Your second trimester is the most comfortable period of your pregnancy. Your morning sickness has hopefully abated and your bump may be looking more pronounced by now…or it may not. Either way, it’s okay. While some of your pregnancy is unique, many developments are common. Here’s what you can expect during this middle trimester:
WEEKS 14-16:
What’s happening to you?
You can breathe a sigh of relief – you’ll be more energetic, your breasts will be less tender, and you’ll find some of your morning sickness subsiding. Between now and 22 weeks, you’ll have those special baby movements to look forward to!
What’s happening to baby?
Your baby is the size of a lemon or an apple. Their liver starts producing bile and their spleen is producing red blood cells. You might be able to identify their sex with a good amount of certainty on the ultrasound at 15 weeks. Your little one is about to double in weight and their heart is pumping about 23.5 litres of blood per day.
WEEKS 17-20:
What’s happening to you?
By 17 weeks, you might feel a little off-balance as your centre of gravity changes and your blood pressure lowers, causing dizziness. Around week 19, excess oestrogen may increase pigmentation on your face, palms, underarms, inner thigh, nipples, and vulva, so be sure to wear sunscreen when exposed to the sun. Your blood volume will be expanding, so be sure to eat lots of iron-rich foods such as meat, fish and leafy greens.
What’s happening to baby?
Their skeleton is changing from cartilage to bone and myelin is forming to protect their nerves. If your little one is a girl, their uterus and fallopian tubes are forming. If they’re a boy, their genitals start to become visible. Their limbs become proportional to the rest of their body and their senses start to develop.
WEEKS 21-24:
What’s happening to you?
Unfortunately the break was short and sweet. At this point in your pregnancy, acne may flare and your veins may become visible or pronounced with the occasional backache. This is a good time to take care of your skin and moisturise with Purity® & Elizabeth Anne’s Stretchmark Cream, as stretch marks may begin to develop. If you experience severe or sudden swelling during this stage, it might be an early sign of preeclampsia- a complication that causes high blood pressure, kidney damage and other problems. Consult your doctor immediately.
What’s happening to baby?
At this stage, your baby is about the size of a mango. Their lips, eyelids and eyebrows have become more defined. Their lungs and brain are developing to become more complex and their hearing is improving.
WEEKS 25-27:
What’s happening to you?
Your blood pressure usually increases during this time, which makes it a sensitive time for developing preeclampsia. Look out for the signs, such as severe headaches, changes in vision, pain under your ribs, nausea or vomiting, or shortness of breath. If any of these occur, consult your doctor. Braxton-Hicks contractions may start around this time – these are intermittent uterine contractions that start now and occur more often the further along you are. They’re sometimes hard to distinguish from early signs of pre-term labour, so it might be a good idea to check with your doctor.
What’s happening to baby?
Your baby is now the length of a spring onion and weighs the same as a cauliflower head. They’re starting to put on baby fat and their hair is starting to grow. Their hearing ability has increased and they’re able to hear outside voices whilst being able to open and close their eyes. By this stage your little girl’s vagina has developed and your little boy’s testicles start dropping.
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