Your Pregnancy Journey
Your appetite is probably in place by now and it is importance for you to follow a good well nourished balanced diet at this point in time. Pregnant Moms need to eat every 2-3 hours which means six meals. Lets look at the combination of different food categories that should make your every meal. These would be your main meals. Each of your main meals must contain all the five food groups – Carbohydrates, Vegetables/Fruits, Protein, Milk Protein and Fats. All of these nutrients work in tandem with each other and hence there is maximum nutrient absorption. Imagine if my hand was missing one finger, the hand would not be fully functional right ? The same way if any food group is missing from the meal then the absorption of nutrients is not optimum.
This week is also very important in your prenatal visits to your care provider. The doctor will conduct a host of medical tests including blood and urine tests to make sure you are healthy overall. The test will also check for the possibilities of birth defects in the baby and other risk factors such as HIV, Thallesemia etc. to the baby. You must ask your doctors as many questions as possible here.
Your baby’s growth
Your baby has some amazing developments this week. The kidneys begin to excrete urine in the 12th week. The cartilage has formed which will further develop into the bones in the coming weeks. The baby now has a roundish head and its eyelids have developed. (imagine It is now app 6cms long but weighs only app. 18 gms. Their reflexes have begun. They begin curling their toes and fingers, clenching their eyelids etc.