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Pregnancy Week 13
How big is your baby?
Your baby now measures 7.4cm (2.91 inches) and weighs about 23 grams (0.81 ounce). It is about the size of a peach.
Your baby's development
One striking change in your baby's growth is the slowdown of the development of his/her head in comparison to the rest of the body. At this stage the head is still about half the length of the crown to rump measurement, but by the time you are in your 21st week this will have changed to about a third of the crown to rump measurement.
Your baby's face is also starting to look more human like. The eyes are starting to move closer together, and the ears will move to the normal position at the side of the head.
The external genitalia have now developed enough that if you had to examine them outside the womb you would be able to distinguish male from female.
This week there are some other key developments which are taking place. Your
babys intestines are starting to migrate from the umbilical cord and into the
stomach. Another big development to do with processing of minerals and waste is
that sometime during this week your baby will be passing its fist bit of urine
into the amniotic fluid!
Stretch marks
are often associated with pregnancy as a result of your ever expanding belly and
breasts. You may also begin to notice some stretch marks appearing, particularly around your waist, buttocks and breasts. To help avoid the occurrence of stretch marks it is important to keep your weight gain steady, drink plenty of water and follow a regular exercise routine.
It is important that you limit your intake of caffeine as it has been associated with a decreased birth weight and a smaller head size in babys. So researchers even believe that there is a direct connection between high caffeine intake and premature birth.
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