A week by week guide to what’s happening to you and your baby

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

Your measurement from pubic bone to fundus (the upper part of the uterus) will be about 20cm. In general, this measurement will equal the number of weeks you are pregnant. For most women, fundal growth eventually stops at 35 to 40cm.

Foetal size can be estimated by measuring fundal height. If you're carrying a large amount of amniotic fluid, or the baby is in an ‘interesting’ position, fundal measurements may give the impression that the baby is growing more rapidly than expected in any given month. The following month, as your body compensates, you may discover little or no fundal growth. Your midwife will be concerned only if there is a trend toward unusually large or small fundal measurements.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Weighing in at 14oz and measuring 17.5cm crown to rump, your baby is now busy putting fat onto those bones. Most likely, you have felt your baby's in-utero gymnastics. With lots of amniotic fluid providing room to move, your baby will be very active until the final month of pregnancy, when sheer size limits back-flips.

HEALTHY EATING

Do you need more vegetables in your diet, but you're bored with salad? Here's a variation:

Blueberry salad (great with chicken dishes):

• fresh blueberries (you can get them in most supermarkets now)
• halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

FACT OF THE WEEK

Colostrum - Around this time, your breasts could produce light yellow-coloured colostrum that contains water, protein and minerals in the right proportion to take care of all your baby's nutritional needs.

• There is strong evidence that breastfeeding reduces the incidence of diarrhoea, lower-respiratory infection, ear infections, urinary-tract infections, bacterial meningitis, Crohn's Disease, colitis and other diseases.
• Studies have shown that breastfed babies have significantly higher IQs (about eight points) than their formula-fed counterparts.
• There may be a link to a decreased incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among breastfed babies.
• Numerous benefits to mothers include a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancers, as well as a lower incidence of hip fractures during the post-menopausal period.

For a list of all the pregnancy week by week articles click here