In the third month: Your first glimpse of your baby

How is your baby growing?

The third month begins in the 9th week of pregnancy. Your unborn baby is now called a fetus.

Your baby is now beginning to develop details: tiny fingers and toes are starting to grow from the bases of the hands and feet, your baby is straightening up, their head is rounding, and ossification is beginning.

All organs are now fully developed and some of them are already functioning. Thus, in the 9th week of pregnancy, the liver begins to produce blood.

Whether your pregnancy is already visible in the 9th week is very individual. Maybe your pants are a little tight, or maybe not ;-) Usually, the belly and body remain unchanged, only the breasts may have grown a little.  

On the contrary, your sense of smell and taste change in the 9th week of pregnancy. They become more intense and you, as a mother-to-be, become more sensitive to smells. This is beneficial in protecting your baby in the womb from danger. So, if you suddenly dislike a particular smell or taste, trust your body's early warning system and avoid that particular product or environment.  

What makes you grow as a family?

The time has finally come – you can have the first of three ultrasound scans. How exciting: seeing your baby's heartbeat together, finding out if the uterus is in the right position and if the estimated date of delivery is correct. This is how your pregnancy becomes visible.  

If you as a couple have decided to determine the nuchal translucency thickness with an ultrasound, the examination will be postponed until the 12th to 14th week, as your doctor will then be able to see a more accurate picture. The thickness of the nuchal fold may indicate genetic abnormalities at a certain stage of development. Details on measuring the nuchal fold can be found here.

Pregnancy is now also noticeable through the interesting food cravings that may occur. It's good if your partner is flexible and gives you chocolate right after the pickled cucumber ;-) That creates a bond, doesn't it?

Once you've had your first glimpse of your baby, expectant parents often wonder: when should we announce that we're expecting?

Mom Christine says: 

No one has the right to know you're pregnant (as long as it's not dangerous to work during pregnancy). You don't have to live up to other people's expectations. You decide when to tell whom, or whether to tell anyone at all.