11 weeks pregnant | Baby Size, Development and Pregnancy Symptoms

What’s new this week?

Your body

Get ready – you’re about to get your first real glimpse of your baby! During your next prenatal checkup, your doctor (or a technician) will likely perform an ultrasound. You will get a jelly-like gunk that will be rubbed onto your belly and your Ob will move a handheld device over your lower abdomen. The transducer, as it’s called, emits sound waves that bounce off your baby — completely harmless, of course — producing (presto!) an image that appears on a video screen. Maybe you can choose arms, legs, fingers and toes, her belly, even the curve of the little nose on her face. You’ll also be able to hear the muffled, yet rhythmic sound of her heartbeat – which is almost as magical. That’s the standard black and white ultrasound, but today obstetrics and hospitals may offer 3D ultrasounds, which give an even more realistic picture of your baby-to-be. Your doctor will use the ultrasound to see how the baby is growing and adjust your due date if necessary based on her size and stage of development. And – bonus! – you will probably get a printout of your little one to take home. (Read here 5 Tips for Managing Your Weight Gain During Pregnancy)

Then it is time for the nuchal translucency test. It uses ultrasound to measure the reasonable (clear) space in the tissue at the back of your foster child’s neck. Embryos with anomalies will generally accumulate more fluid at the back of the neck during the first trimester, making this free space thicker than average – this is considered a marker. Your healthcare provider will also perform a blood test. The blood results, along with the ultrasound findings, assess your baby’s risk for a down condition and some other chromosomal abnormalities, as well as major intrinsic heart problems.

DID YOU KNOW?

1½-2½ inches

Height of your baby

< 1/4 ounce

Weight of your baby Gewicht

lime

Size of your baby

your baby

This week, your baby has graduated from embryo to fetus — and she’s about to go through a major growth spurt. Between now and the 20 week mark, your baby will quadruple in height and gain about 30 times her current weight. Her head, which is now almost as big as the rest of her body, will grow more slowly during this time so that everything else catches up with her and becomes more proportionate. Straight away, her liver, intestines, brain, and lungs begin to function on their own, the intestines begin to migrate to the abdominal cavity, and the external genitalia have developed into a clitoris and labia majora (or, in the case of a boy, a penis). Your baby now looks like a boy or a girl! It’s just too early to see it on an ultrasound. The ears, which until now have been sitting low on the baby’s head, will also begin to move into place. And small details like fingernails and toenails will come to the fore now that most of the major organ development is complete.

Your life right now

Need a vacation? Now’s a great time to start planning a babymoon — you know, your last kid-free getaway for what’s probably going to be quite a while. Any annoying pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness, will probably disappear in the coming weeks and you’ll feel more like an adventure. Plus, you won’t be so tall that you feel cramped on the bus on a long flight or stagger uncomfortably from one landmark to another. A bit of advice: Talk to your doctor before you pull out your credit card and start booking. In most uncomplicated pregnancies, flying and other travel issues are fine until about 35 to 36 weeks. But it’s always a good idea to check in. Happy travels!

Moms Like Me/ I wish I had known

“I loved the Bella Band! Not only is it great now because you can wear part of your pants loose, but it became essential later in pregnancy as it gave a little extra support to my big old baby bump! – dolls