The Growth and Development of Your Baby

Your baby will be completely formed by the end of the third month. Your baby may have begun moving its hands, legs, and head and opening and closing its mouth, but he or she is still too small for you to feel this movement.

The fingers and toes are now more distinct and have soft nails. The baby's hands are more developed than the feet and the arms are longer than the legs. Your baby's head is quite large compared to the rest of its body. Hair may have started to form on the head. Tooth buds have formed under the baby's gums. Vocal cords develop around the 13th week of pregnancy.

Your baby's heart has four chambers and beats at 120 to 160 beats per minute. Kidneys are now developed and start draining urine into the bladder. Intestines have formed outside of the baby (on the umbilical cord) because they can't fit inside the baby. By the end of this month, the umbilical cord, which carries nutrients to your baby and takes wastes away, will be fully formed.

At the end of your third month, your baby will weigh just over 1 ounce and will be about 4 inches long.

What is Happening With You
At your prenatal care appointment this month, your health care provider will again check your weight, blood pressure, and urine.  In addition, your provider will likely check the fetal heartbeat, the size of the uterus to see how it correlates with the estimated due date, and the height of the fundus (the top of the uterus). Remember to bring any questions and concerns you and your partner may have so that you can discuss them with your health care provider.

Many of the early physical pregnancy symptoms continue during the third month. However, you may begin to notice additional veins appearing on your breasts, abdomen, legs, and elsewhere as the blood supply increases. Your abdomen may appear larger by the end of this month. Your appetite is likely to increase.

Your emotions may continue to switch back and forth between happiness, fear, joy, misgivings and you may still feel somewhat unstable. However, many women begin to experience a new sense of calmness around this time.

What is Happening With Your Partner
Involve your partner in your pregnancy by discussing your emotions together, seeing if he has any questions for your health care provider, and by sharing books and videos you are using to learn more about how to take care of yourself and your baby.

Discomforts and Remedies
Visit the Common Discomforts section if you are experiencing any discomforts. You may or may not experience some of these discomforts and be sure to talk to your health care provider about them if you have any questions.