Your Third Month Of Pregnancy
By: Julie Fletcher
Here you are at the third month of pregnancy and also the last month of your first trimester. Congratulations! You probably truly feel as if you are pregnant. This is when women also feel safe enough to share the news of their pregnancy with relatives, friends, and sometimes even the baby’s father. Yes, there are women who like to keep their secret as a surprise to the dad to be. That is perfectly fine and sometimes a super birthday, anniversary, or other holiday ‘gift’.
Most of your signs of pregnancy this month are the same as the ones covered in Family Resource’s First and Second Month of Pregnancy articles. A quick rundown of the symptoms again are:
Morning Sickness
PMS-like Mood Swings
Possible Headaches
Nasal Stuffiness
Increased Urination
Food Cravings
In the third month of pregnancy, food cravings become more pronounced. Occasionally you may crave something that is not food. Some common cravings for non-foods are:
Clay
Wallpaper paste
Coffee grounds
Paint peelings
Your doctor will ask you during some visits if you have eaten any of these items or felt the urge to eat anything that is not food. The name for this condition is Pica. Originally a Latin word for a type of magpie that eats nearly anything, Pica can be a dangerous condition if not addressed. Not all pregnant women develop Pica, but if you do find yourself craving anything that is not food, talk to your doctor right away.
This month your baby’s bones will begin to harden and strengthen. Last month the fetus began to look more human, but now your baby is beginning to look like a tiny baby… not just ‘humanlike’. By the end of this month sex is discernable, though it may be many more weeks before a sonogram can accurately show boy or girl. This is usually because baby is in a position that makes it hard for the technician to get a good view of the genitalia.
Not only has the sex been determined (visible) at the end of this month, your 12th week, but the rest of his or her body is fully developed. Fingers, toes, tiny nails, lips and ears are all there. Even buds of what will eventually be teeth are forming in the jaw! Your baby is now able to urinate; swallowing amniotic fluid and manufacturing urine all while still in the womb. This little fact is sometimes a little ‘gross’ to moms to be, but rest assured, nothing is unsanitary while in the uterus. All fluids are sterile and will not harm the baby at all.
Most of the building blocks of your baby’s development have been laid now. This means that the risk of a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage) lessens a great deal. As mentioned earlier, you can almost always safely inform everyone of your condition. Shopping for baby is now a fun activity parents to be usually begin. Registering for gifts can help ease the financial strain of a new family addition and can tell caring friends or relatives exactly what you need. Some stores offer print outs with scan able items for the convience of shoppers of the registry.
If you are planning on shopping for your baby now, it may be best to leave gender specific items out of the shopping cart. Some products cannot be returned after a certain period of time. Check with your preferred store if you have your heart set on something that is for a girl or boy and want to purchase it right now.
Many websites offer advice on what to buy for your layette. At this stage in your pregnancy the best items to buy are the essentials, such as a crib or portable crib if you do not have the room for a full size. Many parents prefer to use only a portable crib even if there is room for a larger sized bed. If your home has more than one floor, you might consider a portable crib for the first floor and a full sized for the upper floor if the baby’s room will be there. Even if you choose to use a port-a-crib, two will add ease to your routine if you have two floors.
Another good buy now is a car seat. In many areas you are not able to drive your new baby home from the hospital without one. Check with your local authorities or your doctor for the best type. Every country and state varies on their regulations. Be sure to buy the best you can afford. Research each brand and find out the safety ratings before choosing the car seat. Your baby’s life could depend on this choice!
When it comes to clothing, probably the two most used types are one piece underwear and sleep/playwear. One piece underwear suits can be long or short sleeve and resemble t-shirts with snaps at the crotch. Sleep/playwear is normally a one piece, long sleeve outfit with enclosed feet and zippered. Some may have short sleeves for warm climates or spring/summer. In the winter, heavier one piece sleepwear should be purchased. It may be tempting to buy many outfits in newborn size, but babies grow very fast and will be too large for this size in a very short time.
The third month of pregnancy is a great time to begin purchasing diapers. Spreading out the cost of diapers whether you plan to use disposable or cloth is much easier than buying packages when baby is born. You have time to stock up, which is a great idea when you factor in how often a newborn wets or has bowel movements. Most newborns will go through eight to ten diapers a day! Start with one to two packages of the smallest size that your area sells, then work your way up through sizes.
It never hurts to be prepared well ahead of time!