In the early days of pregnancy when you have fewer physical signs, and whilst you’re worrying about getting the nursery sorted, it can be difficult to get your head around what’s really happening inside of you. This is where the trusty fruit and veg comparison comes in useful! By comparing the size of your baby to fruit and veg, week-by-week, you can get a better understanding of how they’re growing and how big your little one really is.

 

So, here goes. Just remember it’s not an exact science!

 

What size is my baby: Weeks 1 to 3

 

At conception, your baby is the size of a single ovum (the eggs produced by your ovaries). Whilst this single cell will divide and grow at an astounding rate, during the first three weeks, it’ll be too small to compare to any fruit or veg. Most women aren’t even aware they’re pregnant during this time.

 

What size is my baby: Week 4

 

Baby size: A poppyseed.

 

The embryo developing inside you will have grown from a single cell to around 32 cells by the fourth week of your pregnancy. At this point, your pregnancy may be detectable with a pregnancy test.

 

What size is my baby: Week 5

 

Baby size: A sesame seed.

 

The embryo inside you will begin to form a heart, a brain, a spinal column and blood vessels. You may begin to experience signs of pregnancy, like tender breasts and morning sickness.

 

What size is my baby: Week 6

 

Baby size: A lentil.

 

You baby is now about a quarter of an inch long, or just over half a centimetre. They will develop a regular heartbeat around this time.

 

What size is my baby: Week 7

 

Baby size: A blueberry.

 

Your growing baby will have doubled in size from the previous week and their arms will begin to form as two buds on their body.

 

What size is my baby: Week 8

 

Baby size: A kidney bean.

 

Your baby will be moving constantly as they grow now, although you won’t feel these movements yet.

 

What size is my baby: Week 9

 

Baby size: A grape.

 

Your little one will be around one inch long now, or just over two and a half centimetres. Their arms will be more developed, and they may have hands with distinct fingers by this point.

 

What size is my baby: Week 10

 

Baby size: A kumquat.

 

Your little one will have formed eyes, although their eyelids won’t be able to open until they’re 27 weeks old.

 

What size is my baby: Week 11

 

Baby size: A Brussel sprout.

 

Your baby should have hands now and may begin to grow their first fingernails. If you’ve experienced morning sickness, know that many mothers-to-be find their nausea lessens and even disappears around this time.

 

What size is my baby: Week 12

 

Baby size: A lime.

 

Your baby will be around two inches or five centimetres long now and will have formed most of their skeleton. You may experience energy lows due to hormonal changes.

 

What size is my baby: Week 13

 

Baby size: A peach

 

You’ve reached your third month of pregnancy. Your body will begin to make colostrum around this point – the nutrient-rich milk your breasts produce during the first few days after giving birth.

 

What size is my baby: Week 14

 

Baby size: A lemon.

 

Until this point, your baby’s legs will be tucked up close to their body. But by around the 14th week, they will unfurl their legs and increase in length pretty dramatically. Your baby will have facial features now and can even make expressions, like frowning and squinting.

 

What size is my baby: Week 15

 

Baby size: An apple.

 

Your baby will very much look like a tiny person now, with arms and legs, fingers and toes, and even eyelashes.

 

What size is my baby: Week 16

 

Baby size: An avocado.

 

Your little one has reached an impressive size. Their muscles grow stronger around this time, and you may begin to feel them moving inside you now.

 

What size is my baby: Week 17

 

Baby size: A turnip.

 

Your baby will likely measure between seven to eight inches in length, or between 17 and 21cm. Your umbilical cord will be growing thicker and stronger to support your little one’s accelerating development.

 

What size is my baby: Week 18

 

Baby size: A bell pepper.

 

Any kicks should begin to become more distinct around 18 weeks as your baby puts on more muscle and continues to exercise inside you.

 

What size is my baby: Week 19

 

Baby size: A heritage tomato.

 

Your little one will be around nine and half inches from head to foot now (24cm). Many women begin to feel back ache around this time, as baby continues to gain weight.

 

What size is my baby: Week 20

 

Baby size: A small banana.

 

Congratulations, you’re at the mid-point of your pregnancy. Although not the same shape, your baby will have grown to around the length of a small banana.

