13 Weeks Pregnant | Belly, Ultrasound And Exercise

When you’re 13 weeks pregnant, you can say goodbye to your first trimester.

Congratulations!

You’ve made it through one-third of your pregnancy already.

How many months is 13 weeks pregnant?

13 weeks is just over the 3-month mark.

By now you’ll most likely have had your due date confirmed by your doctor after your first-trimester ultrasound.

13 weeks of pregnancy

At 13 weeks pregnant, you’re now entering the more enjoyable second trimester.

The next three months are sometimes known as the ‘pregnancy honeymoon period’. This is when most of those pesky early pregnancy symptoms have begun to die down.

You’re probably starting to feel a bit more energetic, and more like your normal self again. Most women feel at their best during their second trimester, and this is the time you are said to ‘bloom’.

Is 13 weeks pregnant safe?

Now that you’ve arrived at pregnancy week 13, you’re probably bursting to tell everyone your good news.

So far, you might have told only your nearest and dearest, and have been waiting until now to share the good news with others.

Most parents-to-be wait until the second trimester to let everyone in on their secret. This is because by this stage in the pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage has reduced significantly.

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to how many weeks you should be before you announce your pregnancy; however, most couples wait until after the 12-week scan.

Don’t be surprised, though, if some people have already guessed (especially if your first trimester was a bit rough).

There are only so many excuses you can make for frequent trips to the bathroom, early nights, and mysterious ‘sickness bugs’.

The important thing is, you share the news when, and how, you want to.

Ask others to respect that it’s your news to announce, and to leave it to you to spread the word.

If you’re needing a little inspiration, check out Pregnancy Announcement Ideas – 7 Creative Videos.

13 weeks pregnant – what to expect

Typically by now, your nausea and morning sickness have ended – or at least have begun to fade (finally).

In fact, you’ve probably noticed your appetite has returned and you’re starting to enjoy food again.

Food (and smell) aversions tend to ease around this stage, too. You might actually start to fancy again all those things you’ve been desperately trying to steer clear of during the last few weeks.

Just remember, though, eating for two while pregnant isn’t recommended.

Nutrition in pregnancy is really important. Your healthcare provider will usually recommend eating an average of about 300 extra calories per day, for someone with a normal body mass index (BMI).

Too much weight gain in pregnancy can lead to both short and long-term complications for the mother and the baby, such as gestational diabetes.

A healthy pregnancy requires a balance and varied diet that prioritizes nutritious foods over highly processed foods.

Add your extra calories by enjoying healthy foods rather than junk. Your baby’s future health is affected by your health and nutrition during pregnancy.

Now that you’re feeling a little better, make a conscious effort to make healthy food choices.

Add lots of fresh fruits, raw vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains to your pregnancy diet.

Green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach are a welcome source of folate. Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9 found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

This should not be confused with folic acid for pregnancy. Folic acid is the man-made synthetic form of folate, found in fortified grains and supplements.

Folate is especially important in pregnancy as it helps support your baby’s growth and fetal development. Talk to your healthcare provider about the most appropriate form of folate for you.

Second trimester pregnant symptoms

At 13 weeks of pregnancy, most women find their early pregnancy signs and symptoms have changed.

Your moods have most likely started to settle, and you should begin to feel as though you have more energy.

Instead of feeling ill with morning sickness, nausea, and extreme fatigue, you can now expect and look out for new pregnancy symptoms.

These can include:

Round ligament pain.

This can feel like sharp pain in the lower abdomen or running down one side, or both sides, of the belly. Sometimes you might also feel it in the groin area. As the uterus begins to grow, the ligaments have to stretch to support it, and this can cause some discomfort. This pain is most common in mid-trimester. Although sharp or sudden pain can be worrying at the time, round ligament pain is considered perfectly normal as your body changes during pregnancy.

Increased vaginal discharge.

This thin, milky-colored fluid is called leukorrhea. It’s caused by changes in your pregnancy hormones – particularly rising levels of estrogen – and increased blood flow to the pelvic area. Vaginal discharge increases as your pregnancy progresses. It acts to prevent infection and promote healthy bacteria in your vagina.

Visible veins.

You might have noticed a spidery network of blue veins appearing on your breasts and hands, or even on your belly. This is due to the increased blood supply, and it’s normal.

Breast changes.

