Your Pregnancy, 12 weeks

You Are In Your 12th Week Of Your Pregnancy How big is your baby? Your baby is now measuring about 5.4cm, which is 2.13 inches and weighs about 14 grams, which is about 0.49 ounce. Your baby's development Few Few new structures are formed during the course of this week but those that are already forming will continue to grow and develop. At your 12 week check up you may be able to hear the sound of your baby's heart beating with the aid of a doppler, which is a special listening device. It magnifies your baby's heart beat so that you and your partner can hear it. If you dont hear the heart beat then dont be alarmed. There may be some situations where you wont hear the heart beat, such as if the placenta is lying accross the from of the stomach. Your baby's skeletal system now consists of mainly bone as ossification has occurred in most of the bones already. Also the fingers and toes have separated and even already have nails which are now growing. Even scattered rudiments of hair are present on the body. The external genitalia are also beginning to show signs of either the male or female sex, and although your health care provider may hazard a guess at the sex, there is still a good chance of him/her being wrong. Your babys digestive system is now developed enough that it is even capable of producing contractions strong enough to push food through the bowels and is even able to absorb glucose. The base of your baby's brain, know as the pituitary gland, is also beginning to make hormones this week. Your development By the end of 12 weeks your uterus will be too big remain completely in your pelvis and you may feel it above your pubic bone. Your pubic bone is also know as the pubic symphysis. At this stage you are starting to feel better as most of the early symptoms of pregnancy begin to disappear, especially morning sickness. You may notice that you are getting bigger in places other than your stomach, such as your breasts. During your pregnancy you may begin to notice some changes in your skin. In many pregnancies women develop a dark line from their belly button down. This dark line is known as the linea nigra. You shouldnt be surprised if you dont develop this, as not everyone does. This Week with Dr Miriam Stoppard Occasionally women also develop dark patches on the face and neck, and this is called chloasma, or the mask of pregnancy. However these will disappear or get lighter once your pregnancy is over. During pregnancy you may need to be cautious with fats and sweets, unless your healthcare provider has specified that he wants you to take these in during your pregnancy. Most fats and sweets are high in calories, but low in nutritional value, so eat them sparingly. There are healthier ways to quench your pregnancy cravings with some handy junk food fixes. p/s : Info from http://www.pregnancy-calendars.net/week12m.aspx