Welcome to Week 13 of Your Pregnancy!
Your Baby in Week 13 of Pregnancy
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Your baby is starting to look like an itty bitty version of you by week 13 of pregnancy! Up to now, the head has been larger than the rest of the fetus. This week, the head growth slows and the rest of the body will start to catch up.
The body and face are starting to look more normal as well at week 13 of pregnancy so it will look less and less like an alien from this point forward. The eyes have begun moving from the sides of the head to the front as the facial skeleton forms and your baby’s ears are now moving into their correct position.
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The fetus is between the size of a peach and a baseball by week 13 of pregnancy, all hunched up together in the “fetal position.” Overall, the fetus is close to three or four inches in length. The arms are becoming more flexible, and can bend at the elbow and appear to reach for things. The legs are also gaining strength and can move at the knees. The legs will kick around week 13 of pregnancy, even though you may not be able to feel the movement yet. The arms and legs will not fill out until near the end of the pregnancy when the baby gains that precious baby fat.
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The pancreas has developed enough to where it is making insulin around week 13 of pregnancy. Insulin may not be so important as the baby floats in amniotic fluid, but as your baby grows outside the womb, insulin regulates the sugar levels within the body. The pancreas is about the size of a dime inside of your little baby and will continue to grow larger as weeks go by!
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Some of the five senses are forming during week 13. Your baby is developing the senses of taste and smell right now, even though the senses are immature. You might not think that they have anything to taste or smell, but they do! Just think of all that fluid moving in and around them. Because the fluid won’t be the same, since what you eat and drink affects the baby, he or she will get to experience some of what you have.
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The umbilical cord is one hard working piece of machinery. Every day, the cord will move 300 quarts of fluid in and around the baby in its protective sac. We already know from Week 12’s installment that it’s a jellylike structure, but this jelly stuff is tough! The material is a virtually indestructible when healthy and in the womb. The baby can pinch, pull, twist and even try to tie it in a knot, but the umbilical cord will not break! It is only able to be cut after birth, once the blood has stopped circulating in it and even then, it will need to be cut with a sharp instrument.
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The structures for all of the bones are in place, and the bones are just beginning to thicken around week 13 of pregnancy. The bones will not completely harden until after the delivery for a couple of reasons. First, if your baby were to have fully formed bones, they would be even heavier to carry for nine months…not too fun to imagine! Second, when the bones are strong, they aren’t as flexible, and to make it out the birth canal during delivery, the bones will need to flex and compress slightly. As moms everywhere will attest…smaller is better!
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The neck is another feature of your baby that has developed rapidly in week 13 of pregnancy. It has gotten longer since the embryonic stage, allowing it to finally come up off the chest. Since the muscles and tissues surrounding the neck have developed quite a bit, the head can now turn side to side – a little bit. This is one of the first free motions your baby will be able to perform! In the uterus, the baby is floating in amniotic fluid, so it doesn’t have to work too hard at neck movements. The neck muscles will continue growing, but won’t be very strong until several weeks AFTER your baby is born.
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The skin is beginning to form over all of the organs and tissues. It remains translucent, or clear, and will be that way for several more weeks. Don’t worry, though. Even though the skin is thin and almost transparent, it still provides protection for all the vital equipment underneath. It keeps excess amniotic fluid out, and holds the proper fluid and hormones in for development.
Your Body in Week 13 of Pregnancy
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With your body growing before and after week 13 of pregnancy, you may be experiencing lots of new sensations. One may be in the form of pain in your abdomen. Typically, this is normal, especially if this is your first pregnancy. When your abdomen grows at such a fast rate, the ligaments that aren’t used to stretching have to do so quickly, and this may result in some pain. The pain may include sharp or stabbing feelings across the lower abdomen and pelvic region. You may also notice an ache when you suddenly shift a position.
- To ease ligament pain during week 13 of pregnancy, just relax. Reduce your activity level and move a little bit slower. Give your ligaments some time to adjust to their new size when you are moving around. The pains may be sporadic for several days or weeks, intermittently. If your pain becomes worse or does not go away in a few minutes, call your doctor. They will be able to give you the best advice.
- The intestines are moving from the umbilical cord to inside of the baby, into the stomach cavity. As your baby grows, more room will be in the stomach area and all of the intestines will fall into place. Once the intestines are all inside of the baby, the outer skin will form over them and protect them. They have already begun to work a little at digesting and passing amniotic fluid through.
- It’s never more important than now to be aware of what goes in to your body. Get plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, so your baby gets the very best of everything you can offer.
- Your body may be feeling bloated in week 13 of pregnancy but it won't be limited to this week. Chalk it up to just another effect of your pregnancy. The bloating can be from the added fluid, it could be from your changing digestive system or you have a craving for a gassy food! Either way, drink extra water to keep flushing the fluid or air out. If it becomes bothersome, check with your doctor to see what anti-gas or anti-bloating medicine you are able to take. You may just have to wait this out!
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