Pregnancy Week 13
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Inside Pregnancy Week 13
The baby continues to develop externally to look more human-like. For instance, the head goes from being ½ the length of the body to 1/3. The neck is lengthening and baby’s chin no longer rests on the chest. Baby’s growth is now a more individual thing, with growing patterns varying greatly. The baby is now in effect practicing inhaling and exhaling. A fine downy growth of hair covers the baby now and will grow until approximately the 26th week of pregnancy. It protects the baby’s skin from the amniotic fluid. The placenta provides all nourishment for the baby now. Roughly the size of a peach, the baby is about 3 ¾ inches long and weighs about 1 ¼ oz.
Pregnancy Symptoms You May Feel During Week 13
This week you stand at the threshold of the next trimester, and as such you can look forward to what is typically the honeymoon period of pregnancy. However, that is not to say you are symptom-free. You may be experiencing leg cramps, caused by the increase of estrogen. Try to not sit for extended periods of time without little breaks. While sitting stretch out your legs and do little circles with your ankles.
Another symptom making an appearance is the vaginal discharge, leucorrhea. This thin, milky mildly odorous, discharge helps protect vagina from infection but will require you to wear panty liners now probably up until delivery. Never use tampons or douche during pregnancy. Douching is actually never a good idea, and during pregnancy it can increase risk of infections by upsetting the balance of bacteria, and can force air into birth canal, which is dangerous.
Your breasts are probably less tender now, but larger and lumpier, as the milk ducts are growing in preparation for breast feeding. Colostrum, the pre-milk substance can be expressed during the second trimester, and is a light yellowish, sticky consistency.
Stretch marks may start forming on breasts and abdomen, characterized by their pink or reddish streaky appearance. Up to 90% of women experience them, and avoiding rapid weight gain may help alleviate them. Also possibly of help, lotions containing vitamin E or alpha-hydroxy acid. Exercise may help as well. Take comfort in knowing, stretch marks will fade and turn a much less noticeable shade of silvery white after you give birth. Always check with your doctor before using any special medicated creams as they may contain drugs that will be absorbed into the blood stream via the skin.
Visit With the Obstetrician
You may very well be feeling more amorous these days as the morning sickness lifts, and your breasts are less tender. Also those pregnancy hormones may jumpstart a formerly stuck libido. In most cases, couples can continue a healthy sex life right up to delivery, however there are a few conditions that will restrict sexual activity. If you or your partner feels anxious about whether it’s really safe or not to have sex, you should definitely speak to your doctor to ease your concerns. Some conditions that may require you to abstain include unexplained vaginal bleeding, placenta presenting in a very low position, or placenta previa, problems with the cervix, particularly an incompetent cervix or dilating cervix, risk of premature labor, sexually transmitted diseases, water has broken, or history of multiple miscarriages. The ruling out of sex needs to be made by a doctor, and be sure to ask what specifically is forbidden, is it penetration of the vagina by anything, is orgasm permissible? You should forget your modesty and get the needed information. Don’t assume, ask.
Preparing for Baby
Now that you will be feeling better for awhile, generally speaking, this will be a good time to work on the nursery. Incorporating your ideas and plans into the actual room will be a great outlet for your energies. Just check with your doctor before using paints or chemicals, and take care with climbing ladders or lifting heavy items.
Pregnancy Lifestyle
With sex during pregnancy, expect the unexpected. You may find, especially in the second trimester that your libido goes off the chart. However, your man’s might be equally supercharged responding to yours, or looking at your blossoming figure, or he might be overwhelmed by the changes. It’s important for couples to find ways to maintain closeness and intimacy whatever their sexual diet may consist of during pregnancy. It’s also vital they communicate their desires, fears and needs with one another to avoid trouble, like hurt feelings or anger. If sex is off the menu, temporarily or longer, be sure to find other ways to connect physically. Back or foot rubs are great, so are kisses and hugs. Just make that closeness a priority.
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Hi ladies, i am 13 weeks and 5 days pregnant after 3 miscarriages this is my second child, all is going good thank god, morning sickness are hardly appearing now i am just enjoying each day to the fullest...
Hi ladies, im 13 weeks and 3 days and i have had no bad experiences except for little discomfort pain from my uterus. i was told by 2 doctors i could not fall pregnant due to the fact that i had my colon removed in 1998 and a rectum reconstruction done in 2005... my one ovary was removed and apparently my eggs were not falling into the right places as all my insides were moved around in all the operations but here we are. almost 14 weeks pregnant! no nausea and hardly any heart burn. my energy levels are coming back but my word, i feel 80 years old. i used to run 5 km and now i cant even walk around the block without hyperventilating.
