13 Weeks Pregnant - what to expect
Now you're 13 weeks pregnant, this week is all about maternity wear shopping, tactics for trapped wind, coping with morning sickness and suffering from 'baby brain' (yep, it does exist)...
Watch our video to see what your baby looks like this week
It’s contraction time (don’t panic, not those ones!) as your baby’s digestive muscles start practising the pulsing that, after birth, will push food through the gut. Busy times in the bone marrow, too, where it’s all systems go to make plenty of infection-fighting white blood cells.
And here's a 3D scan of a 13 week baby...
So what's happening to your body this week?
Not content with making you feel utterly knackered and miserably sick, pregnancy does like to chuck in a nice big portion of embarrassment – and lumber you with frequent bouts of trapped wind.
Oh yes, trust us, everyone gets it, even if they're pretending they don't. Your body's releasing top-dollar amounts of progesterone, relaxing your smooth muscle tissue to make more room for your growing baby. Only thing is, your intestines are also made of smooth muscle tissue, and relaxed intestines give bacteria the chance to do their windy worst.
Counter tactics? Sip peppermint tea and, when it's really bad, get down on all fours and stick your bum in the air – looks ridiculous but works blissfully well!
Our MFMer's 13-week bump of the week
Is yours starting to show? Check out other MFMers' bumps in our 13 week bump gallery.
Did you know... your baby's now the length of... a chocolate digestive
This week, your baby measures 7.4cm - the same size as this very moreish chocolatey treat.
And is around the weight of... a strawberry
Your baby now weighs around 0.7oz (20g)!
4 things you might need to know this week
- When's the best time to start shopping for maternity clothes?
- Can you predict your baby's sex with the skull theory?
- Panic not... baby brain does exist
- Still vomming? How long can morning sickness last?
MFMer's tip of the week from our forum
“Oh, my breasts are so sore and sensitive. I've taken to wearing a soft, padded bra to bed and it's been so much more comfortable” - kimmikim
Want to share your pregnancy with others going through the same as you? There's a birth club for your due date - take a look...
Is it safe... to drink organic milk?
Huh? What's risky about organic milk, you're probably thinking. Well, that didn't stop a slightly scary story in the press claiming that drinking organic and longlife (UHT) milk could harm your baby's brain development.
So what's the real story? Actually it's all about iodine. Iodine is important for healthy brain development and it turns out organic and UHT milk contain a third less iodine than regular milk. So organic and UHT milk aren't dangerous as such.
But as milk is normally our main source of iodine, if you choose to drink organic or UHT, it's wise to eat more iodine in your diet or take a supplement.
Our preg recipe for week 13 - Plum and almond crumble slice
Why almonds are great for your growing baby
Nutri-geek fact: gram for gram, almonds are higher in fibre and calcium than any other tree nut <impressed face>. They contain folic acid, which, as well as helping protect against birth defects, can also stimulate healthy cell growth and tissue formation.
And they’re a good source of energy-encouragers riboflavin, manganese and copper – making them an ace snack for anyone knackered by the beginnings of hatching a human.
See the full recipe and get cooking...
Baby namer - what do you think of these Welsh names?
Has seeing a scan of your baby got you thinking more about names? How about these traditional Welsh names for something a bit different?
Dilys
Dilys means genuine, steadfast and true. An unusual 19th century name that doesn't make the top 1000 but could be due for a revival.
Celeb baby-name-check: Dilys Laye was a comedy actress and screenwriter for the Carry On films.
Idris
In Welsh legend, Idris was the name given to a rather feisty giant who had an observatory on Cader Idris in Snowdonia.
Celeb baby-name-check: British actor Idris Elba has made this quirky name famous.
Find more inspiring suggestions in our dedicated Baby Names section.
So that's plenty for this week, want to take a peek at what lies ahead - or look back at last week?
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