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At the beginning of this 11th week of pregnancy, the embryonic phase is considered complete. This means that all of your child's organs have now been created and only need to mature and grow. From now on, your baby is referred to as a foetus. It becomes increasingly active and performs a veritable water ballet in its amniotic sac.
You're probably glad that the end of the first trimester is almost here. In this 11th instalment of our pregnancy calendar, we explain how your baby is developing during this week of pregnancy, what symptoms can occur and which sports are ideal for pregnant women.
At the beginning of this week, your little miracle weighs around 8 grams. Its crown-rump length is 34 to 41 millimetres. By the end of the 11th week of pregnancy, it will be about the size of a fig.
While your baby's skin was previously transparent, it is now becoming thicker, more multi-layered and therefore less translucent. At the same time, the first hair follicles appear under the surface of the skin. Something else exciting is happening: Nails begin to grow on the little fingers and toes.
Your little belly dweller is now becoming more and more active. The cartilage turns into bone, muscles and nerves continue to develop. Your baby can now clench its hand into a fist. It is also doing somersaults in the amniotic sac, which is filled with around 60 millilitres of amniotic fluid. Every movement of your little foetus stimulates its brain and promotes the development of its muscle and nerve cells. However, your little one cannot yet react to external stimuli, as its body is still completely surrounded by ample amniotic fluid and its sensory cells are not yet sufficiently developed. It seems as if it is still travelling in its very own cosmos.
While your baby's heart was initially placed in the head area, it has now moved to its final position in the chest. The ears are also already in the right place on the head. The inner and middle ear continue to mature this week.
In male babies, the penis now becomes visible. If you are expecting a girl, the female reproductive organs will also be present from this week onwards. However, the gender cannot yet be clearly assigned on the ultrasound.
Practical help for you:
Emergency service midwife Katharina explains the most important things about the maternity pass online.
Hallelujah, the end of the first trimester is in sight. In week 11 of pregnancy, many women experience a reduction in nausea due to the drop in hCG levels and generally feel fitter again. Fortunately, the risk of miscarriage is also very low in week 11. Many women who were very worried about a miscarriage in early pregnancy can now relax a little more. However, it is completely normal for a certain amount of uncertainty to accompany you throughout your pregnancy.
If you would like to exchange ideas with other mums-to-be and be accompanied by a midwife from any location, we can recommend our online workshops. The first twelve weeks will soon be over, but the "Workshop 1st trimester" will certainly have plenty of information and tips about this phase of pregnancy. Perhaps you would also like to see what you can expect in the coming weeks, then you are in the "Workshop 2nd trimester" is just right for you. If you have any questions about antenatal check-ups during pregnancy, the workshop "Online prenatal care" can help you.
Due to the growth of the uterus and other changes in your body, you may experience a variety of different signs of pregnancy in week 11. Your uterus has already more than doubled in size and is putting more and more pressure on your bladder. It therefore has less space and can no longer store as much urine. For this reason, you are more likely to need to go to the toilet more often. Over the next few weeks, the uterus will continue to grow and eventually protrude beyond the bladder, which will reduce the urge to urinate. This will only change again in the last few weeks of pregnancy before the birth, when your baby takes up all the space and kicks and punches your bladder.
The strong urge to urinate in the first trimester is also due to the fact that your blood volume has increased and your body has absorbed more water, which means that your kidneys have a lot of extra work to do. This extra blood is needed to supply your baby with all the essentials. As a result, your hands and feet are also better supplied with blood and therefore cosy and warm. Chilblains will be happy, but mums-to-be in midsummer will start sweating more. Other symptoms that can occur due to the increased blood volume are increased thirst, bleeding gums, palpitations and dizziness. What you will probably like: For most pregnant women, the growth of nails and hair now increases.
Not only the bladder, but also other internal organs are pushed back by the growing uterus. Intestinal activity is particularly affected during this phase of pregnancy. The hormone progesterone, which has a calming effect and reduces the movement of the bowel, also plays an important role here. At the same time, more water is removed from the intestines, which your body needs for the increasing blood volume. It is therefore hardly surprising that many pregnant women suffer from constipation. If you also take iron as Food supplements this digestive disorder can be exacerbated.
But what can you do to boost your bowel function? Firstly, you should support your body with a healthy and balanced diet. Fill your diet with plenty of fibre. This is mainly found in fruit and vegetables as well as wholegrain products. Helpful for acute symptoms: Dried fruit such as figs, apricots and plums. These also provide you with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Intestinal activity is also stimulated by swelling foods such as linseed, wheat bran and psyllium husks. Make sure you drink enough fluids - at least 2.5 litres per day.
In addition to your diet, you can support your digestion with plenty of exercise. From daily yoga sessions to long walks in the fresh air - this is good for both body and mind.
In my workshop on "Pregnancy complaints", I will talk to you about ways to alleviate typical complaints during pregnancy. I want to support you in experiencing these 9 months of your life as pain-free as possible. Whether you are suffering from nausea, heartburn, back pain or water retention, I will explain to you what the causes are and what helps best.
Your baby is around 3 to 4 centimetres in size this week and if it is currently active, you can admire its movements during the ultrasound in the 11th week of pregnancy. Although the external sexual characteristics continue to develop during this week, the ultrasound will not yet show whether you are having a boy or a girl. Even if the doctor already had an idea of the sex, he would not tell you at this stage. According to the German Genetic Diagnostics Act, the gynaecologist is only allowed to tell you the sex of your unborn child after the 12th week of pregnancy. This is to prevent a baby from being aborted because it does not correspond to the parents' desired gender.
Are you getting out of breath quickly? No wonder, your body has to do a lot of extra work at the moment. Nevertheless, you shouldn't miss out on exercise if your pregnancy is progressing normally. Exercise during pregnancy has a positive effect on your well-being in many ways:
Sounds great, doesn't it? Surely you prefer to relax on the sofa on some days. That's perfectly okay too. But try to fit in a light sports programme about two to three times a week. Can I do all types of sport as a pregnant woman? No. There are some sports that put too much strain on your body and harbour too high a risk of injury. For example, martial arts, skiing, mountain biking and squash are less suitable. You should also avoid running a marathon unless you are a professional athlete. But what kind of sport is ideal for pregnant women?
It is the perfect mix of exercise and relaxation - yoga. Targeted yoga exercises can alleviate numerous complaints such as back pain and tension. Your pelvic floor is trained, ligaments are stretched and the spine becomes more flexible - an excellent preparation for the birth. In addition, conscious breathing helps you to calm down and you can concentrate fully on yourself and your baby during your yoga sessions.
Pregnancy gymnastics, whether in a fitness class, in your living room at home or in the water, gets your circulation going, trains your muscles and makes your body fit for the birth. As with all sports during pregnancy, don't overdo it and take it a little slower if you find it too strenuous. You should also refrain from doing exercises in a prone position and avoid jerky movements.
As the belly slowly grows bigger, the water offers us a pleasant feeling of weightlessness. Swimming has a relaxing effect and with every stroke you relieve some of the stress of everyday life. Movement in the water is also gentle on bones and joints. The crawl and backstroke are ideal for pregnant women. Breaststroke can cause tension in the neck. But just try out what is good for you.
What is the risk of infection for pregnant women when swimming? In principle, the risk of infection in the swimming pool is rather low, as the water is constantly tested for germs. However, it is better to avoid sitting on wet benches or at the edge of the pool, as fungi and bacteria can lurk there. You should also remove your wet swimwear as quickly as possible after swimming (23). To protect yourself, you can buy special tampons at the pharmacy or drugstore. These reduce the penetration of water into the vagina and maintain the acidic environment of the vagina (24).
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