Welcome to the 2nd trimester! It’s hard to believe you’re already one-third of the way through your pregnancy. In week 13 of pregnancy, your baby’s senses are developing rapidly and becoming more complex. For you, uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms are gradually subsiding (or may have already), and it’s a good time to start thinking about the birth.
How big is your baby in the 13th week of pregnancy?
Your child is about 6 centimeters long this week, roughly the size of an apricot.
13th week of pregnancy: What is changing for you
With the 13th week of pregnancy, the 2nd trimester begins. You’re probably breathing a sigh of relief this week, because the first, critical trimester is over and the risk of miscarriage decreases significantly. Many women use this milestone to announce their pregnancy to those around them. You won’t be able to hide it for much longer anyway that you’ll soon become a mom. ;) In the 13th week of pregnancy, a small baby bump is slowly but surely becoming visible. The reason for this is the uterus, which is getting larger and moving further up from the pelvis this week. You might even feel this growth as a slight pulling sensation in your lower abdomen now. A pleasant side effect: due to this upward movement, the uterus now presses less on your bladder, and the constant urge to urinate stops (for now).
13th week of pregnancy: Development of your baby
So far, your baby’s skeleton has consisted of rubbery cartilage tissue. In this and the following weeks, it will gradually turn into increasingly solid bone. Your baby continues to move actively. In the 13th week of pregnancy, the grasp reflex also begins: for example, it will grasp the umbilical cord, move it, and pull on it.
Its organs are already fully developed this week. However, it will still take some time before they are completely functional. In the meantime, they continue to grow from week to week. The most important sense organ, the eyes, are already so well developed that your baby can distinguish between light and dark. It can’t see much more in the womb because light from outside only reaches it dimly through the abdominal wall and appears reddish. By the 13th week of pregnancy, its hearing is also developed enough that your child can now perceive the first sounds from outside. It is already getting used to your voice, and other voices it hears frequently also become familiar. Its vocal cords also begin to develop in the larynx this week.
Choosing the place of birth and clinic search
The birth of your child is still a while away. Nevertheless, it’s worth starting to think about the right place to give birth now (together with your partner). As long as there are no medical reasons against it and you and your baby are healthy, you have the option to give birth in a hospital, birthing center, or at home. In a hospital, you need to register a few weeks before the birth—by the way, this is also recommended in case of an emergency, even if you prefer to give birth at a birthing center or in your own home. Maternity clinics and hospitals often differ greatly in size, equipment, and care, and popular clinics are often booked well in advance. Birthing centers also accept only a limited number of women to ensure intensive care.
To prepare for a home birth, it’s especially important to find a midwife who provides home visits and supports births at women’s homes—not all midwives offer this service. It’s therefore worthwhile to consider early on which factors matter most to you for your ideal birth and which location would be best suited to it. More information about the advantages of different birthplaces and how to best approach your search can be found in the article "".
This is now important
Your nutritional needs are steadily increasing, and your calorie requirements are now elevated by about 250 kilocalories per day. You’ll probably notice this through increased appetite or cravings . Trust that your body is telling you what it needs. Of course, you should still
pay attention to a varied and balanced diet.
In comfortable, suitable clothing, you’ll probably feel more at ease than in tight jeans. You don’t need to buy special maternity clothes just yet, but investing in a well-fitting, non-restrictive bra is worthwhile. It doesn’t have to be a nursing bra yet, as you’ll probably need one or two cup sizes larger in a few weeks.
If you’re considering a Babymoon in the second trimester of pregnancy or need to travel for work, you might now be wondering whether you can still safely get on a plane. In the article „ Tips for Flying During Pregnancy “, you’ll find what you need to consider now.
Tip from LILLYDOO midwife Sissi Rasche:
Your increased nutrient needs also affect your digestion. To give your body more time to filter important nutrients for your baby from food, it processes food more slowly in the gastrointestinal tract. The result can be bloating and constipation. A fiber-rich diet is now good for you and your gut flora. Swap out white flour for whole grain flour (especially rye, which is high in fiber) and avoid black tea and chocolate. My secret tip, in addition to a healthy diet and sufficient exercise: a warm glass of water in the morning and three tablespoons of flaxseeds once daily, stirred into water, a smoothie, or muesli, can gently stimulate your digestion.
With our pregnancy calendar, we want to accompany you through this exciting time and provide you with relevant information, which is also created in exchange with our
LILLYDOO experts. Nevertheless, the information listed here can
never replace personal consultation with your doctor or midwife. Always contact your healthcare professional with questions and for professional care.
