Day 97 of 280, second trimester
You are 13 weeks and 6 days
Your baby is growing stronger every day, thanks to her life-support system, the placenta.
183 days until your due date
Your baby's rapid growth continues, and she'll nearly double in size from 2.25 in (5.5 cm) to 4 in (10 cm) over the next three weeks. Muscle and bone growth advances, but although all the joints are there, it will be three weeks before the skeleton starts to harden.
Your baby now depends entirely on the placenta for nourishment. Environmental factors have almost no effect on her size yet; all babies are the same size until around 20 weeks.
The placenta is bigger than your baby and supplies all the nutrients she needs. To help her grow, it draws amino acids from your blood, giving her high levels. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, from which muscles and organs develop.
Explainer
The cord and placenta
The umbilical cord connects your 13-week-old baby to the placenta, whose many blood vessels nourish her.
Focus on
Nutrition: Protein plus
Protein is needed for your baby and placenta to develop and to fuel the changes in your body. In pregnancy you need 6–6.5 oz of protein-rich foods a day, instead of the usual 5–5.5 oz, so include a source at all three meals. Protein sources include meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, beans, nuts, and seeds.
The best protein foods are low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Trim the fat off meat, eat one or two servings of fish or seafood, and choose skim milk and low-fat cheeses, which have all the protein of full-fat versions. Nuts and seeds are rich in heart-healthy oils, and vegetarians need a wide range of plant proteins to get enough amino acids.
Appointments and key dates around now
- Dating scanBetween 11 and 14 weeks
Read the full 13 weeks pregnant guide
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.