Your fetus is about three inches long and the size of a peach at 13 weeks pregnant. But don't compare your fetus with the fetus next door. Starting about now, babies begin growing at different paces, some faster than others, some more slowly, though they all follow the same developmental path. Growing at a universally breakneck speed now is your baby's body as it tries to catch up to the head in terms of size. Though your baby's head is about half the size of its body now, by the time your baby is ready to make his or her entrance into the world, the head will be only one-fourth as large as the body.
Your baby's intestines are also in for some big changes right now. Up till this point, they've been growing in a cavity inside the umbilical cord; but now they're moving to their permanent (and more conveniently located) address, in your baby's abdomen. And to serve your growing baby's needs, the placenta is also growing. It weighs about an ounce now and will weigh one to two pounds at birth (something else you'll soon be able to blame your weight gain on!).
Also developing this week: your baby's vocal chords. Because sound can't travel through your uterus (your baby's current habitat), you won't be able to hear any sounds or cries just yet, but oh boy (or girl) — those vocal chords will get a good workout once that baby is born.
(Is it just me or does that image of a 13 week fetus look .. disturbing? LOL)
I apologize for not posting my weekly update last week. I kept meaning to come and do it, but the holidays just got the better of me. Finally, it was Monday and I figured, I'll just wait until 13 weeks to post the newest update, lol.
13 weeks! WOW. Some consider the start of 12 weeks to be second tri, others consider it to be the end of 12 weeks, some say 13 weeks 3 days, and yet others say the end of 13 weeks. Goodness. I think I'll go with what I've gone with in the past and declare myself (err, baby?) in second trimester as of today. YAY! So wonderful that we're here, but it feels like the pregnancy is flying!
The spotting has stopped, which is great. I was getting used to having it, but it's nice for it to be done! Fingers crossed it stays gone! Pregnancy should be a time we women get to avoid using feminine care products (PADS!) for the most part, I say.
I am feeling great. I am definitely getting my energy back, though I am still taking things easy (not pushing the fully loaded cart around at Costco, for instance). I'm gaggy still, when I don't eat every couple of hours. Thank goodness for a husband that cleaned the horribly disgusting bird poo off of my van last week. I went outside to go somewhere, saw it, gagged, ran in the house to puke and then asked him to please go outside and clean it off! I couldn't even stand the idea of hosing it off myself. YUCK!
I'm showing more and more, and I've started to feel the baby just a bit! I can feel it if I am sitting and still, and every so often I feel the flutters and slight bumping in there. I was explaining this feeling to my husband the other day, he said that'd be an annoying feeling, haha. I love it, of course.
It's bizarre to think that soon enough we'll be scheduling the 20 week ultrasound and we'll be finding out the gender. I was kind of hoping to wait, but my IFs are planners and want to know now. I understand that, being I found out early with my own children! For now, I am just trying to enjoy the pregnancy and not think ahead to the bigger events too much. I just want to be happy with where I am and not wish this away (except I do wish the hip pain would lessen, but eh, it comes with the package!).
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