Weeks 13-26

Week 13

Your Baby is now 12cm and weighs 65g

The neck is now developed enough for your baby to move its head
freely, the lungs have improved their efficiency. You might start to
feel movements around now, not yet kicks just tiny flutterings.

Week14

Your Baby is 14cm and weighs 110g

You are now fully into the beginning of the second trimester of your pregnancy. Essentially,
for the next 3 months, your baby will grow and grow. It's full system
is in place and just needs to expand. The organs are mature by now.

The arms continue to develop. The bending of fingers and the clenching of the fists is now possible.

Your baby grows at one hell of a speed. Your needs grow at a similar rate.
It is becoming impossible to know what you will feel like from one day
to the next. Pray for a partner that can switch to suit your every whim
and desire.

A certain relief is felt by both of you now that you have dramatically
reduced chances of miscarriage. This is a real milestone, especially if
you have experienced previous problems.

Week 15

Your Baby is 16cm and weighs 135g

The amniotic fluid surrounding your baby helps external sounds travel to
your baby and this week your baby begins to hear for the first time,
mainly your heart, stomach and voice however your babys brain is not
yet mature enoughto interpret this information. Your babys first hairs
are beginning to grow.

You might find you have more energy now, make the most of it as you will be limited in what you can do by your size soon!

Week 16

Your baby is 17.5cm and weighs 160g

Your baby learns to suck this week and will react to visual stimulations it
will use its hands to protect its eyes against bright lights

You may be feeling 'blooming' now.

Week 17

Your Baby is 19cm and weighs 200g

Your babys skin is developing further but still remains transparent. Vernix
is forming over your babys body acting as sealent to protect the skin.

The sex of your baby is fully developed and can be identified on a scan.

You may be feeling the baby move more & more as it swims around inside your tummy!

Week 18

Your Baby is now 20cm and weighs 250g

Your Baby will be responding more and more to loud noises outside the womb
and will raise its hands to cover its ears against loud bangs. Your
Baby is moving most of the time and the lungs are developing from the
small cavaties in your babuies chest

You are nearly half way through your pregnancy your stomach may itch
because of the stretching skin and your areolae may begin to expand and
darken.

Week 19

Your Baby is now 21 cm and weighs 270g

Your Baby is very active now finding the limits of its environment but will
sleep for up to 20 hours a day. Its teeth are starting to form behind
the milk teeth within its tiny gums

You may start to notice Braxton Hicks contractions from around now.

Week 20

Your Baby is 22.5cm and weighs 380g

Your babys legs are now in good proportion to the rest of its body and its
movements are becoming more complex. Your baby is growing quickly now
and is half the length it will be at birth but only about 12% of the
weight

You might be finding your nights a little restless and wake up after vivid
dreams about your child or the birth, this is your brains way of
dealing with your worries, if this troubles you speak to your partner
or a friend.

Week 21

Your Baby is 24 cm and weighs 450g

Soft downey hairs (vernix) completely cover your babys body now, this will
dissolve before birth, it is only there to protect your baby from the
amniotic fluid

You may go for another scan around now and see your baby in more detail
than the first scan, some hospitals will tell you the gender of your
baby so if you want to know don't forget to ask.

Week 22

Your baby is 26cm and weighs 500g

Your babys eyebrows and eye lashes begin to grow now and the skin begins to
thicken but as there are still no fatty cells the skin is still
translucent

your babys system begins to produce white blood cells that will enable it to fight illness and

You should be feeling more confident about your babys health now.

Week 23

Your Baby is now 28cm and weighs 550g

Tiny lines begin to appear on the fingers and palms. These will become the future fingerprints.

The nerve cells are all in place now. Soon they will begin to join together to form a full nervous system.

The dental buds are in place now and the enamel that will create the milk teeth starts to construct itself.

Your hormones will be playing havoc and your joints may be aching as they loosen up.

Week 24

Your baby is now30cm and weighs 650g

The inner ear is now its definitive size and the auditory functions are
completely formed so sounds can be heard very well now. Nails are
beginning to grow, fingernails first then toes

You will be bonding with the baby more and more with every movement.

Week25

Your Baby is 32cm and weighs 750g

Your baby can put its thumb in its mouth and can cry. More vernix is gained
around the skin to protect against the acidity of the amniotic fluid
and help maintain a regular temperature. growth will slow now but
become more regular

You may be finding it hard to get comfortable in bed now, try putting a pillow between your knees.

week 26

Your Baby is 33cm and weighs 850g

You are now at the end of the second trimester and your babys bronchial
tracts develop but the lungs will not be fully mature until after
birth. From this month onwards the placenta is used less and the amount
of amniotic fluid decreases as your baby grows

You could allow to start to buy a few things for your baby now.