Here’s an insane fact emerging from week 12: your baby’s pituitary gland has begun producing hormones which means, he or she will be able to have babies of their own someday (mind = blown). Guess what else? You’re now in month 3 of your pregnancy and only 6 months to go! Here’s what you can expect of pregnancy and your baby during week 12.
Pregnancy Week 12: Baby Has Doubled in Size
This may be hard to believe but your baby has officially doubled in size during the past three weeks! Your baby now weighs a full half-ounce and measures about the size of a lime. From the outside you may barely be showing, but a lot is happening with your baby!
Week 12 is a big turning point for the developing fetus. By now all of the systems are fully formed and the structures are in place. Now over the remaining 28 weeks it will be all about maturing and maintenance. Your little peanut’s digestive system has started practicing contraction movements, which will help with pushing food through. The bone marrow is hard at work making white blood cells to keep your bundle safe from infection. And the pituitary gland has started producing the necessary hormones that will enable your baby to have babies him or herself someday. If you haven’t already experienced this joy, this time of your pregnancy may also be when you’ll hear the heartbeat for the first time!
Body Changes to Expect for Week 12
Frequent urination be gone! As you’re about to pass from the first semester to the second, your uterus (about the size of a grapefruit) begins to migrate from your pelvis area to your abdomen, relieving the constant pressure from your bladder. Second semester may also see the end of other pesky early pregnancy symptoms, including nausea, tender breasts and nipples, food aversions and fatigue. One that may creep in? Dizziness, and you have progesterone to thank once again. Your blood vessels are starting to relax and that increases blood flow to your baby but less to you. Get up slowly and make sure that your blood sugar doesn’t dip too low as this can cause increased dizziness.
What’s the deal with your sex drive during week 12? Hormones can hit women differently so if your friend says her interest in sex skyrocketed while yours plummeted don’t fret as this is all normal. It’s hard to feel sexy when you’re feeling nauseous or in the mood when you’re exhausted. And let’s not even talk about the breast changes because though they may be appealing to your partner, the tenderness makes them off limits. Keep the lines of communication open with your partner and know that most often the lukewarm feeling about intimacy does an about face during the second trimester. Meow!
Pregnancy Symptoms to Watch For
Symptoms likely to go away as you head into trimester number two? Frequent bathroom trips, heightened sense of smell and the weird excessive saliva. You may still suffer with occasional headaches so be sure you aren’t skipping any meals and letting your blood sugar drop too low as this can intensify the aches and pains. Fatigue is still hitting you as baby is growing but you’ll see a return to normal energy very soon. And if you’re still suffering from bloating and gas, make sure you’re taking plenty of time to eat as scarfing food down can cause you to swallow air and create gas pockets in your already burgeoning belly.
Week 12 To-Do List
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend all moms-to-be get a flu shot as pregnancy usually carries over sometime during flu season. Embrace kegel exercises as pushing a baby through your pelvis is a pretty big stretch (literally). Doing pelvic floor exercises can help with shortening labor and faster post-birth recovery. Check out some pregnancy-approved workout apps to walk you through the exercises. Avoid alcohol during your pregnancy but one bottle you should be hitting? Water bottle. It’s more important than ever to stay hydrated so you’ll want to add extra ounces of water with every meal and hydrate especially hard during light exercise. Couple of things to avoid during pregnancy? Uncooked or seared seafood is off limits so sayonara sushi, and soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk (feta, Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, blue-veined cheeses and queso fresco). Stick with hard cheeses like Swiss and cheddar to be safe.
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