Pregnancy Week 11

How Big is Baby?

Your baby is about the size of a fig. From now through week 20 of your pregnancy, he'll increase 30-fold in weight and triple in length.

Baby's Length: 1.61in.
Baby's Weight: 0.25oz.

Mom's Changing Body

Have you started to show yet? If this is your first pregnancy, you may just feel bloated, kind of like after a big meal. But some women have a little baby-belly pooch by the end of the first trimester. After all, your uterus is now the size of a grapefruit. At your next exam, your doctor will be able to feel the top of it.

Baby's Development

Did you know your baby can breathe underwater? She's doing it right now. At weeks 10 and 11, the fetus will start to inhale and exhale small amounts of amniotic fluid, which helps your baby's lungs to grow and develop. Also this week, your baby's ears are scooting up to the sides of his head. Sure, your baby's head is still disproportionally large compared to the rest of his body, but this will even out as he continues to grow and develop in the womb.

Weekly Tip

Hello, cleavage! Spurred by the hormones progesterone and estrogen, your breasts (and the milk-producing glands inside them) may soon strain the buttons of your blouse. In fact, it may soon be time to shop for new bras. If you plan to breastfeed, we suggest heading straight to the nursing section. You'll need easy access after the baby arrives, so you'll get more wear out nursing bras than you would regular maternity bras.

Week 11 Ultrasound

Baby-to-be is lying on her back with her head on the left side of the image and her legs pointing up. From this image, you can see that her neck is growing, separating her large head from the rest of her body. Her head still makes up more than 50% of her body size, which is normal. Facial bones are again seen as bright white areas in the profile.

What Week 11 of Your Pregnancy Is Really Like

Pregnancy Confidential Podcast

Pregnancy: The Ultimate Relationship Test?

At 11 weeks, you and your partner are still fairly new to this whole pregnancy thing. And it can take some adjusting. (You won't be the only one with major mood swings over these next few months.) If you're in a relationship, you might be wondering how having a baby will impact your partnership: Will it make it stronger? Will it be a test of your commitment? The truth is, probably both. The tricky thing is a strong, healthy relationship will be more important than ever once a new human being comes along, but it certainly won't always come easy. So now is the time to be proactive about how you're feeling as a duo and try to keep your pack in a happy place—through all the hormones and emotions.

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This Week's To-Do List

• Moisturize your belly, hips, and thighs daily to prevent itchy, dry skin as it stretches.
• Avoid hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, intense hot-weather workouts, super-hot baths, or anything else that could raise your body temperature above 102 degrees.
• Get the first-trimester screening to help your practitioner decide what tests may be warranted.
• If it's recommended by your doctor, get tested for chromosomal abnormalities through a nuchal translucency (NT) and chorionic villus sampling (CVS).
• Listen to the baby's heartbeat with a Doppler at your doctor's appointment, if possible.

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