This is a big week because it is the final week of your first trimester of pregnancy, and the first trimester can really be the most difficult for a lot of people. In exciting news, you are one-third away from meeting your baby.

In this blog, we're going to be talking all about 13-week gestation, baby development, what symptoms and body change you might be experiencing, and how to manage these. Also, we're going to talk about things to think about and do this week.

As we talk about symptoms and body changes, the most important thing to know is there's a wide range of symptoms that you can experience. You might experience all the possible pregnancy symptoms on my checklist, or none, or somewhere in between, and that's totally okay.

At the end of the first trimester it often brings a huge improvement in symptoms . You might no longer be feeling that crushing fatigue, and many people find that they have energy at the start of their second trimester. Symptoms that might still be lingering are:

• Mood swings

• Frequent urination

• Bloating and constipation

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Increase in vaginal discharge

One new symptom that might crop up for you this week is headaches. If you are experiencing recurring headaches or intense headaches, reach out to your care provider and let them know. 

One physical change that many women experience is a change to their skin. It is fairly common to experience acne, redness, or even some dark patches on the skin . These skin changes can start at 13 weeks pregnant or sometime right about at the end of the first trimester.

If you ever have a concern about a symptom or a change with your body, don't hesitate to reach out to your care provider. That could be your general practitioner, your OBGYN, or your midwife.

At 13 weeks pregnant , the baby which is called a fetus at this point is about the size of a lemon.

• It measures about 2 .9 to 3.5 inches (7.4 to 8.9 cm) in length.

• Fetal bones continue to harden and cartilage is becoming bone.

• Fetus is actively moving this week. You might start feeling that kicking, stretching, and flexing of their limbs. It can be difficult to feel if it is your first pregnancy and often can feel similar to gas bubbles in your stomach. 

• The major organ systems are fully functioning. They do continue to grow and mature as does the umbilical cord and placenta.

• This is the week that the baby is making urine and releasing it into the amniotic fluid. This fluid is also being swallowed by the baby at 13 weeks pregnant.

You've reached such an important milestone in pregnancy, and hopefully some of the challenging symptoms are starting to fade away. As you head into the second trimester, your energy should be returning soon which opens up for a lot more options on the think about and do list. 

At 13 weeks pregnant it's a great time to stop and reflect on how far you've come in pregnancy. So, do something for yourself this week.

I am thrilled to announce our first trimester sponsor, Three Lollies. If you aren't familiar with The Three Lollies brand, you might recognize their most popular product Preggy Pop Drops . 13 week pregnant is a great time to have these on hand. I remember when I was pregnant for the first time and I didn't know when that nausea was going to hit, Preggy Pop Drops are a natural solution to this challenge.

The Preggy Pop Drops come in four yummy flavors, they're all natural and drug-free. There's sour raspberry, green apple, sour lemon, and sour tangerine.

I love that you can grab a package of 21 for just $5 on Amazon. Now this is an affordable way to be prepared for the symptoms that you might face in the first trimester. With 21 pieces that means you can have these close by when you feel that wave of nausea hit.

I would probably put seven of them in my purse, seven in the car, and seven at my desk. So thank you Three Lollies for helping us in the first trimester and thank you for supporting childbirth education.

The only homework this week is to celebrate your amazing work through the first trimester. I look forward to meeting you right back here for week number 14 and the beginning of the second trimester.