Your Nutrients Of The Week

Eat a balanced diet
At 11 weeks pregnant, it is more important now than ever to keep up with your iron, proteins, and additional calories. Include a variety of nutritious food such as wholegrain bread, brown rice, fruit, vegetables, lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and low fat dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese in your diet each day.

Your Wellness Tips This Week¹

Combat your exhaustion
It is OK to be tired or feel exhausted — most women are more tired than usual while they are pregnant. Your body works hard to produce hormones and more blood to support your baby’s developing body. And your body’s high level of progesterone, a hormone released by the ovaries, directly impacts how sleepy you are.

Here are a few tips for fighting fatigue:

• Remember to rest! It sounds simple, but you might be tempted to do more, not less, during this exciting time. Your body needs those naps or extra hours of sleep, so be sure to build them into your regular routine.
• Watch your own back. Avoid taking on extra commitments during this time.
• Ask for help when you need it, whether it’s around the house, on the job, or during your other activities.
• Stay active. It might be hard to get motivated to move, but remember regular physical exercise will leave you feeling more energised.

Your Baby's Development at Week 11²

By the 11th week of your pregnancy, all of your baby’s organs are in place. Your precious one is ready to focus on growth, growth, growth! At 11 weeks pregnant:

• Your baby is around 3.8 cm long, about the length of your thumb from the knuckle to the tip.
• From now until your halfway mark at 20 weeks of pregnancy, your baby will increase her weight by 30% and probably will triple in length.
• The blood vessels in your placenta grow larger to prepare for this time of accelerated growth in your baby.
• During the 11th week of your pregnancy, your baby’s ears move to their permanent position.
• Your baby’s reproductive organs are developing. But it’s still a little early to find out whether it’s a girl or boy — gender isn’t clear on ultrasound until between the 16th and 20th weeks of pregnancy.

Your Changing Body at Week 11

During your 11th week of pregnancy, your baby begins to grow more rapidly and your body keeps on adjusting to the changes ahead.

• Pregnancy glow? Yes, it’s real! You have heard that expectant mothers almost glow and you might be experiencing this yourself. This “glow” is thanks to your increased blood volume, which can cause skin to look slightly flushed and full. In addition, your body’s hormones increase the amount of oils on your face, causing skin to look smoother with a slight shine. At this point you might want to consider switching to oil-free skin products, if you have not already.³
• Your uterus continues to expand during the 11th week of pregnancy to accommodate your baby’s increasing size. You might even experience light twinges as this expansion continues.⁴
• By the 11th week of pregnancy many of the early symptoms of pregnancy, such as nausea, might be less severe.
• Acne can be an issue for pregnant women. As your body’s increased oils provide your pleasant pregnancy glow, they also leave you more susceptible to acne. The good news? It’s only temporary and should disappear after you give birth.

References:

¹ URMC. Encyclopedia. First trimester fatigue. Available [Online] at: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttyp eid=134&contentid=4. Accessed on 22 August 2023.
² Verywellfamily. Week 11 of your pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/11-weeks-pregnant-4158930. Accessed on 22 August 2023.
³ American Pregnancy association. Pregnancy glow. Available [Online] at: https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/changes-in-your- body/pregnancy-glow/. Accessed on 22 August 2023.
⁴ Healthline. Uterus pain in early pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/uterus-pain-early-pregnancy. Accessed on 22 August 2023.
⁵ Ansorge R. Pregnancy acne. WebMD. Available [Online] at: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/acne-during-pregnancy-treatments-causes. Accessed on 22 August 2023.
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

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