3 months pregnant: Development and what to expect

Your 3rd month of pregnancy can be an intense time, as many people will have their first pregnancy scan. You may feel excited about the appointment but also a little nervous. You might also be navigating pregnancy symptoms during this month. This is a time of big changes, so go super easy on yourself. 

To find out more about what’s happening to your baby and body at 3 months pregnant, we spoke to Dr. Renita White, obstetrician and gynecologist, Georgia Obstetrics and Gynecology, Georgia, US. And don’t forget, you can learn more by tracking your pregnancy week by week with the Flo app. 

Key takeaways

• From pregnancy week 9, your baby enters the fetal stage of development, which will continue until they are born. 
• Over the course of month 3, your baby will develop rapidly, gaining facial features, limbs, organs, bones, and muscles. Their genitals will also start to develop this month, and they’ll have an assigned sex, although their genitals won’t be visible on a scan just yet. 
• You’ll likely have your first ultrasound this month, at around 12 weeks pregnant. 
• Thanks to fluctuations in your hormones, your 1st-trimester pregnancy symptoms may continue throughout this month. Remember, if you’re worried or have any questions, you can always lean on your doctor for support. 

Fetal development between weeks 9 and 13 of pregnancy

“During this 3rd month, the fetus continues to rapidly develop features,” says Dr. White. “The facial features, limbs, and external genitalia begin to form. The baby is moving already but is too small for you to feel. Also at this time, the placenta takes over in producing hCG.”

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is the hormone your egg starts to release after implantation. It supports your developing pregnancy. As Dr. White highlights, once your placenta is fully formed, it continues to produce hCG. 

You might have your first ultrasound as part of your prenatal care this month, often before or on week 12. This can feel like a milestone moment. Alongside letting you see your baby for the first time, it allows your doctor to check for their heartbeat, confirm your due date, and see if you’re carrying twins or triplets. 

All this can make the 12-week scan feel pretty emotionally loaded. It’s normal to feel a little bit anxious or overwhelmed, but you’re not alone. This is a great time to ask your doctor any questions you have. 

Week 9

At 9 weeks pregnant, your baby is developing a tongue and even taste buds. They’ll also be able to open their mouths. 

Their hands and feet are also developing this week, with little ridges appearing where their fingers and toes will be. Your baby’s muscles are forming too, making them look more like a baby. However, they’re still a bit top-heavy at this stage, with their head taking up half the length of their body. 

Week 10

Your baby’s face is looking more like themself at 10 weeks pregnant, with their ears, upper lip, nostrils, and jawbones all developing this week. Speaking of bones, their soft cartilage is now bone cells and will continue to harden over the coming weeks. 

Until now, your baby’s fingers and toes were webbed, but this week, they will separate. Their arms, hands, fingers, feet, and toes are now fully formed. 

Plus, your baby can now bend their elbows and make their first movements inside you. But don’t panic if you haven’t noticed — you won’t be able to feel them moving just yet as they’re so small. 

Week 11

At 11 weeks pregnant, your baby can move their ankles and knees as well as their elbows — not that you’ll be able to feel anything. They may also start exploring opening and closing their fists and mouth. They’re gaining lots of tools to express themselves, as their voice box is starting to form this week.

The bones in their face are all formed now, but their developing eyelids are currently closed. They’ll be able to open them in a few months, at around 27 weeks pregnant.

By the end of this pregnancy week, your baby’s genitals will start developing. They won’t be visible on a scan, though. A health care professional will be able to tell which sex they are during your 20-week ultrasound if you’d like to find out. 

Week 12

You might still be in your 1st trimester, but all your baby’s organs, limbs, bones, and muscles are present at 12 weeks pregnant. 

This week, your baby’s liver starts producing bile (a yellowish-green fluid that helps with digestion). Your baby is also starting to practice digesting things by drinking amniotic fluid. In addition to providing your baby with a protective cushion, the amniotic fluid helps them practice using their respiratory and digestive systems as they breathe in and swallow the fluid. 

At 12 weeks pregnant, your baby is also starting to move their hands more and can even suck their thumb. Not only that, but this week, they’ll grow very small fingernails. 

