"On the inside numerous organs are already working, such as my heart and my intestines, and on the outside I have little tufts of hair."
13 Weeks Pregnant
The Baby The baby is getting so big now he's starting to push up your uterus. He weighs just over an ounce (30 grams) and measures almost 3 inches (about 7 centimeters). When not pregnant, a normal uterus is about the size of a small pear. Twelve weeks into the pregnancy, the uterus has grown to the size of a big pear, after 16 weeks it's as big as a grapefruit and when you're 20 weeks pregnant it's the size of a small melon. After 24 weeks of pregnancy it has become as big as a baby watermelon and after 28 weeks it is similiar in size to a balloon that's not fully inflated. By the time you're about to give birth, your uterus is as big as a fully inflated balloon. Your cervix represents the tightly closed mouth of the balloon.
A uterus can be positioned leaning towards the front or the back. If yours is positioned towards the front, you can feel your uterus with your hands above the pubic bone from now on. You can also have your partner or your children feel it if they want. If it doesn't really work out yet, try it again in one or two weeks. Throughout the entire pregnancy you can have normal 'pulling and stretching' pain. Sometimes during the little one's growth spurts, your organs - such as your stomach, liver, pancreas and gall bladder - literally have to make way for your rising uterus. Your uterus is a hollow, muscular organ that always has a certain amount of tension and responds to its surroundings, such as during an orgasm. Now that there's a baby growing inside you, your uterus can harden or tighten briefly during such a growth spurt or when you're doing familiar activities or having an orgasm. That's all normal. You may feel it more often when you're stressed or have a full bladder. These mild uterine contractions are good for the baby -- it feels like a kind of hug, a sign that his mother is there for him.They even have an official name:Braxton-Hicks contractions. First time moms may not even notice them until week 20 or so, where experienced moms may notice them much earlier.
If you have questions or doubts with regard to experiencing a uterine contraction, ligament pain or the growth of your baby, don't hesitate to ask when you have your next check-up.
Mother Being pregnant is wonderful! You're on cloud nine, but sporadically there are moments at which you're plagued with doubt and insecurity. And these concern the little being that's growing inside you in particular. Will he be normal? Will he have all of his organs and will they be at the right spot? Will he have a toe too many or too few? Even if you're someone with a naturally positive attitude, you sometimes think about all of the things that can go wrong. A realization that might put your mind at rest, however, is that there's little you can do about it now. Your baby grows as he's supposed to grow and at this stage you can no longer influence that. If you are still really worried about this, consult with your health care provider about the various medical examinations that can be done for you.
But remember: almost all children are born healthy. It's a waste to have your wonderful pregnancy influenced too much by negative thoughts. Have faith in nature, in the goodness of things and most of all in yourself. Enjoy your belly and pamper in your mind the little one that's growing inside you.
Pamper yourself by having your husband give you a relaxing massage or by taking a weekend break in the woods or on the beach, and treat yourself to a pretty maternity outfit or some cute baby clothes.
Father Your partner is starting to glow again. She's not as nauseous anymore and her interest in you returns. You notice she's getting used to being pregnant and feels good again. That makes you feel better, too. You've read somewhere that expecting fathers can have actual pregnancy complaints and you suspect that the tiredness you're feeling has something to do with that. Maybe it's a nuisance to you sometimes that your partner doesn't seem to want to talk about anything other than the baby, with her girlfriends, with her mother; at times you're feeling a bit left out. You promise yourself that you'll read a bit more about babies and all things related to them. You've already had lengthy talks with that co-worker who has just become a dad and couldn't stop talking about the birth of his son.
You decide to surprise your wife with a nice weekend away from it all, just leaving things as they are, getting your breath back and enjoying each other's company.
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Brother / Sister It's really true! The baby stayed in her belly and you guys were even allowed to see him when you went along with Mom when she had the ultrasound done. Well, maybe 'see' is too big of a word, at the office they let you look along with them on the monitor. They explained it all, but the only thing you could see was a gray lump moving back and forth. The beating heart was pretty neat, though. It was fun to listen to it. He's a long way from being a real baby, though; actually, he doesn't look like much yet. The doctor was pretty nice and Mom was happy too. She's bringing you back to school and now you can also tell the news about the baby to your friends. That's cool, because nobody else in your class is getting a brother or sister!
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