Your baby
Your baby is now around 8-9cm – that’s half the size of a banana. The fingerprints have now developed, giving your baby its own unique identity. At this stage, your baby’s hair on its scalp and eyebrows will begin to appear.
Your little one will also be able to pass urine as its bladder will fill and empty around every half an hour. The wee will be quite diluted as your baby’s kidneys will only have limited ability to reabsorb water.
The placenta is your baby’s source for nourishment and he will be totally dependent on it. To assist with his growth, the placenta will take amino acids from your system. Amino acids make up the bulk of protein which helps organs and muscles develop.
You
You may be getting a little forgetful, feeling what some women call the ‘fog’ of pregnancy.
As your baby grows, so will your belly, although your bump isn’t likely to be very noticeable at this point. If you’re feeling uncomfortable make a point of wearing loose-fitting clothes. Check out our guide to credit crunch maternity wardrobes.
You might find that because of increased swelling in your nasal passage that you have begun snoring. During pregnancy you have an increased volume of bloody pumping around your body, which is causing the nasal congestion. Nosebleeds can also occur because the blood vessels in your nose are quite fragile. If you’re experience heavy nosebleeds regularly, speak to your doctor.
What to think about
You may need to increase your protein intake while you are pregnant. You can do this by eating foods like meat, cheese, milk, seeds and nuts. Find out more about eating healthily during pregnancy.
If you’re not superstitious you may want to think about shopping for your baby as your energy levels will peak during this trimester. A tip is to leave the tags on just in case your baby is too big for the new clothes.
You may have told work that you are pregnant; you need to make sure that your working environment is safe for you and your baby. Find out more about health and safety at work.
