Second Trimester

Pregnancy Week By Week - Week 14

Hooray for the second trimester! Hopefully you are feeling much better, and actually starting to ‘look’ pregnant! Enjoy the next 12-13 weeks, where you will have more energy, without the big bump. Celebrate this pregnancy milestone with a little ‘you’ time. Grab a pint of ice cream, a movie, and some body cream to stop those stretch marks in their tracks.

Meanwhile your body is making some adjustments in order to make room for your growing uterus. You may feel some slight pulling sensations around your abdomen over the next few weeks. This is your ligaments stretching, so no worries!

Your baby is now developing fingerprints, and inside her little intestine meconium is building up. She is building up muscle tone by moving around, and weighs almost one ounce, and is 3.5 inches long! During the next few weeks the brain begins to rapidly develop.

Tip

Take advantage of the fact that you are feeling ok. Perhaps a weekend getaway with your loved one? Or how about a day at the spa? At the very least you should stock upon on some beauty products – you deserve a little spoiling after all your hard work!

Pregnancy Week By Week - Week 15

Before long your belly is going to become a nuisance in the bedroom, so now is a good time to stock up on a pregnancy pillow to help you stay comfortable. You may have already noticed that laying on your right side or your back is uncomfortable, that’s because the weight of your uterus is putting pressure on your vena cava( the vein that returns blood to the heart). A pillow can help you lay ‘sort of’ on your back or right side, so you can be comfortable without cutting off circulation!

Baby is making some serious movements inside his little nest, however it will likely still be a few weeks before you feel anything. He has a neck too! And eyebrows and eyelashes are forming. The eyes are formed, and although his eyelids are still shut he can sense light – in case you like to stand in front of a lamp all day!

Tip

You likely have a few friends who are moms – talk to them. They’ll have great advice on prams, breast pumps, cots and where to find great deals on clothes, so you don’t have to figure out everything yourself. And they may even throw a few freebies your way!

Pregnancy Week By Week - Week 16

Some love it, and some hate it – the super smell power. While no one really knows why, women around this time in their pregnancy get an almost inhuman ability to smell. This may mean that you can’t walk past the local pizza place without stopping for a slice, or that you co-worker’s perfume makes you want to vomit. Along with this amazing (yet mostly useless) ability you also may be prone to nasal congestion and nosebleeds. Oh well.

What else is new? Well, your boobs my now be approaching porn-star status, and while you may think that everyone on the bus is admiring your barely discernable baby bump, the truth is their looking somewhat north of there. Rein those puppies in with a good maternity bra, otherwise you may end up with a sore back from lugging them around all day!

As for baby news, this week your baby is practicing facial expressions, which she will use to her advantage for the rest of her life (particularly the eyelash-batting please can I have some sweets mummy, please?). By the end of the week baby has reached 4 to 5 inches in length and weighs about three ounces – not bad!

Tips

If you already have children, now would be a good time to talk about what’s going to happen when their little brother or sister comes along. Where will they sleep? What else will happen? Preparing your kids is important, so they don’t feel like the rug’s been swept out from under them when the screaming, crying, pooping bundle of joy comes home.

Pregnancy Week By Week - Week 17

Around this time you may feel a little flutter, like butterflies under the skin, or bubbles. That’s your baby! While you’re probably eager to share this incredible, miraculous moment with your partner, odds are it will be another few weeks before other people can feel it. Just enjoy having it to yourself for a little bit longer.

Are you gaining enough weight? Too much? Too little? The average weight gain is 12-15kg in pregnancy, and most of this occurs in the third trimester.

Your baby is 5 ounces, can you believe it? He’s been putting on some fat over the last week, so he can come out all cute and chubby. He’s also about 5 inches long and is growing fingernails! Better buy a good nail clipper…

Tip

The bane of every pregnant women’s existence is (scary music here) – stretch marks. These unsightly buggers can pop up wherever there is rapid growth which causes stretching of the skin, resulting in scar-like pink ribbons around the breasts, stomach, hips and buttocks. It can help to keep these areas moisturized, so pick up a good quality lotion or stretch mark cream.

Pregnancy Week By Week - Week 18

Don’t worry if you haven’t felt the baby move yet, it will happen in its own time. For most first-time moms it can take up to 22 weeks before baby’s movements are strong enough to feel. So relax, and have another scoop of chunky money!

Your little guy or gal now has fully functioning ears, and can hear you! Spend time talking to your bump and bonding with your baby. Your baby’s little bones are hardening, and the senses are developing. The little baby is now about 6 ounces and 5 ½ inches long, not much but definitely getting bigger!

Tip

Hungry? Not surprising, what with the baby’s grown, placenta, blood volume, breast tissue and fat cells. Try to keep some healthy snacks around, so you don’t always run to the corner store for chips and chocolate bars. Veggies, fruit, and nuts are a good alternative, and can ride around in your purse, awaiting for your next snack attack!