Your body
Although you won’t yet notice any difference in your size, there are plenty of changes going on in your body.
What’s changing?
Your uterus is growing, although it is still smaller than the size of a tennis ball. Your metabolism is speeding up to meet the growing demands of your body and your baby. These demands also mean your need for oxygen increases and the volume of air you are breathing in and out has risen.
Dealing with minor problems
As you tend to retain more water, you’ll probably be constipated at some point, too, so make sure you drink lots of water and eat plenty of fibre. You’ll also be feeling tired as your body is working so hard, so make sure you rest when you can.
Your baby
Despite being only a few short weeks since you had your last period, your baby is rapidly developing.
What’s developing this week?
Your baby’s digestive system has formed. Until now the embryo has been attached to a yolk sac which has provided its first nutritional food of sugars and mineral salts. This has now been absorbed and will help in the formation of the intestine. The placenta now takes over the role of supplying your baby with all its nutritional needs and oxygen via your blood supply. Tooth buds are in place in the gums and taste buds on the tongue. The rudiments of your baby’s (male or female!) sexual and reproductive organs are also there.
Boy or girl?
You will probably spend the next few months trying to guess whether you will be having a boy or girl, unless you choose to find out the sex at your ultrasound scan or through testing. Although the die is already cast, what you did before conception may have some influence on the outcome!
Some people believe that eating or avoiding certain foods may be factor. The timing of sex is also said to be important, based on the theory that female sperm live longer but male sperm swim faster. So if you made love before you ovulated you’re more likely to have a girl, but if you had sex on the day you ovulated you’re more likely to have a boy. You’ll just have to wait and see!
