Your baby

Your baby is now 5 - 7.6 centimetres or 2 - 3 inches long and weighs about 14 grams. Although your baby is now fully formed, he will spend the next six months fully maturing, gaining dramatically in weight and size.

Your baby's eyes are now completely formed and facing frontwards. The bones are growing, although they are still formed from soft cartilage. The hands are now complete with growing fingernails and your baby is starting to move his fingers. However, you still cannot feel your baby moving because he is so tiny.

The placenta now takes over as your baby's life-support system and the centre of hormone production. From now on it will filter vital oxygen and nutrients from your bloodstream via the umbilical cord and into your growing foetus.

Your progress

As you approach your second trimester, you will hopefully begin to feel less exhausted and nauseous. This means your hormones have settled down, so your mood swings will probably calm down too, although most women experience heightened emotions throughout their pregnancy.

As the risk of miscarriage reduces considerably, you may want to begin to tell people about your exciting news. Now might be a good time to start thinking about your speaking to your boss, as you’ll probably begin to show soon. However, if you’re lucky enough to have strong abdominal muscles, your bump may start to show a bit later.

Now that your uterus is too large to remain in your pelvis, (it’s about the size of a grapefruit) it will rise above your pelvic bones and you’ll develop a distinct bump. You may also notice the linea nigra (black line), a dark line of pigmentation, from your pubic bone to your tummy button. And yes, now’s the time you’ll start to gain extra weight – if you haven’t already, that is…

What to think about

Headaches

Headaches are one of the most common complaints of pregnancy, but they aren't usually a cause for serious concern. Pregnancy hormones make your blood vessels loosen up and it’s easier to become dehydrated as your body is trying to make more blood and produce amniotic fluid for your baby. Add to that other factors, such as possible eye strain, sinus infections, exhaustion and emotional stress, and you may be very sensitive to headaches at this time.

However, you can’t take over-the-counter headache medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen when you’re pregnant – unless your GP gives you the OK. Instead try a few simple remedies that may help relieve your headache even more quickly:

Drink a pint of water to combat dehydration

Reduce caffeine slowly to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms

Eat a little something to avoid low blood sugar

Clear your sinuses by breathing steam, either in a warm shower or with a facial steamer, or alternate cold and hot compresses across your cheeks and forehead

Lower your stress level. Easier said than done, but some much needed relaxation really could ease the pain!

Hot and cold cures. A cold shower or an ice pack on your forehead may ward off tension headaches and migraines

Lie down with your feet up. Relaxing in a dark, quiet room is a good way to de-stress while taking the pressure off your shoulders, neck and head

Change posture at your desk to prevent shoulder and neck muscle spasms that lead to headaches

Serious Headache Signals

Although painful, headaches are usually nothing to worry about. However if your temperature is high, or you have other unusual symptoms, contact your GP or midwife. During later pregnancy, however, a headache could possibly signal that your blood pressure is on the rise or that you have pre-eclampsia, a rare, life-threatening condition unique to pregnancy.

Fortunately, though, most headaches are just one of the uncomfortable side effects of carrying a baby. Your midwife or GP will be monitoring your blood pressure and urine closely all during your pregnancy to rule out high blood pressure and pre- eclampsia, but, if your headaches worry you, don't hesitate to seek help.