Your baby is now a bit more than 9 inches long and weighs almost 2 pounds. She's doubled her weight in just three weeks!

To differing degrees, your baby has developed all five of her senses now, but she's especially attuned to sound. Whenever she's awake, she's listening to the world around her. She hears your heart beating and your stomach rumbling. She hears your voice, too. When you talk, her pulse will quicken. And when you listen to music, she just might move along to the beat.

Now that your baby's growth is going into overdrive, good nutrition has never been more important. If you haven't done so lately, take a look at your daily diet and your nutrition goals. You should be getting between 2,500 and 2,700 calories a day. If you're like most women in the United States, you probably already get plenty of protein from eggs, meat, nuts, and other sources.

But you may have to make an extra effort to reach other important goals. The US Department of Health and Human Services says pregnant women should get at least three servings of fruits, four servings of vegetables, up to nine servings of grains or cereal, and four or more servings of low-fat or nonfat dairy products every day. Prenatal vitamins can be important insurance that you're getting all the vitamins, minerals, and iron you need.

-- Chris Woolston, M.S., a health and medical writer with a master's degree in biology, is a contributing editor at Consumer Health Interactive. He was a staff writer at Hippocrates magazine and has also covered science issues for Time Inc. Health and the Chronicle of Higher Education.

References

First published September 12, 2005
Last updated March 6, 2008
Copyright © 2005 Consumer Health Interactive

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