Feelings at the 13th week of pregnancy: changes in the woman's body, fetal development

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Behind already a third of pregnancy. The calendar begins to count down the second trimester of the entire period of bearing a child. What does a woman feel during this period? How does she feel? What is happening with her baby and her body now?

Women on pregnancy and motherhood forums often write, "The fact that my pants don't button up has never made me so happy." And this phrase shows the two biggest changes of this period.

The first part of the statement is important: “I have never been pleased with me …” Indeed, with the onset of the second trimester, the mood of a pregnant woman changes for the better. Less irritability, less anger, less anxiety - and thanks for that let's say the end of the hormonal storm of the first trimester.

Well, the second part of the statement: "My trousers don't fasten." The tummy begins to grow, this is not yet visible in loose-fitting clothes, but tight-fitting blouses and dresses treacherously give out the emerging tummy.

What awaits a pregnant woman at the end of the third month and at the beginning of the fourth? Let's take a closer look.

Feelings13 weeks pregnant

Hormonal restructuring, which was manifested by toxicosis in the first weeks of pregnancy, is almost over at this moment. Of course, everyone is individual, but most women experience nausea, dizziness, a feeling of constant general malaise.

A piquant change waiting for a woman at this time is an increase in libido. Increased sexual attraction to a partner is explained at this stage both by a psychological factor (a woman is now less afraid of a spontaneous abortion) and a physiological one (hormonal levels return to normal)

Some women are surprised to learn that their breasts have already begun to produce colostrum - the prototype of future breast milk. And this despite the fact that there are still 5 months before the birth.

The 2nd trimester is considered the quietest of the three periods of pregnancy. Anxiety associated with the fear of miscarriage worries the mother less and less - by this time the fetus is already protected more reliably and is less exposed to risks.

From the unpleasant - the problem of constipation

At 12-13 weeks of pregnancy, the sensations in the abdomen may not be very pleasant - for example, if a woman is facing constipation problems. They come, as a rule, just in this period. Indeed, now the tone of the muscles of the digestive organs is greatly reduced, and the intestines are compressed due to the increased size of the uterus. This is a typical problem, you should not be afraid of it. You just need to be more careful about your diet and increase physical activity, for example, with the help of leisurely walks.

It is important to remember that laxatives, as well as enemas, for a pregnant womanwomen are banned all 9 months. Such procedures can provoke a contraction of the smooth muscles of the uterus. And this is already fraught with spontaneous abortion, or otherwise - a miscarriage. Women during pregnancy are often prescribed "Duphalac".

Thrush - don't be scared

During this period of pregnancy, many are faced with such an unpleasant phenomenon as thrush. Officially, the disease is called "candidiasis", because. It is caused by fungi of the Candida species. These fungi can be asymptomatic in a woman's body, without causing concern and without declaring themselves in any way. But at the moment of impaired immunity, stress, a sharp hormonal adjustment, they begin to become more active. Reproducing, they crowd out the normal microflora.

Symptoms: severe unpleasant itching, profuse curdled discharge with a pungent odor. It is not worth sounding the alarm here - the disease is easily treatable even during the period of bearing a child. The main thing is to discard thoughts of self-treatment and contact your observing doctor. In the 21st century, a specialist will easily select drugs that will get rid of an unpleasant disease and will not harm the baby.

Reason to be wary

In the second trimester, toxicosis recedes, but if a woman feels unwell, she should be very careful about this. So, when should you be alert?

1. If pulled the lower abdomen. Most likely, the reason is a stretching of the uterus, but it’s not worth taking risks and being a hero. If you feel such sensations, you must immediately lie down and relax, and at the next scheduled appointmentbe sure to tell the gynecologist about this incident.
2. Convulsions. Especially often they make themselves felt at night. An extremely unpleasant sensation, most often it is caused by a lack of calcium in the body of a pregnant woman. If you had to face this phenomenon, you need to increase your calcium intake. It is important to give preference to plant-based calcium.
3. Headaches. An extremely common malaise of expectant mothers. The reasons have not been fully explored. A woman carrying a baby should not use medicines, so you will have to save yourself with folk remedies. Cold compresses, infusions of chamomile, lemon balm and, of course, sleep. Thorough ventilation of the room promotes fast falling asleep. But there are situations when there is no strength to endure a headache. In this case, doctors allow a single dose of painkillers. An important clarification - you can take a pill based on paracetamol, but pills containing aspirin are strictly prohibited.
4. Abdominal pain and spotting. Urgent ambulance! This is one of the most dangerous symptoms during pregnancy, most often this is how miscarriages begin. If you seek medical help on time, pregnancy in most cases can be saved. The threat of miscarriage is the most terrible consequence of spotting. More “safe” problems are cervical erosion or placental abruption. But in any case, with such a symptom, a doctor is needed. And urgently!

What happens to the uterus?

At 13 weeks pregnant, a woman's sensations are directly related to the increase in the size of the uterus. During this period sheis actively growing. If in the “calm state” its size is approximately 5 cm long and 4 cm wide, then during this period it is already significantly increased - an average height of 13 cm and a width of 10 cm.

It fills almost the entire hip area and continues to rise higher into the abdominal cavity. Other organs have to noticeably crowd - and all this affects the sensations at the 13th week of pregnancy. The “moving” organs will express their dissatisfaction with such troubles as heartburn, constipation or shortness of breath in the expectant mother.

From this week, an interesting pattern begins in the body of a pregnant woman - now the size of her uterus will coincide with the period in weeks. Now, at 13 weeks, the uterus is 13 cm tall, in a week it will increase by another 1 cm.

The uterus during this period is already palpable by a woman in the prone position - it is felt as a round formation, somewhat reminiscent of its outlines of a melon.

Fetal sensations at this stage

Fancy a peach? So, the future baby is exactly this size at the 13th week of pregnancy. Feelings in the mother's stomach are the most pleasant for the child - he is warm, comfortable there, he hears his mother's muffled voice.

What does the baby feel during this period of time? He became much more active, he sleeps a lot only at night, and during the daytime he is often awake. All day long he listens to the sounds that come from outside. He already reacts to external stimuli, such as cold and heat, light and darkness. Mom's touches on the tummy deliver himpleasure. He can already show it - during this period he learns to make faces and smile.

How does the fetus still feel at 13 weeks pregnant? He is already beginning to distinguish the taste and smell of the food that mom eats. He does not like something from her menu, and he will make an offended grimace. And the taste of other dishes, on the contrary, will appeal to him, and he will already meet them with a smile. Indirectly for the mother, this is expressed in cravings for some products and rejection of others. It happens that women during pregnancy cannot look at their favorite dishes. Or vice versa: the future mother was absolutely indifferent to something, but the 13th obstetric week of pregnancy gives the feeling that meals are tasteless without this dish. This is how the baby expresses his first taste preferences.

Physical development of the fetus at this stage

Physical development continues. Outwardly, the former tadpole more and more resembles the outlines of a child. At this stage, it weighs 15-25 grams. Muscle and bone tissue continues to form: the first signs of ribs appear, limbs are formed.

The baby's digestive system this week acquires food villi - they begin to form in the intestines. Their task in the future, throughout life, is to help push and digest food.

All the milk teeth of the crumbs are already laid and are left to wait for their finest hour, when mom will rejoice: “We have the first tooth!”.

The internal organs have already taken their proper places and in the future they have to grow and form. Some of them have already set to work: the pancreas has begun to produce the first insulin, and the little heart is already working with might and main, distilling up to 25 liters of blood through the body per day.

Boy or girl?

By the beginning of the second semester, the genitals are also undergoing significant changes. The genital tubercle of the baby becomes longer and goes in one of two ways: either gradually turns into a penis, or, if the future baby is a girl, it bends down and becomes the prototype of the clitoris. By the way, girls have more than 2 million eggs in their ovaries during this period.

The earliest time at which you can determine the sex of the baby is just 13-14 weeks of pregnancy. Feelings and premonitions of the mother can be confirmed or not - one of the most exciting issues of pregnancy. But most experts at this stage do not yet risk voicing the final verdict - the term is still small, the child may lie in such a way that it is difficult to identify his genitals, and there is a high probability of error. What doctors can say at this stage is the number of babies in the womb.

Expectant mother - how the look changes

Those who, despite 2 strips on the test, were not fully aware of their pregnancy, at the beginning of the second trimester, they will still have to believe in it. In addition to the fact that at 13 weeks of pregnancy, the sensations in the stomach become more and more noticeable, the appearance of the future parent is also undergoing changes.

