The end of your 1st trimester is well and truly in sight.
There's no going back now and at 11 weeks pregnant, you are almost
a third of your way through your entire pregnancy. If this is your
first time it will all be new and exciting. But even if you've had
other children, each pregnancy is a little different and brings its
own challenges.
It is normal for mothers of consecutive children to compare
their current pregnancies with past ones and to use their symptoms
as a basis for guessing the sex of their unborn baby. Unless you
choose to find out your baby's sex on ultrasound, you will just
have to wait to find out if your suspicions were right.
Statistically, there is a slightly higher chance of you carrying a
boy than a girl. Your partner will have determined the sex of your
baby, not you, and this was done way back in your 3rd week.
how much love can I feel?
You may be wondering how you could possibly love another child
as much as your first one, but try not to worry. Nature has
designed babies to help their parents fall in love with them and
they are remarkably effective at doing just that. Mothers
especially, can really agonise about having enough love to share
between each of their children. Give yourself time to build a
relationship with your new baby when it is born, and have a little
faith in yourself. You won't be disappointed.
your physical changes this week
- Your hair which normally goes through a growing and shedding
phase, may be progressing into a dormant period right now. This is
one of the reasons why pregnant women often say their hair is
thicker and more luxurious than usual. It's just staying on your
head, rather than ending up on your brush or going down the shower
drain.
- You may also notice differences in your fingernails because
they are growing at a different rate to what they usually do. These
changes are due to the effects of pregnancy hormones.
- If you've been experiencing a second adolescence with an
outbreak of pimples, this may be the week when you notice your skin
is finally clearing up. Use a gentle face wash, drink plenty of
water and ensure you have an adequate intake of fresh fruit and
vegetables. Remember the rule; 2 pieces of fruit and 5 servings of
vegetables each day.
- Your weight may start creeping up slowly from now on. You may
have actually lost weight if you've been unable to eat much or have
been vomiting. But from week 11, you may start looking at food in a
new light. Somehow, it's not the same enemy to your stomach that it
was a week or so ago.
your emotional changes this week
- You could be feeling less flat when you are 11 weeks pregnant
and your usual energy levels are making a welcome return. There
seems to be an end in sight with the nausea, tiredness and general
washed out feeling so common in the first trimester.
- Because you are actually able to focus on something other than
how you feel, the baby may not come into your thoughts for some
hours at a time. It's not yet reminding you yet of its presence
with movements and you are feeling more normal. Avoid feeling
guilty if the baby isn't uppermost in your thoughts all the
time.
your baby's changes this week
- This week your baby measures just over 5 centimetres or 2
inches in the old scale. It is almost an exact, but miniature
version of itself at birth. Your baby looks less like a little
alien or marsupial this week and is clearly human.
- Your baby is the size of a rather large lime in week 11, which
is why you may be more conscious of a full feeling in your pelvis.
At the end of the day, when you have a full bladder, or after
you've eaten a large meal you are more likely to be aware of this
sensation.
- Your baby's forehead is less bulging and its eyes positioned
more in the middle of its face. Its fingers and toes, which until
recently were just little connected paddles, have now separated
into clearly discernable and separate digits.
- If your baby is a girl, this is the week when her ovaries will
start to develop. At birth, she will have as many eggs as she will
ever have throughout her lifetime. Your baby's external genitals
are also forming, minute as they are.
- Your baby's body is less curled up and is straightening out.
Until recently, its shape was more of a curved C, but now its body
is less curled, except for its legs which remain flexed at the
hip.
- It will be possible to see nipples on your baby's chest from
week 11. Your baby's ears which have been positioned low down on
their neck are now almost where they should be, on either side of
their head.
- In the next 3 weeks your baby will double its current length.
It is no wonder you have been feeling tired. Even when you've been
sleeping, your body has been working overtime in growing your
little baby.
hints for the week
- If you haven't already made your 1st ante-natal appointment,
it's time to do so. Pick a time when your partner can attend as
well and try to take a few hours off work afterwards so you can
chat about how it went. You're likely to be very excited by the
sound of your baby's heartbeat which can be clearly heard by a
Doppler now.
- Don't forget to brush! Oral hygiene is so important at any
time, but especially during pregnancy. Floss daily, get to your
dentist at least once over the course of your pregnancy and take
the time to look after your teeth. Bleeding gums are not uncommon.
But they can be a sign of needing to brush and floss more
frequently, rather than going easy.
- Start putting some money aside for when you leave work to have
the baby. Saving towards a nest egg, making financial goals and
sticking with them can really help to ease the anxiety of having to
give up work. This is especially important if the unforeseen
happens and you need to leave work earlier than you planned.
Marching on towards week
12.