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Article provided by Kidspot - http://www.kids
You've made it to the second trimester. Chances are the morning sickness is starting to subside, you feel more radiant and your skin is glowing. You'll soon start to feel the first flutters of your baby's moving. Our week by week guide will help you with getting organised and taking care of yourself and your growing baby.
The second trimester takes you through weeks 14-26.
Your Pregnancy - Week 14
You
This week you are exiting the first trimester and beginning the second trimester. One third of your pregnancy journey is completed. By now, pregnancy hormones are levelling off. This means less nausea, less frequent urination and less frequent exhaustion. What a relief! However, you may be experiencing some constipation since those darned hormones have relaxed your bowel muscles causing them to work slower and less efficiently. Your uterus is also pressing on your bowel. Be sure to increase the fibre in your diet if constipation becomes a problem.
Your Baby
Baby is now 8.7cm long and has nearly doubled its weight since last week to 43 grams. Lanugo, the fine, short hairs that help keep the body heat inside your baby, will form now and grow to cover baby's entire body. Baby's skin is very thin and fat won't develop for several weeks, so baby needs extra help staying warm. The lanugo will cover your baby for several months and won't be shed until there is enough fat to keep them warm. When the fat is thick under the skin, the lanugo will fall off and end up in the baby's intestines as meconium, which is what comes out as their first dirty nappy.
Your Pregnancy - Week 15
You
This will be a very exciting week for you. When you visit the doctor or midwife, there is a very good chance that they will be able to pick up your baby's heartbeat with Doppler. The Doppler determines the rate of your baby's heartbeat. If the doctor or midwife can't pick up your baby's heartbeat yet, don't fret. It is still very early in your pregnancy and you will probably be able to hear it in the next week or two.
If you are having trouble sleeping try drinking a glass of warm milk or having a warm bath before bed. Don't run the water too hot as it's not healthy to raise your temperature above 37.8 degrees while pregnant as it increases your heart rate, reduces blood flow to the fetus, and potentially puts the baby under stress.
Your Baby
Baby is now 10.1cm long from crown to rump and weighs 70 grams. By the end of this week, all of the major organs will be formed within your baby. The heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, lungs and spleen will be in their proper locations, but not necessarily performing their function yet. The organs will continue to grow and develop with each respective system, and being working over the next couple of months. In no time, all of baby's systems wi
Your Pregnancy - Week 16
You
Can you feel butterflies fluttering in your stomach this week? That's a great sign. The feeling is called quickening, it's when you first feel the movements of your baby. It may feel like gas, an upset tummy or like butterflies floating around in your stomach, but it really is baby on the move. Quickening starts from week 16 but becomes more pronounced by week 18-20. You may find it easier to feel those early fluttery movements if you lie down. The distinctive kicks and punches are still a few weeks away and that is most likely when your partner will be able to feel baby's movements, too.
Your Baby
Baby is 11.6cm, weighs 100 grams and has enough muscle strength and co-ordination for them to form a fist. Baby's fist is small and tightly clenched and fine details are beginning to emerge. The creases between baby's fingers, knuckles and palm are beginning to appear. Baby's nails are starting to grow, and the fingerprints that make baby completely unique are now programmed in the skin but won't be apparent for several more weeks.
Your Pregnancy - Week 17
You
Around this time your doctor may recommend you have an amniocentesis test if you and your partner's genetic history puts you in a high risk category or you are over the age of 37. This safe test checks your amniotic fluid for certain chromosomal abnormalities present in your baby such as Down Syndrome or hereditary conditions such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and skeletal dysplasia.
If you have the test, you will visit hospital as an outpatient and the whole procedure takes no more than 30 minutes. It begins with a technician performing an ultrasound to locate baby's position, ensuring the technician stays well clear of your baby as he or she uses a needle to extract a small amount of amniotic fluid. The fluid is then sent to a lab and you should have your results within two weeks. A negative result excludes only the condition for which the test was performed. Unfortunately, there is no test to exclude all pregnancy abnormalities.
Your Baby
Baby will begin looking more like a baby this week and less like an alien, now baby is 13cm long and weighs 140 grams. Baby's eyes will have moved to the front of their face and be completely forward looking. Baby's eyelids are still tightly fused shut but their eyes are continuing to form underneath. It will be a few more weeks before baby's eyelids open, blink or remain open. Your baby's body is becoming more in proportion to what they will be at birth.
