The Birth Blog

These 12 weeks are a huge period of change for both you and your baby. You are adjusting to becoming a parent and looking after a newborn and they are going through some major developmental changes.

Some women feel a rush of love as soon as they meet their newborn but for others, this might not happen straight away. Don’t worry if you don’t feel an immediate bond with your baby.

While they are still in the womb, the placenta will give them the oxygen they need and take away the carbon dioxide they produce through the umbilical cord.

Ultrasound scans are a non-invasive examination which hospitals use to look at internal body structures. They use high frequency soundwaves which bounce off the organs inside your body and your baby. 

Research suggests around 80 per cent of pregnant women experience cravings at some point so they are extremely common.

Missing your period is not the only sign to look out for though. There are a number of other symptoms you might experience during the first few weeks of pregnancy.