12 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Development, Ultrasound, Nutrition, Tips and Advice

Now that the 'golden' second trimester has begun, you will find yourself settling into the pregnancy. Discomforts that you felt during early pregnancy might begin to disappear. During the first trimester, the levels of pregnancy hormones causing sickness are high. These now reduce, and you begin to feel less exhausted. And your baby's growth progresses quite rapidly.

Baby Development At 12 Weeks Pregnant

By now, your baby's tiny little fingers have developed fingertips and his/her organs and veins are pretty much visible through his/her paper-thin skin. Slowly but steadily, your baby's body is catching up to match the size of his/her huge head.

Here are some of the major developments that happen when you’re 12 weeks pregnant:

• Development of eggs for a girl: If it is a girl, at this stage she would be carrying around 2 million eggs in her ovaries.

• Urine production: Your baby is about to start producing and secreting urine. 

• Changes in size and features: Want to visualize your little bundle of joy more? Think of your baby as the size of a medium goldfish. Your baby’s face is shorter than the size of your finger and is already showing unique and individualistic characteristics. His/her button nose and thin lips are pretty much formed.

• Respiratory system development: Slowly, he/she might be taking bouts of prenatal hiccups. These probably strengthen your baby's diaphragm, which is getting prepared for the proper functioning of the respiratory system:     

  • The respiratory system helps in absorbing nutrients and filtering waste effectively.

  • Soon, your baby will be ready to take his/her first few breaths. As of now, your baby is getting oxygen from the umbilical cord while still surrounded by amniotic fluid.

• Development of other organs: Your baby’s thyroid gland, gallbladder, and pancreas are developing. Your baby’s bone marrow is making white blood cells to fight infections later on. The bowel is growing steadily as are the vocal cords.

• Skeletal growth: Your baby is soon going to develop his/her collarbone and thigh bone.

• Increased movements: 

  • In the amniotic sac, there is room to move freely and your baby has become very active, kicking, wriggling, and moving his/her head. Since the amniotic fluid cushions your baby’s movements, you may not feel anything for a while. 

  • Besides kicking the legs and turning the head, your baby has started to properly yawn, swallow, and hiccup. By now, your baby is learning to move in a jerky fashion and suck on his/her thumb – a habit that will come in handy during the newborn phase.

Some of the other baby developments that are happening at 12 weeks pregnant are as follows:

• Your baby’s ankle joints have matured and the toes have separated.

• Your baby's body has no underlying fat, and the bones look prominent beneath the delicate skin.

• Your baby’s eyes have moved more towards the front of the face, but they are still tightly closed.

• Your baby’s arms and legs are lengthening rapidly and muscle control is developing.

Baby Size

At 12 weeks pregnant, as the first trimester draws to an end, your baby measures 2.5-3 inches in length and weighs around 23 grams (0.8 oz). This is similar in size to lime or peach.

12 weeks is how many months?

You're in your third month!

So tiny yet so developed, your baby is growing fast. Isn’t it amazing to think that all these activities are just happening within your body?

Body Changes In Week 12 Of Pregnancy

The best part about stepping into the 13th week of pregnancy is that by now your energy levels go up, thanks to the near end of the morning sickness phase.

1. No or reduced nausea: By the next two weeks, this feeling of nausea might just come to a complete end. Your taste and smell aversions of some peculiar foods and fragrances will stay with you throughout the rest of your pregnancy.
2. Exercise routine: Slowly, you would be starting to feel better – a great time to try your hands on a new format of exercising and rev up your energy levels. You could try yoga or swimming as they both are pretty low-impact activities, that will help you in feeling calm and centered while preparing you for the labor.
3. Headaches: Unfortunately, some expectant mothers might still suffer from headaches, bloating and constipation, which can in all probability continue to the extent all throughout the pregnancy.
4. Reduced risk of miscarriage: Your risk of miscarriage has pretty much subsided and by now you might also witness a sudden spike in your sexual urge.
5. Colostrum: Your breasts have already started to make colostrum – a nutrient-rich fluid, which feeds your baby for the very first few days soon after your birth, following which your milk will start to grow.
6. Vaginal discharge: Referred to in medical terms as leukorrhea, the discharge from the vagina is essential for protecting the birth canal from any infections, and for maintaining the balance of good bacteria. Use a panty liner to keep your underwear dry. As long as the discharge is not thick, and is white like milk and mild-smelling, you're doing fine!
7. Sex during pregnancy: Your feelings from jumping into the bed for a long night of lovemaking to just hugging your partner - each and every feeling related to sex during pregnancy is normal. Varied from one expectant mother to another, whatever you might be upset with will change soon.

Symptoms at 12 Weeks Pregnant

Some symptoms that you may experience at 12 weeks pregnant are as follows:

• Increased sense of smell: At this stage, you may become more sensitive to smell, which could induce nausea. Try getting some fresh air by opening the windows or keeping a lemon/citrus wedge at hand to sniff when you feel queasy. 

