Week 13

By now, your baby's tiny little fingers have developed fingertips and his/her organs and veins are pretty much visible through his/her paper-thin skin. Slowly but steadily, your baby's body is catching up to match the size of his/her huge head. Here are some of the major developments that happen when you’re 12 weeks pregnant: - Development of eggs for a girl: If it is a girl, at this stage she would be carrying around 2 million eggs in her ovaries. - Urine production: Your baby is about to start producing and secreting urine. - Changes in size and features: Want to visualize your little bundle of joy more? Think of your baby as the size of a plum. Your baby’s face is shorter than the size of your finger and is already showing unique and individualistic characteristics. His/her button nose and thin lips are pretty much formed. - Respiratory system development: Slowly, he/she might be taking bouts of prenatal hiccups. These probably strengthen your baby's diaphragm, which is getting prepared for the proper functioning of the respiratory system: - The respiratory system helps in absorbing nutrients and filtering waste effectively. - Soon, your baby will be ready to take his/her first few breaths. As of now, your baby is getting oxygen from the umbilical cord while still surrounded by amniotic fluid. - Development of other organs: Your baby’s thyroid gland, gallbladder, and pancreas are developing. Your baby’s bone marrow is making white blood cells to fight infections later on. The bowel is growing steadily as are the vocal cords. - Skeletal growth: Your baby is soon going to develop his/her collarbone and thigh bone. - Increased movements: - In the amniotic sac, there is room to move freely and your baby has become very active, kicking, wriggling, and moving his/her head. Since the amniotic fluid cushions your baby’s movements, you may not feel anything for a while. - Besides kicking the legs and turning the head, your baby has started to properly yawn, swallow, and hiccup. By now, your baby is learning to move in a jerky fashion and suck on his/her thumb – a habit that will come in handy during the newborn phase. Some of the other baby developments that are happening at 12 weeks pregnant are as follows: - Your baby’s ankle joints have matured and the toes have separated. - Your baby's body has no underlying fat, and the bones look prominent beneath the delicate skin. - Your baby’s eyes have moved more towards the front of the face, but they are still tightly closed. - Your baby’s arms and legs are lengthening rapidly and muscle control is developing. **Baby Size** At 12 weeks pregnant, as the first trimester draws to an end, your baby measures 2.5-3 inches in length and weighs around 23 grams (0.8 oz). **12 weeks is how many months?** You're in your third month! So tiny yet so developed, your baby is growing fast. Isn’t it amazing to think that all these activities are just happening within your body?