Welcome to the first week of the second trimester of pregnancy. The energy lost during the initial weeks of pregnancy is now back to their original levels and even the physical desires are back to a normal level. A new liveliness replaces the previous feelings of continuous tiredness and nausea. Regarding pregnancy trimesters, the second is generally the smoothest for most women. As for the physical changes for week 13, expect the breasts continue to change. You'll find yourself wearing less fitted clothes as the pregnancy progresses. The uterus is also expanding and a painful sensation in the abdomen area could now accompany. Round ligament pain is the technical term to explain the stretching of the uterus and the corresponding abdomen pains. Simply relaxing can cure the pains however if they stay for longer durations and are complemented with other issues like bleeding or vomiting, get an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible.
Regarding regular prenatal development, the doctor will keep an eye on blood pressure count, weight, fundal height (uterus growth), baby's heart tones and urine.
Pregnancy pillows are a great way to beat the un-welcomed pregnancy pains and steal some hours of relaxation. The increased uterus size, along with other factors like stress or discomfort of carrying a baby makes it tougher, as time progresses, to rest easily. A pregnancy pillow then can provide the desired comfort with ease.
The tiny creature nurturing inside you is now about 3 inches long. The body is now growing faster than the head to balance out the head to body ratio. The child will now start urinating out the amniotic fluid he started drinking a few days ago. The pancreas is now fully formed and is secreting insulin. The villi, which help in peristaltic movement and digestion, are also forming in the intestine by the second trimester of pregnancy.