Week 12

Week 12: Your uterus? Yeah, it's a softball now
Fetal development in pregnancy week 12:fetus in third month

Even though your little Einstein’s body is still growing quite rapidly 2 inches long right now, the overall super-speedy growth of their amazing brain continues to leave the head proportionately larger than the body— and is actually slightly more than one third of their total body mass! The head and neck are still straightening at this point as can be seen by their little chin lifting off of the chest. Your baby is also actively rehearsing “breathing” by using amniotic fluid to prepare the lungs for future air respiration.

The big news: your little pooper is now officially going to need diapers! Although a majority of the waste produced is transferred to the mother’s system for discharge (to avoid having it linger in the amniotic sac), some urine is released to the amniotic fluid and your baby will actually breathe it in before it passing it on to your for discharge. Not to worry, urine--in this particular form, is completely harmless to your baby.


And how's mom doing? Logically, as your baby is growing bigger, so must your uterus. By now, your once-flat and relatively small uterus is stretched to the size of a softball (12-14 cm), but that’s nothing: by the time you deliver it will have grown to 15 – 17 inches (37 – 42 cm). Your uterus is slowly increasing at a rate of approximately one centimeter per week. If you've got a burning sensation that extends from your breastbone to your throat, you've got heart burn or acid indigestion. To lessen this unpleasant experience: eat smaller meals and avoid fried, spicy, and fatty foods. Otherwise, there's always TUMS, but check with your healthcare provider first

As your pregnancy becomes more physically visible, you’ll have to adjust to people asking you when you’re due and giving lots of unsolicited advice from women who’ve “been there.” Additionally, this is probably the right time to share your pregnancy news (if you haven’t already) with close family and friends and anyone you want to have involved in your pregnancy. Allowing your friends and family to have role in your pregnancy encourages participation and support for the future—when you’re really going to need it!