Everything to Know about Your 12 Week Ultrasound!

Woohoo!! You have almost made it to week 12 which means you are one-third of the way there, hopefully through icky symptoms like morning sickness, and you will get the chance to see your little one growing at the 12-week ultrasound! It is hard to know what to expect walking into your doctor’s appointments during pregnancy. We totally understand if you are anxious to find out what will go on at your upcoming appointment and what the ultrasound might be able to tell you. There are so many things to be curious about. From how your baby is are progressing to the gender of your baby. We want you to go into your appointment as prepared as possible so you can ask all the right questions and get the answers you are looking for.

Will you find out the Gender of your Baby at the 12 Week Ultrasound?

We will start with the biggest question of all; will the gender of the baby be revealed at the 12 week ultrasound? While you really should not count on it, there is a possibility the gender will be revealed at this appointment. First off, this means if you don’t want to know the gender remind your doctor or technician of this so that it isn’t revealed to you on accident. This is a pretty common slip up and we want to make sure you avoid it!

Plenty of people are going to tell you they have prediction methods that are foolproof. Have fun listening to these predictions of boy or girl but don’t take them to heart. It can be a little disappointing if you are told one thing and later find out you were told wrong.

However, if you do want to find out the gender don’t be too disappointed if your doctor can’t tell quite yet. This will give you something to look forward to for future visits and isn’t usually fully confirmed via ultrasound until the 16 or 20-week ultrasound. Of course, if you can’t wait any longer you can have a blood test done to find out the gender sooner.

Find out when your precious bundle will arrive!

The next important thing your 12 week ultrasound will confirm is your due date. While your doctor will likely get this right the first time around, there is always a chance the due date can change. Your baby will come when it is ready, so don’t stress too much about an exact due date. Also, mamas know best often times when it comes to this. If you think your doctor is off with the date, feel free to ask questions and get clarity!

It’s not all about baby!

At this appointment, your fallopian tubes, placenta, and uterus will also be looked at. This will ensure they are all ready to go for showtime a few months down the road. It is definitely good to know these things in advance to avoid any issues during labor.

You’ll see your Baby’s New Skills at the 12 Week Ultrasound!

Your little baby has reflexes now! They can also curl their fingers and toes. You will probably see them moving around during the ultrasound because of these developments, which is really special. This is one reason to bring your significant other or a loved one to the 12 week ultrasound, because it is truly something to see.

Your doctor will do a check on your baby

You will get to hear the heartbeat again. While you likely already heard the heartbeat at a previous appointment, it is always pretty cool to hear it again.

Your baby will be checked for any abnormalities. It seems a bit scary so you should walk into this appointment prepared. We are actually really lucky to have technology as it tells us what is going on with our little ones. With the help of technology, we can take steps to prevent and prepare. Your baby is probably cooking just fine in there, so don’t stress too much!

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Last but not least, those beautiful magical (slightly alien) ultrasound pictures. You will get some printed out pictures from your 12-week ultrasound, which you and your loved ones can be googly-eyed over for weeks. These pictures are really special as your baby is fully there in terms of having their bones, limbs, and muscles. And now they are basically who they are going to be. All they have left to do is grow!

The 12-week ultrasound is really a fun one, as you might get to find out the sex of your baby. Plus, you get to see your baby develop and be able to see your baby slightly move around. It truly is astonishing how fast they grow inside your womb. Enjoy this appointment mamas.