Hi mommies; i am 12 weeks pregnant and this is my second babymy first baby she was a still born full term this baby i hope everything goes good and no problem i wish all the mothers to be a blessing and safe pregnancy because its very hard for us to know if hour baby is ok and are we doing the right things to make sure we are so good luck .... mommies
I'm 13+1 with my firetv(miscarried 2 previously) and am starting to feel better. i'm having more good days than bad days now. i do get killer heartburn every now and then though and that can make me pretty sick! we are not finding sex out but making it a suprise! good luck to all the other mummies!!
I am 13 weeks and 3 days, i am finaly getting over the morning sickness thank god, i was so worried the first 3 months cuz i couldnt get in to see a doctor,i am still always worring because i never got to see the doctor i only got to meet my nures,and they called after the tests and said i have a urineary track infection and no meds can cure it unless i go get an iv, and i havent been able to talk to no doctor since they told me no one will call me back so i am just drinking lots of cranberry juice and lots of water,but i am very mood still at this point and am still breaking out really bad can anyone tell me what i should do to help the break outs cuz it makes me feel so ugly?
I'm 13wks with my first pregnacy.. i'm still felling tired but my nausea has subsided.. i've gotten most of my appetite back now with sum sugar cravings! i try to make vanilla protein fruit smoothies or eat greek yougurt with berries and granola to curb my cravings.. i'm looking forward to the 2nd trimester having more energy and a higher libido!
I'm 13 w 4 day. and today i got all worked up over something amd now my stomach is cramping up and i'm a nervous wreck about baby. is she ok ? i keep javing this fear. please help.
Josie, i will be praying for u. sorry for your loss.
Yesterday i went to the er i had major cramps in my upper area of my stomach they gave me an u/s and discovered a cyst in my right ovary that ruptured, and oh boy did it hurt and not only that but they said i had a fibroid i had cyst before that's how i knew i was pregnant cause it ruptured and that pain huurrtts!! but i'm unsure about this fibroid any one has a insight to this?
Try not to worry and enjoy growing that baby of yours cause from what i'm reading your right on track..congrats!
I'm am currently 13w3d. i heard the heartbeat at 7w and then again at 10w6d. both times the heartbeat was good and strong. my doctor told me at my last appt that my nueasa should be subsiding in a few weeks. and to me the last few weeks it has seemed to got worse. and anything i eat or smell i either get nueasious or i get sick. and the actually getting sick part don't happen every time just every now and then. i still feel tired all the time and the back pain on and off. headaches here and there. this is my first pregnancy and i'm so worried. i have no bleeding no cramps nothing that would throw up a red flag. everything seems normal but i still worry.
I'm 13 w-1d this is my 6th pregnancy miscarried twice my 1st and this last one was a twin miscarried on 1-1-13 at 6 weeks and currently holding the other baby so far so good , this pregnancy is far more tiring and very nauseous i am still throwing up but i am grateful to be up and about i am due aug 25 2013 and i'm 36. tell yourself it' s all worth it cause when you give birth it' s done this is a part of growing your baby!
I'm 13 weeks pregnant with twins i am feeling nausea daily. i can only thank the lord for the miracle! keep it up mommies!
My first baby is 13 weeks old in my belly~ i am feeling absolutely wonderful, i keep crying for happiness. i still get nausea every night, and headaches. both symptoms i almost never got before pregnancy. i'm getting terrible cramps in my leg. i have never been this happy. :d
Well i will be 13 weeks tomorrow.. the husband and i are very excited it is our first baby, but i am still nauseous and tired with not being able to sleep well, qe well i hope this gets better soon.. good luck moms to be
Hi ladies i'm 13weeks pregnant and i'm feeling evan more terrible i'm getting back pains can't really sleep on my back anymore...just wish this sickness could go away already...i'm seeing my doc at 16weeks i soo can't wait to find out what it is very exited..
Week 13 is when you can go to a specialized 3d/4d ultrasound lab to find out the sex of the baby (although) many will only do it until 16 weeks, i found one that will do it!! hurrayyyy i will find out next week the gender of my precious little critter :)
I get to hear my lil ones heartbeat on oct 3. im not sure when well find out what were having but thats tops the list of greates preggo moments. :)
This is my first pregnancy and im 13 weeks but im nautious all the time and im constantly haing back pain but ready to find out what im having and this friday my birthday i get to here y babies heart beat for the first time best birthday presnt ever #excited mommy to be
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Well hello there! i am 13 weeks pregnant, with my first child, and i am going crazy cause i already want to know what i'm having! and trying to pick names is difficult!! but so far everything is going good. i actually never experienced the "morning sickness" thing so thats awesome lol i just want to say congrats to all of you ladies(:
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