12 Weeks Pregnant - Trimester 1

BABY DEVELOPMENT

As your first trimester is coming to a close, you can now begin to see the face of your baby. Frankly, what a gorgeous face it is! Your little one will be starting to practice their breathing and swallowing. If your baby is a boy, his penis is already apparent but not quite visible on an ultrasound. If you want to wait until he or she is born to know whether you’re having a son or a daughter, make sure you let everyone around your healthcare team know so they don’t spoil the surprise.

At 12 weeks, your baby is around the size of an apricot and they're on the move this week thanks to their bones, muscles and nerves that form the limbs.

YOUR BODY

Good news – the end of the first trimester is when most mothers-to-be report their nausea disappearing. Second great news – if you have been anxious to feel the baby move, it generally starts around the 4th month of your pregnancy. Don’t worry if it doesn’t happen immediately, especially if you are a first-time mum. You just might not know what it feels like. It isn’t a huge earth-shattering sensation, more like light, butterfly-wings flapping inside you. When you do feel it, you can rub your belly to say hello right back!

NUTRITION

Hungry? While you didn’t need more kilojoules than before you were pregnant during your first trimester, you’ll soon need around 1,400 extra kilojoules during your second trimester to support your growing baby. Getting these extra kilojoules by eating nutritious meals and snacks from the five food groups (fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, and meat/fish/protein foods) will help your baby grow and develop healthily in your womb. Try this lunch of whole grain bread, topped with 60 g of turkey breast, 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise, some greens, low fat cheese, and tomato slice.  Add a small piece of fruit and ½ glass of milk to drink.  This healthy ‘mini-meal’ contains about 1,400 kilojoules.

TIPS

A lot of women wonder what can happen if they get sick while pregnant. A cold or a stomach upset usually has no effect on an unborn child. It is important to inform your healthcare professional about any illness because they will know exactly which treatment and which medicine will help a mother-to-be without harming the child. Don’t choose medicine on your own.