What to expect in your second trimester? Here’s How to prepare for it!
Second Trimester Once you’ve made it through your first trimester,a lot of you will ease into the pleasant growth during ...
Learn to love your stretch mark!
Overview of that week
You’ve got a very close eavesdropper who is listening to you constantly now. So, make sure to be more pleasant to their ears when you talk. Your baby will be able to hear your heartbeat, your voice and even your partner’s voice.
Most clear noise to your baby right now is the sound of your stomach and the blood circulation. If there is a loud noise outside your stomach your baby will hear it and it might irritate or startle your baby. So stay away from loud noises.
Baby development
Baby weighs about 460 grams and is a bit more than 11 inches long. The sense of touch is becoming stronger in your baby as it develops. Your baby might be able to touch their own skin with their fingers and get the sense of touch.
For the next couple of weeks your baby will be busy learning new tricks that you will see as soon as your baby gets delivered like grabbing and holding things. Their coordination is getting stronger due to the ability to hear. Soon with their new found ability to see, they will be even more balanced and coordinated.
Body changes and symptoms in mother
You might start noticing your first stretch marks this week as your baby starts filling up your belly.You will also feel increased discomfort and backache due to a growing belly.
Heartburn
Your belly is growing upwards after you reach the mid of your pregnancy. The space in your stomach gets invaded by the uterus. Additionally, the hormones also cause the muscles in your esophagus to relax. This will result in acid reflux after you have a meal. It will become more and more common as you get more pregnant.
Soreness
Your baby is rapidly growing and so is your body to accommodate all the development in your baby. This rapid change in the body might cause some parts in the body to get a bit sore and tender at times. Most of the time, your back and legs are affected. Try not to over exert your body in physical activities to avoid putting additional pressure on the body.
Hot flashes
An increase in metabolism might make you feel like you can breathe at all. You might sweat constantly even when you are wearing light clothes. Try to make yourself comfortable by staying at a cool place and turn on the fan or air condition if you need to.
Swollen feet
You might notice this week that your feet are swollen and bigger than your normal size. It might cause issues if you can’t fit into your shoes if they don’t shrink after some time.
What should you do and don’t
- Use moisturizing lotions to ease the discomfort and itching. They might not get rid of the stretch marks but it helps reduce the discomfort.
- It is the best time to join parenting classes. Don’t wait for the last moment to learn about the important lessons.
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that don’t aggravate your swelling and soreness. Wear loose clothing to stay comfortable during the summer or hot flashes.
- Use a to-do list to remember important things if you are becoming more forgetful due to tiredness.
- Use body support gear, pregnancy pillows and neck pillows to support your posture and avoid standing for too long.