Celebrate the Size of your Growing Baby with Recipes for 40 Weeks
/Pregnancy is a journey filled with excitement, anticipation, and plenty of changes. Each week, as your baby grows and develops, you have an opportunity to celebrate these milestones in a unique and delicious way. This idea is simple yet so fun. It involves creating a recipe each week that reflects the size of your growing baby. These recipes not only provide a sense of joy and celebration, but they also offer essential nutrients needed for both mother and baby, as long as you use a growth chart like this with healthy size comparison foods. This blog post will take you through 40 weeks of pregnancy with recipes inspired by the comparative size of your baby, turning each stage of your pregnancy into a culinary adventure. Weeks one to three of pregnancy you probably didn't know you were pregnant yet and the baby is so small, so we will start at Week four with recipes to celebrate!
4 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Poppy Seed! They are about 0.04 inches and less than 0.04 oz. So small yet such a big change for mom and dad! Congratulations you may have just found out you are pregnant, and joy is everything right now! To celebrate this week, cook up A Sweet and Delicious Recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Bread
Other Delicious Recipes You Can Make:
Bagels with Poppy Seeds on top
All Types of dinner rolls
Poppy Seed Salad Dressing (I have this recipe in my week for kale below)
5 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of an Apple Seed! You made it to 5 weeks and baby has grown. They are working hard on creating the brain, spinal cord, heart and blood vessels. They are about 0.05 inches now and it's time to celebrate! This week we are making A Taste of Heaven: Deliciously Easy Apple Pie!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Apple Cider Loaf with Brown Butter Glaze
Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese & Candied Pecans
Homemade Apple Sauce
6 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Pomegranate! They have tripled in size and are fully protected by amniotic fluid. Now the length of .13 inch they are still so small but still should be celebrated. This week we are making The Perfect Pear and Pomegranate Arugula Salad
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Pomegranate Relish
Festive Taste of Tradition: Sparkling Cider Punch for Christmas
Fruit Salad
7 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Blueberry! You may be experiencing some morning sickness now.. which isn't limited to the morning. You also may be experiencing more bathroom trips, as I did, and happened to be my very first symptom of pregnancy. I was waking up every night to use the restroom and that never happened before for me. While you are getting the highs and lows of pregnancy symptoms your baby is growing. Now about .5 inches and still less than 0.04 oz. This week we are celebrating with making Delicious Blueberry Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Soft Cream Cheese Lemon Blueberry Scones
8 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Raspberry! Their hands and feet have webbed fingers and toes. Weighing in still below .04 oz they are still growing at around .63 in. You are still probably able to hide your bump at this point, but your jeans may be feeling a little tighter. Start those belly pictures now because baby will be here in just 32 weeks and growing every day. To celebrate we are making The Ultimate Raspberry Pistachio Cheesecake Recipe
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Delicious Frozen Raspberry Margarita (Skip the tequila)
Raspberry Trifle
Raspberry Crisp or Pie
9 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Green Olive! They have graduated from an embryo to a fetus. The reproductive organs have formed but it is still too early to tell if you are having a boy or girl. They have grown to .9 inches and .07 oz. A small but mighty as the digestive track is also being formed. To celebrate I made Crafting a Herb Christmas Tree Focaccia Bread Masterpiece for the Holidays as you can tell I was pregnant during Christmas.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Moroccan Chicken
Stuffing your own (I love feta in mine!)
Building A Charcuterie Board (leave out the soft cheese!)
