Your baby
Now that all the organs have formed, your child puts its energy into growing. The amount of amniotic fluid steadily increases. That fluid is vital: it lets your child move, and it acts as a cushion. If you happen to fall or knock your abdomen, your child will notice nothing of it thanks to the fluid.
The fluid also keeps the temperature constant, so your baby is never cold. Your child regularly takes a sip of it too, and so learns to swallow and drink. And by now your child also passes water into the fluid from time to time. The amniotic fluid is refreshed throughout the day, so waste products are carried away continuously.
You
Because your baby will only grow from now on, you may start to show. You may well have found earlier that your trousers would not do up, but that probably had more to do with hormones and your bowels playing up a little.
The bump that appears now really is the growth of your baby. The midwife or gynaecologist can now check from the outside that your baby is growing well. She does this by placing her hands around your abdomen and working out the distance between the top of the womb and your pubic bone. That distance shows whether your baby's size matches the length of the pregnancy.
No bump yet, or not put on a gram? That really does not mean your child is not growing well. And putting on a lot of weight does not mean your child is growing fast either. All babies grow the same up to 16 weeks; only after that do individual differences appear. As long as the midwife says all is well, there is no need to worry.
Telling your employer
By law you must tell your employer about your pregnancy at least three weeks before your maternity leave starts. Tell them when you are ready, but do not leave it too long, so that everything practical at work — cover and leave — can be properly arranged.
It is also good to be able to say honestly to your employer that you feel tired or unwell for once. Your employer will ask for a pregnancy statement from your midwife or gynaecologist giving your due date, which is needed to apply for your leave.
Looking after your skin and hair
Under the influence of pregnancy hormones the sebaceous glands in your skin are a good deal more active. If your skin is normally dry, you will very likely benefit: it will be smoother and more radiant. But if your skin is naturally rather oily, there is a chance it is oilier still, and spots may appear. Drinking plenty of water and eating fruit and vegetables keeps your skin healthy.
Your hair changes during pregnancy too: the female hormone oestrogen means it falls out far less than usual, so it is fuller than ever. After your pregnancy the amount of oestrogen in your body drops again and, sadly, you lose all those kept hairs.
A tip: match your face cream and your shampoo to your skin and hair during the pregnancy.
First trimester
