pregnant, you have about 27 more weeks to complete your pregnancy journey.
At 13 weeks of pregnancy, you should start feeling much better, as you are in the second trimester, which is known to be the easiest of the three trimesters.
Most early pregnancy symptoms are subsiding this week, but some women still report that fatigue and nausea persist until the 4th or 5th month. In addition, typical first trimester symptoms, constipation, breast tenderness, and bloating can last throughout pregnancy for some women.
In your second trimester, there will be an increase in energy. You will get a break in your second trimester if you’ve been feeling tired recently. This is the time for you to get stuff done, go shopping, go on trips, join exercise groups, and much more. Compared to the last weeks, there is also an increase in your sex drive this week. It might not be for everybody, but most women experience this.
In this week, your enlarging womb is causing discomfort on the side of your tummy (known as “round ligament pains”). This means that you will experience pains in the side of your stomach. Nothing too serious, though; if the pain is severe, contact your doctor. You will also have bleeding and swollen gums, so make sure to visit your dentist regularly.
The famous symptom of pregnancy which you have heard about, swelling of hands and feet, will start from this week. You will also get leg cramps and headaches. In addition, you may keep feeling dizzy, bloated, constipated, as well as nosebleeds.
Other likely symptoms include:
sore and tender breasts, greasy skin, thick and shiny hair, feeling hot, getting unusual cravings, Frequent urination and vaginal discharge.
In your second trimester, there will be an increase in energy. You will get a break in your second trimester if you’ve been feeling tired recently. This is the time for you to get stuff done, go shopping, go on trips, join exercise groups, and much more. Compared to the last weeks, there is also an increase in your sex drive this week. It might not be for everybody, but most women experience this.
In this week, your enlarging womb is causing discomfort on the side of your tummy (known as “round ligament pains”). This means that you will experience pains in the side of your stomach. Nothing too serious, though; if the pain is severe, contact your doctor. You will also have bleeding and swollen gums, so make sure to visit your dentist regularly.
The famous symptom of pregnancy which you have heard about, swelling of hands and feet, will start from this week. You will also get leg cramps and headaches. In addition, you may keep feeling dizzy, bloated, constipated, as well as nosebleeds.
Other likely symptoms include:
sore and tender breasts, greasy skin, thick and shiny hair, feeling hot, getting unusual cravings, Frequent urination and vaginal discharge.
This is a sensitive period for your teeth, so make sure you take care of it. Visit your dentist and remember to brush your teeth twice a day, limit sugary snacks and beverages, and avoid smoking which can aggravate gum disease. For sensitive gums, use a gentle toothbrush. If you’re sick, brush in gentle circles, up and down and protect your teeth by rinsing your mouth with water to flush away harmful acid in your vomit. Stick to alcohol-free mouthwashes to reduce plaque.
Although you might get the urge to eat a lot of food, try not to eat too much at once because it increases constipation. Try to eat your fruits such as apples and peaches with the skin as it has more health benefits eating with the skin.
Eating healthy foods, gaining weight slowly and steadily may help reduce stretch marks. Your doctor will tell you how much weight you are expected to gain during pregnancy and how best to do it.
You should also start working out if you haven’t yet. A pregnancy workout will help make childbirth easier and reduce urinary leakage after you had your baby.
Vaginal Discharge: Study your vaginal discharge and make sure to see your doctor if the discharge is plenty, greenish, red, or if it comes with pain and itching. You might have an infection, or it might even be a sign of miscarriage.
Eating Habit: Avoid eating or drinking anything that contains alcohol as it can cause birth complications and deformities in your baby.
Make sure you’re eating well, but not too much. Excessive weight gain can cause difficulties during childbirth, it can also make loosing weight difficult after your pregnancy.
illness: Watch out for colds and other contagious infections. Stay away from people with chickenpox. Eating healthy will help you prevent colds.
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