10 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Strawberry! Their eyes and eyelids are more developed, and eyebrows are even beginning to grow. They have made it to 1.22 in and .14 oz. This week marks you at a quarter of the way through your pregnancy. Many things are changing but you probably aren't seeing them or feeling the baby move just yet. Hold on tight because you will soon. This week we are making Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. As you can see it was still Christmas time for us and it took everything, I had to make this recipe with morning sickness. So, a blog post was never made but you can get extra creative this week if you wish!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese & Candied Pecans (Strawberries are in the dressing)
Strawberry Cake
Strawberries and Cream
11 weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Lime! Just over 1.5 inches from head to toe your baby is still tiny but they are moving. Kicking and stretching inside of your belly, you should feel it in the next month or two once they grow big enough. Celebrate this week with a Cranberry Key Lime Pie or if it's not the holidays for you Mini Key Lime Pies with Splenda both are delicious!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Fruit & Goat Cheese Bruschetta ( lime is in the recipe)
Lime Fruit Dip
Fish Tacos with Lime
12 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Plum! Now weighing over 2 oz and over 2 inches long it's a week to celebrate 2's! They are now able to open and close their hands and curl their toes. They are also growing fingernails. It was the last of the holiday season for us at week 12 and I made a "Sugar" Plum Cobbler it was deliciously good!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Plum Tart or Galette
Plum Dumplings
Plum Butter or Jam
13 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Lemon! Growing 1/2 an inch and 1/2 an ounce from last week your little one is making leaps and bounds. They have started swallowing amniotic fluid and their bones are beginning to harden. While you can't feel it yet you have started making colostrum, the fluid your baby will drink the first few days of life. You also may be getting some relief from those first trimester symptoms. A reason to celebrate with a new recipe. Zesty Delight: Mastering the Ultimate Cod Piccata Recipe at Home
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Lemon Cheesecake With An Amazing Glaze
Arnold Palmer Popsicle: A Delicious Summer Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed bread, muffins or cake
14 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of an Orange! Now weighing more than 3 oz and longer than 6 inches they can squint, frown and possibly even suck their thumb by now. Such a big week as baby is getting bigger and bigger and you are in the second trimester. This is, for most moms to be, the best time of their pregnancy. Enjoy and celebrate every minute. Orange Cake with Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting is the perfect recipe to bring in this week.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Blueberry Orange Glazed Muffins
Orange and Cream Smoothie
15 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a pear! This week could be a big one as an ultrasound can now find out the sex of your baby. Get ready to decorate and plan the nursery, parties, outfits and more once you know the gender. However, if you are wanting to be surprised and wait until birth like we did, get ready to remind them not to spoil the surprise at every doctor's appointment from here on out! This week baby's taste buds and nerves are beginning to connect to the brain. By 20 weeks they will be fully formed. Baby is also looking more like a little person with eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails, hair and defined fingers and toes. Such a cute little one your growing! We sure hope baby likes Pears because this week we are cooking up Delicious, Nutritious Pear & Walnut Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Other Recipes You Can Make:
How to Make the Perfect Pear and Pomegranate Arugula Salad
Indulge in Delicious Personal Pear Tarts
Pear Crisp
16 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of an Avocado! Weighing 5 whole ounces and 7 inches long from head to bottom! Your baby's heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day and will continue to increase as your little one develops. Their hair follicles are forming a pattern they will have for the remainder of their life. Celebrate your little avocado with guac at your favorite restaurant this week or by making a delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Delicious Sweet & Spicy Salmon Bowls
17 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of an Onion! Baby has been hiccupping but this week you might start to actually feel it. Weighing in at almost 5 oz and growing to 5.12 inches in length they are becoming more noticeable and celebrated. This week we are making a Creamy Corn Chowder Soup
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Blooming Onion or Onion Rings
Green Onion Dip
18 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Bunch of Grapes! Your little one's tiny fingers now have unique fingerprints. Just wait until you feel their hands wrap around your one finger, it's a feeling like no other. This week we are making a delicious Chicken Salad Sandwich that you can actually eat. I missed sandwiches and deli meat so much during pregnancy, so this was a nice treat!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Roasted Grape Crostini
Balsamic Steak with Red Grape Relish
Concord Grape Onion Jam
19 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Mango! Their legs are now longer than their arms and you might be able to start feeling baby kick if this if your second or third pregnancy. If it's your first, you will most likely be feeling baby in the next few weeks. Celebrate this week's milestone of baby reaching almost 9 oz and 6 inches making Sweet & Spicy Mango Chicken Wings Recipe
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Sparkling Ice Mint Mango Mock-tail
Mango Habanero Salsa
Mango Slaw
20 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Sweet Potato! If you start feeling subtle jerking movements in the womb don't worry baby has just start hiccupping. They also have taste buds and can start to send them to your brain... so if your craving different things that may be why. Some research indicates that what you eat during pregnancy can influence the foods your baby prefers later.
