You can finally begin to enjoy pregnancy! Most of the ailments of the first trimester will pass, and instead... you'll be able to hear your baby's first kicks. Well-being and good looks - this is how the three months in the middle of your pregnancy can be described in short. This is the period which women usually describe as the best one during the whole pregnancy. The phase between 14 and 28 weeks is much calmer than first trimester. Although this doesn't mean that the future mum doesn't have any ailments, she now copes much better with them. This is greatly down to hormones which now cause the woman to feel much more positive about the changes in pregnancy, than during the first months after conception.
Pregnancy has become stabilised and the risk of miscarriage has almost decreased to zero. Your uterus shifts up, which can result in developing heartburn. From the fourth month on, the future mum starts to gain weight regularly (about 2 kg per month). There is also some good news: your sexual drive increases.
What's happening inside?The baby is growing faster and faster. He sleeps, kicks, does somersaults. He trains his digestive system by drinking the amniotic fluid and passing them with urine. At the end of the fourth month he will already be about 11 cm long and weigh about 100 g.
Attention! The increasing body weight of the future mum can burden her spine. I order to prevent back ache, it's a good idea to start swimming or sign up at stretching classes. Yoga for expecting mums is also a great idea.
The growing belly may cause stretchmarks on the skin - they can be relieved with pregnancy cosmetics. If you feel contractions in your uterus, you should consult your doctor. These so called Braxton-Hicks contractions need to be checked, even if they are painless, as they could indicate the beginning of cervical insufficiency, which can cause premature birth.
What's happening inside?A fatty coat starts to cover your baby. He develops organs of hearing - he can now hear muffled sounds from the world on the other side of the belly. He can react to loud noises with energetic kicks that can be felt by the woman. The baby is now about 20 cm long and weighs about 450 g.
Attention! From the fifth month on, the future mum should avoid sleeping on her back (the uterus can press the vena cava, and cause that less blood will be transported to the fetus).
You may develop first signs of swelling. In order to prevent them, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly. During this period it is extremely important to take care of proper diet, rich in iron (you can find it in red meat, strawberries, spinach, beans, etc.). At the end of the second trimester, the blood volume increases, but at the same time occurs a disproportionate increase in plasma volume in relation to the red cell volumes, which can lead to anaemia and, subsequently, premature birth.
What's happening inside? The baby's internal organs develop. His eyelids open and he becomes sensitive to light. The baby entertains himself by sucking his thumb or playing with the umbilical cord. He already weighs over half a kilo.
Attention! This is the last moment to sign up at antenatal classes. The course usually takes from a few to a dozen meetings, once a week. You might not have time for it during the third trimester.