Bleeding gums may be a strange pregnancy side effect you’re experiencing this week. We find out what causes this and how you can treat them. Our 'too embarrassed to ask' question this week covers sex toys in pregnancy! Plus, we guide you through putting a shopping list of the things you’ll need together and balance those books with our cost calculator tool.

The Parent Pod is hosted by Lucy Toseland-Bolton and Claire Mutimer, both mums to young children and both BabyCentre parents. It is produced by BabyCentre UK and Tin Shed Productions. Download all 48 episodes now.

BabyCentre UK has hundreds of pages covering conception, pregnancy, birth and parenting at babycentre.co.uk. You can also follow BabyCentre UK on Facebook @facebook.com/BabyCentreUK, Instagram @instagram.com/babycentre, Pinterest @pinterest.co.uk/babycentre, Twitter @twitter.com/babycentreuk and YouTube @youtube.com/babycentre

BabyCenter is one of the most popular pregnancy and parenting resources in the world. The website, app, social media platforms and regular email bulletins offer medically-evidenced based information for those trying to conceive, parents-to-be, as well as mums and dads once their baby has arrived.

Sign up for weekly emailed bulletins and download the BabyCentre app through the App Store or Google Play to follow your pregnancy week-by-week through to the first year of your baby’s life.

If you're interested in reading more about some of the topics in this episode, the following links may be useful:

Your pregnancy at 12 weeks

12 weeks pregnant: fetal development

Baby costs calculator

CREDIT: 'Trumpet1' by Harbour 11 under Creative Commons Licence https://freesound.org/s/194625/

Disclaimer: The podcasts don’t replace medical advice and you should always speak to your own doctor, midwife or clinician if you have any concerns.

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