Pregnancy Week By Week

Pregnancy Week 12		(–) Pregnancy Week 11		(+) Pregnancy Week 13
Bookmark This Site!

Your Baby
By pregnancy week 1 your baby is roughly 2.5 inches long and may weigh almost ½ an ounce! That's quite an achievement for your pint size miracle!

Changes In Your Growing Baby
During pregnancy week 12 your baby continues to develop and grow tremendously. As you continue your pregnancy week by week you'll be amazed at the changes that start to occur in your body. You are almost entering the second trimester. During pregnancy at 12 weeks your baby's brain starts to produce hormones, and the nerve cells in your baby's brain start developing and multiplying at dizzying speeds. Your tiny miracle may start sucking her thumb as early as 12 weeks into pregnancy, and by now your baby's kidneys will start producing urine.

• Also see Pregnancy Week 12

Your Body's Development
By 12 weeks pregnancy your uterus will start moving up and out of your pelvis, settling in just above your pubic bone. From here your uterus will continue to expand into your abdomen, transforming your figure in amazing ways. While it will take a full nine months for your uterus to expand as large as it can to house your baby, it will remarkably return to its tiny pre-pregnancy size just a few short weeks after delivery.

During pregnancy week twelve your uterus will start to pack on some weight as your pregnancy progresses. The uterus will grow by roughly 2 pounds throughout your pregnancy week to week, compared with the tiny 2.5 ounces it weighed prior to becoming pregnant.

Changes In Your Body
Some women start noticing changes in their skin at pregnancy 12 weeks. You may notice for example that you have more freckles or that the freckles you have seem darker. Some women will grow a dark line down their stomach referred to as the linea nigra. This usually pops out sometime after 12 weeks pregnancy. Other women will develop the "mask of pregnancy" which is nothing more than patches of darker skin that form on the neck or face. Fortunately these skin changes fade shortly after delivery.

Your skin is much more sensitive while you are pregnant, so it is important you use adequate sun protection. You should try to find chemical free sun blocks when possible and use a product with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect your sensitive skin.

Keep in mind that some skin products are not safe during pregnancy. Anti wrinkle fighting products for example with high concentrations of Vitamin A can contribute to birth defects. Always check the label before trying a product. If you aren't 100% sure of its safety avoid using it altogether unless you can confirm its safety later.

At around 12 weeks pregnant many women start experiencing more heartburn. Heartburn is very common during pregnancy as the uterus expands and presses up against the abdomen, and as hormones fluctuate and contribute to slowed digestion. To help relieve heartburn your doctor may recommend you chew some Tums and avoid spicy foods or large meals. You may also want to sleep with your head slightly elevated so you can reduce the amount of stomach acid floating around your throat at night. One of the best ways to minimize heartburn is to eat small but frequent meals with mild ingredients. You should also avoid laying down right after you eat as this and worsen heartburn and interfere with a good night's sleep.

Think it's not safe to wear a seatbelt while pregnant? Think again. As your belly starts growing you might consider forgoing your seatbelt. Wearing your seatbelt however is more important during pregnancy than ever. A seatbelt will help prevent serious injury in many cases and can protect your baby. You will just need to slide your belt underneath your belly, so it is snug but not uncomfortable. You should also still wear a shoulder belts comfortably between your breasts and carefully resting along your chest. In the unlikely event you are in an accident you're much safer with a seatbelt than without one!

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.Pregnancy-WeekByWeek.com