What’s your baby up to?
Your baby is now about the size of an orange, measuring 10 cm long from crown to rump and weighing about 70 g.
Around this time, the bones of the inner ear are hardening, and your baby’s hearing is much developed; although his ears have not moved to their final position. He can hear sounds around him –  your voice, the sound of your heart beat, rumblings in your tummy, and even sounds from the outside world.
Your baby’s eyelids are still tightly shut; but amazingly, he is already sensitive to light, and can react when light is shone on your tummy.
Also, the development of your baby’s external sex organs is completed by this week, so it may be possible to reveal your baby’s gender on a high-resolution ultrasound.
How are you doing?
You might have gained some pounds by now. Well, you’ll keep gaining more as your pregnancy progresses, about 1 lb per week.
Your bump is becoming more and more noticeable as your uterus continues to expand, and a dark line that runs down your bump called the Linea nigra might have started to appear. As your bump grows, your skin stretches and as a result, your skin gets itchy with the appearance of some stretch marks.
What other pregnancy scourge has befallen you by now? Well, some women might be experiencing heartburn now. Some others experience stuffy nose or nose bleeding; a condition known as rhinitis of pregnancy. This is caused either as a result of the increased blood supply in the body that puts more pressure on the blood vessels in your nose, or due to an increased blood flow to your mucous membranes.
In addition to this, bleeding gums are also quite common around this time.  Pregnancy hormones can trigger  a lot of things and gingivitis is one of them. If you do not take proper care of your teeth in pregnancy, it can degenerate to periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease.
It’s also possible to feel some Braxton hicks contractions, which are irregular practice contractions of the uterus.
What should you do this week?
It must be exciting to learn that your baby can now hear you. Go ahead and talk and sing to your little cutie pie. It’s never too early to start bonding with your baby.
Good oral hygiene is especially important in pregnancy as it will keep gum infection and disease at bay. It’s advisable to use a soft toothbrush and have regular dental checkups.
Keep being active and exercise regularly, the benefits are tremendous. Brisk walking, yoga and swimming are highly recommended. Any exercise that doesn’t involve jumping, leaping or crunches should be fine. Also add kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor.
Munch and crunch on fruits and vegetables, and remember to take your prenatal vitamins religiously.
Finally, stay informed, healthy and inspired, by reading  Maternity Nest. Connect with other moms-to-be for emotional support, by joining your Due Date Club in The Nest.
