Week 12

Your Baby’s Development:

Your baby has doubled in size at this stage of your pregnancy. He or she weighs about half an ounce and is just bigger than a golf ball. At this point, his or her digestive system starts working and establishing contraction movements, the bone marrow starts making white blood cells and the pituitary gland starts producing the hormones necessary for proper development. Your baby is undoubtedly looking more and more like a little human being every week and this week the eyes have moved from the sides to the front of the head. Soon, his or her little fingers and toes will begin to wiggle and clench.

What You Should Expect:

You may start really noticing your weight changing this week, so make sure your maternity clothes are handy. If you have not already heard your baby’s heartbeat, this month’s checkup may be the time to finally hear it. Expect a fetal heartbeat between 110 and 160 beats per minute. As a result of the increased levels of progesterone in your system, you may begin to experience heartburn, or if you’ve already felt it in previous weeks, you may find that it intensifies.

You may also begin to notice that you don’t have to run to the bathroom quite so much now. This is because your uterus has begun to outgrow its normal position at the bottom of your pelvis and begins to migrate toward your abdomen to allow for more room. While this will eventually cause a bit of discomfort and return the need for frequent urination, at this point it simply provides a bit of relief.