13 Weeks Pregnant: Things to Avoid
At 13 weeks you're crossing into the second trimester, often with more energy and less nausea than the weeks before — but the safety guidance you've been following doesn't ease off just because the hardest early symptoms might be starting to. Here's what still applies now, and what's genuinely changing.
Food and drink to keep avoiding
None of the first-trimester food rules have an expiry date — they apply for the whole of pregnancy, not just the early weeks.
- Unpasteurised soft cheeses and pâté, because of the listeria risk they carry.
- Raw or undercooked eggs, meat, and fish, and cured meats unless properly cooked.
- Liver and liver-based products, due to very high vitamin A content.
- Alcohol, which has no proven safe amount or safe time to drink during pregnancy.
- High-mercury fish like shark, swordfish, and marlin, with oily fish limited to two portions a week.
- Caffeine, kept to under 200mg a day across coffee, tea, energy drinks, and chocolate.
Lifestyle habits to continue avoiding
- Smoking and vaping remain best avoided for the rest of pregnancy — your midwife can point you towards NHS stop-smoking support if this is something you're working on.
- Hot tubs, saunas, and very hot baths should still be avoided, as overheating isn't recommended at any stage.
- Contact sports, high-fall-risk activities, and scuba diving continue to be unsuitable, though most other exercise is fine and beneficial.
- Keep checking with a pharmacist, GP, or midwife before taking any new medication or supplement, even ones that seem harmless.
What's genuinely different at 13 weeks
The one thing that does change meaningfully around now is travel. Many people find the second trimester — roughly weeks 13 to 27 — is often considered the most comfortable window for travelling, once early nausea has settled and before the later-pregnancy discomforts set in. If you're planning a trip, it's still worth checking your airline's specific pregnancy policy, considering travel insurance that covers pregnancy, and discussing longer journeys with your midwife, particularly if you have any pregnancy complications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ease up on food safety rules now I'm in the second trimester?
No. Food safety guidance around cheese, eggs, meat, fish, and liver applies for the entire pregnancy, not just the first trimester. The rules don't relax as you move through the weeks — they stay the same right through to birth.
Is it safe to travel at 13 weeks?
For most people, yes — the second trimester is often the most comfortable time to travel in pregnancy. It's still worth checking your airline's pregnancy policy, arranging travel insurance that covers pregnancy-related care, and speaking to your midwife first if you have any pregnancy complications or a high-risk pregnancy.
Why do the avoid-list rules stay the same even though I feel better?
Feeling better is usually about hormone levels settling and nausea easing, not about the underlying reasons behind the safety guidance changing. Risks like listeria from unpasteurised cheese or the effects of alcohol don't become less relevant just because you're further along, so the precautions continue throughout pregnancy.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
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