Pregnancy Week 13
 How big is your baby?
Your baby now measures 7.4cm (2.91 inches) and weighs about 23 grams (0.81 ounce). It is about the size of a peach.
Your baby's development
One striking change in your baby's growth is the slowdown of the development of his/her head in comparison to the rest of the body. At this stage the head is still about half the length of the crown to rump measurement, but by the time you are in your 21st week this will have changed to about a third of the crown to rump measurement.
Your baby's face is also starting to look more human like. The eyes are starting to move closer together, and the ears will move to the normal position at the side of the head.
The external genitalia have now developed enough that if you had to examine them outside the womb you would be able to distinguish male from female.
This week there are some other key developments which are taking place. Your
babys intestines are starting to migrate from the umbilical cord and into the
stomach. Another big development to do with processing of minerals and waste is
that sometime during this week your baby will be passing its fist bit of urine
into the amniotic fluid!
Your development
By now it is time to start wearing loose fitting clothes as your waist size increases.
Your weight gain
would have been steady of the last few weeks, and it is now getting to that
point where you dont need maternity clothes, but you do need bigger clothes.
Stretch marks
are often associated with pregnancy as a result of your ever expanding belly and
breasts. You may also begin to notice some stretch marks appearing, particularly around your waist, buttocks and breasts. To help avoid the occurrence of stretch marks it is important to keep your weight gain steady, drink plenty of water and follow a regular exercise routine.
Bladder
infections among pregnant women are quite common. The key to preventing this
is to drink lots of fluids, if you feel you need to relieve yourself then do so.
If you do suspect you have a bladder infection then do not try and treat
yourself with over the counter drugs. You need to see your health care provider
and her/she can prescribe the correct medication for you.
You will also have noticed that your breasts are changing. Before pregnancy the average breast weighs about 7 ounces, but during pregnancy they will increase in size and weigh
to between 14-28 ounces. You may have also noticed that the areola is getting darker and that the veins in your breasts become more visible as your pregnancy develops.
It is important that you limit your intake of caffeine as it has been associated with a decreased birth weight and a smaller head size in babys. So researchers even believe that there is a direct connection between high caffeine intake and premature birth.
Most professionals agree that 200mg of caffeine a day is okay. Lets look at some sources of caffeine, and how much they contain:
 Coffee, 5 ounces = from 60-140mg
Tea, 5 ounces = from 30-65mg
Baking chocolate, 1 ounce = 25mg
Chocolate candy, 1 ounce = 6mg
Soft drinks, 12 ounces = 35-55mg
Pain relief tablets, standard dose = 40mg
Allergy and cold remedies, standard dose = 25mg
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