what does a baby look like at 11 weeks pregnant?

Week-by-week guide to pregnancy
happy couple looking at pregnancy test results
When you're pregnant, you have lots of questions. Our week-by-week pregnancy guide is packed with lots of useful information. From what's happening inside your body, to how your baby is developing, and tips and advice on having a healthy pregnancy – this is your one-stop pregnancy guide!

1st trimester
2nd trimester
3rd trimester

1st trimester

Our week-by-week pregnancy guide is full of essential information. From early pregnancy symptoms to how your baby is growing and developing, you'll find it all here.

Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12

Week 11 – your 1st trimester

You only have 2 weeks until you start your 2nd trimester. This is when many women start to "glow" and regain their energy as their hormones settle down.

You'll be offered a range of tests around now that will look at your blood, urine and blood pressure. These tests provide an opportunity to have yours and your baby's health checked. You can find out more about antenatal checks and tests on the NHS website.
What's happening in my body?

As you start to bulge out a bit, your muscles and ligaments will stretch, and this could give you pains around your stomach. If it hurts a lot, see your midwife or doctor as soon as possible.

Your body is now pumping around up to 50% more blood than usual. The blood feeds your womb, but it can also make you feel hot, sweaty and dizzy. That's your baby's way of telling you to rest.

Your baby has previously been fed by a yolk sac, but a new organ called the placenta is about to take over. The placenta will nourish the baby and remove waste. While the switchover happens, the hormones involved could make you feel tired and emotional.

What to expect from your first scan

Hospitals in England usually offer 2 ultrasound scans during pregnancy. The first is a dating scan between 8 and 14 weeks. The sonographer (who takes the test) uses harmless invisible waves to build up a detailed picture of the inside of your womb. The test can include a nuchal translucency test (NT) that measures the fluid at the back of the baby's neck, as part of a screening process for Down's syndrome.

Early pregnancy symptoms (at 11 weeks)

You may be feeling very tired at the moment, but gentle exercise such as walking could help you feel better.

Your early signs of pregnancy could also include:

aches and pains around your bump
nausea
mood swings
a metallic taste in your mouth
sore breasts
indigestion and heartburn
headaches
dizziness
new likes and dislikes for food and drink
a heightened sense of smell
a white milky pregnancy discharge from your vagina
light spotting (see your doctor if you get bleeding in pregnancy)
cramping, a bit like period pains
darkened skin on your face or brown patches - this is known as chloasma or the "mask of pregnancy"
greasier, spotty skin
thicker and shinier hair
bloating and the feeling of being bloated (read ways to cope with bloating on week 10's page)

Read Tommy's guide to common pregnancy symptoms.
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What does my baby look like?

Your baby, or foetus, is now around 41mm long from head to bottom, which is about the size of a fig. The head is still supersized, but the body is growing quickly. The fingers and toes are separating out. There are tiny fingernails and miniature ears. Although your baby is kicking around inside your womb, you probably won't feel anything for several weeks.

Action stations

Start thinking about your birth plan – visit the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for the most up-to-date advice.

It's also a good time to do the following: