Pregnancy Week 13: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide

Just like that you’ve reached the end of the first trimester with your 13th week of pregnancy. If your last months have been anything like mine, there have been bumps in the roads, late night snacks (that may or may not end up appealing), and early bedtimes.

Pat yourself on the back though, you’re about to enter your second trimester, which should be a walk in the park compared to the first.

Pregnancy Week 13 Guide

In this week’s guide, we’ll take a peek at how your baby’s developing, how you’re feeling, and some screening tests you might want to have within in the next weeks.

How Your Baby is Growing at 13 Weeks Pregnant

In just the past week your baby has grown another inch. Currently at three inches long (and weighing in at just under one ounce), your baby is approximately the size of a sweet peach, pea pod, or a small lemon.

Baby’s unique features are developing this week. Fingerprints are forming, vocal cords are growing, and eyes are in their final locations. Her arms are beginning to lengthen and overall your baby is looking more proportional.

If you were to take a peek inside your womb, you’d be able to see right through baby’s paper-thin skin to her developing organs. Don't worry, over the coming months, thicker skin will develop.

Within his body, baby’s kidneys and urinary tract are beginning to function. This means that amniotic fluid he swallows is able to be excreted. It sounds a pretty gross but baby’s urine is harmless.

13 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

By the time I reach pregnancy week 13 I feel a bit of relief. Not only am I getting occasional breaks from the near-constant nausea and fatigue but I can rest assured that my risk of miscarriage has dropped to just 1% and in the coming week will fall even lower.

Here are some other symptoms you may be experiencing at week 13:

• Emotional ups and downs (which may begin to calm down in the coming weeks)
• Breast changes (as your body prepares to produce milk)
• Looser muscles due to the hormone relaxin (which can make you feel clumsier)
• Increased energy and sex drive

How Your Body is Changing at 13 Weeks Pregnant

With your uterus now above your pelvic bone, you’re finally beginning to show. As your belly grows you’ll want to cut down on stretch marks by keeping your skin well-hydrated. Take a look for a lotion that contains vitamin E and plan to chat with your doctor to confirm it’s a good choice for your growing baby belly.

Week 13 has also been a good chance for me to jump back into daily exercise. I’m beginning to feel a bit better and aren’t yet so big that it feels hard to move. If your doctor has approved you to exercise, this might be a good time to pull on your yoga pants.

As we look ahead to the second trimester you’ll want to plan on a weekly weight gain of just under a pound. While popular opinion says you can eat for two while pregnant, your growing baby is tiny. You’ll only need to increase your food intake by about 300 calories a day.

A Dad’s Perspective throughout Pregnancy Week 13

There are few things in my life I enjoy more than seeing my wife enjoying herself. For that reason, the first trimester is my least favorite as a vast majority of it just isn’t much fun for her. When I notice subtle improvements in appetite and comfort level, I start thinking about what we could do together that she would enjoy.

While some pull out the stops and go babymoon crazy, I know that my wife would rather have a handful of smaller dates away from the chaos of our house. She’s ready to watch a movie without having to run out for the bathroom or order food at a restaurant without having to worry that the smell will trigger nausea when it arrives. It’s fun to do things together again and bond as a couple before our family grows and changes.

Second Trimester Screening

At your next doctor’s appointment, you’ll likely be talking about second-trimester screening. Sometimes referred to as the “Quad Screening” this blood test is a first step in identifying women who are at greater risk for having a baby with a birth defect. If you fall into this category, further testing would be discussed.

While it’s hard to imagine potential problems with your baby, many women find solace in having the extra information that testing can provide. If you determine you’d like Quad Screening during your pregnancy, it will need to be performed between weeks 15 and 18 of your pregnancy.

Pregnancy Week 13 Wrap Up

You’ve officially made it to the end of the first trimester! Personally, the past few months have been such a journey of ups and down and I’m so excited to be entering trimester two. Keep checking back with me (and my husband) as we’re on this pregnancy journey with our sixth baby.

More Pregnancy Guide Articles

• 6 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Guide
• Pregnancy Week 7: Your Weekly Guide
• 8 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Week 9: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• 10 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Week 11: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• 12 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Week 13: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• 14 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Week 15: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• 16 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Week 17: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• 18 Weeks Pregnant: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Week 19: Your Weekly Pregnancy Guide