11 Weeks Pregnant
11 Weeks Pregnant
An important milestone is passed as the first trimester ends
Yawning, arms and legs waving – your baby is on the go and you can actually see it happening. Most women have their first scan this week, and it’s the big thrill of the first trimester. Up till now, you may have preferred to keep your pregnancy a precious secret. After the scan, you’ll probably feel more confident about making an announcement, especially when you have the photos to prove there’s really something happening!
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Fetus at 12 weeks
1.The head now has a more rounded shape.
2.Your baby measures 5.4cm (2.1in).
3.Ears are nearly in their final position on the head.
4.Your baby’s heart is beating rapidly, about 160 beats per minute, which is twice as fast as your own heart rate.
5.The intestines, previously contained in the base of the umbilical cord, move into the abdominal cavity where there is now room.
6.Limbs are fully formed and have lengthened; your baby will be trying out all sorts of new positions.
7.Your uterus is beginning to lift up out of the bony cavity of the pelvis.
8.The umbilical cord is fully developed, ensuring that vital nutrients from your bloodstream, such as glucose, are carried to the baby from the placenta. It lengthens during the course of the pregnancy.
9.The mouth can open and close, allowing your baby to swallow and yawn.
Resembling a size of a small plum, your baby has doubled up in size ((so have you!) and will start to look really cute in those womb pictures.
Your baby’s development
Your baby’s face has started to look more and more human. Lengthwise, from head to heel, your baby is now 3 inches long. Now that’s a great development within a few weeks, isn’t it?
Weighting around half an ounce, your fetus will start looking irresistibly cute during ultrasound pictures. You can see your baby’s proportions changing, with the growth of head matching up with the growth of other body proportions. Your baby’s arms, legs and fingers will be growing too lovably, just looking like what a newborns limbs should look like!
While his or her posture becomes much less curled and much more upright, the most unique development by this stage is going to be his or reflexes. His or her fingers will open up, toes will start to curl and eye muscles will start to clench. Not only this, that little mouth will also start making sucking movements. Oh so cute!
One of the most amazing facts about the 12th week of pregnancy is when you prod your lower tummy, your love is also going to squirm in response. What an astonishing development, right?
Soon, his or her intestines will start to protrude into the umbilical cord, which will start to progress towards his abdominal cavity, while his or her kidneys will start to excrete urine into its own bladder. Not only this, your baby’s nerve cells will be multiplying at a rapid speed and synapses will be forming continuously into that tiny brain. The baby’s eyes have start to move from sides to the actual placement- the front of his face, and his or her ears are where they exactly should be. Most of the newly formed body structures are in place, but still there’s plenty of maturing to do.
As a maintenance phase, your child’s fetus system continues to evolve. The fetal digestive system will start adhering to contraction movements, a skill set your little one will need soon after the birth to push food and fluid from the digestive tract. His or her bone marrow is busy making white blood cells, an immunity shield your baby needs to fight infections and other such germs-linked ailments. Your baby’s pituitary gland at the base of his or her brain has started producing hormones that will give him the ability to produce his very own babies in a few decades to come. You can totally hear your baby’s heartbeat by now – a feeling that is sure to race your heart with joy!
Amazingly, by now your baby has just doubled up in size during the past three weeks.
Changes in you
By the 102th week of pregnancy, your stomach muscles are going to drastically slow down, making your stools harder and even more subjected to gassy occurrences. Your uterus has now gotten unusually big and is totally off the placement of normal uterus at your pelvis. Your uterus is now getting pushed right into your abdomen, in quite an uncomfortable way. Your grown uterus can now be felt by your healthcare provider in the lower abdomen, right above your pelvic bone. While you might have already been buying maternity clothes to accommodate your slightly large figure, it is important to opt for loose and less restrictive clothing.
Your heart rate is most likely to speedup up owing to the large volumes of blood in your body. In fact, your uterus is also widening quite a lot making your uterus to grow all the more.
With your first trimester ending in the just about a week or so, you can totally feel your pregnancy now. Your pregnancy is now becoming more and more real! Soon, it is going to be time for you reveal your pregnancy news to your co-workers, bosses and relatives.
You might be feeling more of heartburn, often known as acid indigestion. It is nothing but a burning sensation that starts from your lower throat and goes up till the bottom of your breastbone. If this is your second pregnancy, they you might be having double the amount and rush of heartburns. This gastric acid can be spiked up drastically when you are lying down as the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach is relaxed up due to the progesterone hormone.
While the constant urge to urinate subsides down as the size of uterus doubles up in size, because of the progesterone hormone dizziness might crop up. Mommies-to-be might also suffer from dizzy spells during the ending of first trimester.
But the biggest good news of this phase is that most of the ugly morning sickness pangs, nauseated stomach, and dramatic mood swings have more or less subsided. Right now, your placenta is producing more hormones when compared to your ovaries. Your heart has already adjusted itself to the large volumes of blood and is pumping much faster than normal. Lastly, it is normal to grow by two to three pounds in the 12th week of pregnancy, although it can be different for every individual. Do consult your healthcare provider regarding this!
