Pregnancy week 12

A week by week guide to what’s happening to you and your baby

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

As you approach your second trimester, any nausea will hopefully begin to subside. You may also notice the linea nigra (black line), a dark line of pigmentation, creeping up your abdomen - especially if you have a dark complexion.

Your uterus has risen above your pelvic bones, and your midwife will be able to feel it. It's about the size of a grapefruit. Around this time, you may begin to ‘show’. For first-timers, ‘showing’ may occur a bit later, as strong abdominal muscles can help to hide your pregnancy.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby-to-be is now almost two to three inches long and weighs about 14g. He or she has the ability to swallow, absorb and discharge fluids. The hands are now complete and are growing fingernails. Even tooth buds are appearing. This week, your placenta takes over the important task of hormone production.

HEALTHY EATING

There's no need to give up your vegetarian diet to ensure that your baby receives adequate protein, B12, calcium and vitamin D. Taking a prenatal vitamin is a must, as a vegetarian diet is often lacking in certain nutrients needed for pregnancy. Consult with your doctor or a registered dietician to learn how to boost nutritional intake through food combinations. Here are some additional tips for vegetarians:Use iodised salt, not sea salt, to meet iodine requirements.Use iron supplements, especially in the last ten weeks when your baby collects iron stores.Drink soya milk or eat soya yoghurt daily.Choose tofu that has been coagulated with calcium.Eat and drink pure soyabean products that don't contain sucrose.FACT OF THE WEEK

After this week, the placenta takes over hormone production and the risk of miscarriage drops substantially. Around the time your baby's heartbeat is audible using a Doppler, a sound-wave stethoscope, this risk drops even further.

Find out what to expect in week 13 of your pregnancy.

For a list of all the pregnancy week by week articles click here