• Food aversions: Your increased levels of pregnancy hormones and heightened sensitivity to smell can cause aversion to foods such as meat, dairy products, eggs, spicy and strong-smelling foods, and coffee. While your food aversions may go away in the second trimester, you can experience some relief by eating cold or bland foods that are easier to digest. If the smell of food makes you gag, try getting someone else to do the cooking for now.

• Fewer frequent bathroom trips: The urge to pee constantly may start to fade. However, continue with your Kegel/pelvic exercises throughout your pregnancy to prevent pregnancy-related incontinence later. 

• Occasional headaches: Skipping meals could lead to low blood sugar, which could cause headaches. To prevent this, eat small meals regularly throughout the day. You could also take medication if you need to, but only after consulting with your Doctor.

• Tiredness: You may feel fatigued throughout your first trimester as your body works nonstop to build your placenta. So, rest whenever you feel the need and take a nap whenever you can. 

• Bloating or gas: This pregnancy symptom can be embarrassing at times. You can reduce this symptom by eating slowly and avoiding gas-inducing foods. 

• Excessive saliva: This irritating pregnancy symptom usually goes away when you enter your second trimester. To reduce discomfort, chew sugarless gums or use mouthwash frequently. 

• Dizzy spells: When you’re 12 weeks pregnant, progesterone can relax and widen your blood vessels to increase the blood flow to your baby. But this also reduces the blood flow throughout your body, lowering your blood pressure and causing lightheadedness. Skipping meals could also lead to dizzy spells. To reduce this symptom, avoid getting up too quickly or moving around on an empty stomach. 

• Shortness of breath: You could experience this pregnancy symptom due to increased progesterone levels. While catching your breath while doing routine tasks is normal during pregnancy, consult your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms such as chest pain, irregular or fast heartbeat, or sudden or extreme shortness of breath. 

• Low sex drive: The effects of hormonal changes during pregnancy vary from woman to woman and could cause you to feel less or more frisky. If your pregnancy symptoms have hit you hard and you feel tired, bloated, or constipated all the time, you may feel less in the mood for sex. Staying emotionally connected to your partner could help you tide through this period. 

• Pregnancy stress: While some stress during pregnancy is normal, if you feel overwhelmed by the impending changes and other things, talk to your Doctor. This could prevent you from developing depression or anxiety.

12 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound

Your ultrasound at 12 weeks pregnant may or may not be the first time you have a look at your baby. Accordingly, this could be an emotional day for you or a routine prenatal care appointment.

Earlier, unless there was a high-risk pregnancy, doctors usually didn’t recommend ultrasound before Week 12. However today, your Doctor could call you in for an ultrasound as early as Week 6 or 7. Either way, the 12 weeks pregnant ultrasound can provide important information to your doctor about: 

• The health of your pregnancy

• The care you should take 

The 12-week pregnant ultrasound is usually an external abdominal scan. 

During this scan, your doctor will:

• Estimate your due date (in case this is your first ultrasound)

• Screen for chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome

• Determine the number of fetuses, i.e., singleton, twins, or multiples

• Listen to your baby’s heart rate

At 12 weeks pregnant, you may or may not be able to know your baby’s sex. Also, you’ll get a better picture of how your baby’s organs are developing after the Week 20 anatomy scan.

In case your pregnancy is complicated, your doctor may suggest more ultrasounds.

Your Belly Size At 12 Weeks Pregnant 

At 12 weeks pregnant, your baby bump could start showing or you may just gain a little weight. 

Belly size at 12 weeks pregnant varies from woman to woman. Whether your belly is noticeably bigger, slightly bigger, or the same as before depends on:

• Your size and shape

• Whether you were pregnant before

To feel more comfortable at this stage, switch to loose-fitting clothes such as maxi dresses, leggings, blouse tops, and oversized sweaters.

While it is completely normal to not start showing yet, talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Nutrition For You During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

Eating more every day comes with its own restrictions: You might have heard a lot that during pregnancy you need to eat for two, but really don't follow any advice blindly and stay away from eating twice as much as food. You really need a minimum of 340-400 calories extra in a day in your third trimester and around 450-500 calories extra by your third trimester. Please note that levels of calories might vary based on your healthy weight, such as being overweight, underweight, or you are having twins or multiples.

1. Protein: You need a minimum of 71 grams of protein during this stage of pregnancy. Good sources of protein consist of tofu, fish, nuts, beans, and soy products
2. Iron: Getting 27 milligrams of iron on daily basis is essential to keep iron-related deficiencies such as anemia at bay. Best sources of iron include lean red meat, spinach, legumes like lentils, citrus fruits, and sweet peppers
3. Calcium: You also need a minimum of 1,000 mg of calcium in a day, which is quite essential for the formation of bones and teeth in your body. Good sources of calcium consist of almond milk, soy milk, cheese, seafood, legumes, and leafy greens
4. Exercise in water: Yes, you heard us right there! Exercising in water helps in easing up your tensed abdominal muscles by lightening your body to get the much-needed relief. Not only this, the buoyancy of the water helps in holding a few yoga poses more easily when compared to exercises done on the floor

Nutrition For Your Growing Baby During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

Here are some important tips to ensure that the growing fetus gets the essential nutrition for development.

