Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

Your Baby in Week 12 of Pregnancy

• This week, your baby’s organ structures are all in place around week 12 of pregnancy. They are not yet fully developed, however, and will need several more weeks and months to be complete in size and functioning ability.
  

• Your baby has the ability to swallow the amniotic fluid surrounding him...and there is a lot! By the time you reach week 12 of pregnancy, the uterus is holding about 50 ml of amniotic fluid, which your baby can drink. After the kidneys process any ingested fluid, it will be passed out as urine back into the amniotic fluid. Don’t worry about the amniotic fluid getting dirty, however! It regenerates itself every three hours, so there is always fresh fluid surrounding your baby.
  

• Another organ inside your baby that is developing rapidly by week 12 of pregnancy is the brain. The brain is the biggest and most complicated of all, and takes a lot of time to fully develop. At twelve weeks, the brain can already control some muscle movements, however. The fetus can bend its arms and clench its little fists. You will not be able to feel the movements for several more weeks yet until the baby grows in size and weight.
  

• Your baby can already begin to show facial expressions by week 12 of pregnancy!
  
• At 12 weeks of pregnancy, your body has undergone some major changes. Your blood volume has increased significantly, as well as the fluid you are carrying around. In all, you have at least 75 ml of extra fluid, including amniotic fluid and blood for the baby, but also extra fluid for your hardworking systems.
  
  Since most of this added fluid is centered around your uterus, it will become too big to remain under your pelvic bone this week. Your uterus will continue to expand and move up and out of the pelvic region so it has room to grow.
  
• Even though you are just one third of the way through your pregnancy by week 12 of pregnancy, your baby is growing quickly! There is a range of sizes that your fetus may be, but for week 12 of pregnancy, the average weight is between 8 and 14 grams. In comparison, this weight is equal to 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar.
  
  The average fetal length is 2 to 3.5” inches from the crown of the head to their little bottom. Other things that are three inches in length are a dollar bill folded in half and a crayon.
  
• Your baby may be small at 12 weeks of pregnancy, but it will show up on an ultrasound. You will be able to see a face, the limbs and where the sexual organs are. If baby cooperates, and you have a clear picture, you may be able to tell the sex of the baby, but it will be very hard to be conclusive.
  
• Your baby’s vocal cords are also developing during week 12 of pregnancy. Inside the uterus, the baby cannot talk but might be practicing with vibrations for future use. They will not talk with their voice right away after birth, but they use their vocal cords to communicate in other ways, such as babbling, cooing, crying and whimpering. You will know soon after birth just how well those vocal cords work!
  
• All ten fingers and ten toes will begin to have nail coverings. It is a soft, flexible material that will protect the end of their fingers. It will grow stronger and cover more of the finger and toe as they continue to develop, but the nails will not become hard until after the birth. The fingernails are soft so that baby cannot scratch itself in the womb accidentally.
  
• Teeth buds will form during week 12 of pregnancy. The teeth buds are where the first teeth will grow out of the gums. The buds will house the teeth, which form later in your pregnancy. Tip: Drinking plenty of calcium is important during this phase to ensure your baby has strong teeth and bones.