This is a big week for your infant: Your piddling 1's key body systems and vital organs are at present fully formed! If you haven't already, you'll be able to hear your babe'due south heartbeat at your side by side prenatal checkup.

Meanwhile, at 12 weeks pregnant, your baby bump may be looking a niggling more pronounced.

Your Babe at Week 12

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It's a landmark week for your little one, since most of his key body systems and vital organs are fully formed past now. Your baby will spend the rest of his gestation bringing those systems upwards to speed and full maturation and then they'll be able to part to perfection once his large nascency-day arrives.

Your fetus can now boast the achievement of having more than doubled in size in just 3 weeks. Crown-to-rump length is well-nigh two and a one-half inches, so he's near the size of a kiwi, just weighs a lot less — just half an ounce. A fair amount of heft is in that crown: basic brain structure is consummate and now it'southward time for that brain mass to speedily increase.

Your babe's thyroid is now fully formed, the pituitary gland has started producing hormones, and the pancreas has begun to synthesize insulin. Not to exist outdone, your baby'southward bone marrow is churning out white blood cells, the critical weapons needed to fight infection once your niggling warrior is on the outside and no longer protected past your allowed system.

Muscles in the digestive tract are getting primed, practicing their contractions and so they can procedure food…and lots and lots of poop…after birth. And even though much of the small-scale intestines are yet folded upwards in storage in the umbilical cord, the villi — tiny, finger-like projections that absorb nutrients from food — are now in identify.

The best development of all? If y'all oasis't already heard it, this is the calendar week that your cutie's heartbeat will come through loud and clear at your checkup. And that'll music to your ears.

At a Glance

The big motility

During calendar week viii, your baby'southward intestines were infringing on umbilical cord space. Only this calendar week, they're completing the motility back into the belly.

Hereafter grandparent?

Your baby's pituitary gland at the base of the encephalon has begun producing hormones, pregnant your little i could requite you grandchildren one twenty-four hour period.

Germ fighter

Your infant's bone marrow is making white blood cells, so she'll be able to fight off all those germs passed around the playground.

12 weeks significant is how many months?

If you're 12 weeks pregnant, you lot're in calendar month 3 of your pregnancy. But half-dozen months left to become! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken downwards in pregnancy.

How large is my babe at 12 weeks?

Past at present your infant weighs a full one-half-ounce, with a crown-to-rump length of 2 to 2¼ inches: about the size of a lime.

It'due south hard to believe — especially from the exterior, since you're probably barely showing at this point — but your baby has more than than doubled in size during the past three weeks.

Baby's digestive arrangement begins working

This week marks a turning point for your babe. At 12 weeks pregnant, the Herculean task of developing new bodily structures is nearing an stop, as most of your infant's systems are fully formed — though there'due south still plenty of maturing to do.

Now comes the maintenance phase, during which your fetus' systems continue to evolve for the side by side 28 weeks and the organs get to work. For one thing, the fetal digestive system is start to flex its muscles — literally — as information technology starts practicing contraction movements, a skill your lilliputian peanut will need after birth to push nutrient through the digestive tract.

The bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons that will 1 day help your baby fight infection in one case she'due south out of your safe oasis and in a regular play group. And the pituitary gland at the base of the brain has started producing the hormones that'll enable her to make babies of her own in a few decades or and so.

Fetal heartbeat

If you haven't already had the pleasure, it's likely that at this month'due south checkup you'll finally hear your baby's fetal heartbeat — a audio that will make your centre race with joy!

Your Body at Calendar week 12

baby size at 12 weeks pregnant

The stop of some pregnancy symptoms

Equally you well-nigh the end of your first trimester, your uterus, at present about the size of a large grapefruit, begins to drift from the bottom of your pelvis to a front-and-heart position in your abdomen.

If you're lucky, this volition bring an cease to one pesky early pregnancy symptom: the constant urge to urinate.

Also slated to diminish somewhat at present that you're on the cusp of your second trimester are some of those other early on pregnancy symptoms: nausea, super tender breasts and nipples, food aversions and fatigue.

How Big Are 12-Calendar week Bumps?

Your 12 weeks pregnant belly

At 12 weeks, your baby bump may exist more pronounced and may even show to the outside world. But it'south just as likely that while your clothes may be getting a niggling tight, you won't nonetheless accept a noticeably meaning abdomen at this point. If anything, you may look like you've gained a little weight around the eye, or yous may non look different to anyone else at all.

Any the instance may be, know that your 12 weeks significant belly is completely normal, whether it'southward on the bigger, smaller or invisible side. Infant bumps can vary widely depending on the adult female'southward size and shape and whether this is a first or subsequent pregnancy.

So don't fret if your bump at 12 weeks doesn't look like your pregnant friend'south at the aforementioned stage. All bumps are beautiful! If you're not showing yet, y'all will be in time, and if y'all are showing quite a flake, that's fine besides. You can e'er talk to your practitioner if you have any concerns.

Dizzy spells

One time yous striking your 2d trimester, there's a new pregnancy symptom that may exist added to the mix: dizziness. And gauge who'southward to blame? Yup — it's your sometime friend progesterone again, which causes your blood vessels to relax and widen around 12 weeks meaning, increasing the menses of claret to your baby (over again, skillful for baby), but slowing the return of blood to yous (every bit always, not then good for mom).

What that means for you lot is lower claret pressure and reduced blood menstruum throughout your body, including to your brain. These factors can contribute to that light-headed, featherbrained feeling — particularly when you lot get up too quickly — which is why slow and steady wins the race hither.

Some other crusade of dizziness during pregnancy is low claret sugar levels, which tin occur if you're not eating regularly. So don't effort to run…or even walk…on empty.