So with that in mind, we are keeping it fun and healthy with Sweet Potatoes being the size of baby we are making 3 Easy & Nourishing Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipes
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Sweet Potato Bisque
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
21 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Banana! Now 10.5 inches and 14 ounces your little one is getting long and will soon start to plump up in the coming weeks. We took an amazing trip to Hawaii for our babymoon, and I loved acai bowls and all the natural fruit while vacationing, so I wanted to come home and make delicious Homemade Acai Bowls. With this week being a banana it worked perfectly because it is in the recipe and can be used on top. Hope your loving fruit this week too because this is a fun one!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Homemade Delicious Banana Bread
Banana Nut Pancakes
Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies
22 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Carrot! Baby is officially over 1 pound and starting to look like a miniature newborn as their lips, eyelids, and eyebrows become more distinct. This week we are making Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls made with Sourdough Starter if you don't have a sourdough starter you can use yeast or one of the fun recipes below!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Carrot Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Apple Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Brandy Glazed Carrots
23 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Grapefruit! Now more than a foot long they can feel your dancing. So, turn on the music and swing around the house. Grapefruit is the fruit of choice, and we usually aren't the biggest fans of grapefruit at our house, but this Delightful Almond Grapefruit Ice Cream Recipe was such a good one you will love it!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Grapefruit Meringue Pie
South of the Boarder Citrus Salad
Grapefruit Poppy Seed Bread
24 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of an Ear of Corn! Baby still has thin and translucent skin as well as very thin and long. Don't worry they will start to plump up soon and become nice and round. Their nostrils are opening now for "practice breathing", so they'll go through the same motions of real breathing but inhale amniotic fluid instead of air. Enjoy a Southwestern Chop Salad Recipe with an Ear of Corn cut on top to celebrate this milestone!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
The Most Delicious Homemade Corn Bread Loaf Recipe
25 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Coconut! This week they may be able to distinguish between your voice and your partner's voice. So, start talking away because it will calm them later on as well to hear both of your voices as you begin to get to know each other. They're developing a firm grasp and may reach out and grab the umbilical cord. They can also stick out their tongue! Decadent Almond Joy Cookies are this weeks recipe and such a delicious treat!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Coconut Rice
Coconut Curry Soup
Coconut Macaroons
26 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Cantaloupe! They are now about 1 3/4 pounds and roughly 13 1/4 inches long from head to heel. They are also able to open their eyes and blink! We are making a fun Delicious & Refreshing Fruit Salad in a Cantaloupe Bowl where you use the actual cantaloupe for the bowl!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Perfect Light & Fresh Italian Summer Charcuterie Board
Cantaloupe Salsa
27 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Bunch of Kale! Your baby can hear your voice and may even respond to it with changes in their heartbeat, breathing, and movement. If a noise is particularly loud, your baby may startle, and as they startle you might feel your baby move. Let's move to the kitchen to make a delicious Sweet Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing this is also a good recipe if you plan to breast feed as kale is a great leafy green to have because and after pregnancy helping with supply.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Italian Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup
Kale Pesto
Kale Smoothie
28 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Head of Lettuce! Weighing in at about 2 1/3 pounds and measuring roughly 14 1/2 inches they are filling in slowly and leafy greens and lots of protein will help them grow even more. Making a Loaded Iceberg Wedge Salad that you can add to the side of a nice steak, salmon or chicken makes for a great dinner.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Lettuce Wraps
BLT Wraps
Tostada Salad
29 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Cauliflower! Your baby's bones are soaking up lots of calcium as they harden, so be sure to drink your milk or find other ways to get your calcium in.
Cauliflower Bang Bang Cashew Recipe: A Sweet and Spicy Delight
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Creamy Cheddar Cauliflower Soup
Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower Pizza
30 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Zucchini! Your little one's brain is growing rapidly, and their lungs are continuing to develop. Baby is on a regular cycle of sleeping and waking. Every 30 to 90 minutes they will start to move around to let you know they have woken up, enjoy those little feet moving inside you. Soon you will see them dancing away during diaper changes. Zucchini Roll Ups Dinner is this weeks recipe and a great one for leftovers or freezing for meal prep after baby arrives if you want to make a double recipe.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Mom's Favorite Minestrone Soup Recipe
Fried Zucchini
Walnut Zucchini Muffins
31 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Bunch of Asparagus! From this week on baby will be gaining as much as half a pound per week until they are born!! Still a little one at 3.31lbs they still have a way to go so keep your nutrition up with lots of green veggies like this Baked Ceasar Asparagus Side Dish
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Fontina Asparagus Tart
Radish Asparagus Salad
Feta Asparagus Frittata
32 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Squash! Baby's taste buds have fully developed, and they also may acquire a preference for the food you are eating. This week's meal is a nutritious one packed full of veggies, so we hope you and baby enjoy this Tastes of Classic Ratatouille.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Yellow Squash Patties
Summer Squash Salad with Shrimp
Sauteed Squash Side Dish
33 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Bunch of Celery! The Lanugo that covered their body to keep them warm is starting to disappear. You are officially 7 weeks to your dude date and 8 months pregnant. You may start preparing for baby soon with meal prepping, classes for birth and breastfeeding, and packing your hospital bags soon. Take a moment from all the preparation and celebrate baby with a delicious Deviled Egg Pasta Salad that you will truly enjoy and is great to have as leftovers too!
