12 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby will now be the size of an average kiwifruit, measuring about 2.2 inches in length and weighing at about 1/2lb. Your baby is already happily swimming and moving around inside but it is unlikely that you will feel anything for another few weeks. Even if this is not your first baby, it is unlikely that you will feel anything until about week 14 onwards.

Your Baby’s Development

At 12 weeks pregnant, you are reaching the end of the first trimester. You just have one week to go but you are out of the major danger zone. This is likely to be when you have your first ultrasound and get to see your little bundle of joy on a screen. The scan will be to measure your baby’s psize to determine the expected due date. Around this time, you will also be invited for extra tests to see if your baby has a risk of having Down’s Syndrome and other medical issues. You don’t have to have these tests if you don’t want but a midwife will talk through your options with you.

Hormones in the brain will start to develop at pregnancy week 12 and the nerves will be developing. Along with this, the umbilical cord is finally formed in full and will take over providing the nutrients for your baby. The cord will grow as your little one does over the next 29 weeks or so.

If you haven’t already done so, share the news with your family and friends about your baby.

Changes in You

Still wondering when you will start to show? It is likely that you will have a bump at 12 weeks pregnant. If this is a first baby, the bump is likely to be small. As you have more babies, the bump now will look larger due to the muscles in the abdomen already being relaxed.

It is likely that you will have put on about 5lbs since the start of your pregnancy. This is perfectly normal and is a good thing. Your weight gain will be a mixture of baby, fluid, placenta and fat needed for your baby to grow, develop and survive. If you are having more than one baby, you will have put on more weight, but again this is normal, expected and healthy.

Symptoms at Pregnancy Week 12

Many of the annoying symptoms will have disappeared by the time you are 12 weeks pregnant. The majority of women find their morning sickness has either completely gone or only plagues them once a week or so. You will also likely find that you have more energy and don’t need to take as many trips to the bathroom. Thank your levelling hormones for this.

Your skin is likely to change around pregnancy week 12. Some expectant mothers find their skin has a glow – often referred to as the pregnancy glow. However, others find their skin becomes worse. You may find that your skin becomes dry and flaky or that acne is a problem. You may also find that brown marks appear. This usually happens as a line down the middle of your stomach but you may also find the marks appear on your face, arms and chest.

Stretch marks may also start to form now. This is due to your skin stretching quickly and the middle layers breaking. You can help to prevent this by keeping your skin moisturised – cocoa butter is excellent to help avoid and treat stretch marks.