For a start - this is the moment most people start to have a tummy. Waistdisappears, the forms become more and more rounded and the main sign of future motherhood - the tummy - is already beginning to noticeably succumb forward. Those of the acquaintances who did not know about the “interesting situation” will already be able to see it during this period if they are attentive.

Changes apply to the chest. The mammary glands are filled, increase in size, become heavier. By the end of pregnancy, each breast will weigh between 400 and 800 grams; even more after birth. Therefore, it is worth choosing comfortable bras now.

If the mom-to-be hasn't checked out the maternity department yet, now is the time to start. Shopping aimed at buying special clothes is simply necessary - after all, most trousers will now put pressure on the tummy and cause discomfort. And for the baby, you probably want to pick up something.

In addition to comfortable bras and trousers, you should pay attention to shoes. The feeling at the 13th week of pregnancy changes, wearing high-heeled shoes can already be difficult, and even traumatic. Therefore, expectant mothers are advised to get shoes with a small but very stable heel. In addition, such shoes are also needed for the prevention of varicose veins.

The appearance of age spots can be attributed to the inconvenience of this period of pregnancy. They do not occur in all pregnant women, they often appear on the face and can significantly spoil the mood. But do not worry - after pregnancy, they quickly disappear, leaving no traces.

Another typical change is the darkening of the areolas of the nipples of the mammary glands. itis associated with a change in the synthesis of pituitary hormones, through which all girls and women in the position pass.

Feelings at 13 weeks pregnant: reviews of lower back problems

It is important for women to understand which uncomfortable sensations in this position are normal and which are not.

There should be no painful sensation in the abdomen at 13 weeks pregnant. In reviews, women often mention discomfort in the lower back.

Here it is necessary to clearly understand and share where it hurts - in the lower back or is this how the stomach reacts to the growth of the fetus? The lower back may experience pain of a pulling nature due to loosening of the intervertebral discs. In addition, the center of gravity changes, and if a woman has not built a strong muscular frame before pregnancy, she can feel the entire load on the lumbar back. Women who went in for sports before pregnancy and generally led an active lifestyle are much less likely to experience such pain.

What else do you need to know about your body when you are 12-13 weeks pregnant? Sensations of bursting and sipping weak pains on the sides of the abdomen are associated with the growth of the uterus and the tension of its ligaments. The key here is that these pain sensations are weak. If the pain becomes severe and sharp, the woman needs to call an ambulance.

Cold? Get treated urgently

No one - neither a child nor a pensioner - is 100% protected from colds. Including a pregnant woman. During this period of life, catching a viral disease and even the flu is easy.

When pregnancy at 12-13weeks, a woman's feelings are very important. And if she feels weakness, chills, aching bones, she should immediately begin treatment.

Yes, the main organs of the baby are already formed at this point, but the disease can give a complication. And you never know for sure how such a combination - flu and pregnancy at 13 weeks - will be displayed on the development of the fetus. The feelings of the expectant mother during this period are aggravated, and most often she feels the onset of a cold.

It is not worth treating with medication: rinse your nose with saline solutions, drink fruit drinks and compotes, actively gargle. And all this, coupled with bed rest and calling a doctor at home - in such an interesting position, you should not go to clinics yourself.

Linking nutrition to wellness

Feelings at the 13th week of pregnancy are also associated with the nutrition of the expectant mother. The baby in the womb feels what the parent has eaten or drunk - the taste of the amniotic fluid changes - and reacts to this. Plus, the displacement of internal organs due to the growing uterus causes heartburn and a feeling of heaviness. The value of proper nutrition during this period is difficult to overestimate.

The minimum amount of sweet and starchy foods - that's what pregnancy should be marked at 13 weeks. The development of the fetus and the sensations of the mother depend on a balanced diet, on the absence of harmful and heavy foods in the diet. What exactly should be excluded for a woman expecting a baby?

• sweet carbonated drinks;
• alcohol inany form;
• fast food;
• food with a lot of spices, hot sauces.

It is advisable for the expectant mother to have dinner 2-4 hours before bedtime, and try to make the food itself five times a day.

If you follow these simple rules, then the touching expectation of a new little man will not be overshadowed by a feeling of heaviness and discomfort.