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs
Celery Root Soup
34 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Butternut Squash! Their bones are fully developed by now, turning their head and moving their body from side to side. Weighing almost 5 pounds and 17-18 inches long they are growing big and strong! This meal is a delicious dinner you can enjoy while getting in great nutrition for you and baby. Chorizo & Butternut Squash Vegetable Sheet Pan Recipe
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
Autumn Spiced Butternut Squash Bread
35 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Honeydew! To prepare itself for birth, baby is now making its way upside-down! Their digestive system is almost fully developed this week and now capable of digesting nutrients from your milk once they arrive. Celebrating this week we are making a Perfect Light & Fresh Italian Summer Charcuterie Board. I did include traditional meats on the board that I wasn't able to eat, but my husband had no problem finishing it off for me.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Minted Honeydew Salad
Fruit Skewers
36 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Papaya! Their wrinkly skin is starting to fill in and get more plump. Average baby size is now 18.66 inches and 5.78 pounds. They are growing big and getting ready to make their big entrance. This week we are making the Tropical Creamsicle Smoothie and if you are eating dates to help soften your cervix this is a double win! I ate these daily the last month of pregnancy.
Other Recipe You Can Make:
Papaya Boat
Papaya Cheesecake
Papaya Salsa
37 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of Romain Lettuce! By now you are starting to run out of room for baby in your uterus and they are almost about to make their big arrival! Because of this they are mostly stretching and wiggling instead of giving out big kicks. A nutritious recipe this week is the Italian Chopped Salad Jar Recipe and can be made into mini jars to enjoy throughout the week as a meal prep.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Delicious Buttery Italian Croissant Sandwich
Caesar Salad
Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
38 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Pineapple! Baby is growing week by week and preparing for their own arrival as you are too! Their brain is forming connections this week that will help them swallow and even sleep better once they are born. A Virgin Pina Colada Coconut & Pineapple Ice Pops are the recipe this week and the perfect treat if you are trying to eat pineapple to help soften your cervix.
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Pineapple Glazed Chicken Thighs
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Pineapple Pancakes
39 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of Spaghetti Squash! This stage is characterized by the final preparations for birth, with fully developed organs and a rapidly growing brain. Your baby’s lung development is typically complete, enabling their first breaths outside the womb. Your baby's 39 week baby weight is 7.25 pounds and they are almost 20 inches long. This week we are celebrating with Easy & Delicious Italian Sausage Spaghetti Squash Dinner
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti Squash Lo Mein
40 Weeks Pregnant
Baby is the size of a Watermelon! Reaching 40 weeks of pregnancy is a monumental milestone, marking your baby's imminent arrival. At this point, your baby, now about the size of a watermelon, is fully developed and ready to be born. Celebrate the soon to be bundle of joy this week with Sip into Summer: The Ultimate Sparkling Watermelon Punch
Other Recipes You Can Make:
Grilled Watermelon
Watermelon Sorbet
Each week brings about a new recipe that not only symbolically represents your baby's growth but also incorporates nutrient-dense ingredients. These recipes are designed to be a fun way to support a healthy pregnancy, providing essential vitamins and minerals that nourish both you and your developing baby. Weeks 1-12: Think of small yet nutrient-rich foods such as poppy seed muffins or blueberry smoothies. Weeks 13-26: As your baby grows to the size of a lemon, peach, or mango, enjoy dishes like peach cobbler or mango salsa. Weeks 27-40: Celebrate larger milestones with meals that feature butternut squash, pineapple, or even a small watermelon. This 40-week journey transforms the ordinary act of eating into a celebration of life and growth.
Embracing the growth of your baby through weekly recipes not only makes the journey to motherhood fun and engaging but also ensures that you’re providing essential nutrients for both you and your baby. Each dish, inspired by the size of your little one, serves as a delicious reminder of the incredible transformation happening within you. Parents-to-be celebrate these moments, prepare nourishing meals, and share your experiences with a community of expectant mothers. Thus, with every bite, you are not just feeding your body but also cherishing the remarkable journey of bringing new life into the world.
Other Pregnancy Blog Posts:
Sail into Style: Nautical Maternity Looks for this Summer
My Must-Have Essentials for the First Two Months Postpartum as a First-Time Mom
Dresses Worn In Photos
