Pregnancy – Week 12

Welcome to Week 12 of your Pregnancy.

Between now and week 20, you can expect to gain about a quarter of your pregnancy weight. You might start to feel more energetic and better in general than you have during the past few weeks.

Be sure your diet includes a sensible range of foods for you and your unborn bub.

Mum

Your health care professional can now feel the top of the uterus, low in the abdomen. Soon you won’t be able to fit into your normal clothing and find yourself opting for ones with a looser fit. If you have suffered from morning sickness, you may now find it easing and your appetite returning.

Your chance of miscarriage has significantly reduced now. You may have your first ultrasound at around this time.

Depending on your skin’s natural elasticity, some women develop stretch marks on their abdomen, breasts, hips or buttocks during pregnancy but they usually fade afterwards.

Some Fathers-to-be also experience symptoms during the third month of pregnancy and at delivery. This is called couvade and can include appetite changes, weight gain, nausea and abdominal pain.

Bub

Baby now weighs around 14 grams (0.49 ounces) and is 5.5cm (2.1 inches) long. The liver is making bile and the kidneys are secreting urine in the bladder.

The pancreas is functioning and producing insulin. His face is starting to look like a baby’s face and he can suck his thumb and get the hiccups. Vocal cords are complete and he can sometimes cry silently. Baby’s brain is fully formed.

His movements are now coordinated by his brain and muscles and he can curl his toes, clench is fists, arms and legs can move and his facial expression can now change. He can feel pain. His size has doubled in the last 3 weeks and you will be able to see his heart beating on the ultrasound.

Tips

Prepare yourself for the emotional event of your first ultrasound where you and your partner will see your baby for the first time.
It may help to avoid developing stretch marks if you gain weight gradually instead of rapidly.