Week 12

Ok, so here we are at week 12 :) YAY! This is still a secret from most of the world; only a few people know, but come Thursday (after my doctors appointment) we will be spreading the news!

But to kick off week 12 I figured we needed to list 12 exciting things happening this week for our baby!

1. Baby's intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now, and the kidneys will begin excreting urine into the bladder.

2. Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously.

3. At around 12 weeks the placenta has achieved its final shape and takes over from the yolk sac to become the baby’s life support system. The placenta is much larger than the baby at this stage.

4.  Baby's facial features continue to become more defined, particularly the nose and chin..

5. Morning sickness is starting to fade!

6. The uterus is too large to remain completely in your pelvis. You might be able to feel your uterus above your pubic bone. (I have a little bump, looks like I gained 5 pounds in my uterus, oh wait....)

7. Baby is almost 3 inches long. That's about the length of a plum. 

8. The most dramatic development this week: reflexes.

9. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so.

10. Most of baby's systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. 

11. The baby's digestive system is capable of making contractions that push food through the bowels and is also able to absorb sugar.

12. Only 28 weeks left... haha!