Welcome to the second trimester mom! Although you might feel as if you're starting to get anxious, the journey still has two-thirds left to travel. The good news is that pregnancy week 13 begins the second trimester – where your quickly evolving baby is completing the development of their cerebral cortex, their faces begin to fill out and even development of tiny teeth are beginning!

There are multiple reasons why reaching pregnancy week 13 is reason to celebrate. First and foremost, according to the US Department of Health, the likelihood of experiencing a tragedy such as miscarriage reduces by a factor of 75 percent after the first trimester. Second – this tiny baby is developing into a recognizable little person! Your baby typically weighs about 25 grams, is about seven and ½ centimeters long and is roughly the size of a chicken egg. They are starting to do cool baby tricks like turning their heads, kicking legs, yawning, swallowing and even a little hiccupping occasionally.

Baby’s Development

At the 13th week of development, your baby is developing some very important parts. Their skeleton is forming with the first signs of a collarbone and thigh bone. Their internal organs are also quickly developing, with their bowel and stomach taking their familiar shape and function. An amazing discovery that was recently made by medical scientists in France, was that the baby's vocal area is starting to develop (which is good news since they'll get plenty of exercise once they are born)!

The respiratory system of new babies also develops rather quickly starting in week 13. In fact, it's during this week that most babies take their first breathes; with oxygen flowing into their blood by way of the umbilical cord. Since they are surrounded by amniotic fluid, it can be argued that your baby is literally breathing underwater.

Mother’s Development

he second trimester is also the beginning of some significant changes for you and your body. In general, you should be over morning sickness and the extreme fatigue that comes with it by the time you've reached week 13 of your pregnancy. This is due to the fact that the placenta has taken over the production of the hormones developed during pregnancy. In fact, the injection of these hormones has shown to provide a bit of 'mommy wake-up juice' – which is what many people refer to as 'glowing'.

Meanwhile, as that tiny baby begins to grow; other items such as your clothes might appear to shrink. Although the theory that washing machines can magically shrink your clothes more frequently during pregnancy might sound legitimate; the reality exists that the hormone fairy is helping your body expand in multiple areas. Week 13 of pregnancy is a great time to start planning a maternity wardrobe shopping spree!

Fun Facts

It's often assumed that once you find out that you're pregnant – your 'fun' life ends. This is simply not true. Although there are precautions that a soon to be mommy should take, it may be a good idea to start planning a holiday or vacation before the new baby arrives. Your OBGYN will tell you what travel precautions you need to take, but it's also a good idea during week 13 to contact airlines to ask them about their regulations in regards to how long into their pregnancy a lady can fly to specific destinations.

Consider a few specific things when planning any vacation during pregnancy including; location (to determine if vaccinations are needed), temperature (to make sure you're comfortable during your extended get-a-way) and location of medical facilities (just in case something happens).