The second trimester (weeks 13-27 or 4-6 months) is the part of your pregnancy you've likely been looking forward to, especially if you had a lot of negative symptoms during the first trimester. As you enter the second trimester, many of these symptoms will fade and you will begin feeling like yourself again. For many, the second trimester is the easiest part of your pregnancy.
Use this extra energy to prepare for your baby's arrival! If you are working, take the time to determine your maternity leave plan with your employer. Start looking into childcare options, too.
Even though you are feeling better, there are still a lot of changes happening in your body!
What is Happening to Your Body?
Your baby is growing quickly during the second trimester. By the 20th week, you'll be halfway through your pregnancy. The changes in your body will start to become much more obvious in the coming weeks. Here are a few symptoms you may have in the next few weeks.
- breast enlargement
- headaches
- congestion and nosebleeds
- quickening- feeling the baby move
- skin changes- the pregnancy glow
Doctor's Visits
Regular visits to your doctor remain important during the second trimester. You'll get to hear your baby's heartbeat during visits, and your doctor will measure the growth of your uterus. Be sure to discuss any questions you have at each visit.
Between your 18th and 22nd week, you'll likely have another ultrasound. During this ultrasound you will be able to determine the sex of the baby, unless you want to keep it a secret. More importantly, the technician will be checking in to see how your baby is progressing.
What is Happening to Your Baby?
During the second trimester, your baby grows from the size of a peach to the size of a cauliflower. Finding out the sex of the baby is something many women look forward to, but there is a lot more development going on in there. Here are some second trimester milestones!
- fingers and toes developed
- fingerprints
- growing hair
- nervous system development
- urine forms
- bones becoming more dense
- fat stores develop
- reproductive organs and genitalia formed
- can hear and responds to your voice
- moving around
- can suck thumb, yawn, and move around