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Congratulations for carrying your twins safely in your womb for a long time now and yes, you have reached 13 weeks of your pregnancy. Being 13 weeks pregnant with twins or multiples is not easy and feel proud that the worst phase is gone now. This week officially leaves behind the first trimester and begins the journey into what is usually termed as the best part of pregnancy. Celebrations are in order, and you can have a small party with your loved ones to enjoy this moment. You don’t need to make any major changes in your lifestyle, just continue with all the good things that you have been doing for the past three months now. The physical changes in the body will be pretty significant in the coming months and it is time you prepare yourself for those changes.
The Growth of the Babies at 13 Weeks
Sit tight and buckle in because your babies are running the race of development this time around. Most mothers who are pregnant with twins and especially with multiples worry a lot about the growth of their babies since they don’t seem to be as large as the single ones. But there is no need to worry, as this is completely normal. You should keep in mind that their development is pretty much on the same track.
Around this time, there is a significant reduction in the growth of the babies’ head. In the initial stages, as the head of the babies grow quite rapidly and they have a pretty large head as compared to the body. So, these few weeks focus on the body to help catch up with their head. Their head continues to grow, but the growth is slow.
Your babies will show signs of movement around this time. They will press their hands against the uterine walls as a means to explore their space. These very actions lead to the formation of fingerprints on their fingertips. No two human beings can ever have the same fingerprints, even if they are identical twins or triplets. All these movements can also result in babies touching their own face as well as their siblings’ if they are in the common sac. Around this week, their vocal chords will also begin to develop.
What Is the Size of the Babies?
As mentioned earlier, the size of the head of your twins or triplets will be usually large but the growth of the head will slow down as their bodies will begin to grow to suit the head. Their weight will also begin to increase substantially from this point around, hovering somewhere between 15 to 20 grams, which could be less per child for multiple babies. Their length, too, stays somewhere around 7 centimetres as their size keeps increasing.
Common Bodily Changes
As your babies grow, you will see a significant change in your stomach size around this week. Apart from this, your body will go through many other changes in the 13th week of pregnancy.
- Your breasts will tend to look quite different in the coming weeks, as compared to what you might remember them to be at the start of your pregnancy. The darkness of the nipples and the areolas will continue to increase at a good pace. The tiny little bumps termed as Montgomery’s tubercles will also be evident, and these are necessary for the baby to feel the nipple and latch on correctly. These also increase in quantity on your breasts, combined with their increasing size.
- Your uterus will also enlarge to house the growing babies and will expand in all directions, including where your diaphragm is located. This can cause it to succumb to pressure and not expand and contract as successfully as it could. As a result, you will experience shortness of breath during this time. When trying to sit down, the condition will even worsen, especially, if you have multiples in your womb.
- Pain in the ligaments, usually experienced on the right side of the abdomen, will tend to be more frequent and even sharper at times. The uterus will cause a lot of muscles and fibres to stretch themselves, and this will only grow. Any quick movement that puts further stress on your muscles may trigger the pain.
- Increased blood circulation during this time can also reach up to your gums, causing them to be tender and softer than usual. This can result in random moments of bleeding, especially when brushing your teeth. Keeping this in check is necessary by brushing carefully but regularly.
Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy at 13 Weeks
The signs of a twin pregnancy at 13 weeks are not as strong and irritating as before. On the contrary, most of the symptoms act as a source of revitalization for your body and channel the excitement.
- As your babies grow rapidly around this time, they would require oxygen and other essential nutrients in large amount to support themselves. As a result, the size of the placenta will increase by taking in a larger amount of blood from your body. Your body will respond by increasing the volume of the blood and causing the heart to pump at a higher rate, in order to keep all systems functioning optimally. Your veins will carry a lot of blood and will increase in size as well. This makes them visible in certain areas, such as your breasts, where they appear as a network of dark blue lines.
- By the 13th week, most women would be relieved to see that terrible nausea and the oft-occurring morning sickness have stopped seeing the light of the day. Your body has nearly reached final completion of adapting to the journey, and it is prepared to serve at your command. This usually ramps up the energy in a woman and you’d want to start undertaking numerous activities or feel rejuvenated at your workplace, too.
- The 13th week of pregnancy can be quite exciting for you as you will experience a return of energy and your sex drive will increase too. The increased blood circulation in the vaginal region also ends up stimulating the genitals and making you feel like getting down and dirty. Most women who have been terribly fraught in the first trimester would find it ecstatic to indulge in sex with their partner in the coming weeks. It is totally safe to have sex around this time, the only side effect would be minor blood spotting at the end of the act.
Twin Pregnancy – Belly at 13 Weeks
The rocketing growth of the twins will expand your uterus pretty quickly, leading your belly size to increase. This will fill up the abdominal cavity and cause the stomach to be a little taut and firm in the area below the navel. The curve of your belly will become even stronger, accompanied by the accumulation of fat in other areas of the body.
Twin Pregnancy at 13 Weeks – Ultrasound
The ultrasound scans that are carried out in the initial months of the pregnancy are a means to establish the number of babies in your womb and their growth. However, an ultrasound scan performed during this time will provide more information. Some doctors will give you a due date by this week while others might wait for a couple more. An ultrasound scan during this time will also establish specific parameters that mark the presence or absence of abnormalities as well as checking the cardiac rhythm of the babies, along with their chromosomal structures.
What to Eat
Your diet around this time should consist of foods rich in proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, as these nutrients help in the growth of the baby. Also, opt for fresh and natural products as much as possible, and stick to homemade food. Go for organic vegetables if you want to prevent germs or harmful substances from entering your body. Green leafy vegetables, beetroots, dried nuts, tomato juice, mashed fruits, are all good to consume in the second trimester of your pregnancy.
Pregnancy Care Tips
As you reach the 13th week of your pregnancy, you will feel on top of the world. The tough moments of the first trimester will be long gone and you will feel a lot better but that does not mean you become careless. You must take care of yourself.
Do’s
- Inform your workplace and other family members about your pregnancy. Any necessary preparations that need to be done can be started early on.
- Feel free to revert back to your exercise schedule if you stopped it earlier, but keep it light and easy.
Dont’s
- Don’t be blown away with your ecstatic happiness by satisfying your street food cravings. Eat healthy foods.
- There’s no reason to avoid sexual intercourse if you feel like it. Stop it only if you notice a lot of bleeding after you are done with it.
What You Need to Shop for
If you still have any tiny bouts of morning sickness, get healthy green tea extracts that are infused with nice aromas. Invest in compressions socks that will keep your ankle swelling and pain in check.
The second trimester is officially on once you are 13 weeks pregnant with twins or triplets. Women who are carrying multiples in their wombs tend to have it a tad more difficult than those who are pregnant with a single baby. Nevertheless, make the best of what you can and enjoy the luxury of pregnancy.