Week 13: When Life Gives You a Lemon

Congratulations, you've reached the end of your first trimester and your little baby is now the size of a lemon

By Dr Janice TUNG, Associate Consultant and Associate Professor Tan Thiam Chye, Visiting Consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

What's Happening to Your Baby?

Your baby now has a head that's half the size of the body, from crown to rump. Although this looks a little strange now, don't worry; the body will catch up over the coming months as your baby continues to grow. Your little lemon weighs between 21 and 25g and is between 7 and 8.5cm long. Baby's intestines are moving from the umbilical cord into the abdomen. Although you have a few months to go before you can hear your baby cry, the vocal cords are already formed and ready to rock and roll.

3 lemons close to each other

What's Happening to You?

From constipation to indigestion, your pregnancy symptoms will begin to change from week to week. As your first trimester finishes, you may be feeling more energetic and less nauseous. Your sex drive may also increase or disappear, as everyone responds to changing hormones differently. Great news for you and your partner: sex is perfectly safe for both you and baby.

It's also important to eat nutritious meals for your baby's growth and to maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Doctors advise an additional 300 calories a day during the second trimester — that's the equivalent of a bowl of fish bee hoon soup!

Visit Parent Hub, for more useful tips and guides for a healthy pregnancy.

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This article was last reviewed on 28 Jun 2021