While it may seem as if you've doubled in size over the past few weeks (I must be weird because I shift belly sizes during the day. I am a small tummy in the morning and a huge tummy right after I eat or towards the end of the day....then back to normal/ small belly in the morning!), it's your baby who actually has! By now, your baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements so he can eat someday, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so. If all these changes sound dizzying, that may just be you dealing with yet another problematic pregnancy symptom: Lots of women experience occasional dizziness and/or feel faint due to progesterone, which causes increased blood flow to your baby by relaxing your own blood vessels. More blood flow to baby means less blood flow to your body and brain and that, along with typically lower blood-sugar-levels during pregnancy, can set your world a-spinning. Do your part to keep your equilibrium by eating regularly, getting adequate rest, and standing up slowly. (I learned about this this past week. I stood up a few times too quickly and got a total blood rush...kinda scary! Then I actually experienced my first leg cramp that everyone complains about Friday night. It was NO FUN! Luckily it wasn't bad enough to wake up Eric though!)
Your baby continues to grow and develop tremendously during pregnancy week 12. You'll be amazed at the pregnancy week by week changes that start occurring within your baby in the upcoming months. Your baby's genitals will start showing signs of being either male or female soon. (Some of my friends have found out what the sex of their baby was as early as their 12 week sonogram, however, at that point, it was just a guess. I am going to ask my doctor to try to look on Tuesday even though we will be finding out during my 18 week sonogram in about 6 weeks.) During pregnancy week 12, your baby's brain is starting to make hormones, and nerve cells are multiplying at a rapid rate. Your baby may be sucking as early as this week, and your baby's kidneys may even be producing urine.
By pregnancy 12 weeks if you stimulate certain points of your uterus your baby may move in response, though you won't be able to actually feel your baby moving for another few weeks!
You are growing and expanding! By the end of pregnancy week 12 your uterus will pop out of your pelvis, and appear just above the pubic bone. (I heard from friends that this is when they felt their bellies actually made them look pregnant...although people that don't know you don't really realize it yet.) It will continue to grow into your abdomen. While it may take nine months for your uterus to grow large enough to hold your baby, it will return to its pre-pregnancy size just weeks after delivery! (It's amazing how fast the teachers I work with have lost their baby weight. Out of the 7 (of 9 of us that have gotten pregnant this year) that have already had their babies, none look like they had a baby recently! I am praying I get their luck!)
Your uterus will also weigh more and more as your pregnancy at 12 weeks continues to progress. By the end of your pregnancy your uterus will weigh up to 2 pounds, compared to 2.5 ounces prior to your pregnancy!
You may find that you are experiencing more heartburn than normal at 12 weeks pregnant. Heartburn is a burning sensation in the throat, chest and upper abdomen. This is a very common complaint during pregnancy at 12 weeks. It is caused by an increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy. Progesterone relaxes the valve between your stomach and esophagus. This relaxation allows stomach acids to enter the esophagus and cause severe irritation, which gives you the sensation of a burning feeling. (I think I experienced this the first time last night after our 2 year (and Margie and Jim's 40 year) wedding anniversary dinner. Again, no fun. It helps that Eric and I have a reclining couch. I was able to recline back, take a TUMS (even though it's on my list of things I can take, Eric was being super cautious and only let me take one). I feel much better this morning!)
The other thing I learned this week...NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER eat a lot of dried apricots in one sitting when you are teaching! Did you know they have 6 grams of fiber in 4 of them (according to my package)??? They taste so good that I ate about 12 which comes out to about 18 grams of fiber in about 10 minutes...NOT GOOD. :)
I will update you all after our Tuesday 12 week sonogram. We are doing the test for any chromosomal disorders. This describes the test:
The 12 week scan is a routine ultrasound examination carried out at 10 to 14 weeks (my doctor requires it during week 12) of gestation. During the examination, the fetus is seen by abdominal ultrasound. Occasionally the view is not clear and it may be necessary to perform a vaginal scan. At the first trimester scan they confirm that the fetus is alive, they assess the gestational age by measuring the crown-rump length and will also look for any major problems.
The nuchal translucency (also spelled nucal translucency) is a collection of fluid beneath the fetal skin in the region of the fetal neck and this is present and seen in all fetuses in early pregnancy. The fluid collection is however increased in many fetuses with Down's syndrome and many other chromosomal abnormalities. It is called a 'translucency' because on ultrasound this appears as a black space beneath the fetal skin. It is this black space that you will see measured during the ultrasound scan.Currently the most accurate non invasive test for detecting Down syndrome during pregnancy is the measurement of the nuchal translucency with an ultrasound between 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy. This is normally less than 2.5mm and when seen increased (greater than 2.5mm, see image on the right) may indicate the baby has Down syndrome or may indicate another chromosomal abnormality. 95% of measurements will indicate a reduced risk.
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