Pregnancy affects your breast tissue, in anticipation of breastfeeding your newborn. This means increased size and darkening of the area around the nipple (areola), and an increase in the size of your nipples. Your body also begins to produce colostrum, as early as 16 weeks.

Increased sex drive.

It’s quite normal for you to feel a sudden jump in your sex drive around the second trimester. Read BellyBelly’s article Can You Have Sex While Pregnant? to learn more.

Other common second trimester symptoms include constipation, gas, indigestion, bloating, and heartburn. I bet you can’t wait!

You might experience many of these symptoms in your third trimester, too, as baby gets bigger and you edge closer to the birth.

13 weeks pregnant belly

Many women will have started to show a little baby bump by this stage. You might have noticed your waistline beginning to expand just a little, too; this is completely normal.

Although you might feel your rapidly expanding uterus is visible for everyone to see, at this stage, others might not have noticed it yet.

For those folks you haven’t got around to telling yet, you can probably still disguise your little bump (if needed) with a baggy sweater or a strategically placed scarf.

Over the next few weeks, though, it will increasingly become more difficult to hide.

13 weeks pregnant ultrasound

Your baby’s genetics, and gender, are pre-determined from the moment you conceive.

An ultrasound of your baby at 13 weeks might detect your baby’s gender, but it’s not very accurate.

If you really want to find out, the most accurate time to discover the sex of your baby is at the 18-20 week ultrasound.

As long as babies aren’t being shy and hiding their genitals, the gender can usually be discovered during the second-trimester anatomy scan (also known as the anomaly scan).

In the meantime, you can check out our just-for-fun article Boy or Girl – What Am I Having? 16 Old Wives Tales.

13 weeks pregnant exercise

The second trimester is a wonderful chance to enjoy being pregnant.

It’s also a great time to take up some pregnancy classes, or get back into doing some daily exercise if you haven’t been able to maintain it through the first trimester.

Always get professional medical advice if you have a pre-existing health condition that meant you couldn’t exercise before.

Now that you’re not struggling, feeling sick, or feeling like you have to nap every afternoon, enjoying a walk or exercise class is a great idea.

Swimming, yoga, and walking are great forms of pregnancy exercise. You should also make sure you work out those pelvic floor muscles.

You can look for alternatives to abdominal exercises. Check with a women’s health physiotherapist if you need any tips.

Exercise during pregnancy can also affect your birth.

Check out Exercise During Pregnancy Could Shorten Your Labour for more information.

Can you feel the baby at 13 weeks pregnant?

Although there will be lots of movement going on inside, due to your baby’s small size, you probably won’t be able to feel anything just yet.

Most women begin to feel fetal movements at around 16-20 weeks. If this is not your first baby, you may start to feel them even earlier.

13 weeks pregnant baby

At 13 weeks pregnant, amazingly your baby is almost fully formed, and just needs to mature and grow.

During this stage, the rate of your baby’s growth and fetal development is rapid. There are big changes happening.

All of the major organs are developing to help prepare your baby for life outside the womb.

At this point, your baby has fully functioning kidneys and is starting to pee urine regularly. Urine is formed as the baby swallows amniotic fluid. It is stored in the bladder until it is peed out, back into the amniotic fluid.

The spleen has developed and has begun to create red blood cells. Your baby’s intestines, which were growing inside the umbilical cord, now move to the abdomen.

The eyes are in the correct place but remain shut. This is to protect the eyes as they continue to develop. Your baby’s vocal cords are also forming.

Your baby is moving a lot inside, but it’s unlikely you’ll be able to feel it at 13 weeks pregnant. Most pregnant women start to feel the first flutters of movement somewhere between 16 and 20 weeks. You might be surprised to know, at 13 weeks your baby can already suck a thumb or fingers.

Your baby’s head is gradually becoming more in proportion with the rest of the body. Their head is only a third of the size of the body. Your baby at 13 weeks even has a unique set of fingerprints!

The placenta is growing, in anticipation of your baby’s development in the coming months. By the time of birth, the weight of the average placenta is around 500g, or roughly a third of your baby’s birth weight.

So now you have something else to blame for your weight gain.

13 weeks pregnant baby weight

When you’re 13 weeks pregnant, your baby’s growth is rapid. At this stage, your little one is approximately 7-8 cms long, weighs around 23 grams, and is about the size of a peach.