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Are you feeling better? In the last weeks of the first trimester, many pregnant women get some much needed relief from their morning sickness and fatigue. If you're still feeling nauseous, don't worry. It won't be too long before you start to feel better. Hormonal levels tend to level off in the second trimester of pregnancy, so look forward to that!
By pregnancy week 11, you probably look a little pregnant. While you may not be showing a lot, especially if this is your first baby, the people around you might start to notice your growing belly. If you've been pregnant before, you will start showing much earlier due to your relaxed abdominal muscles. You will also show earlier if you are carrying twins or multiples.
Do You Look Pregnant Yet?
As you continue your pregnancy week by week, your uterus is expanding every day. At 11 weeks pregnant it is probably peaking out just above the midpoint of your pelvis. When your uterus grows past the middle part of your public bone, you will finally "pop" out to the point where you may need to start considering maternity clothing.
If you're tall, you may not look pregnant for quite some time. Many tall women find that it takes a bit longer before they start showing. While this can be frustrating to some, other women see it as a blessing, especially those who prefer to keep their pregnancy hidden until they have passed the first trimester.
Remember that every woman and every pregnancy is different.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Your pregnancy weight gain at 11 weeks pregnant may be around three or four pounds for a normal-sized woman, though some women will gain more and others less. On average, you will most likely gain at least one pound a week as your pregnancy week by week continues.
Some women gain more weight around their face and breasts, while others pack on the pounds in their butt and thighs. While you can't control where your pregnancy pounds go, because it is often due to genetics, you can control how much weight you gain during pregnancy.
For the average-sized woman, the recommended weight gain during pregnancy is between 25 and 35 pounds. If you are overweight, you should only gain between 15 and 25 pounds. Underweight women should aim to gain 28-40 pounds during pregnancy.
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight gain is essential to the health of your baby. Try to eat a balanced diet with a variety of food choices - whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Keep in mind that size is not a predictor of your baby's birth weight. Some women look small during pregnancy, but then they give birth to 8-pound babies!
Pregnancy Myths
At 11 weeks pregnant, you may be wondering what your baby's sex will be. You may have heard that carrying low indicates a boy baby, and that if you carry high, you're pregnant with a girl. Despite this old wives tale, your carrying style has no effect on whether you will have a boy or girl. The way you carry is mostly determined by the position you're baby is in and your abdominal muscle tone.
Pregnancy myths are fun to read, but they are rarely true. If you're just dying to know whether you're carrying a boy or girl, you will simply have to wait. Most parents find out in the second trimester, around pregnancy week 20 or so.
Nuchal Translucency
If you are an older mom (over 35), you may be offered a nuchal translucency screening at 11 weeks of pregnancy. Also called a nuchal fold scan, this prenatal screening test assesses your baby's risk for Down syndrome and some other chromosomal abnormalities. This test measures the clear space in the tissue in the back of your baby's neck to check for any excess fluid that may have collected there. Babies with abnormalities tend to have more fluid in the back of their neck than normal babies.
This screening test is considered to be 80 percent accurate, and it is usually performed between pregnancy week 11 and 14 weeks pregnant. A nuchal fold scan will not give you a diagnosis, only if your baby is at high risk for a chromosomal defect. An amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS), which are normally performed in the second trimester, will be able to give you more definite answers.
Keep in mind though, even if your baby is affected with a chromosomal disorder, these prenatal screening and diagnostic tests cannot tell you the severity of the disorder.
By pregnancy week 11, your baby looks like a real baby, not a tiny tadpole anymore. He or she is now big enough to hold in the palm of your hand - about 1.61 inches from crown to rump. All his or her vital organs (such as the heart, lung, and liver) are formed, and now they're functioning.
Did you know that your baby's heart has beat over 9,000,000 times by 11 weeks of pregnancy? His or her heart is beating around 168 beats per minute - that's pretty fast!
Your baby's diaphragm is now developed, so it won't be long before he or she starts hiccupping. Experts believe that hiccupping prepares the baby for breathing after birth. However, even if your little one is hiccupping, you won't be able to feel it at pregnancy week 11. But in the second trimester, you may start to feel your baby's movements and hiccups.
At pregnancy week 11, your baby's skin is fully formed but it is practically transparent. So if you were to peer inside your uterus, you would be able to see through your baby's outer skin and see his or her tiny blood vessels and the formation of cartilage and organs.
Your little baby's ears are moving into their final position this week. Do you remember that your little one's fingers and toes became distinguishable last week? At 11 weeks pregnant, the fingernail and toenail beds are forming.
You might not feel any movement in utero, but your baby is becoming quite an active acrobat. He or she is already practicing kicking and squirming inside the amniotic sac. Plus, now that the neck is lengthened, he or she can shake and nod his or her head.
Now, your baby's head makes up about half of your little one's total size! Don't worry - his or her body will slowly catch up throughout your pregnancy week by week.
The most exciting change at 11 weeks pregnant is the development of your baby's sex organs. The ovaries and testes are developing this week!
Now that you've reached pregnancy week 11, your risk of miscarriage is lower than it was earlier in the first trimester. However, you may be concerned if you start to experience cramps. Try not to be too worried, because cramping during pregnancy can have many causes.
Round Ligament Pain
If you're experiencing mild, intermittent cramping along the lower part of your abdomen, this may be a sign of your stretching uterus. As your uterus stretches to make room for your growing baby, the round ligaments that support the uterus also stretch, hitting certain nerves as it does, and this can give you mild cramps. Called "round ligament pain," this cramping is a common pregnancy symptom that often occurs in the second and third trimester, though some women do experience it early in pregnancy, even at 11 weeks of pregnancy.
To relieve round ligament pain, try bending toward it to relieve the pain. You can prevent these pains by changing positions more slowly. Slower movements let your round ligaments stretch slower, minimizing your discomfort.
Braxton Hicks Contractions in the First Trimester
Some women also experience Braxton Hicks contractions (or false labor pains) early in pregnancy, especially if they've had a baby before. These cramps feel like labor pains, but they are less intense in nature and they don't increase in severity or get closer together as time passes. They are very common in the second and third trimester. Although uncomfortable, Braxton Hicks contractions are just your body preparing for labor.
Cramping - A Sign of Gas and Constipation
Cramping can also be a sign of constipation or gas pains. Constipation and gas are very common pregnancy symptoms, and they can cause uncomfortable cramps at week 11 of pregnancy. To relieve constipation, you may want to take some stool softeners. Laxatives are not recommended during pregnancy, because they can cause contractions and make you dehydrated. Prevention of gas and constipation is very important.
To prevent gas and constipation, you should eat a high fiber diet, drink lots of water and fluids, and exercise regularly. You can also talk to your doctor about reducing your doses of iron, which can make constipation worse.
When to Call the Doctor with Cramping
At pregnancy week 11, if you are experiencing severe cramping that is accompanied with fever, bleeding or spotting, call your doctor immediately. This may be a sign of ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, or threatened miscarriage. Your doctor can examine you to see what's causing your cramps.
Because cramps during pregnancy can be normal and be a sign of something more serious, you may want to discuss any concerns of cramping with your doctor. It's always better to be safe than sorry!
Read About Your Pregnancy Week by Week - 12 Weeks Pregnant
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