In this article you will be able to read about everything related to your pregnancy in week 12. You'll find information about the baby's development, how the mother's body is changing and tips you might need along the way. When you are 12 weeks pregnant, your fetus is the size of a lime!

Baby: The most sensitive time is over

The most sensitive period of development is over, hurray! The fetus' eyes are now covered by eyelids. The fetus has also formed arms and legs - and can even move them!

Amniotic fluid

Now the lungs are filled with amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is pure liquid that gradually mixes with small flakes of skin and particles from the baby's skin and umbilical cord over the course of the pregnancy. When the pregnancy is full-term, amniotic fluid can therefore look quite cloudy! The fetus drinks and urinates amniotic fluid, and new amniotic fluid is constantly being produced from the placenta. This process keeps the kidneys working and cleanses the urine.

Child's unique features and fingerprints take shape

The fetus has a thin, translucent skin and the unique fingerprint is beginning to form on the fingertips, while the fingernails are becoming more visible. The facial features start to emerge more clearly and the cupid's bow starts to take shape on the upper lip. Quite simply, a little person is being born!

Nutrition from the placenta

In the past, the fetus has received all its nourishment via the yolk sac, but this week it is shrivelling up and the placenta is taking over the supply of nutrients and oxygen instead. Everything that the mother eats and drinks will now be passed on to the fetus in full or in part via the placenta.

The most important function of the placenta is to manage the exchange between the circulation of the fetus and the pregnant woman. Some particles, substances, viruses or bacteria cannot pass through the placenta and be passed on to the fetus, but alcohol, for example, can pass through the placental barrier, so it is important to abstain from alcohol so that the fetus does not ingest it. Medicines can also cross the placenta, so it is important to ask your midwife or doctor if you are being treated with any medicines.

The umbilical cord attaches to the very belly button of the fetus, and at the other end are the amniotic membranes and placenta. It has a gel-like coating around the three blood vessels and is white/translucent in color. Ultrasound is used to check the number of vessels in the umbilical cord. These blood vessels then transport nutrients, oxygen and waste products between the placenta and the fetus.

Glucose

From now on, digestion and cells have evolved to allow the fetal digestive system to absorb sugar. Now it is good to remember that it is beneficial for both the pregnant woman and the fetus to have a steady supply of energy, and it is especially good if you eat a healthy and balanced diet as glucose (sugar) affects the growth of the fetus. If you eat a balanced diet, there is no risk of worry. Your midwife will monitor your blood glucose levels throughout your pregnancy.

Organ of the fetus

The foundations of all organs and functions are in place, but there is still a long way to go before they are fully developed. In the abdominal cavity, the pancreas, liver and several other organs are growing. The fetus is about 48 millimeters from head to tail!

Mom: 12 weeks pregnant and increased blood volume

Don't forget to take care of yourself in the midst of creating your child. You and your well-being ARE important! In the run-up to parenthood, you may already know that a healthy mother equals a good parent. It may sound vague, but after giving birth, these pieces will fall into place.

Diet, nutrition and supplementation

Throughout pregnancy, it is good to eat and drink nutritiously. It is particularly important to eat foods rich in calcium, as this helps develop the baby's bones and teeth.

Iron is also important for your well-being, but also for the baby's blood formation. However, you should not take iron supplements unless you are deficient, as your midwife will see when you check your blood count at your appointment.

If you have a low iron level, your blood is diluted more due to the increased volume of fluid in your body. As the red blood cells, the hemoglobin, decrease/dilute, you may experience symptoms such as tiredness, breathlessness and headaches.

If you are deficient in iron, you will be recommended to take supplements. It may be a good idea to read up on the different options available, as some iron supplements may work better for you than others. If a variant does not feel good, you can always ask your midwife for advice.

If you are advised to take iron supplements, it may be useful to know that the absorption of iron is promoted by vitamin C. So it may be beneficial to eat some citrus fruit or certain vitamin C-rich vegetables in conjunction with your iron intake. However, the absorption of iron is inhibited by calcium, so do not wash down the tablet with a glass of milk or with breakfast if you eat yogurt, for example.

Tips on foods high in vitamin C

include yellow and red peppers, broccoli, kale, kiwi, strawberries, papaya and cauliflower.

placenta

From now on, the placenta provides all the nutrition to the fetus. The placenta can grow in different places in the womb, but wherever it grows, its function is always to transport and supply the fetus with oxygen and nutrients via the blood and to carry away the oxygen- and nutrient-poor blood.

The actual transportation takes place in the umbilical cord via the blood in the various blood vessels located there. The placenta ensures that the blood is filtered with rich blood to the fetus and takes care of the remains when the poor blood returns to the placenta.

The placenta gradually grows in both circumference and thickness during pregnancy. It can often be correlated with the size of the newborn baby.

The placenta attaches to the wall of the uterus and is in contact with the pregnant woman's circulatory system on one side and the fetal circulatory system on the other - an amazing system that is so intricately designed.

The double amniotic membranes form the walls of the fetal apartment, where the placenta is like the cooking pot in the small one-room apartment. The side of the placenta facing the wall is blue/reddish in color and rich in blood vessels, making it look like a tree without leaves, and the umbilical cord is likened to the trunk of the tree. This is called the tree of life!

Nausea

For some women who have been experiencing nausea, it may start to subside after this week. This is often because this is when the placenta takes over and nourishes the fetus instead of the amniotic sac, lowering the hormone HcG, which is usually the culprit of nausea. We're keeping our fingers crossed that it will pass for you too! It's the hormones that affect your nausea and these have an impact on pregnant women to varying degrees, so nausea varies greatly from woman to woman. Fatigue, stress and an empty stomach are also factors that can affect nausea.

If you have not been able to eat properly because of the nausea, you don't need to worry about the baby in your belly. The fetus is living like a (loving) parasite on you, taking what it needs before you get to share in the surplus. That said, don't forget to take care of yourself in this great journey.

Here you can read about week 11.

You can read about week 13 here.