1. Accentuate your iron intake: You need quite a lot of iron on a daily basis as it helps in making your red blood cells adequate for the growth and development of your baby.
   1. It is easier to feel and be anemic if you don't stack up on adequate amounts of iron
   2. Try poultry, fish, and red meat in order to absorb the bulk of iron from non-vegetarian sources. In vegetarian sources, you can get your dose from pulses, spinach, lentils, and iron-packed breakfast cereals
   3. But be rest assured that you need to have a good source of Vitamin C food in order to absorb your iron more efficiently. Think of drinking lemonade or orange juice to stock up on Vitamin C
   4. Cooking in iron utensils is also a great way to improve the content of iron in your food
   5. Lastly, make sure to not drink too much tea and coffee, as tannins in them tend to interfere with your iron supplement. Make sure to leave at least a minimum of one hour of the gap between your meal and tea or coffee session
2. Opt for a healthy veggie diet: If you are a vegetarian, then iron and calcium can be your best friends.
   1. Good sources of iron for vegetarians can be dried fruit, nuts, pulses, soya and soya products, along with dates, raisins, and figs
   2. Calcium can be found in almonds, sesame seeds, kidney beans, chickpeas, baked beans, and fortified soya products
3. Healthy snacks: They can be in the form of fruit lassi, freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, along with a fresh piece of chikkoo or mango. Other nourishing and tasty snacks can consist of dhokla, wheat noodles cooked with vegetables, appam, Dalia, or ragi.

Common Concerns During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

Here are some tips to address concerns that are common among women during Week 12.

1. Treat stretch marks in time: By now your body might be looking like a road map for pinkish or reddish streaks running all over your abdomen or breasts.
   1. One of the best ways to decrease the occurrences of stretch marks is by gaining weight at a slower but gradual pace
   2. Exercising adequately and applying Vitamin E lotions and glycerin-packed creams is indeed a great way to keep stretch marks at bay
2. Having twins? Read up: As if your belly's protruding and bursting isn't a concern enough for you, having twins might be another one of the most important considerations for you at this stage.
   1. You are most probably going to have twins if you have a family history of fraternal twins or you are 35 years or above
   2. If you are having a bigger-than-expected tummy, then in all likelihood you are likely to experience a bigger-than-expected baby or maybe two babies
   3. But don't just jump to conclusions yet as you might be suffering from that extra bout of bloating or gaseous occurrences
3. Your partner's anxieties: If this is one of the biggest concerns for you by the 13th week of pregnancy, then it is about time you take your partner with you to your 'let-us-see-the-baby' ultrasound session. This is surely going to be one of the biggest milestones for him to get into the dad mode
4. Fight food cravings and aversions: While you might still yearn for weird foods and might want to sniff on mint leaves and lemons at all times, make sure to be not too hard on yourself. Do your best to find your healthy food alternative and totally allow yourself to submerge in small portions of cheesy and fried foods you crave

The expert says: "During the 13th week of pregnancy your uterus grows and you can feel it in the region above the pelvic bone. This might result in sharp abdominal pain but there is nothing to worry about, it is just another part of your pregnancy. You also start producing breast milk which is yellow or slightly orange in color. Symptoms such as nausea and exhaustion continue to diminish from this week. Your belly continues to expand and you start feeling more energetic. This is one of the most enjoyable weeks of your pregnancy. Excellent nutrition is absolutely important, and exercise is also recommended at this stage of your pregnancy. Walking, yoga, swimming, and jogging are great options that you can enjoy."

Dr.Birbala Rai, M.B.B.S., M.S. in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Senior Consultant at PSRI Hospital, New Delhi

Seasonal Pregnancy Care

Different seasons demand different types of care, especially when you're pregnant.

1. Summer: When the summers are on in full spring, make sure to not only exercise during the morning or evening timings. Limit paying visits to outdoor areas when the hot hours are blasting on and the sun rays are strongest, i.e. between 11 am to 4 pm.
2. Monsoon: Keep your home germs and dirt free during monsoon as germs are most likely to lead to serious skin or stomach infections. Protect yourself from dengue or malaria by bathing in neem water and keeping yourself covered at all times.
3. Winter: Pregnancy in winter is all about layering on to feel ease, especially when you are outside the comforts of your home. Make certain to protect your fingers and toes and do not stay too much in front of heaters as it can give you hot flashes, and remember your body temperature is already high during pregnancy!

Eat the right foods, get some exercise, and stay healthy and happy during your pregnancy! We wish you all the best.

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