The first trimester takes you through to week 13. Our step-by step guide takes you through what to expect at each step.
What's happening now?
You are now 11 weeks pregnant (63 days since conception) and at the start of week 12.
Your baby measures about 5 cm (2 inches) from crown to rump and weighs about 8 grams (0.28 ounces), nearly doubling in size during the last week!
Your baby now has a limited ability to suck and swallow, although this action is not fully mature until 24 to 28 weeks. Their taste buds have developed to taste the amniotic fluid that surrounds them and their kidneys are now functioning and secreting fluid into their bladder. Your baby will soon pass a type of clean urine into the amniotic fluid, in a continuous cycle of swallowing and urinating this fluid to keep their kidneys functioning until birth.
Your baby also breathes amniotic fluid into their lungs to strengthen the muscle under them (called the diaphragm) and to regularly practise rhythmic expansion of their lungs. Their stomach now produces gastric juices and they have about 20 baby teeth in their gums!
Your baby's sex organs are still developing although their typical male or female characteristics are not yet obvious. Under the influence of increased testosterone for boys (or the lack of testosterone for girls), your baby's genitals start taking their individual shape to look distinctly male or female by 15 weeks.
Your baby's movements are now more coordinated and purposeful and a few women can sense their baby moving as early as 12 weeks (although this is not common). Regular movement is now important for your baby's growth and development. Without it their muscles would waste, their joints would seize and their bones would become brittle. Movement of some description is now a daily part of your unborn baby's life (when they are awake!).
What is my body doing at eleven weeks pregnant?
Hopefully, that morning sickness will be starting to die down and you’ll be getting your appetite back. Whist the saying goes ‘eating for two’, don’t go overboard. Stick to nutritious and healthy meals and avoid too much junk.
Even if you’re still not showing (everyone will start to show at different times) you might find your jeans are feeling a little tighter this week. Of course, this is to be expected now you’re pregnant, but being bloated is a common symptom thanks to those wonderful pregnancy hormones! Progesterone will slow down digestion to allow more time for nutrients to be passed on to your baby, but as your uterus grows, it will squash the stomach and intestines, meaning unfortunately this bloated feeling is here to stay. Help minimise discomfort by eating little and often rather than sticking to three big meals.
Another unexpected side effect of those pregnancy hormones is snoring. If you’ve woken yourself (or your partner) up during the night, blame the hormones – they can make the inside of your nose swell.
Common symptoms to look out for:
Emotional reactions
A few women find their emotions are still fragile and they continue to experience moments of unpredictable tears or perhaps feel a new sense of vulnerability. This may stem from feelings about yourself, or about your relationship (if you have a partner) and can manifest in wanting your partner close by, or making efforts to nurture your relationships with others. Communicating remains important as you continue to adjust.
It is common to wonder whether your baby is growing normally or to consider what you would do if something were wrong. These feelings may be instinctive or possibly related to unexplainable thoughts like "Do I deserve a healthy baby?" For some parents there may be concrete reasons such as disorders that run in the family.
Fears are often triggered by caregivers offering screening tests for abnormalities, which may be something you want or find confronting, challenging your feelings about your body's ability to produce a healthy baby. Unfortunately, no amount of tests can give you an iron-clad guarantee, but thankfully most babies are born well and healthy.
Other considerations
What to expect at your first pregnancy visit
Your first visit may be something you look forward to with excitement and eager expectations, or perhaps you anticipate it with a degree of nervousness and perhaps apprehension. If you have never been pregnant before, it can be difficult to know what may be involved. Generally your first visit is timed to happen around 10 to 14 weeks.
Painkillers
Taking mild painkillers during pregnancy is a controversial topic and something that may come down to your own personal choice.
Natural remedies during pregnancy
Herbal remedies
Herbs are very potent and are capable of producing harmful side affects if taken inappropriately. They need to be used with knowledge and caution. For example, there are concerns that some herbs can cause birth defects if taken during early pregnancy and there have also been cases of babies being poisoned by herbs taken by their mother while breastfeeding. Therefore, never self-prescribe herbs and seek the advice of a qualified herbalist, trained in their particular herbal discipline (for example Indian or Chinese herbs).
What you should be doing this week
Even though you don’t need to start attending antenatal classes until your third trimester, popular courses (especially the ones run by the NCT) can get booked up quickly, so get yourself on the list now..
What's happening now?
You are now 11 weeks pregnant (63 days since conception) and at the start of week 12.
Your baby measures about 5 cm (2 inches) from crown to rump and weighs about 8 grams (0.28 ounces), nearly doubling in size during the last week!
Your baby now has a limited ability to suck and swallow, although this action is not fully mature until 24 to 28 weeks. Their taste buds have developed to taste the amniotic fluid that surrounds them and their kidneys are now functioning and secreting fluid into their bladder. Your baby will soon pass a type of clean urine into the amniotic fluid, in a continuous cycle of swallowing and urinating this fluid to keep their kidneys functioning until birth.
Your baby also breathes amniotic fluid into their lungs to strengthen the muscle under them (called the diaphragm) and to regularly practise rhythmic expansion of their lungs. Their stomach now produces gastric juices and they have about 20 baby teeth in their gums!
Your baby's sex organs are still developing although their typical male or female characteristics are not yet obvious. Under the influence of increased testosterone for boys (or the lack of testosterone for girls), your baby's genitals start taking their individual shape to look distinctly male or female by 15 weeks.
