Week 13: Welcome to the Second Trimester!
You've entered the 'golden trimester'! Many parents feel a boost of energy, and morning sickness often fades. Your baby can now make facial expressions.
Medically reviewed by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN
Nursing Informaticist · United States Navy Nurse Corps · Last reviewed
Your baby is the size of a...
🍑 Peach!
👶 Baby Development
- ✓Baby can make facial expressions (squinting, frowning)
- ✓Fingerprints are forming on tiny fingertips
- ✓Vocal cords are developing
- ✓Baby is swallowing amniotic fluid and urinating
- ✓Intestines are moving from the umbilical cord into the abdomen
- ✓Bones are ossifying (hardening)
💊 Common Symptoms
- •Energy levels often increase — the 'glow' begins
- •Morning sickness typically subsides
- •Increased appetite
- •Growing belly — baby bump becoming visible
- •Occasional stretching or pulling feelings
- •Slight shortness of breath
🩺Clinical Context — From a Nurse's View
Welcome to the 'golden trimester.' For most people, weeks 13-26 are the most physically comfortable stretch of pregnancy — nausea is gone or fading, fatigue lifts, the bump isn't yet large enough to limit you, and the highest-risk part of the pregnancy is behind you. Your blood volume continues expanding, which is why you may notice a faster pulse, occasional lightheadedness when standing up quickly, and slight breathlessness with exertion. That's all expected. What we still flag at this stage: any vaginal bleeding (no longer common, worth a call), severe one-sided pain, or symptoms of preeclampsia (severe headache with visual changes, right-upper-quadrant pain) — though preeclampsia rarely shows before 20 weeks. Travel is generally safest in the second trimester; if you're flying long-haul, walk the aisle every hour, hydrate, and consider compression socks. Continue prenatal vitamins. Aim for 1000 mg calcium and 27 mg iron daily through diet and supplements (ACOG, 2019).
Written by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN — Emergency Department nurse, US Navy Nurse Corps officer.
🚨 When to Call (or Go to the ER)
- !Any vaginal bleeding — call same day
- !Severe one-sided abdominal pain — call
- !Severe headache with vision changes (rare this early but flag it) — call
- !Persistent vomiting that's new or worsening — call
✅ Normal — Even If It Feels Worrying
- ✓Energy bouncing back gradually
- ✓Bump becoming visible to others
- ✓Round ligament pain with quick movements
- ✓Slight breathlessness on stairs
✅ To-Do This Week
- Start the baby registry if you haven't yet
- Research birthing classes and sign up
- Begin sleeping on your side (left side is ideal)
- Update your wardrobe with maternity clothing
- Plan any second-trimester travel (safest travel period)
- Start a college/education savings research
🩺 Questions for Your Doctor
- ?Is everything progressing normally for the second trimester?
- ?When is the anatomy scan (20-week ultrasound)?
- ?Should I get the quad screen or AFP test?
- ?Is it safe to travel now?
- ?How much weight should I gain per week?
- ?Are there any new restrictions I should know about?
📚 References
- [1]ACOG Committee Opinion No. 762: Prepregnancy Counseling. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(1):e78-e89.
- [2]ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804: Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Obstet Gynecol. 2020;135(4):e178-e188.
Editorial review: Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN. Last reviewed: see footer.
Your baby is the size of a...