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Pregnancy, as beautiful a phase in a woman’s life is, also is rather daunting because of the uncertainties that come with it.
First-time mothers, in 12 weeks pregnant symptoms particular, might feel rather unsure about even the smallest of changes in their bodies because of the proprietary nature of the experience. By the time a mother reaches almost the end of the first trimester, and also the time when they find significant changes related to pregnancy are already occurring.
If you are also a first-time mother who is rather confused about what is happening in her tummy at the 12th week of pregnancy; here’s some good news. You have arrived at the right place. In this document ahead, we will discuss, in detail, the symptoms, signs, and the overall actualities of everything happening with you at the 12th week of pregnancy.
12th week of pregnancy: What is happening with the baby?
In the 12th week of pregnancy, your baby has already started to develop most of their vital living organs.
So does this mean one can determine the baby’s gender in the 12th week of pregnancy?
Before we get to the details of the baby’s organ development, let’s make this clear. You might want to believe that since the vital organs have developed, it should be about time to determine your baby’s gender. However, though your baby has already started developing its sex organs, it is still a little too soon to get to the determination of the gender. The gender of a baby can only be determined at around the 4th month or the 18th-month mark of pregnancy.
12th week of pregnancy: The baby’s heart
Are you a mommy who has felt rather emotional when you’d watch expecting mommies listening to their baby’s heartbeat on TV? Well, well! It’s about time for you to experience that magic on your own! Your baby, by the 12th week of pregnancy, begins to develop an audible heartbeat that can be heard through an external Doppler device.
12th week of pregnancy: Baby’s other organs
Apart from the audible heartbeat, your baby also begins to form eyelids that are fused upright with each other. The eyelids remain in this form up until the end of the second trimester.
A baby’s hands also start to develop by the 12th week, though the feet still remain less developed than the hands. The nails beds on the baby’s hand and toes also start to support the growth of fingernails and toenails; though it takes another trimester for the nails to fully grow out.
Another monumental change in the 12th week is the baby’s movement; albeit you are unlikely to feel the movement yet. This is primarily for the fact that though there is movement, the baby is too small in size, just about 2.5 inches, not significant enough for you to feel them yet. Besides, the weight of an average baby at the 12th week is just about 0.5 ounces.
Now that we have the baby covered, let’s talk about the mamma bear. What’s happening to a mother’s body in the 12th week of pregnancy?
Though each mother goes through different symptoms and feelings, the regaining appetite is most commonly felt at around the 12th week. Most mother’s experience the infamous cravings You would also already be getting rid of nausea and three-morning sickness and discomfort otherwise felt in the initial days.
Having said that, this is also the time that mothers need to be a little careful about what goes inside them. Edit experts and gynecologists recommend not consuming more than 300 ‘extra’ calories per day at this point in time in pregnancy.
12 weeks pregnant symptoms: Common symptoms to look out for
1. Bleeding, hypersensitive gums: 12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
When you are in your 12th week of pregnancy, a mother’s hormone levels and blood volume begins to increase significantly. As a result of this, you might experience hypersensitivity in your gums every time you brush, floss, or even chew a little hard on the food. Bleeding in gums is also commonly felt and noticed by most mothers. Do not feel alarmed about this; using a longer, softer toothbrush helps most mothers. Besides, speaking to your dentist might also be a good idea if you feel your situation is more aggregated than it should be.
2. Light-Headedness: 12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
another commonly felt symptom is lightheadedness and just a general uneasy feeling in the body. The reasoning behind this is that since your body is producing more blood vessels to support the baby, the hormone levels are also subsequently increasing, causing this dizzy, uneasy feeling. It is recommended to keep yourself hydrated, to not stand or sit in one position for too long, to maintain a regular diet, and also to wear loose, light clothing to lighten the heaviness. Another important recommendation here is to never stand up or change your sitting/ standing position too quickly or abruptly; always stand up and change positions slowly and mindfully.
3. Increased sensitivity to smell: 12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
You might have been a woman who was indifferent to any and all sorts of smells, even in an otherwise obvious smelly room. But at this point in pregnancy, you are likely to experience a heightened sense of smell and sensitivity to smell than usual. You might also feel averted to certain foods because of the way they smell. Hence, try eating meals that are at room temperatures and avoid smelling anything too pungent directly. If not, the strong odors might leave you feeling exceedingly nauseous and uneasy.
4. The infamous bloating: 12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Most mothers feel that the extra weight that they feel on themselves is the baby fat, but in reality, it is your body bloating because of the hormonal changes that make the uterus bloat. If your bloated body starts to make you feel bothered, a good solution would be to avoid swallowing too quickly. Big bites of food or long gulps of water cause extra air to travel to your stomach which further adds to the bloating.
5. Vaginal bleeding or spotting: 12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Spotting, light bleeding, and cramping are also common around this time in pregnancy. However, if you have a reason to believe that you are spotting or bleeding more than what can be called ‘normal,’ do not delay and get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible.
Bonus Tips: 12 weeks pregnant symptoms
Not only in the 12th week of pregnancy but otherwise throughout the term too, a mother should always be mindful that there are two lives breathing in one body. Your focus should only be on yourself and your body because that is the key to a healthy baby. Try and include as many greens, nuts, low-dairy items, and fruits as you can in your diet. You should also try and consider some prenatal vitamins to further supplement the healthy growth of the baby.
Besides, exercise like that of Kegels is also recommended to pregnant women as it helps strengthen their pelvic muscles, to support the uterus movement during the eventual childbirth.
Not only in the 12th week of pregnancy but otherwise throughout the term too, a mother should always be mindful that there are two lives breathing in one body. Your focus should only be on yourself and your body because that is the key to a healthy baby. Try and include as many greens, nuts, low-dairy items, and fruits as you can in your diet. You should also try and consider some prenatal vitamins to further supplement the healthy growth of the baby.
Besides, exercise like that of Kegels is also recommended to pregnant women as it helps strengthen their pelvic muscles, to support the uterus movement during the eventual childbirth.
Having said that, we at Parenthood bliss would like to congratulate you on the completion of your First trimester! However, to be prepared and vigilant in your second trimester, look into this article that is just a click away!
12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms Final Thoughts-
While you will find tons of articles like ours on the internet, we would still advise that you, as a mother, make sure that you do not include any monumental changes in your daily lifestyle; and neither should you take any of the red flags less seriously. Consult your doctors before being too certain about any of the changes you might otherwise have assumed on the basis of the information on the internet. Keep an eye out for even the minutest of changes but all in all, do not stress unnecessarily and have fun during your pregnancy!
12 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms FAQs
1. When does a baby start to hear the mother’s voice in the belly?
2. What foods should I avoid during pregnancy?
3. What exercises should you avoid in your first trimester?
Reviewed By:
Esha Chainani - Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Dr. Esha Chainani is an Obstetrician, Gynaecologist, and laparoscopic surgeon who aims to break the stigma around women’s health by advocating an inclusive and open practice of obstetrics and gynecology and an author of several internationally published research papers and health articles in the media like the Swaddle.
She also founded Premaa, a non-profit to reduce maternal morbidity and eventual maternal mortality by providing lower-income pregnant women living in urban areas with cell phone access through an app that can feature an entire section about contraception as well for a whole gamut of reproductive health.
A panel for multiple health sessions including with the UN, USAID, BMC, gender at work, and multiple non-profit organisations, and is on the advisory panel of the South Indian medical students association.
