What to Expect During the Second Trimester of Pregnancy?

Congratulations Mom-to-be! The difficult phase of pregnancy is completed and you have now entered the ‘honeymoon’ phase!

This is called the honeymoon phase because you feel less nauseous, notice reduced hunger pangs resulting in more energy. People will start complimenting you for your glow now. Enjoy them!

Your baby bump may be slightly visible now just in time for you to share the news with the world. Go ahead, search a rooftop and shout out to the world.

How long is your second trimester?

The second trimester kicks in when you step foot into Week 13 taking you all the way up to Week 27. With the arrival of the second trimester, your pregnancy-related symptoms will also take a bit of a backseat.

You can almost kiss goodbye to nausea, odd hunger pangs, tender breasts and gain more zeal to deal with your pregnancy. You would have gained your appetite and started getting more food cravings. Well, munch on them guilt-free. Just be cautious not to eat raw or undercooked meat so that you can avoid stomach infections.

What to expect in terms of your body?

While the tiring and incessant nausea might have reduced, there are few things you can expect during this trimester.

●       Back pain, pain in the thigh area

●       Stretch marks may start in a light way on your abdomen, buttocks, thighs and breast

●       Your nipple area grows darker

●       Carpal tunnel syndrome: Tingling or numb feeling in hands

●       Itching on your abdomen area because the skin is stretching to make room for your growing uterus

●       Swelling of ankles, feet, fingers and sometimes face as well

●       Linea Nigra: The line you can notice from belly button to pubic line

But, hey, Cheer up! It’s not just these symptoms. There’s a whole of good things happening too. 

●       Glowing skin

●       Thick, lustrous mane

●       Cute little  bump

●       Renewed energy

●       Food cravings

●       Reduced mood swings

●       Reduced nausea

Now that you have an idea on what to expect in terms of your body changes, let’s see what to expect with respect to your growing baby.

What to expect in terms of your growing baby?

Your baby is at its most active during this trimester. Right about at Week 20, most moms-to-be feel their baby’s kicks. But worry not, some take longer to experience them.

Your baby which starts at the size of lemon grows up to the size of lettuce during the second trimester. Weighing in at 28 grams, you can expect the baby to grow up to 2 lbs (0.91kgs).

Remember the heart beats you heard during the first-trimester scan, that tiny little heart is working more now to pump blood to all other developing organs in your baby’s body inside your womb. Few other things that you can expect during this trimester are:

●       The musculoskeletal system continues to form

●       Formation of skin starts and is almost translucent

●       Meconium, which is your baby’s future first poop, starts developing in baby’s intestinal tract

●       Your baby now starts learning how to suck their thumb. This is in preparation for them to start sucking on your breasts as soon as they are born

There’s a whole lot of other exciting things happening which you can use to bond with your baby while they are in the womb.

●       You may want to start talking to your baby. They can hear your voice now.

●       Your baby has now started developing taste buds which means they can also swallow the food you consume and get a taste of different varieties of food.

●       Your baby is very active during the second trimester and kicks more.

●       By Week 20, you would have successfully completed halfway mark of your pregnancy.

●       Eyebrows, eyelashes, fingernails, toenails are also developing. Ouch, let’s hope your baby does not scratch their face.

●       If you notice your baby has a regular sleep cycle now.

So, relax and chill Mom-to-be. Eat well, take ample rest and enjoy the most wonderful phase of pregnancy.

Few things you can check with your doctor on your next visit:

●       Check what exercises need to be done

●       Have you gained enough weight?

●       When is your anomaly scan due?

●       What foods need to be avoided during this phase of pregnancy?

●       Which blood tests and prenatal screening tests need to be done?

●       Check for Stem Cell Banking & its benefits.

●       Be an early bird and enrol for stem cell banking.

Many stem cell banks in India offer early bird enrolment offers. Pioneers of stem cell banking: LifeCell International have multiple storage plans and pocket-friendly payment options with low-cost EMI, zero down payment, zero processing fee and 0% interest rates.

These help you make a wise investment in your baby and family’s healthy future without having to worry about added financial expenses.

Dear Mom-to-be: Stay Happy, Stay Healthy!