Week 13 of your Pregnancy
The second trimester
If your first three months of pregnancy brought fatigue and nausea, you are probably feeling a lot better this week. Many women find that their energy and sense of well-being is highest during their second trimesters.
Show and tell
If this is your first baby, you may just begin to be “showing” your pregnancy, and even then, it may be noticeable only when you’re wearing a bathing suit. If you’ve had other pregnancies, you may already be in maternity clothes. Showing or not, now that you are past the first trimester, you may feel more comfortable telling family and friends that you are pregnant.
You may also consider when and how to tell your employer that you are pregnant. Find out about your employer’s maternity benefits, how many weeks, and what pay you are allowed. (The federal Family and Medical Leave Act requires that every company with 50 or more employees allow workers 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a new baby.) Employers are finding that helping new mothers and fathers come back to work with flexible schedules and other accommodations helps them retain valued employees. Whatever your job, think now about whether you plan to go back and how to combine your work with motherhood in a way that will let you and your baby get off to a good start.
Buckle up
Now that you may be loosening your belt a bit, you may find the seat belt in your car also feels a little snug. While it seems as though the pressure of a seat belt on the abdomen could be unsafe for a fetus, in fact it will help protect your baby as much as it protects you. To follow the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendation that seat belts be worn in cars and on airplanes throughout pregnancy, buckle your lap belt low on the hipbone, below the belly, and never across the stomach. When riding in the passenger seat, push your seat as far back as it will go to protect your abdomen from the impact of the airbag if an accident occurs.
Your Baby’s Development during this Week
- The hands, with 27 bones connected by ligaments, are structurally complete.
- The feet, with separated toes and developed heels, are also nearly formed. Fetal development parallels the developmental stages of infancy. Because a baby will use his hands before he walks on his feet, hands develop earlier in utero than feet do.
- The fetus can suck his thumb, strengthening and filling out the cheek and jaw muscles.
(Courtesy: University of Virginia Health System)
Tags: baby bump, fatigue, maternity leave, nausea, pregnancy, seat belt, second trimester, week 13