12 weeks pregnant
Our guide to your 12th week of pregnancy
Your Baby
At 6cm your baby has come a long way but it is from next week, in the second trimester, that he or she will do most of his growing. The developmental stage will give way to the main growing period.
This week your baby is beginning to move around much more and test its newfound reflexes. It will be able to clench its fists and curl its toes and will do so with some vigour, however you still won’t be able to feel anything.
Your baby’s intestines will now have grown so much they no longer fit inside the umbilical cord. They will now make their way into your baby’s abdominal cavity and start to work for themselves. The little kidneys should now be doing the job of cleaning bodily fluids and excreting them into the bladder.
You
Congratulations you have made it through your first trimester, arguably the worst stage of pregnancy. You are now less likely to suffer from morning sickness and the most miscarriage-risk weeks of pregnancy are done and dusted. In fact you are likely to develop that ‘pregnancy glow’ everyone seems to talk about and you thought must be mere myth. The second trimester, beginning next week, is the best part of pregnancy.
You are beginning to show and as the most dangerous stage is over, you can tell friends and family and your employer. You will need to have some idea of when you want to take maternity leave and how long you are planning to be out of work for.
As your shape is changing – your waist has almost gone and your thighs and ankles may be starting to swell slightly – it is worth investing in some comfortable maternity clothes. The most important item is a decent maternity bra as your breasts are going to feel heavier and more tender as the weeks pass. However, you may want to think about buying a few other items too; view it as a treat after 12 long weeks of stress, tiredness and sickness. Thankfully, maternity wear is not what it once was and most high street stores have exclusive maternity ranges that actually managed to combine fashion with practicality.
The Dating Scan
Unless you were really proactive about trying for a baby, you might not know exactly how far along you are. This is quite common as many women don’t note down the dates of their period and every baby develops slightly differently.
At around 12 weeks your midwife will book you in for a dating scan. This will, with some accuracy, shed light on when your baby is due and how it is developing. You’ll also discover if you have twins. This is likely to be the first time you see your baby so it’s important to include your partner and ask for a photo.
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