Pregnancy Second Trimester: What You Need To Know

Hello, all the pregnant mummies on the block…! You’re welcome to the second trimester of your pregnancy. By the time you embrace the second stage of your motherhood, the fog of your early pregnancy symptoms will be gone. However, every pregnancy is different and it may not be necessary for every mom to feel the same way. During this phase, you will observe some big changes occurring in you and your baby growing inside you. So, here’s what you can expect and do in this trimester:

Second Trimester: What Do You Expect?

The second trimester of your pregnancy starts from the 14^th week and ends around the 27^th week. In this phase, your whole body is working hard to accommodate your growing baby in your womb. Here are the signs and symptoms of it:

• As you move on from the early symptoms of pregnancy, you might not be able to stay away from the feeling of light-headedness or dizziness, at this juncture. The rising hormones and falling blood pressure are responsible for it.
• In this phase of your pregnancy, you might feel swollen in the hands, face, hip, back, and pelvis region. The soaring hormones, fluid retention, and increased blood flow are responsible for it. 
• The belly during your pregnancy or baby bump will not appear in the first trimester, but it will start showing in the second trimester of your pregnancy. Aren’t you feeling excited to show your baby bump? 
• But, off late, aren’t you feeling a little forgetful? That day you forgot where you had kept the cupboard keys. Then, a few days back, you had forgotten your partner’s phone number, while giving it to your neighbour. This is not just simple forgetfulness. This is “pregnancy brain.” This can’t happen because your sleep tricked you last night. This is because your hormones are playing a trick on you. 
• As your pregnancy flows, there is an increased blood flow in your body. Due to this, you might be feeling hot and sometimes even sweaty.
• While your body is busy developing your baby, your little one can make his or her presence feel with those little flutters. In the 18^th week of your pregnancy, the baby inside you may be as big as sweet red bell pepper. Around the 21^st week, your little one will be active and you can feel the movement of your baby. Moving ahead,  your little one will put on some weight, grow his or her hair, nails, and skin, and develop the sense organs like ears, and heart as well as the digestive system. 
• Remember, with your baby’s growth and development, you might feel like you’ll be hogging on your food as you’ll feel hungrier. However, be careful of the weight gain along the way.
• Additionally, for the common odds of gestational diabetes, and pre-eclampsia you might very well consult your doctor.   

Second Trimester: What To Do?

The second trimester may sound more comfortable for you than the first trimester. But, for the slightest discomfort taking care of your health and the health of your baby is your priority. Therefore, take these precautions: 

• Check with your doctor about the healthy progression of your pregnancy and the health of your baby.
• Take the flu shots.
• To reduce the weight of the uterus, you can lie down on your side. This will automatically increase your back pain.
• Besides these, do the right kind of exercise. For instance, doing the Kegels can be helpful.
• As you nourish your baby, little by little every day, you can fuel up your body and belly with nutritious meals to help him or her grow and develop. Include the right kind of pregnancy diet in your second trimester. Remember not to have uncooked food or seafood.
• Stay hydrated.
• Take enough rest.

Does The Second Trimester’s List of Things To Do End There?

No! There is more to it. You can have a lot of fun and be creative during this time. How? Here’s how:

• This is the time when attending antenatal classes with your partner would be fun. 
• You can take some time with your partner to plan a babymoon somewhere – maybe a hill station or the sea.
• You can even think of having a baby shower. You may not be a part of the event, but you can always let the planners know what themes you are looking for.
• Take some cute photos of your baby bump and start writing a journal for your baby. You can read the journal to your baby after he or she’s born.
• This is also the time when you start learning about the benefits of cord blood banking. After all, by banking your baby’s precious stem cells, you can safeguard your health and your family’s healthy future.

Take care and enjoy your pregnancy!