Happy 12 Weeks Pregnant, Mama! What’s going on with you and baby? This week we’re talking pregnancy headaches, your growing uterus, baby development, prenatal appointments, finding the right care provider, and how to mitigate some uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms so you can have a good pregnancy.
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All content and information in this video is for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute medical, psychological or health advice of any kind and I do not warrant that the information presented herein is free of any errors or omissions. I am not providing medical, health care, nutrition therapy or coaching services to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any kind of physical ailment, mental or medical condition.
Although I strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health related decisions. For your health related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
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I am a Lamaze certified Childbirth Educator, a DONA certified Birth Doula, Prenatal & Postnatal Fitness Specialist, and Certified Breastfeeding Counselor in the San Francisco Bay Area! For more information and resources, come find me at https://builttobirth.com
You're now 12 weeks pregnant, and from this point out,
I feel like you start noticing the most significant changes.
I'm Bridget Tyler, I'm a doula and a childbirth educator
with my third baby on the way,
and I'm doing a week by week pregnancy update
to help you know what's going on in your body
and your baby's rapidly growing body too.
So make sure you subscribe if you haven't yet
and hit the bell so you're always informed
of any empowering educational videos that come your way.
Now let's hop into week 12.
At this point, your uterus is about the size
of a grapefruit, so if you haven't started noticing
external changes before, you probably are now
or will start seeing some of that belly growth
very soon as your uterus starts to grow up
and out of your pelvic bones.
Right now, your uterus is right about at the pubic bone,
which you can find by going to your belly button
and moving your hands down until you find the top
of that hard, bony structure.
Now usually, prenatal appointments with your care provider
are about every four weeks until the third trimester.
So depending on your last appointment,
you may have another one now at 12 weeks.
If you are being seen at the hospital,
you'll generally have your weight and blood pressure taken,
you'll need to provide a urine sample,
you'll get a chance to hear baby's heartbeat
using a Doppler, and your OB or midwife
will feel your belly for the size of your uterus.
Each time you see your provider,
I encourage you to check in with your experience with them.
Your provider greatly impacts your pregnancy
and your birth experience down the road.
Ask yourself, how do you feel before your appointment?
How do you feel in the waiting room
as you're waiting for your appointment with them?
How do you feel when you're with them
and how do you feel after your appointment?
Your intuition is so powerful
and if you're with the right provider,
you should feel a lot of comfort and ease
during your appointments.
If you're not feeling this comfort and ease,
this is a really good time
to look at other provider options.
If you have a low-risk pregnancy
and are hoping for an unmedicated birth,
I would recommend seeking out the support from a midwife.
I talk all about finding the right provider for yourself
in my Built to Birth course,
which you can check out in the description below.
Now at this point, you might be dealing with some headaches
and this is a common pregnancy symptom
during the first trimester, but not necessarily normal.
Again, there's a difference between common and normal.
Headaches could be a sign of dehydration,
low mineral stores, imbalance in blood sugar,
stress, or fatigue.
So make sure you're sticking closely
to the basics of proper hydration
and eating first thing in the morning
and then every three to four hours with a snack before bed,
each containing a carb, fat, and protein.
An example of this would be cottage cheese with fruit,
cheese with honey, eggs with potatoes,
chicken with vegetables cooked in tallow,
When blood sugar drops too low,
headaches are a common result.
For stress and fatigue, reprioritizing your responsibilities,
taking Epsom salt baths, going to bed on time,
not looking at screens after the sun goes down
or before the sun comes up,
and starting a childbirth education course
if your fears are surrounding birth can help a lot.
I would also recommend seeing
a Webster-certified chiropractor.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy
can greatly impact the ease of labor
at the end of your pregnancy
and can make your pregnancy a lot more comfortable.
Now let's talk about baby.
They are drinking the fluid around them,
which is a mix of pee and amniotic fluid.
And this might sound gross, but remember it's sterile
and it's super important to maintain a healthy level
of amniotic fluid around them
and for their kidney and bladder function.
Baby is about the size of a plum
and has all of their organs,
their muscles, limbs, and bones in place,
but they still have a lot of growing and maturing to do.
Baby is also starting to practice breathing movements
in their body and their digestive system
is starting to practice its functions too.
Your baby and body are doing so much right now
and will continue to as you wrap up your last week
in your first trimester.
With that being said, I'll see you next week
in your first week of your second trimester.
I'm so excited.
I can't wait to see you there.
See you later, mama.