Your baby's movements are now more coordinated and purposeful and a few women can sense their baby moving as early as 12 weeks (although this is not common). Regular movement is now important for your baby's growth and development. Without it their muscles would waste, their joints would seize and their bones would become brittle. Movement of some description is now a daily part of your unborn baby's life (when they are awake!).
What is my body doing at eleven weeks pregnant?
Hopefully, that morning sickness will be starting to die down and you’ll be getting your appetite back. Whist the saying goes ‘eating for two’, don’t go overboard. Stick to nutritious and healthy meals and avoid too much junk.
Even if you’re still not showing (everyone will start to show at different times) you might find your jeans are feeling a little tighter this week. Of course, this is to be expected now you’re pregnant, but being bloated is a common symptom thanks to those wonderful pregnancy hormones! Progesterone will slow down digestion to allow more time for nutrients to be passed on to your baby, but as your uterus grows, it will squash the stomach and intestines, meaning unfortunately this bloated feeling is here to stay. Help minimise discomfort by eating little and often rather than sticking to three big meals.
Another unexpected side effect of those pregnancy hormones is snoring. If you’ve woken yourself (or your partner) up during the night, blame the hormones – they can make the inside of your nose swell.
Common symptoms to look out for:
- Fatigue: A perfectly normal symptom, especially during your first trimester, if you’re finding yourself permanently exhausted, rest assured those energy levels should pick up once the placenta is formed in the next few weeks. Remember you’re growing a baby! Keep those blood sugar levels up by snacking on complex carbs and protein (think cheese and crackers or nuts and dried fruit), try some gentle exercise if you can and most of all, listen to your body.
- Frequent toilet trips: Another one you can blame on those pregnancy hormones – hCG increases the blood flow to your pelvic area and kidneys, making you feel like you need to wee all the time. Don’t cut back on fluids – your body and your baby needs them.
- Achey boobs: They might be the biggest they’ve ever been, but they’ll probably be achy and painful right now. Remember to tell your partner how sensitive they are, and try sleeping in a maternity bra or a sports bra to see if it helps.
- Faintness or dizziness: A common side effect of all the extra blood your body is pumping round, remember to sit or lie down whenever you feel faint – either lie down and elevate your feet about your head, or sit down with your head between your legs and breathe deeply.
Physical changes
- Uterus growing
By the end of this week your uterus will start to grow up out of your pelvic bones and your caregiver (and you) may be able to feel the top of the uterus, called the fundus. If this is not your first pregnancy, or you are carrying twins (or more), you may be able to feel the top of the uterus earlier (possibly after 10 or 11 weeks).
- Body temperature
You may notice an increase in your body temperature. This is due to your body's metabolism increasing by 20%, creating more heat and slightly raising your temperature. Increased blood flow also makes your skin warmer and you may sweat more. In the summer months, dressing in layers can help with temperature changes. Take care not to overheat when exercising.
- Uterus growing
By the end of this week your uterus will start to grow up out of your pelvic bones and your caregiver (and you) may be able to feel the top of the uterus, called the fundus. If this is not your first pregnancy, or you are carrying twins (or more), you may be able to feel the top of the uterus earlier (possibly after 10 or 11 weeks).
- Body temperature
You may notice an increase in your body temperature. This is due to your body's metabolism increasing by 20%, creating more heat and slightly raising your temperature. Increased blood flow also makes your skin warmer and you may sweat more. In the summer months, dressing in layers can help with temperature changes. Take care not to overheat when exercising.
Emotional reactions
A few women find their emotions are still fragile and they continue to experience moments of unpredictable tears or perhaps feel a new sense of vulnerability. This may stem from feelings about yourself, or about your relationship (if you have a partner) and can manifest in wanting your partner close by, or making efforts to nurture your relationships with others. Communicating remains important as you continue to adjust.
It is common to wonder whether your baby is growing normally or to consider what you would do if something were wrong. These feelings may be instinctive or possibly related to unexplainable thoughts like "Do I deserve a healthy baby?" For some parents there may be concrete reasons such as disorders that run in the family.
Fears are often triggered by caregivers offering screening tests for abnormalities, which may be something you want or find confronting, challenging your feelings about your body's ability to produce a healthy baby. Unfortunately, no amount of tests can give you an iron-clad guarantee, but thankfully most babies are born well and healthy.
Other considerations
What to expect at your first pregnancy visit
Your first visit may be something you look forward to with excitement and eager expectations, or perhaps you anticipate it with a degree of nervousness and perhaps apprehension. If you have never been pregnant before, it can be difficult to know what may be involved. Generally your first visit is timed to happen around 10 to 14 weeks.
Painkillers
Taking mild painkillers during pregnancy is a controversial topic and something that may come down to your own personal choice.
Natural remedies during pregnancy
Herbal remedies
Herbs are very potent and are capable of producing harmful side affects if taken inappropriately. They need to be used with knowledge and caution. For example, there are concerns that some herbs can cause birth defects if taken during early pregnancy and there have also been cases of babies being poisoned by herbs taken by their mother while breastfeeding. Therefore, never self-prescribe herbs and seek the advice of a qualified herbalist, trained in their particular herbal discipline (for example Indian or Chinese herbs).
What you should be doing this week
Even though you don’t need to start attending antenatal classes until your third trimester, popular courses (especially the ones run by the NCT) can get booked up quickly, so get yourself on the list now..
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