Congratulations! You have now passed your first trimester and concluded the third of your pregnancy journey. You are now through with the bad symptoms and with the risk of having a miscarriage as well. This trimester is simply glorious and you will enjoy each day of it.
Your Body’s Changes at the 13th Week of Pregnancy
About now you can probably see the small baby bump growing bigger as your womb grows outwards and upwards. On the plus side, the urge to pee a lot should now stop as the womb moves away from your bladder. In case you still have an issue with the excessive peeing, make sure to consult your doctor as you might have a urine/bladder infection.
On the other hand, much more blood being pumped around your pelvic area, which might cause some women’s sex drive to go insanely high. Having sex during pregnancy is completely safe unless you have been advised otherwise by your doctor or your midwife.
At this stage, you can see your veins clearly as they will be more visible due to the increased blood flow.
This trimester is known as the most energetic and the least symptomatic, you will start feeling more like yourself, you will have more energy than you used to, and will also have the will to finish everything on your to-do list.
Since you will be feeling more energetic, this is a good time to go back to working out. Working out and maintaining your energy and health stability is very beneficial to you and your baby, it can also make labor much easier for you.
If you are carrying twin babies at your 13th week of pregnancy, you probably still experience a few bad symptoms like fatigue and morning sickness. That is because twin mothers have more pregnancy hormone hCG in their bodies.
However, if your vomiting or nausea is really bad, consult your doctor to make sure everything is okay. But if you can hold down liquids and food without vomiting but still feeling a bit ill, try to wait a little longer as it will get easier very soon.
Your 13 Weeks Baby Bump
Your uterus is now growing to the point where you finally show to be pregnant as it grows up and out of your pelvis. Starting now on, you should expect to look more and more pregnant as this trimester calls for a bit of weight gain.
Gaining pregnancy weight at this point is completely normal and even recommended, however, it should be done in a healthy and steady way based on your doctor’s recommendations considering your current weight and health situation. Make sure to contact your doctor for a good second-trimester diet.
Pregnancy Symptoms at the Second Trimester
By now, you have passed the hardest trimester and waved goodbye to all the tricky symptoms you have been having. You can now enjoy your pregnancy journey without being sick or running off to the bathroom every ten minutes. However, you might still endure some mild symptoms but it will not be painful, if it is, make sure to consult your doctor.
13-week pregnancy symptoms might include:
- Headaches
- Nosebleeds
- Sore breasts
- Leg cramps
- Dizziness
- Urine infection
- Greasy skin
- Feeling warm
- Swollen feet or hands
- Dark skin patches
- Swollen or bleeding gum
- Pain on the sides of the belly
- Bloating and constipation
Baby’s Development at Week 13 of Pregnancy
Your baby is now around 7.4cm long from head to toe and weighs around 25g. His size is now almost equal to a small ripe peach. Your baby’s sex has now been determined as their ovaries or testes are fully developed on the inside and the final touches are being developed on the outside.
At this stage, your baby is moving around in the womb doing his strange dance moves, you will not feel his kicks and movements until around week 17 of your pregnancy though. Some babies at this stage start sucking their thumbs, which is adorable on one hand and very helpful to develop their sucking reflexes on the other.
By the 13th week, the baby’s ultrasound may detect the baby’s gender, however, it could be a bit tricky to figure it out at this point, your doctor might wait till your mid-pregnancy ultrasound to be completely sure, which is about 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy.
If you choose to do a prenatal cell-free DNA testing or NIPT to detect any chromosomal abnormalities, you will definitely be able to know the gender once you get your results. So, by week 13, you might want to start looking for names!
Tips for your 13th Week
Embrace Your New Heightened Sex Drive
By your second trimester, you will have a huge boost in your sex drive. Your increased libido has plenty of health benefits for you and your baby as pregnancy sex can enhance and speed up your postpartum recovery.
Pregnancy sex helps you with tightening your pelvic floor muscles as well as improving your mood and helps you have a goodnight’s sleep. However, make sure you consult your doctor if you have any history of miscarriages as you might need to abstain. Your doctor will be able to advise you with what you are safely capable of during this trimester.
Eat Well!
During this trimester, make sure to eat plenty of iron-rich foods as it helps you generate enough blood supply. Ensure to have enough amount of the right food such as beef, soy products, dried fruits, spinach, and potatoes.
Try eating your fruits with their skin on, one apple per day helps you with constipation as it has 4.4 grams of constipation-quelling fibers while if you have applesauce or apple juice, you might not get any at all.
Fight Germs
The best way to stay healthy during pregnancy is to avoid any way you might catch any viruses or bugs such as flu or cold. Your immune system is now being suppressed to keep your baby from being rejected as it’s a foreigner to your body.
Make sure to wash your hands more often, always have a sanitizer handy and avoid touching your eyes. If you felt like you might have caught something, make sure to contact your doctor as soon as possible to prevent any infection or complications.