Your baby

Your baby now measures around 19cm from crown to rump, or 26cm from head to toe – and weighs almost a whole pound! Your baby is laying down more fat to help keep himself warm, yet the skin is still translucent, pink-red in colour and wrinkled.

Each week, your baby looks more and more like he will at birth. Your baby’s head hair and eyebrows are growing and the eyelids are well developed. Even though the eyelids are fused, your baby may now be making blinking movements. The first signs of teeth appear as buds beneath the gum line.

If you are carrying a girl she will have about seven million eggs in her ovaries. If you are carrying a boy, the testes now descend. In both sexes, nipples appear at this time.

Your progress

As your heart works harder and your bump gets bigger, it's important to stay as active as possible with low impact exercises such as swimming, yoga or walking. Back ache becomes more and more of a liability as your bump increases, so try to maintain good posture rather than overcompensating for your bump by arching your back – or by developing a John Wayne waddle.

You may find that sex is very fulfilling at this stage of your pregnancy, with the increased blood flow and body fluids making your responses more heightened. Or you may be thinking, “In your dreams!” However you feel, rest assured that if you’re having a normal pregnancy without any complications, sex is considered safe throughout pregnancy, unless you receive medical advice otherwise.

You may also begin to notice leg and foot cramps at this stage, as well as some mild swelling of your ankles and feet. If you suffer from bad cramps, drinking more milk or eating bananas (for extra calcium and magnesium) may help. However, the best answer may be more exercise, as it may simply be that you’re leg muscles aren’t strong enough to cope with the extra weight you’re carrying.

What to think about

Sometimes pregnancy just isn't any fun. You shouldn’t drink or smoke and you're told not to relax in a hot tub or sauna. Even retail therapy has limited appeal now that nothing fits anymore. So, what are you to do for fun? Here are some pampering suggestions to lift you out of your pregnancy blues.

A manicure or pedicure. You may not be able to see you feet very often, but at least they'll look gorgeous when you catch a glimpse.

A pregnancy massage. A relaxing massage by someone qualified in antenatal therapies can be a great gift to yourself, especially in late pregnancy when your baby's weight starts to become a strain.

Food shopping and eating. Take a jaunt to your local farmer's market and pick up some fresh (organic) vegetables you've never tried before. Experiment with new herbs and flavours.

Movies nights. Now's a good time to catch up on all of those DVDs you were planning to see but never had the time to, especially the chick flicks that are great for wallowing in a weepy moment.

Have tea. Ok so you can’t hit the bar after work for cocktails, but you can go out for high tea with scones, little silver spoons and clotted cream – it’s an equally indulgent treat.

Keep a journal. Do you have poems in your head about being pregnant? Are you having weird and emotional dreams that need expression? Then go for it - maybe now’s the time to start your great novel!

Grow things. If the weather permits, get down on your hands and knees and plant flowers or vegetables. (That's also great practice for birth positions later). Or start a container garden on the deck.

Put on the music. Get out your teenage anthems and dance in front of the mirror, or get out and see some live music (at seated venues with interval ice creams obviously).

Take a day trip. Instead of staying indoors, plan an afternoon trip to a lake or a beautiful park. Pack a picnic lunch and bring a big quilt and pillows for just relaxing and watching the clouds pass.

Get floaty. Being in water brings an amazing amount of relief from heavy bumps and back-ache. Whether you’re indulging in a luxurious bath, hanging out in the baby pool or joining an aquanatal session, you’ll feel the weight of the world float away.