Welcome to week eleven!
You are close to the end of your first trimester! Your baby is almost fully formed now and although you can’t feel him or her move yet there are tiny kicks, stretching and even hiccups now.
Your baby’s diaphragm is formed, and he/she is the size of a Brussels sprout. You may still be feeling nauseated in the mornings or even all day and the breast tenderness and fatigue are still there for another week or so, maybe longer. You may notice that you are urinating more frequently due to pressure on your bladder and because your uterus is enlarging, you may feel mild uterine cramping.
Your baby is almost fully formed now and although you can’t feel him or her move yet there are tiny kicks, stretching and even hiccups now.
How my Baby Grows
- The period of rapid growth continues
- Baby’s head is still large compared to the rest of his/her body, but this will even out more over the coming weeks and months
- Your baby is now breathing under water, he/she has started inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid which helps your baby’s lungs to develop
- There is a great deal of movement going on inside and if you have an ultrasound this week you will be surprised to see the amount of kicking, waving and flips that your baby is doing
- Tooth buds are forming, eyelids are still fused shut but tiny ears have moved most of the way into their permanent position on the head
Symptoms Mama may Feel or Experience
- Nausea and maybe vomiting are likely still an issue but may not be as bad now
- The fatigue that you have been feeling may be a little better this week and you may be feeling more like yourself
- You have probably seen your doctor or midwife by now for your first prenatal appointment and may have lots of questions
- Don’t’ forget to write them down for your next visit in a month
- Remember to check out the articles in Go-to-Topics that StorkAdvisor has for you
- It is not uncommon for food cravings to be pretty strong
- As long as they are healthy eat up
- There is one type of craving that is not healthy, it is for things like clay or dirt (it is called PICA) and if this occurs let your provider know
- As you probably know, vaginal bleeding is sometimes of concern at any time of the pregnancy however if you are experiencing spotting after intercourse, this is normal
- It is likely due to the hormonal influence of the pregnancy on the cervix
- It is not coming from the pregnancy in the uterus where the baby is at but from the cervix
Thoughts to Consider
- As the pregnancy nears the end of the first trimester, you have had your first prenatal visit and ultrasound, and you may be feeling the weight of all that is happening
- If you have had certain genetic testing done, you may know gender already
- You may start thinking about work schedules, how large your apartment or house is and if you need a yard or not
- Many women make a move during their pregnancy, often to be closer to home or family, or maybe just because you will soon need more space
- There will be lots of decisions to make in the coming months and it is good to discuss them with your partner and read from reliable sources so that the decisions you make are well informed
- Just remember that babies are little that first year and you are what they need most
- You might enjoy exploring what your community has available to help educate and support you throughout your pregnancy and early parenting, these may be located by contacting community centers or local churches, asking other moms or checking with your pediatrician’s office for things like the following:
- Walking clubs for moms
- Lactation support centers for breastfeeding moms
- Twins support groups
- Newborn classes (although we recommend that you wait a few months to register for these)
- Babysitting co-ops
- Play groups
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Let’s talk about deli meats
- Deli meats are sliced, processed or carved cooked meats like ham, pepperoni, turkey, chicken, and salami that are sold in grocery stores, delis or sandwich shops
- Although extremely rare, eating deli meats can expose you and your baby to a potentially deadly virus called Listeria
- It is best to avoid them altogether however if you do decide to eat deli meats they should be heated until steamy as this will likely kill the Listeria virus
- What about sushi?
- If you are a sushi lover and would still like to eat sushi you will need to do your homework to find out what ingredients are in the sushi
- The fish in sushi will need to be cooked to hopefully kill any bacteria that may be present
- You should only eat sushi with fish that is low in mercury
