Week 11 of Pregnancy

That adorable little alien inside your tummy is starting to look human about now, as you start feeling a bit more human yourself.

Your Baby in Week 11 of Pregnancy
Your baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she’s a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes (meaning good-bye to those froglike webbed hands and feet). Hooray!

Learn more about your baby’s development in week 11.

Your Body in Week 11 of Pregnancy
Hungry? Good — that’s a sign your morning sickness is easing and your appetite is gearing up to help you nourish your body…and your baby. But don’t go overboard just because you’re eating for two: Try to gain efficiently by choosing the most nutritious foods during pregnancy and minimizing the junk. More smart nibbling tactics: Minimize bloating and gas (caused by digestion-slowing progesterone and your growing uterus) by grazing instead of gorging and steering clear of notorious gas producers, such as beans, fried foods, soda, and sweets.

Learn more about your body in week 11 and bloating and burping.

Week 11 Pregnancy Tip: Feeling Tired During Pregnancy

Are your two favorite positions these days sitting and lying down? Pregnancy fatigue is normal. That’s because you’re running a baby-making factory that’s in business 24/7 (and since you’re the only employee, you’re on the clock around the clock), causing your pregnant body to work harder at rest than your nonpregnant body did on the run. And for the next few weeks, a baby’s not the only thing in production — so is the placenta, the magnificently complex mission control that will serve as your baby’s life-support system until delivery. The result? You feel tired and overworked, even when you’re not doing a darn thing. Your energy should pick up once the placenta is up and running and your system adjusts (as best as it can) to the hormonal changes of pregnancy — probably early in the second trimester. In the meantime, keep your blood-sugar level up with frequent snacks of complex carbs and protein (cheese and crackers; nuts and dried fruit), try a little exercise (which can actually give you an energy boost), and most of all — listen to your body. When it calls for a break, take one.

Learn more about fatigue during pregnancy.

Week 11 Pregnancy Symptoms

Frequent urination: Blame that pregnancy hormone hCG (which increases blood flow to the pelvic area and kidneys) for making you feel the need to pee nearly all the time. But don’t be tempted to cut back on your fluid intake since you (and your baby-to-be) need to stay hydrated — instead, cut back on caffeinated drinks (they just increase your need to pee).

Breast tenderness and changes: Your growing breasts may be a turn-on for your partner, but your achy boobs are a turnoff for you. Warn your partner about your extra-sensitive breasts so that he knows why you may not be up for lovemaking — or even heavy-duty hugging.

Nausea and vomiting: Still feeling “morning sickness” — morning, noon, and night? Don’t despair since the odds are good you have only a week or two left of queasiness — most moms-to-be get over their nausea by weeks 12 to 14.

Excessive saliva: While experts aren’t entirely sure what causes this symptom, the most likely explanation is those darned pregnancy hormones. Keep your mouth as dry and minty-fresh as possible by brushing your teeth more often.

Food cravings and aversions: Are you still gagging at the smell of what used to be your favorite food — or jonesing for meat even though you were practically a vegetarian? The good news is that these freaky food preferences may lessen by your fourth month.

Bloating: How can your belly feel so inflated when your fetus is still only about two inches long? The progesterone in your system has caused your gastrointestinal tract to relax, which slows digestion and leaves you feeling bloated.

Occasional faintness or dizziness: Your body isn’t producing enough blood to fill your expanding circulatory system, which can lead to dizziness and fainting. Stave off light-headedness by keeping your blood sugar stable with regular, small meals throughout the day — and by keeping a stash of healthy snacks nearby at all times.

 

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