11 Weeks

You are now eleven weeks pregnant (or in your twelfth week if that's how you prefer to count it).

Your baby is now fully formed, from toothbuds to toenails and measures about the length of your thumb. Her fingers and toes have separated and some of her bones are beginning to harden. Over the next six months your baby's main task will be to grow larger and stronger, fit for survival outside the womb.

You might want to consider a home birth. If your GP is unwilling to attend a home birth, you can arrange midwife care through the supervisor of midwives at your local hospital. Another alternative, which some women see as a halfway house between home and hospital, is to give birth at a birth centre.

One of the most exciting parts of antenatal visits is hearing your baby's rapid heartbeat magnified by the Sonicaid stethoscope many midwives use. The moment can be very dramatic and moving as the room fills with a sound like a galloping horse. Don't be alarmed if your midwife cannot find a heartbeat at this stage (some midwives won't even try to find it this early as they don't want to cause you unnecessary worry) - it should be easier to find at your next appointment. When your midwife does find the heartbeat she will write in your notes FHH which stands for Fetal Heart Heard - use our guide to understanding your maternity notes to help you decipher other abbreviations.