3 Months Pregnant: What to Expect

You’re 3 months pregnant! 

You probably already know how important it is to take care of yourself during pregnancy, especially if this is your first time around. But there are also some things that only experience can teach us—and experience is something we have plenty of! 

We know you’ve probably heard this a gazillion times before, but it’s important to take care of yourself during pregnancy. As a new mum-to-be, you may have some questions about what’s safe and what’s not when it comes to your health and your baby’s health. Rest assured—we’ve got you covered in that department.

Pregnancy is one of the most transformative experiences in life, but it’s also one of the most challenging. And we want to help make this experience as enjoyable as possible for you.

We’ve put together a list of some of the most common information new parents want to know about being 3 months pregnant and beyond, so read on for more information on what’s happening with your body right now and what it means for your future child’s development.

3 Months Pregnant Is How Many Weeks

3 months pregnant is from 9 to 12 weeks. The first 3 months of pregnancy are crucial for the development of your baby, especially for the brain and nervous system. 

At this stage, your baby’s heart is already beating. You may have felt some movement in your belly by now, and if not, don’t worry. Your baby is still very small and those movements will come soon enough.

Image Source: iStock

3 Months Pregnant Symptoms

At 3 months pregnant, you may be feeling more symptoms than you did in the early weeks. Here are some common signs and symptoms that you may be experiencing:

• Fatigue and exhaustion

Your body is working hard to sustain a growing baby and this will drain your energy.

• Low back pain

You may find that your lower back aches when you’re lying down or sitting for long periods of time. This is called round ligament pain, and it’s caused by the ligaments that support your uterus expanding as it grows with your baby.

As these ligaments stretch out, they put pressure on nerves in your lower abdomen which can cause pain. Round ligament pain usually goes away after delivery so don’t worry too much about it!

• An increase in vaginal discharge

Many women experience an increase in vaginal discharge at 3 months pregnant due to increased blood flow to the reproductive organs. It’s normal for mucus or fluid to build up inside the vagina, so don’t freak out if there seems to be more than usual! Just wipe yourself off with toilet paper when necessary—you probably won’t even need.

Can You Have No Symptoms at 3 Months Pregnant

Yes, you can have no symptoms at three months pregnant!

It’s normal to feel little nausea, fatigue, and breast tenderness around the third month of pregnancy. But if you don’t have any of those symptoms? That’s totally OK.

Some women don’t have any morning sickness—or any other kind of sickness—until later in their pregnancy, or even after they give birth.

If you’re pregnant and haven’t had any symptoms at three months pregnant, you might be wondering whether something is wrong. But don’t panic! It’s pretty typical to have no symptoms at this stage of pregnancy.

In fact, by the time women reach 3 months pregnant, they may not even be aware that they are pregnant because their bodies are still getting used to the changes that pregnancy brings and are still adjusting to their new roles as mothers-to-be.

What to Expect Being 3 Months Pregnant

It’s no secret that pregnancy is a time of change. From the physical to the emotional, your body and life will undergo some drastic changes in the next 3 months.

3 Months Pregnant: Physical Changes

At this point, you might be feeling pretty tired and have a little bit of heartburn. It’s normal to have morning sickness at this point in your pregnancy, too. You may also feel like you’re getting puffy or swollen—this is due to the increase in hormone levels during pregnancy. Your breasts will likely be bigger and fuller because of this hormone spike as well.

3 Months Pregnant: Emotional Changes

You may be feeling more emotional than usual at this stage of pregnancy thanks to all those hormones running around in your body! You might be having trouble sleeping because of anxiety about what lies ahead for you and your baby (or even just general excitement). You might also notice that you’re experiencing mood swings—they’re totally normal!

3 Months Pregnant: Belly Size

You may have heard your friends and family talk about how their bellies grew during their pregnancies. You may even have seen them post pictures of their growing baby bumps on social media. 

There are many ways to measure your belly size, but the most common way is to measure it around the widest part of your abdomen. This measurement can be taken at any time during pregnancy, though it’s often easiest to do when you’re lying down on an exam table in a doctor’s office.

Your belly size will change throughout your pregnancy as your baby grows and as the muscles in your abdomen stretch out to accommodate the growing baby. At the beginning of the first trimester, it’s possible that you won’t even realise that you’re pregnant yet because you might not yet have experienced any change in your body shape or size yet. 

By the end of the second trimester though, there’s no mistaking it—your belly will be huge!

Image Source: iStock

How big should your belly be?

It depends on the size of the woman herself and also on whether she has had any previous pregnancies.

The average woman will have a slightly larger waistline after three months of pregnancy due to increased weight gain and bloating caused by hormones like progesterone (which supports the uterus) and estrogen (which helps form breast tissue). 

This initial weight gain is due to both baby and placenta growth as well as increased blood volume in preparation for labour later down the line.

3 Months Pregnant: Baby Size

As you approach the third month of pregnancy, your baby is about the size of a small grapefruit. Your baby’s size and weight are increasing dramatically, but your belly will likely not be showing much yet.

Three months into your pregnancy, your baby measures about 4 inches long and weighs roughly half an ounce. That’s like a little plum tomato—small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but big enough to be incredibly precious. Your baby’s heart is beating at 150 beats per minute (so fast!) and her tiny organs are forming.

She can now hear sounds outside of the womb, including your voice!

Your body is doing some pretty amazing things right now: The placenta is growing, your hormones are surging and changing, and you’re likely experiencing fatigue (even though you may feel like you’re bouncing off walls). If you haven’t yet felt movement from your baby yet, don’t worry—she’s still getting ready for that milestone.

What Should You Not Do at 3 Months Pregnant?

You’ve probably heard that you can do almost anything during the first three months of pregnancy. But there are still some things you may want to avoid—or at least carefully consider.

Here are some things you should not do at three months pregnant:

• Drink alcohol
• Smoke cigarettes
• Expose yourself to harmful chemicals or fumes, such as cleaning products and paint fumes
• Eat unpasteurized food (such as raw eggs or undercooked meats)
• Have sex with anyone who has any sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

The next 3 months will be easier on you, mum-to-be, so hang in there! Should you have any questions regarding this stage of your pregnancy, do not hesitate to consult your OB-gynaecologist. 

Updates from Pheona Ilagan

Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.