11 Weeks Pregnant
11 Weeks Pregnant
By the time you are 11 weeks pregnant, you’ll probably feel fully into the swing of things and will have developed your own coping strategies for some of the early signs of pregnancy in the first 11 weeks.
You’re nearing the end of the first trimester, and it’s highly likely that the worst of your pregnancy symptoms will also soon subside.
That being said, there are probably many questions that you still have. How big is my baby at week 11? When will I start to show a baby bump? Are there any new symptoms to expect? This article will address each of these questions and more, and hopefully it will stand you in good stead to deal with the pregnancy week by week, as new challenges arise throughout the cycle of your pregnancy.
Photo by Nyana Stoica on Unsplash
11 Weeks Pregnancy Symptoms
At this stage of the pregnancy, your hormones will be changing rapidly on a minute-to-minute timescale, leaving you feeling both physically and mentally overwhelmed. There probably won’t be any new symptoms at this stage, just the possible intensification of ones you’ve already felt. Here are some of most common signs of pregnancy at week 11:
- Mood swings
The increase in estrogen and other pregnancy hormones is being regulated by the corpus luteum at this stage – the body of cells that replaced your fertilized egg in the follicle. Your fluctuating hormone levels can, understandably, leave you feeling emotionally unstable. You might be deliriously happy one moment, and apocalyptically gloomy the next. This is normal when you are 11 weeks pregnant, and many women experience this. - Tired
Tiredness often accompanies the mood swings and, again, hormones are the cause of this. In addition, a lot of your body’s energy is being concentrated in the development of your 11 weeks old embryo, leaving you feeling exhausted. Try and get plenty of rest to ease the fatigue. - Leukorrhea
Leukorrhea, or vaginal discharge, is a very common symptom of pregnancy at week 11. It is nothing to be concerned or embarrassed about and is merely your body’s way of expending unwanted bacteria as a result of the increased hormones and blood volume. - Tightness in the lower abdomen
Increased firmness and tightness in the lower abdomen is very common eleven-weeks-pregnant symptom. This is because of the uterus expanding inside you to make room for your ever-increasing unborn baby.
Your Body at Week 11
It’s very likely that you will start to feel hungrier at this stage. The baby at 11 weeks in your womb is growing larger every day and your body requires more nutrition to account for this growth. Gaining weight is recommended, and doctors suggest that, for the first half of pregnancy, you put on around 1 pound every week. If hunger does start to hit you, try to indulge in your healthy cravings.
You may have started to notice a little baby bump, but others probably won’t be able to visibly tell from the outside. The increase in the pregnancy hormone, progesterone, may also leave you feeling bloated and gassy. This is a result of progesterone’s relaxation effect on the digestive system. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly to minimize the effect that this hormone can have on your body.
Other happenings on the inside of your body at 11 weeks pregnant include the near completion of the development of the placenta. By the end of the first trimester (week 12), the placenta will have taken over from the corpus luteum and will be providing all the necessary nutrition for your inbound baby.
Baby Size at Week 11
Last week, the size of your baby was comparable to that of a strawberry. This week, you baby is about the same size as a fig. At around 4cm in length, your baby is still very small, but it is growing rapidly.
Ears are starting to complete their formation, a tongue has been developed in the mouth, and tiny hair follicles are beginning to show on the crown and body. Your baby at 11 weeks pregnant is starting to look more like a little human and less like a reptile, and all the vital organs that your baby needs to survive will have been formed by now.
Photo by Weronika Marcińczyk on Unsplash
Week 11 Pregnant Ultrasound
Your medical practitioner may schedule an ultrasound for the eleventh week of pregnancy if you haven’t had one already. You can also schedule screening tests at this stage, where examinations will be performed to check for any development disorders that your baby may have.
FAQs
Your baby is likely developing if they are consistently gaining weight and have a healthy appetite. There may be cause for concern, though, if your child isn’t responding to sound, appears disinterested in playing, and doesn’t track moving objects with their eyes.
Playing with a variety of toys and introducing them to different styles of music can be beneficial to your child. Be sure to stimulate their senses in new and imaginative ways so that they have the opportunity to process new sensory information.
By the age of 14 to 15 months, most babies are walking independently. From 18 months onwards, your baby may start to say their first few words. This may seem like a distant possibility but, in the grand scheme of things, it’s just around the corner!
Tips for Week 11 of Pregnancy
- Avoid caffeine
If you haven’t done already, now is a good time to reduce your caffeine consumption. Caffeine has been shown to cause some birth defects, such as low birth weight, and can even lead to miscarriage in extreme examples. It is recommended to limit your intake of caffeine to 200 milligrams per day. - Pay attention to hygiene
Pregnant women suffer from a lower immune system for the duration of the gestation period, as part of its focus is concentrated on protecting your 11 weeks old embryo. As a consequence, it’s important to make sure you keep on top of your hygiene to keep any germs at bay. - Eat healthy fats
Healthy fats are a good way to optimise the healthy development of your baby. Nuts, in particular, are a good source of these fats – and they have the added bonus of providing other important minerals, such as zinc, magnesium, and potassium.
