12 weeks pregnant

The last week of the first trimester of pregnancy, for many women, is marked by the end of the horrible nausea and also by the increased concern about spontaneous abortion, which decreases to 1%.

If you haven’t already told your family and friends that you are pregnant, you may feel safer and more comfortable doing it now. You may have to wait a few more weeks for a baby gender reveal party if you are thinking of having one, but you can prepare something more special to tell about the pregnancy.

From that week on, more changes will appear, your body will change more, your baby will grow and new sensations will happen. Do you want to know a little more about how he and you are going to be this week and what care should you take? So keep reading.

 

Baby development

Your baby’s face already has human features and if you scheduled the ultrasound for this week, you can try to identify who it will look like. Whatever his appearance, he is now 7 to 11 cm and weighs between 13 to 20 g and keeps growing.

The placenta is formed, that is, the communication between the baby and mother for the exchange of nutrients and for the protection of the baby and the umbilical cord begins to grow. The digestive system evolves, the bones get stronger and the brain keeps growing and developing.

The fingers and toes lengthen, separate and the nails start to grow, you may be able to see him sucking his fingers with the ultrasound. Another thing he does a lot is to move and respond to the mother’s stimuli, but calm down, a few more weeks for you to realize this.

At this stage, he opens and closes his mouth, so he is already capable of yawning, sobbing and swallowing. Speaking of swallowing, he is already doing it as amniotic fluid, which turns into urine, the baby’s kidneys are already working.

 

What happens to mom

Your life is a little more peaceful, because the nausea should pass from that week. If before you could not even look at a food without feeling ill, now it is starting to become more attractive and some of the famous pregnant wishes may arise, but this is not a rule.

The breasts are less sensitive, so the pain reduces and the color of the beak gets darker. The many trips to the bathroom also reduce, at least for the time being, because in the last trimester, the baby will grow and press the bladder again.

The feeling of sleep subsides, but headaches and dizziness happen. Be careful with falls and avoid self-medicating. Always consult your doctor about different symptoms and changes that happen to you.

The long-awaited pregnant belly is showing signs of appearing and you will feel more and more like mom. The many hormones produced will make you more emotional, more sensitive, crying for the most unusual situations.

 

Care that should be taken at this stage

This is an important stage for the baby’s brain development. Ingestion of harmful substances such as alcohol, drugs without medical recommendation, tobacco, among others, will impair the baby’s cognitive development.

For your health and weight maintenance, avoid very fatty or high sugar foods. Prefer a healthier and more balanced diet, with foods rich in iron, vitamin C, fiber, which will bring many benefits to you and the baby.

If you haven’t done it in the past week, the doctor will order an ultrasound to check the baby’s anatomy and possible chromosomal changes, through the nuchal translucency exam, where, among others, Down’s Syndrome is seen.

To reinforce it, never take medication without your doctor’s recommendation. And be very careful with beauty products that contain harmful components. Remember that in addition to harming your baby, you will be more sensitive to the formula.

 

Bleeding gums during pregnancy

Hormonal changes can cause gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums that cause bleeding while brushing. This situation should not take away your night’s sleep, nor cause anxiety.

This reaction does not mean that you are taking bad care of your teeth, but you do need to see a dentist to treat your teeth and recommendations for what to do to improve the condition.

The important thing is to take care of the problem as soon as possible to avoid complications to the baby, such as premature birth or low weight of the baby. So if your gums are red or swollen, bleed easily, hurt and your mouth tastes bad, go to the dentist as soon as possible.

Suggestions on how to tell you are pregnant

There are many ways to tell grandparents and the rest of your family and friends that you are pregnant. If you chose to do that now, there are many creative ideas besides a simple phone call or video call.

 

Among the many suggestions spread over the internet, you can:

– put a shoe inside a gift box

– deliver a photo of the ultrasound or confirmation of pregnancy, with a special letter

– stamp a t-shirt withwith phrases like “best grandpa or grandma”, “grandma of the year”, and others for uncles and cousins, if you want and give as a gift

– gather family or friends for a movie night and show the ultrasound film

– deliver letters from the stork

– make creative photos with words like “Now we are 3”.

Those are just a few ideas. Use your imagination and make this moment something special for you and everyone you love.