13 Weeks, 1 Day - The Fourteenth Week

Second Trimester! Can you believe it? Sometimes I still can't. Anyway, it's official. I am now in my second trimester, fourth month, and fourteenth week. It's so good. Here's the scoop.

My Symptoms
I feel great. Like I mentioned earlier this week, I'm still tired, but all the other bad stuff I complained about a month ago. I hardly remember. Funny how that works. Looking back, it wasn't so bad and didn't really last that long. I'm guessing this is how I'll feel about the pain of childbirth a couple of weeks after I bring my baby home?

The Baby
The crown-to-rump length is 3.2 to 4.1 inches. Your baby is about the size of your fist and weighs almost 1 ounce. This week the baby's ears have moved from the neck to the sides of the head. Eyes have been moving gradually to the front of the face from the side of the head. The neck continues to get longer, and the chin no longer rests on the chest. Sexual development continues. It is becoming easier to determine male from female by looking at external genitalia, which are more developed.

Lub-dub, lub-dub..." At your doctor’s visit, ask to hear the baby’s heartbeat. At this point, using a Doppler you'll be able to hear the tiny beating.

Head to bottom, your baby's 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Her body's growing faster than her head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of her body. (Her legs still have some growing to do, though.) She's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over her body (called lanugo). Her liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and her spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. She's also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that she'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but her hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, her little facial muscles are getting a workout as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and she may be able to suck her thumb.

The baby is now about 12.5 cms or 4.92 inches. Your baby is now producing urine and actually urinating into the amniotic fluid. It also can practice "breathing" the amniotic fluid in and out of its lungs. Amniotic fluid is an amazing substance. It completely regenerates itself every three hours. We do know that it is partially composed of urine from the baby, but where amniotic fluid in general is made we are not sure. Modern medicine still has some surprises left.

The Mom
Maternity clothes may be a "must" by now. Some women try to get by for a while by not buttoning or zipping thier pants all the way or by using rubber bands or safety pins to increase their waistbands. It usually only works for a short time. YOU are going to get even bigger. You'll enjoy your pregnancy more and feel more comfortable with cloting that fits comfortably and provides you room to grow.

It may feel like butterflies or it may feel like gas. Some mothers may feel fetal movement (quickening), though others may not be able to identify movement until around week 20. Soon, though, you’ll be playing footsie with a fetus who insists on poking you in the ribs and dancing the rumba -- just when you settle in for a good night’s rest. And speaking of sleep -- not all pregnant women can! How can you get comfortable? Try warm milk, soothing massage and, as you grow, lots of pillows -- under your leg, under your belly, next to your back... did I also tell you you’ll need a bigger bed? (Hey, once the baby is born, you may never sleep again!)

As early discomforts (nausea, fatigue, breast tenderness) begin to fade, you may start to regain some energy and feel more comfortable with how your body's changing. (Although the top of your uterus is only a bit above your pelvic bone, that growth may be enough to push your tummy out a bit. Starting to show is an exciting pregnancy milestone and it will likely give you and your partner the visible evidence of a baby that you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but you can also breathe a little sigh of relief knowing that with the start of this trimester your risk of miscarriage has dropped significantly. Now try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.

The hormonal changes in your body are becoming apparent. Many are in the form of skin changes. You may have developed a dark line down the middle of your abdomen to your pubic bone called a linea negra. The areola (dark nipple portion of your breasts) may have darkened and gotten larger as well. Your uterus is now the size of a grapefruit.