It is when you are 12 weeks pregnant that you can tell by an ultrasound if you are going to have a boy or a girl. Although you may have noticed some weight gain, your belly is not yet large enough for others to detect that you are pregnant. If you have been experiencing morning sickness, you may even have lost weight. Morning sickness reaches its peak in this week and the next, so much so that you can get sick just by brushing your teeth. You may notice that your gums are tender or that there are small lumps on your gums. This is a normal part of being pregnant, but there is nothing wrong with visiting your dentist just to check things out.

You will still be feeling tired and want to take naps during the day. It is important that you go to bed early and get a good night rest. Even though your stomach may churn at the thought of food, you should make sure you have healthy meals and snacks. Taking your folic acid and iron supplements is extremely important for the growth and development of the baby.

At 12 weeks, the baby is starting to look less like a little alien and more like a human baby. Its eyes have moved into the proper position on the head and the ears have developed. The baby can now swallow and does in fact swallow some of the amniotic fluid that surrounds it in the uterus. It doesn have lungs at this point and so cannot breathe. The intestines have not yet formed inside the body and are still in the umbilical cord. It is during this week that the baby starts to develop fingernails and toenails.

The baby is now about 2.5 inches long and weighs about .5 of an ounce. Even so you will still be able to see the nose and chin. Since your risk of having a miscarriage is greatly reduced by this time, you can start to relax and enjoy your pregnancy with worrying all the time. If your morning sickness has decreased or started to wane, you may start craving certain foods and be able to cook some meals for yourself. It is important that any meat you eat is cooked thoroughly so that you do not take a chance of getting toxoplasmosis. It is also important that you refrain from emptying the cat litter because you can get this virus from cat feces.

You may feel a lot better when you wear loose clothing even though you are really much bigger than your normal size. The loose clothing lets you feel more comfortable, especially if the weather is hot and humid. Take a walk when you can so that you get your exercise and start preparing your muscles for the job ahead for the next six months. When sleeping at night, you may also find it more comfortable to curl yourself around a body pillow.

Don be alarmed if your breasts and nipples are tender and if your breasts start to enlarge. This is your body way of preparing food for the new arrival.