Choosing Baby Names

Take Your Time
The worst thing you could do when choosing a baby name is to rush into it. Settling for second best may affect you and your child for a lifetime! Don't commit yourself to the first name that you fancy. Keep searching until you find a name that you are 110% happy with. And don't forget that you don't need to have a name for your baby before birth. Some parents have been known to wait 2 or 3 weeks before deciding on that perfect name.

What Does it Mean?
Some parents don't really care for the meaning of their baby's name, where as others base their decision solely around it. But, in our opinion a quick check couldn't hurt. Do you really want your big strong boy to have a name that means "pretty flower"? If you have a meaning in mind, but don't know what names contain that meaning, visit our baby names and meanings database.

Spelling
Try to make sure you don't choose a name that ends with the same letter that your last name begins with. This can sometimes make pronunciation a challenge. There are some exceptions to this rule, but in general it is best to keep it in mind when choosing a baby name. Try it for yourself and you'll see what we mean. Letters like "l" and "s" are especially bad.

Say it Out Loud
Instead of referring to your unborn baby as he or she or "the baby", try using one of the names that you like for a week or so. Saying it out loud and using it in common sentences will give you a better idea of how much you really like the name. Don't forget, some names look great when written on paper, but sound terrible off the tongue.

12 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations! You have entered into the second trimester. If you haven’t announced your pregnancy, now is a good of time as any. Some women may feel a sense of relief as they enter into the second trimester. They may relax more and start to enjoy being pregnant. Some women may have started to show while others may not. Don’t be alarmed if you don’t see any physical changes, the important thing is that the internal changes are developing at a nice pace.

Physically, you will start to feel less nausea and less tired. It is still best not to exert yourself but do everything in moderation. You will see your energy levels increase, now would be a good time to implement an exercise program such as low impact aerobics or yoga. By starting a moderate exercise program you can stay healthy during the pregnancy. Exercise during the pregnancy will also help your body recover quicker than someone who did not exercise.

Baby’s Development

As you enter into the second trimester, the baby is growing quickly in the 12th week of pregnancy. The brain will start producing hormones and the nerve cells are multiplying very quickly. The baby will start to suck and swallow food. The kidneys will start to actually produce urine as opposed to amniotic fluid. If things are progressing the baby will grow in size and in length.

11 Weeks Pregnant

You are now one week away from completing your first trimester. You should be feeling a sense of relief. The morning sickness should all have disappeared and the fatigue you may have experienced is subsiding as well. You should be slowly gaining weight; doctors recommend by the first three months a weight gain of 3 to 4 pounds is a good place to start.

Don’t be discouraged if it turns out that you gained a bit more or less. Some women tend to lose weight in the first trimester due to morning sickness. Your doctor is monitoring your weight and they will let you know if they think the weight is too much or too little.

In this stage of pregnancy, this would be the best time to travel if you have any plans to do so. Once you are in the third trimester, it is not recommended that you travel far or travel often. So the second trimester is the best time to do so. You will start to see your stomach expanding a little bit. The more the uterus grows the more you will start to show. Try to include your partner in everything that you are feeling, they cannot experience the changes that are happening so it would make them feel more included if you were to share your experiences.

Baby’s Development

At week eleven of your pregnancy, the baby is completely formed and will continue to grow and develop until the day the baby is born. The baby’s head becomes a major part of the baby; in fact the baby’s head is about half the length of the body. The fingers and toes are separated completely and the baby’s bones are starting to harden. If you look at the sonogram, you will see that the skin is still transparent.