Nutrition for you
- Take smaller but more frequent meals:We can’t stress enough on this fact, as anytime you will have big meals thinking you are eating for two, you are bound to feel more gaseous, indigestion and bloating. Eat fiber-rich foods and drink a minimum of eight to nine glasses of water every day. Also, try taking in iron supplements with prune juice as it will help in better absorption of iron.
- Avoid gaining excess weight: 12th week of pregnancy is one of the most sensitive times to take in more food than usual. Think about just receiving the right and healthy amount of nutrients and not going overboard with empty calories, just in the urge to satiate your taste buds. Avoid late night snacking, junk foods and eating too much of fats and sweets.
- Opt for Kegel exercises: A great way to give extra boost of strength to your lower abdomen is by performing Kegel exercises before, during and even after pregnancy. It not only helps in strengthening the vaginal muscles, but Kegels is also a great exercise for women to given easy births while it also tones the muscles for post-delivery shape up.
- Don’t go overboard with exercising: While a 3—40 minute of 5-6 days of workout is a great way to stay in shape and keep your health uptight for baby’s growth and development, doing heavy cardio exercises is a not a very preferred way of working out. Anytime where your heartbeat goes up and above 140-beats per minute, you should take an immediate break as you wouldn’t want your body to get overheated while diverting blood from your uterus.
Nutrition for baby
- Keep your baby healthy with these activities: Make sure to eat as slowly as possible, as it will help in better digestion of your food. Make sure you aren’t lying down soon after eating, as your food should have a minimum of good half an hour’s time to digest properly. Do not aggravate gas and bloating by gulping in too much of food at one time.
Common worries
- You might be prone of acnes: While accompanied with a pregnancy fabled glow, expectant mothers might also suffer from extreme blemishes as the facial skin produces natural oils. If at all you are breaking out and are getting patchy blemishes, then do make it a point to use oil-free dermatologist-prescribed antiseptic creams. Not to forget, you can always use the extra touches of concealer to conceal them for the time being!
- A constant feeling of dizziness: A constant feeling of dizziness in mommies-to-be might lead to low blood pressure and reduced flow of blood to your brain. Your dizziness might amplify when you get up too quickly or when you have low-blood sugar levels because of long gaps and inconsistent eating.
- Understand your sex drive:By the 12th week of pregnancy, you can either be turning into a sex kitten or you might just feel like bloated, dead fish who just runs away even from the word sex. While hormones act up in every woman differently, many women tend to complain of low sex drive. Your partner will totally understand when you have slightest of energy left to even undress and wear on your night suit, having sex on charts is totally non-existent. And yes, when those extra-large breasts of yours might be turning your partner on, you have look-but-don’t-touch policy! Be rest assured that whatever you might be feeling, this all is normal and is temporary. You will surely get the sexual urge back in the second trimester!
- Your bathroom trips will decrease: Now that is not a worry, but a good thing! The constant ‘gotta-go-to-the-loo’ feeling will subside by now.
- Heightened sense of smell: Your nose will start whiffing things you normally wouldn’t even know exist. From knowing what your hubby ate for lunch to complaining about your bedsheet not being properly washed, the heightened sense of smell must be tackled through a few home remedies. Try opening windows often and keeping a lemon and mint concoction next to you and sniff it as and when you start to sense a nausea-inducing odour around you.
What do the experts suggest?
“12th week of pregnancy is nearing the end of the first trimester and for those of you who have yet not told your relatives and friends, now is a good time to do so. During this week your body goes through various changes as your body prepares for child birth. At this stage of pregnancy, women face the problem of increase in pigmentation. Certain women suffer from melasma or chloasma which is a condition in which dark spots appear on your forehead and cheeks. This condition is also known as mask of pregnancy. However, these marks disappear or lighten soon after the delivery. Your areolas are likely to get darker. Women may feel breast tenderness or soreness as well at this stage of pregnancy.
Include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Consume dairy products like milk, cheese etc. and organic food. Don’t try to lose weight at this time, however follow a regime of healthy exercises to help your body prepare for child birth.”
Dr. Birbala Rai, M.B.B.S., M.S. in Obstetrics & gynaecology, Senior Consultant at PSRI Hospital, New Delhi
Seasonal Pregnancy Care
Summer – Wear maternity clothes that allow air flow and diminish sweating, such as cotton maxi or linen gown type dresses. You might feel slight swelling in your feet by now as summer heat can add to this discomfort. Keep your feet up while sitting and wear loose-fitted shoes and strappy sandals, which can be adjusted to your slightly swollen feet size. Use cooling hair oil for summers and use plenty of lip gloss to fight those dry and chapped summer lips.
Monsoon –Wipe your face with wet towel occasionally during monsoon as grime and dust tends to settle easily on your oily face. Bath twice a day and clean your face with rose water often. Never walk barefoot in garden during monsoon as water and soil mix can lead to serious infections. Also, do make it a point to protect yourself from manholes and open holes on the street.
Winter – Depending upon what sort of winters you experience around you; winters can indeed be a very challenging weather for expecting mothers. Usually it is observed that pregnant mothers are often overheated and winter can certainly provide a cooling effect on their body and mind. Tackle dry and itchy skin during winter effectively, but most importantly make sure to take proper precautions to stay away from cold and flu.
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