Week 13
Second Trimester

What happens to me?

Congratulations, you are now in the second trimester of your pregnancy. The second trimester is when most pregnant women feel less nauseous and tired, and gain some energy. If your nausea and vomiting have stopped, you may feel hungrier than normal by the end of this month. You may find that you get hungry more often now that you are pregnant. Eat small meals or nutritious snacks if you feel hungry. You do not want to gain too much weight too soon.

Your doctor appointments will now consist of checking:

• Blood Pressure
• Weight
• Fundal Height (Growth of the Uterus)
• Baby's Heart Tones
• Urine

How much will I be showing?

At this time, your uterus fills your pelvis and begins growing up into your abdomen. In fact, your doctor should now feel the top of the uterus, also known as the fundus, low in the abdomen (approximately 4 inches below the belly button).

As you enter the second trimester, you may find yourself wearing looser, less restrictive clothing. Soon you may not be able to fit into your regular clothes anymore.

What happens to baby?

The baby's face is beginning to look more human. The eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together. The ears are almost in their normal position on the side of the head. The liver is making bile, and the kidneys are secreting urine into the bladder.

All twenty teeth have formed and are in place under the baby's gums. The placenta weighs about an ounce now as well. The baby's intestines are developing and moving into the correct place in the body and the pancreas is now secreting insulin.

The fetus squirms if your abdomen is prodded, though you cannot yet feel movement. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological impulses in the brain) are forming. The fetus has acquired more reflexes: Touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down, and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench.

How big is the baby?

The baby weighs about 20 grams and is approximately 3 inches in length.

Tip of the Week

The U.S. Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits job discrimination on the basis of pregnancy or childbirth. For more information contact U.S. Department of Labor at http://www.dol.gov/wb/.

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Just found out you're pregnant? Don't forget to check out the previous Weeks!

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