This week, my baby is working hard and growing fast! Although I won't be able to feel anything yet, my baby will be moving about and getting good at kicking and somersaulting. My morning sickness is feeling better – hurrah! Although it has been replaced with weird and wonderful food cravings.
My trousers feel tighter as my womb grows bigger, making space for my baby to enter an exciting new stage.
My uterus has grown from the size of a small pear to the size of a grapefruit. I’m probably not ready for a maternity clothes shopping spree just yet, but my growing uterus can make tight trousers uncomfortable. I also start to crave weird and wonderful food – pickles and ice cream. Don't worry – most mums-to-be usually just fancy food that they wouldn't usually go for. Spice-lovers might find themselves ordering blander food than usual, while vegetarians might be appalled to find themselves eyeing up the local steakhouse.
My baby's bones and cartilage are forming and forming fast. At a tiny 3.1cm long and 4g in weight I won't be able to feel them moving about, but as their muscles develop they'll start practicing their kicks and somersaults. They're starting to look more like a mini person now, with nostrils, the beginning of lips and little tiny fingernails. They're developing the face muscles that will let them suck, and they're already practicing how to swallow. Their little heart is still forming, but their heart beats are really fast – around twice the speed of mine!
The morning sickness and exhaustion I've been feeling should be easing off a bit, so it's a good time to introduce some easy exercises into my routine. Yoga is great, as the stretching and breathing can also help during labour. It's best to join pregnancy classes, as some poses in regular yoga classes can be unsafe and best avoided for pregnant mums. A pregnancy yoga class is an ideal place to meet, chat and make friends with other mums-to-be, too.
