You're 13 weeks pregnant!

Medically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH & Adda Bjarnadóttir, MS, LN

What's going on with you this week?

Friends! This is it. You are entering the final week of your first trimester of pregnancy. YES! Whether you start to feel better this week, next week, or a couple of weeks from now, the fact remains that you should start to feel better once you’re out of the first trimester.

Risk of miscarriage has dropped significantly, and your baby is just going to start growing and growing and growing. It's all sunshine and roses from here on out. Well, until you get to those final weeks of your third trimester, but we'll talk about that later. For now, things are good (we hope!).

Breathe in the air (which, hopefully smells a lot less disgusting), look into the mirror, pat yourself on the back and say congratulations — you have made it through what is often the toughest part of pregnancy. Well done!

Hormones conquered? Check!

Well, maybe they're not completely under control just yet, but in week 13, your hormones will finally begin to level off considerably. This means that all those awful first trimester pregnancy symptoms like fatigue, nausea, achy breasts, and more will begin to fade. Even if you're not there just yet, look forward to feeling better and more energetic in the near future. Phew.

So, now they're leaking? Great.

In this week's weird new things category, it's possible that your breasts may actually start leaking. Believe it or not, your body has already started making colostrum. Colostrum is the sticky substance that will keep your baby fed and healthy until your actual breast milk comes in.

Your body is very conscientious, so it's begun to start making this substance months ahead of time in anticipation of your baby's arrival. Which is really impressive! But, as a result, you may notice a light yellowish sticky substance leaking out of your nipples. It's normal and you shouldn't be leaking so much that it becomes a nuisance.

Everything is not totally gross. Is it possible that you're… hungry?

This week you could definitely see an increase in your appetite as your hormones start to settle down, and your baby begins growing more rapidly. Now that you may be in a better place to read about food, take a look at what kind of balanced diet you should be eating for the rest of your pregnancy. Eat, drink (water, water, and more water), and be happy!

Wait, I still feel bleh

If our promise that you should be feeling better by now isn't matching up with your reality, don't get discouraged. You have to remember you are growing a human and that is the most superwoman thing you could do… that is, until you give birth. Check in with your doc if you think you should be feeling better by now.

Real talk — do you need to start thinking about the birth? Already?

Well, honestly, you should. Not so much the actual mechanics of giving birth, but you should start giving some thought to what kind of birth you want to have. Do you want to have a hospital birth? Or a birthing center? Are you considering a home birth?

Before you even get into all that though, we recommend thinking about whether or not you want a doula and/or a midwife present during the birth. The reason to begin thinking about that now is because you’ll need time to interview them if you do want one. Some will be booked out or already have a full client list and it's important to find one that you really connect with.

Plus, a good doula or midwife can be helpful during your entire pregnancy, birth, and even after the baby comes. Some are also trained lactation consultants, which can be helpful if you plan on breastfeeding. A doula and a midwife are not the same thing at all, so make sure you do understand the difference before you decide to start talking to any potential candidates.

No need to stress yourself out about this though. You don't need to nail all the birth details down this week. Just start asking yourself what kind of birthing situation is the best fit for you and go from there.

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While you’re working on your research, here's what you can do this week:

If you buy something through a link in this email, we may earn a small commission. How this works.

Drink

Blueberry Mojito Mocktail. Are you up for a little celebratory drink? If so, try this refreshing, alcohol-free, blueberry-flavored spin on a mojito. Yum.

Eat

Buddha Bowl on Cauliflower Rice. Healthy and simple — this recipe is also super adaptable. Sub in any veggies or proteins that you prefer.

Slow Cooker Chicken, Kale, and Sweet Potato Stew. Break out the slow cooker for this one. It's got protein and lots of nutrient-packed veggies. Plus, it makes enough so that you'll be able to save some for the next day's lunch.

Listen

The Birth Hour. If you’re starting to think about how you want your own birthing experience to play out, this podcast makes for ideal listening. There is every kind of birth story you can imagine — play through them all or do a search for the types of birth experience that you are interested in to get firsthand accounts.

Shop

Fruit Infuser Water Bottle. If you're getting tired of drinking so much water, we get it. This bottle will help you change things up a bit from plain old water.

Do

Switch up your exercise. You might not be feeling more energetic yet, but if you are, it's a good time to start looking into more prenatal exercise options. This barre workout is specifically designed for pregnant women.

Think about your birth plan. Do a little research and start thinking about what you’d like your birthing experience to look like.

Read

Learn more about tests you can expect in the second trimester.

Love

…your growing baby!

Your baby is somewhere around 3 inches long — the size of a peapod.

The soft tissue around your baby's head, arms, and legs has started fortifying into bones.

Your baby has started swallowing and is probably urinating at this point.

Fingerprints are starting to form on your baby's fingers!

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