 

What size is my baby: Week 21

 

Baby size: A carrot.

 

Your little one will be the length of an average carrot now. As they wriggle inside you, even subtle movements should become noticeable. Not just the kicks.

 

What size is my baby: Week 22

 

Baby size: A spaghetti squash.

 

Your baby’s lips, eyelids and eyebrows are developing. They’ll look like a miniature person now.

 

What size is my baby: Week 23

 

Baby size: A mango.

 

You’re now carrying a baby the length of a mango. They’ll begin to hear sounds from the outside world and may start to react to your voice and to music.

 

What size is my baby: Week 24

 

Baby size: A corn on the cob.

 

Your little one is around 12.5 inches (32cm) from head to foot now and likely weighs around 1.3lbs (600g). They’ve come a long way.

 

What size is my baby: Week 25

 

Baby size: A swede.

 

Your baby will mostly fill-out now more than growing in length, putting on more muscle and stores of baby fat. Most babies also start growing head hair around this time too.

 

What size is my baby: Week 26

 

Baby size: A spring onion.

 

Your little boy or girl is the length of a spring onion now. Their brain activity picks up from this point and they begin to develop complex connections.

 

What size is my baby: Week 27

 

Baby size: A head of a cauliflower.

 

You’re reaching the end of your second trimester now and your baby will weigh around 2lbs (900g). Fatigue and frequent peeing are the most frequent pregnancy side effects at this point.

 

What size is my baby: Week 28

 

Baby size: An aubergine.

 

Your baby’s lungs develop more complex structures around this time, preparing them for a life of breathing in the outside world.

 

What size is my baby: Week 29

 

Baby size: A butternut squash.

 

Your little one is continuing to gain weight as they put on more fat, their bones strengthen, and their brain grows in size. Whilst this is all wonderful, you may feel more strain now, with more back ache and twinges elsewhere.

 

What size is my baby: Week 30

 

Baby size: A cabbage.

 

Your little one’s skin has been translucent until now, but around this time it begins to fill with pigment, taking on the colour it will have when they’re born.

 

What size is my baby: Week 31

 

Baby size: A coconut.

 

Your baby can move their head from side to side now and will kick and push with more coordinated movements.

 

What size is my baby: Week 32

 

Baby size: A Mexican turnip (jicama).

 

You’ve reached your eighth month! Your little one will weigh around 3.75lbs (1.7kg) and will gain roughly half a pound to a full pound of weight per week now (225 to 450g).

 

What size is my baby: Week 33

 

Baby size: A pineapple.

 

Your little one has reached a considerable size now and looks like a small, fully formed baby. You may start to feel short of breath at times as they press on your lungs and diaphragm.

 

What size is my baby: Week 34

 

Baby size: A cantaloupe melon.

 

Your baby will be around 18 inches (46cm) long now. As they move inside you and press against your stomach, you may begin to see the shape of their hands and feet through your skin.

 

What size is my baby: Week 35

 

Baby size: A honeydew melon.

 

They will most likely be in the vertex position with their head down, getting ready for labour. Most of their development is now complete, but they’ll continue to put on weight in readiness for being born.

 

What size is my baby: Week 36

 

Baby size: A romaine lettuce.

 

They will be shedding the covering of downy hair (lanugo) and the waxy substance called vernix that protects their skin inside you.

 

What size is my baby: Week 37

 

Baby size: Swiss chard.

 

Your little one is roughly the length of a stalk of Swiss chard. Whilst most pregnancies last until the 40th week, you can go into labour at any time now.

 

What size is my baby: Week 38

 

Baby size: A leek.

 

Your baby has fully formed fingernails and toenails and will be able to grasp with their hands. It’s not long now until they’ll be holding one of your fingers.

 

What size is my baby: Week 39

 

Baby size: A small watermelon.

 

You’ve reached your ninth month! Your curled-up baby will be around the size of a small watermelon and has reached full-term.

 

What size is my baby: Week 40

 

Baby size: A small pumpkin.

 

Make sure your hospital bag is packed and ready (don’t forget basics like muslin squares and baby feeding paraphernalia) and your baby’s car seat is installed as your little one is most likely to arrive this week!

 

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