You are 12 Weeks Pregnant!

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH YOU

As you approach your second trimester, any nausea you may have experienced probably will 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 pubic bone, and your care provider will be able to feel it during an abdominal exam. It is about the size of a softball. 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 60 to 65 millimeters long or about two and a half inches long, and weighs about 14 grams. He or she has the ability to swallow and absorb and discharge fluids. Hands, now complete, are growing fingernails. Even tooth buds are appearing. Your baby’s face now has a distinctly human appearance. The amniotic sac contains about 50 cubic centimeters of fluid (one and one half ounces). This week, your placenta takes over the important task of hormone production.

EATING FOR TWO

Contrary to what you may have heard, there is 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 some types of vegetarian diets can be deficient in certain nutrients that are needed for pregnancy. Please consult with your practitioner or a registered dietitian to learn about ways to boost nutritional intake through food combinations. Here are some additional tips for vegetarians:

  • Use iodized salt or sea salt to meet iodine requirements.
  • Consider the use of iron supplements if your hemoglobin is low. Dietary iron is more readily absorbed than the iron in most supplements, so eat a diet high in iron, including dark red beans, chick peas, dark green and dark yellow veggies, fortified cereals like Total and Product 19.
  • Drink soy milk or eat soy yogurt daily.
  • Read Frances Moore Lappe’s Diet for a Small Planet to learn more about food combinations.
  • Choose tofu that has been coagulated with calcium.
  • Eat and drink pure soybean products that don’t contain sucrose.

FACT OF THE WEEK

Still smoking? Babies born to moms who smoke during pregnancy are almost twice as likely to develop asthma as those whose moms refrained from lighting up, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Experts estimate that between five to fifteen percent of asthma cases in children could be eliminated if moms-to-be quit smoking.