3 Months Pregnant: What to Expect During Pregnancy

At 3 months pregnant, you’re in the last month of your first trimester!

This is an exciting time because your little embryo has now officially become a fetus.

This means all of their internal organs, muscles, and bones are in place.

(Isn’t that incredible?)

So while there’s still a lot of growing to be done, the groundwork is there.

Got some questions?

Sure, you do!

Let’s answer them for you.

In this article: 📝

How many weeks is 3 months pregnant?

Most pregnancies are about 40 weeks long (though they can be both longer and shorter — every pregnancy is different).

This makes dividing a pregnancy into months kinda tricky.

On average, being 3 months pregnant usually means that you’re between 9 and 12 weeks into your pregnancy.

Sometimes, this extends to 13 weeks.

At the end of this month, you’re a third of the way toward meeting your baby!

Can you get a false negative pregnancy test at 3 months?

This is a bit of a weird one.

Technically, yes, you can get a 3-month negative pregnancy test and still be pregnant.

It’s rare, but it does happen.

Getting a false negative result at this stage is often a result of something known as the hook effect.

It’s when a pregnancy test detects too much of the hCG hormone in your urine.

You’ve got too much hCG and you’re negative!?

Yeah, we know, it’s weird.

It just means that the levels of hCG overwhelm the antigen: antibody ratio in the test, and you get the wrong result.

If you think you might be pregnant but your urine tests are still coming back negative, a blood test with your doctor will let you know for sure.

➡️ Get all the info: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy Tests

What should I be feeling at 3 months pregnant?

Here are some common 3 months pregnant symptoms (remember that you might not experience them all):

Pregnancy nausea 🤢

Hopefully, this will start to ease during your third month, and ideally, it won’t be around much longer at all.

Some nausea is still very normal, unfortunately.

Fatigue 🥱

Still feeling worn out?

That’s par for the course, too.

If possible, listen to your body when it tells you to rest, and try some light to moderate exercise if you can.

This might sound counterintuitive, but doing some exercise is likely to make you sleep better and, in turn, feel more rested.

Vaginal discharge 💦

You’re likely to have slightly more vaginal discharge than normal around this time.

Don’t worry, it’s just your pregnancy hormones doing their thing.

If it’s clear or whitish and doesn’t have a bad smell, it’s nothing to worry about.

Fabulous hair 💁‍♀️

Finally!

This is what you’ve been waiting for.

Around 3 months, you may start noticing that your hair is thicker, shinier, and healthier than it’s ever looked.

We’ve got estrogen to thank for this one!

Maybe those pregnancy hormones aren’t all bad.

Scrambled eggs for brains 😵‍💫

Pregnancy brain is a thing.

And around the 3-month mark is when you’re likely to notice it the most.

Changes to your breasts 🍒

Darker areolas?

Protruding nipples?

Yep, pregnancy often causes obvious changes to your breasts.

They’re slowly getting ready to feed your baby.

Constipation 🚫

Constipation is a common side effect around this time, and it’s likely that both your pregnancy hormones and prenatal vitamins are at fault.

Try and deal with this one by upping your fibre intake: lots of fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains are the way to go.

Can your belly show at 3 months pregnant?

We know you’re desperate to announce your baby to the world, but usually, 3 months is still a little early to show off a bump, especially if this is your first pregnancy.

When you show varies a lot from pregnancy to pregnancy and tends to depend on whether you’ve been pregnant before, and your weight, height, and core strength.

Typically, baby bumps start to show at around 16–20 weeks.

But if your 3 months pregnant belly is already starting to become a proper baby bump, that’s normal, too.

Start shopping for some new maternity clothes and enjoy it, mama!

Can you feel a baby at 3 months?

We know that this is another big milestone you’re looking forward to, but it’s very unlikely that you’ll feel your baby move just yet.

Fetal movement is usually only noticeable from week 16.

Another month or so, and you’ll be receiving regular jabs and punches from that little kickboxer inside of you.

How large is a 3-month-old fetus?

Towards the end of your first trimester, at about 12 weeks, your baby is about the size of a lemon. 🍋

Hopefully, you’ll see a nice clear image of your peanut at your 3 months pregnant ultrasound, which usually happens somewhere between 8 and 14 weeks.

What does a baby do at 3 months in the womb?

Your 3 months pregnant fetus is up to all sorts of things right now:

• Their fingers and toes are starting to form, as are their skin and nails.
  
• Their sex organs are developing, too.
  
• Their little bones are starting to harden, except for their backbone — that one’s still soft.
  
• Believe it or not, one of the things your baby is doing a lot right now is squinting. (Yes, that’s right, they’re putting those facial muscles to the test.)
  
• Their kidneys are also starting to make urine, and their sweat glands are starting to form.
  
• They might also be sucking their thumb and hiccuping.
  
• The memory and problem-solving parts of their brain are developing. 🤯

➡️ Curious about what happens after this? Check out our Guide to Your Second Trimester

Things to think about

The 3-month mark is quite a milestone.

Your chances of pregnancy loss are a lot lower after this time.

This means that it’s a good time to start thinking about a few other aspects of this exciting journey:

Run any other necessary tests 🩺

Given your personal or medical history, are there any tests that your doctor recommends?

Speak to them if you have any concerns or questions.

Share the news 📣

If you haven’t told friends or family yet, now might be a good time.

But this is a very personal decision, and it’s entirely up to you who you tell — and when.

➡️ After some inspo? Check out our Ultimate List of Pregnancy Announcement Ideas

Look into maternity leave 💼

If you’re working, this is an important one to look into soon-ish.

Does your company have a maternity policy in place?

Is there a particular point at which you need to let them know about your pregnancy so that you can apply for maternity leave?

Speak to your HR department if you need some answers.

➡️ Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered: Preparing for Maternity Leave: 9 Steps for Success

Chat with your partner 💞

Pregnancy is a big deal, and brings up different emotions at different times.

If you’re navigating it with a partner, keep chatting!

Are you talking about how you’re feeling?

Are they sharing their thoughts?

Make sure to touch base from time to time.

Well done on getting through your first trimester.

From here on, things are likely to get easier in some ways (that nausea should pass! 🤞) and a lot more real in others (your baby bump is on its way 🤰).

We’re with you every step of the way.

Just reach out to your Peanut Community if you need some help.