Welcome to the 12th week of pregnancy! You have officially made it through the first trimester, and hopefully nausea and morning sickness are now a thing of the past. If you haven’t begun to tell family and friends, you can now probably safely do so. So think of interesting and exciting ways to break the good news.
What you may be experiencing
Decreased breast tenderness and morning sickness is common at this point in pregnancy, though some women may continue to experience it to some degree throughout their entire pregnancy. If you have a dark complexion, you may start to notice the linea nigra on your abdomen. This dark line of pigmentation grows from your pubic bone up, and may become more pronounced the farther along you are.
You may also begin to “pop” as the uterus makes it way out above the pubic bone. If this isn’t your first pregnancy, you may begin to show earlier than first time moms. So expect to start showing around this time, if you haven’t already.
Your Baby
Your baby now measures in at between 60-65 mm long and has a human looking face. The eye sockets are getting closer together- making your baby look more like a newborn. Around this time your baby will start to swallow amniotic fluid and discharge fluids. The amniotic sac contains about one and a half ounces, which will replenish itself every few hours. Perhaps the most exciting occurrence has to do with the placenta. Now the placenta takes over production of hormones- which in turn decreases the chance of miscarriage.
Concerns or points of interest
Have you kicked those bad habits yet? If you are having trouble with smoking, drinking, or drug use make sure to discuss your options with your doctor. The sooner you quit, the better off your unborn child will be.