Here'due south a quick tip: If yous feel dizzy or faint, lie downwardly or sit down with your head lowered between your knees, take deep breaths and loosen any tight clothing — like that button on your jeans you lot struggled to shut in the offset place. Equally shortly equally you feel a little meliorate, get something to eat and drink.

Depression sex drive

Your all-time friend says existence meaning has seriously boosted that good sometime libido — but you lot aren't feeling whatsoever friskier. What'southward the deal with your decreased sex activity drive?

Hormones hit every woman differently, meaning a spike in sex drive for some and a damper on information technology for others. Pregnancy symptoms tin can also stand up betwixt you and a skilful time — after all, it'due south hard to get in the mood when you're queasy, tired or constipated (or all of the above and and so some!).

Remainder bodacious, whatever you're feeling is normal. But stay emotionally connected with your partner and call back that many women have ups and downs in sexual practice drive throughout pregnancy. So you may be in for a warmer spell soon.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 12

Increased sense of smell

If your nose knows a piddling too much lately — y'all tin tell what your partner ate for lunch the minute y'all see each other — try opening the windows. Or keep a lemon wedge nearby and sniff information technology when you start to smell a nausea-inducing aroma — citrus can quell queasiness. Read More than

Fewer frequent bathroom trips

That gotta-go feeling may finally exist starting to wane. But be sure to do your Kegel exercises throughout the next several months to help forestall pregnancy-induced incontinence downward the line. Read More

Occasional headaches

Be sure to eat regularly throughout the day — skipping meals causes low claret saccharide, which tin can trigger headaches. As well, remember that it's unremarkably okay to taken acetaminophen during pregnancy, merely brand sure your medical practitioner gives you the go-ahead first. Read More

Fatigue

Throughout this first trimester, your trunk is working overtime to build the placenta, which is likely zapping your energy. So let yourself remainder when you feel the need and take advantage of any opportunities to slumber now — before your baby arrives and demands three a.m. feedings. Read More

Bloating and gas

One way to decrease this embarrassing pregnancy symptom is to slow downwards when you eat. Scarfing down food can crusade you to eat air, which creates gas pockets in your already-overtaxed belly. Read More

Excessive saliva

This annoying pregnancy symptom will likely go away as you caput into your second trimester. Minimize your discomfort — and distaste — past chewing sugarless gum or swishing mouthwash. Read More

Tips for You lot This Week

Get your influenza shot

All meaning women are with child one-time during flu flavour, October to May, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all momshoped-for get the flu shot. And existence meaning doesn't up your risk for shot side effects, notes a recent written report.

Embrace loose styles

Your medico can feel your growing uterus past touching your abdomen, but your belly may not be sporting a bump. Until you're ready for maternity wear, store for looser or stretchy apparel, like empire-waist maxi dresses, drawstring pants and lightweight sweaters.

Start doing Kegels

Pushing your baby through your pelvis and into the world is demanding not only on you, but too on your pelvic floor muscles — which have to stretch to proportions previously unimaginable.

Doing pelvic floor exercises can ease pregnancy symptoms and atomic number 82 to a faster post-birth recovery. Squeeze the pelvic floor muscles for upwards to ten seconds, shooting for 3 sets of xx a twenty-four hours.

Building these bladder- and uterus-supporting muscles reduces your take a chance of bladder problems and eases a host of other pregnancy and postpartum symptoms.

Steer clear of booze

The warning labels on the sides of beer, wine and alcohol bottles are there for a reason. Drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy tin can have serious consequences for your infant, including nativity defects and complications.

Fifty-fifty moderate drinking tin can crusade problems, so it's all-time to abstain entirely until after delivery. Don't worry, however, if you had a couple of drinks earlier you constitute out you were meaning.

Rethink pilus removal

Shaving might be a cinch right at present, but as your pregnancy progresses, you lot might have trouble seeing below your abdomen or keeping your residuum. While a shower can soften your pilus and skin, making it easier to remove, ever shave after y'all've finished, since a slip-up could be serious.

If your pare isn't likewise sensitive, you might want to try waxing and sugaring (inquire your doctor if information technology'southward okay outset), which is a long-term solution to unwanted hair.

Every bit for bleaches and hair removal creams and lotions, the jury is yet out on whether they're safe to utilise during pregnancy, so consider shelving them until after you give birth.

Stay hydrated

Hither'south one bottle yous need to be hitting: the water bottle. It's more important than ever to stay hydrated now, so plan on calculation an extra glass of liquid for every one-half hour of activity — and no cheating...it should be an viii-ounce glass.

Stick to h2o when possible — sports drinks contain too many ingredients you just don't need. Take in even more than in warm weather or when you're merely plain sweating a lot.

Know which foods to avoid

Fortunately, you don't have to worry about finding unpasteurized milk at the supermarket, thanks to the Nutrient and Drug Administration (FDA).

But yous can run across soft cheeses that accept been made with unpasteurized milk — and those can harbor listeria and other pathogens.

To stay safe, don't nosh on feta, Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, blue-veined cheeses and queso fresco unless you're positive they're made with pasteurized products. Always check the label to make sure.

For a safer culling, stick with hard cheeses (like Swiss and cheddar) or estrus up soft cheeses until bubbly.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When Y'all're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, bookish inquiry institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and upward-to-date past reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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  • WhatToExpect.com, Can You Drink Booze While Meaning?, May 2021.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Help Me, Heidi! What Cheeses Are Safe to Eat During Pregnancy?, October 2019.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Kegel Exercises: How, When and Why to Do Your Kegels During and Subsequently Pregnancy, Nov 2019.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How Much H2o Should You lot Drink During Pregnancy?, December 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, The Influenza Shot and Pregnancy, Feb 2021.
  • WhatToExpect.com, How to Remove Hair During Pregnancy Safely, March 2021.
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