11 Weeks Pregnant: What to Expect?

Week eleven of your pregnancy is exciting because you are getting closer and closer to the end of the first trimester and the beginning of the second trimester, which is regarded as the best trimester for many pregnant women! At 11 weeks pregnant, you are in your first trimester, and you will experience many different changes in both you and the little baby inside you.

At 11 weeks pregnant, the baby is looking more like a baby by developing some distinct human characteristics (such as toes and fingers), and the future mom is feeling more and more pregnant as each day goes by.

While the symptoms of week ten will stick around during week eleven, some other ones will also appear at 11 weeks pregnant. So, moms-to-be, keep reading to get informed and prepared for 11 weeks pregnant, as well as the coming weeks.

Physical pregnancy symptoms during the eleventh pregnancy week

The baby inside you is growing rapidly at 11 weeks pregnant, and your baby is working really hard to keep up, which results in changes and new pregnancy symptoms.

You are probably used to mood swings, morning sickness, and frequent urination, but apart from those, there are some other symptoms you need to get familiar with.

Some of the symptoms of early pregnancy at 11 weeks pregnant are going to include:

• A growing baby bump
  If you are having multiples, or if this is not your first pregnancy, you are very likely to see a baby bump showing at 11 weeks pregnant. However, if this is your first time on the pregnancy train, you will have to wait a bit longer until your baby bump starts showing. Remember, just because other moms are (not) showing, does not mean that your pregnancy journey will be the same!
• Hair-related changes
  At 11 weeks pregnant, many women start noticing that their hair appears thicker and more luscious and like it is growing faster than it did before. The hair’s texture can also change during pregnancy due to pregnancy hormones, which can cause it to get drier or oiler than you have had before pregnancy.
  These changes happen due to hormonal fluctuations happening in the body at 11 weeks pregnant, and they are not only limited to the hair growing from your scalp. You can also experience new hair growth on your face, belly, chest, and arms at 11 weeks pregnant and after.
• Nail-related changes
  At 11 weeks pregnant, you might notice fast-growing, stronger nails or nail beds that split and break more easily during pregnancy. It could go either way; it is the luck of the draw when it comes to pregnancy hormonal changes.

Baby’s development during the eleventh pregnancy week

At 11 weeks pregnant, the baby is a bit more than one and a half inches long, and it weighs about a quarter of an ounce, which is about the size of a brussels sprout.

Hair follicles are forming on the baby’s head and baby’s body at 11 weeks pregnant, and the baby’s tiny hands and feet are now developing individual fingers and toes, as they are not webbed anymore.

It is not highly reliable to tell the baby’s sex at 11 weeks pregnant on ultrasound examination (it will take a few weeks), but if it is a girl, her ovaries are developing.

Pregnancy Checklist

You need to do certain things at 11 weeks pregnant, which can be hard to keep up with as you come closer to the second trimester. The perfect solution for this issue is following the pregnancy checklist for week eleven, making sure you are staying well-prepared.

The pregnancy checklist at 11 weeks pregnant includes:

• Continue taking your folic acid and supplements, which you have been taking for weeks now, as recommended by your healthcare provider.
• Make sure to stay hydrated.
• Write down all of the questions or concerns you want to mention to your healthcare provider during your next prenatal visit.
• Read the parental leave section of your contract or employee handbook, and start looking into and discussing your options regarding the after-baby leave with your partner.
• Wash your hands regularly
  During pregnancy, your immune system keeps your growing baby protected by stopping your body from fighting the fetus off as a foreign group of cells. Your body does so by modulating your immune system, which is a good thing for the growing baby. However, the downside is that your body cannot fight off colds as well as usual, which is why washing your hands is so important. If soap and warm are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also a good option.
• Get your C
  Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, and collagen is essential for bolstering your baby’s development of muscles, bones, blood vessels, and cartilage.
  The body cannot store vitamin C, so you need to make sure you get enough servings daily. You can get your C from a wide variety of delicious fruits and vegetables, such as mangoes, cantaloupe, strawberries, red peppers, and broccoli.

What to avoid or begin to avoid?

In order to have a healthy pregnancy and keep your baby to be safe and sound, there are some things you need to be steering clear of during week eleven of your pregnancy. Some of the things you should avoid are:

• Heavy lifting and extremely difficult or demanding workouts
• Smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs, and being exposed to toxic substances in any way
• Wearing constricting and tight clothing that is going to constrict your growing belly and make you uncomfortable.
• Touching kitty litter or cat feces, as they can cause an infection that could harm the fetus.
• Exposing yourself to having a high body temperature.
• Eating unhealthy foods, such as fried foods, too much sugar, too much salt.
• Drinking caffeine excessively. During week eleven of your pregnancy, make sure to keep your caffeine intake to 300 mg, which is about two cups of coffee or tea each day.
• Eating deli meats, raw or undercooked meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized dairy foods, high mercury fish such as swordfish, shark, and king mackerel.
• Consuming unwashed fruits and vegetables.