13 Weeks

Baby

As you begin your second trimester, your chances of a miscarriage drastically drop. Your little one is now about the size of a jumbo shrimp, 2 ½ inches long and weighing about ¾ of an ounce. But make no mistake; this is no shrimp. Although your baby is tiny, he is a fully formed baby. His head is becoming more proportional to his body every week, and it now makes up about 1/3 of his size. Eyes and ears continue to move to their rightful places, as they develop. Your baby’s neck is also getting longer, so that the chin is no longer touching his chest. Reflexes are working; and if you were to touch him, he would squirm. Hands and feet also respond to stimuli, as they open and close.

Your baby has fully formed fingerprints, which make him like no other. His kidneys and urinary tract are beginning to function, so that he is able to urinate out amniotic fluid that he’s taking in. Even though he is swallowing amniotic fluid, all nourishment is being provided by the placenta now.

And, if you want to know what baby is up to every day, check out the ExpectantSee Screensaver.

Mom

Congratulations on making it to your second trimester at the end of this week. The second trimester brings lots of joys and is often considered the “honeymoon period” of your pregnancy. In the second trimester, the risk of miscarriage drops significantly, you will begin to feel your baby’s movements, and you may even get to see if you’re having a boy or a girl with your mid-pregnancy ultrasound. More great things to come as your morning sickness often diminishes, heartburn and indigestion disappear, and your energy rebounds. Enjoy this trimester, as you bond closer to your baby!

You may feel the end to the nausea suddenly, or it may gradually subside. In very few cases, morning sickness occurs throughout the pregnancy. Why does nausea often disappear? Your body has started to get used to the surge in hormone levels, and they may even level off as all the hard work of forming your baby and placenta is through. Now comes the rapid growth and further development of your baby’s organs, which is not quite as demanding on your body.

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PLEASE NOTE

This should be used as a general guideline and is for general information and educational purposes only. Please remember that all pregnancies develop at different rates. If you have questions about your baby's development, please contact your doctor or midwife.