Week 13

Your baby’s testes or ovaries are fully developed inside of them at 13 weeks pregnant. Their digestive system also continues to mature — until now, it’s been growing outside of your baby’s body, but it now sits inside their abdomen. 

This week, your baby’s kidneys have developed, and they are able to start peeing. They release their first urine into the amniotic fluid that surrounds them. In fact, by 20 weeks pregnant, most of the amniotic fluid will be made up of their urine.

Symptoms you might experience when 3 months pregnant

At 3 months pregnant, you may be in the thick of 1st-trimester pregnancy symptoms. That’s because most symptoms are caused by an increase in hormones, and one of these hormones — human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) — peaks at around 10 weeks. 

But every pregnancy is unique, and not everyone will get early pregnancy symptoms — so don’t panic if you don’t feel all that different. If you do get symptoms, some of the most common ones in the 1st trimester are:  

Nausea and vomiting

If you’ve been experiencing “morning sickness,” you probably know by now that, in reality, it can strike at any time of day or night. Eating small meals regularly can help, and some people find ginger helps keep the pregnancy nausea and vomiting from recurring.

Fatigue

Your body is working to develop your baby, so it’s normal to feel exhausted. Make sure you get as much rest as you need. 

Needing to pee more often

Your growing uterus might press against your bladder, leading you to feel like you need to pee all the time. You might also find you need to pee more as the amount of blood circulating in your body increases during pregnancy. Your kidneys have to process and filter this extra blood, which can impact how much you need to pee. 

Breast changes

Your breasts might feel bigger or tender. You may also have noticed your areolas have become darker, your boobs look more veiny, or your nipples look different. 

Skin changes

Pregnancy hormones can cause the skin to produce more oil, leading some people to experience acne during the 1st trimester.

Mood swings

It’s normal to feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster this trimester thanks to hormonal changes. If you feel tearful one minute and then calm and happy the next, you’re not alone. 

Constipation

High levels of progesterone can slow down your digestive system and lead to constipation. Try eating foods with lots of fiber (like fresh fruit and vegetables) and drinking plenty of fluids. 

Heartburn

Pregnancy hormones can relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus, causing stomach acid to leak through and lead to heartburn. Things that can help include: 

• Eating smaller meals
• Avoiding lying down after meals
• Not eating fried foods, citrus fruits, chocolate, or spicy foods 

Food aversions and/or cravings

Hormonal changes can also cause your sense of taste to change while pregnant. Whether you suddenly feel repulsed at the thought of anything with garlic or the urge to eat more ice cream than usual, it’s all normal. 

More vaginal discharge

You may have noticed more vaginal discharge than usual. Discharge during pregnancy might be: 

• Clear or white
• Without a strong or unpleasant smell
• Sticky or slippery and wet 

If you’re struggling with any of these symptoms, hang in there. As this month comes to a close, some people find they start to feel better, explains Dr. White. “Around this time, bothersome 1st-trimester symptoms may be starting to improve,” she says. “This includes an improvement in nausea, fatigue, and breast tenderness.”

Taking care of yourself during the 1st trimester and beyond

It might feel like you’ve had an overload of advice and information at 3 months pregnant, but Dr. White explains that there are some practical steps you can take. She says you can consider:  

• Continue your routine prenatal care. At this point, your appointments will be about every four weeks, and you may have your scan booked. 
• Make sure you drink lots of water. 
• Get good rest each night.
• Continue or start to exercise if you have energy and are able. 

You might notice that your pregnancy symptoms subside as you move into the 2nd trimester. “There can be an improvement in some of the symptoms you had in the 1st trimester, but new symptoms can occur, such as headaches, round ligament pain, and muscle cramps,” adds Dr. White. 

Understanding the changes that could be happening in your body may help you feel more in control. It may also help you to feel more prepared for what’s to come. A pregnancy-tracking app like Flo is one great way to find out about any new symptoms and how to manage them. And if you’re struggling to cope or have any concerns about your pregnancy, remember to reach out to a health care professional for support.