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Week 13

Welcome to week 13! You have now officially left the first trimester and are beginning the second! Your baby is now approximately 3" long and about 20grams. It is close in size to a peach. Your uterus is now approximately 4 inches below your belly button and you have probably put on a few pounds now.

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Your baby is forming urine and discharging it into the amniotic cavity. Your baby is now swallowing and absorbing fluids. The vocal cords are formed now and the genitalia is completed so you can now tell the difference between a boy and a girl.

Tips for Mom
You may start noticing some light stretchmarks as your body changes. Unfortunately, there is no real cure for them and also no known cause or prevention. Many women swear by lotions, belly butters and lanoline, but while it may help minimize stretchmarks, it will not prevent them. Be careful of using steroid lotions (such as hydrocortisone) on your body while pregnant. The steroids can pass into your body and into the growing baby.

You may also start noticing changes in your breasts, if you haven't already. In the early weeks your breast may be sore or tingly. Your nipples may be over sensitive to the point that clothes make them hurt or shower water is a nuisance. After 8 weeks or so, your breast may start to get larger and feel somewhat lumpy. The milk glands and milk ducts inside the breasts are starting to grow and develop for milk production after baby is born. You may also notice the veins in your breasts now more than ever before and you may notice changes in your nipples. Soon, you may also notice a fluid leaking from the nipple. This is called colostrum and is the fluid that will keep your baby alive in the early days of nursing until your body produces the milk.

If you are planning to work through your pregnancy and plan to return to work after the baby is born, now is the time to learn what your rights are. In the US, the US Pregnancy Discimination Act keeps employers from discriminating against you on the grounds of pregnancy or childbirth. Most women in the US get at least 6 weeks after the baby is born before returning to work. Knowing your companies policy and the law will help ease your mind as you prepare for your journey into motherhood.