Sign in to view and manage your purchase items
Sign InWeek 11 — Making Moves
Overall Pregnancy
Your Baby is About
fig
Your baby is about 4cm — roughly the size of a fig — and the body is finally starting to catch up to that big head. All major organs, muscles, and limbs are in place now, and they're all beginning to function. The skeleton, which was pure cartilage until now, is starting to harden into bone. Your baby is making random movements, opening and closing fists, and has a fully formed set of external genitalia developing — though it's still too early to see on ultrasound.
Your uterus is now about the size of a grapefruit and your doctor can feel the top of it just above your pubic bone. The nuchal translucency scan — an ultrasound that measures fluid at the back of the baby's neck — is typically offered between Weeks 11 and 14 as a screening tool. The liver is producing red blood cells, and the pancreas is beginning to make insulin.
By Week 11, your baby's thyroid gland is already beginning to concentrate iodine and produce thyroid hormone — essential for brain development and metabolism. The pancreas is making insulin. The kidneys are making urine. Your baby's body is running multiple organ systems at once, all at less than 5cm long.
This is a good week to think about your iodine intake. Most prenatal vitamins don't contain enough iodine, which is critical for your baby's brain and thyroid development. Dairy, eggs, seafood, and iodized salt are good sources. Ask your provider if you should be supplementing.
Iodine is essential for thyroid development right now. Dairy products, eggs, seaweed, and white fish are good sources. Check whether your prenatal vitamin contains iodine — many don't.
The nuchal translucency scan is often the first time both partners see the baby clearly. Make sure you're both free for this appointment — it's worth being present for.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation. Read full disclaimer