Your Pregnancy - Week 18
You
Does the smell of coffee turn your stomach? When commercials come on the TV, do you want to cover your ears and reach for the volume control? With added hormones in your system, and all the work that your body is doing for your baby, your senses may be in overdrive. Things don't usually bother you - like sounds, tastes, touches - may drive you crazy right now. Once your baby's growth and development slows, your system will come out of overdrive and your senses will relax and go back to normal.
Your Baby
Baby is 14.2cm long and 190 grams and their circulatory system has begun to work. Baby's blood vessels are visible through their skin and blood will pump through their veins, arteries, flow through their heart, and all of their other major organs. The heart will pump six litres of blood each day. The blood will carry oxyg
If you are having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable.
Your Pregnancy - Week 19
You
You are one week short of the half way mark and so your body is definitely looking pregnant now. Your shape will begin to show your curves, and finding comfortably fitting clothes that you already have may be limiting your wardrobe choices. Investing in maternity clothes is worthwhile because not only will you wear them as you grow in size, you will return to them after your baby is born as you drop in size. When you shop for maternity clothes, buy your regular size in maternity. The clothes will be tailored to your shape and dimensions of pregnancy.
Make a list of your favourite baby names. Ask your partner to do the same then swap lists and cross off any names you don't like on each other's lists. Hopefully you will have at least one you both agree on. If not, start again. Use our Baby Name Finder to help you in your search - you may find you spend a long time choosing a name.
Your Baby
Baby is 15.3cm long and weighs 240 grams. Vernix will begin to coat your baby's beautiful skin. Vernix is a greasy, fat like substance that will cover all of the skin on your baby. The reason for the vernix is two-fold. One it provides added insulation on the outside until the fat can build under the skin and regulate their body heat. Two, it protects their skin, which is growing thicker, against being submerged in amniotic fluid 24/7. Once the vernix is covering their body, the lanugo will begin to fade away. And once the fat is thick under the skin, the vernix will being to fade and be mostly gone by the time your baby is born.
Your Pregnancy - Week 20
You
Congratulations
This is a great time to discuss with your partner your options for after baby - are you going back to work or ill you stay at home?
Your Baby
Baby is 16.4cm long and weighs 300 grams measured from their crown to their rump. This week, however, the measurements switch to crown to heel and that makes baby 25.6cm long. Those little ears on your baby are in fine working order. Your baby can hear sounds, both inside the uterus and on the outside. They will not recognise what they are, however, since it has no way to identify noises. But your baby will have come to recognise your voice over someone else's. Your baby will also startle when it hears loud or sudden noises from the outside. The internal noises baby hears are your heartbeat and growling stomach.
Your Pregnancy - Week 21
You
Visiting your doctor or midwife this week could be a lot of fun. Halfway through most pregnancies your doctor or midwife will order an ultrasound as a routine procedure. The ultrasound checks baby's size, organ functions and overall health. During the ultrasound, the technician can measure specific bones, usually the leg and tell if your due date is accurate. If the bone measures smaller or larger than normal, they may adjust your due date accordingly. Before your ultrasound, you will need to drink a lot of water so your bladder is full during the procedure. The purpose of a full bladder isn't to torture you, it is so the technician has an easier time viewing all of the parts of your baby.
Your Baby
Baby is 26.7cm long and weighs 360 grams. The sex of your baby will be distinguishable during this week so you can confidently find out what you are having if you wish. An experienced technician will be able to tell the difference, as long as our baby co-operates. Baby may have their hands between their legs, or may not turn the right way, or just won't move in the right position to get a good view. Even though the reproduction systems in your baby will be in place, it all remains immature until baby hits puberty and adolescence.
Your Pregnancy - Week 22
You
Are you having short periods of light-headednes
Your hair may feel a lot thicker than it used to because you shed less hair during pregnancy. To get rid of unwanted hear, you can safely tweeze, wax and shave, but bleaches or depilatories are not suitable because they can be absorbed into the skin and contain chemicals.
Your Baby
Baby is 27.8cm long and weighs 430 grams. During this week, your baby's skin will make the transformation from being translucent to opaque. No longer will you be able to see everything underneath all of that skin. It will become cloudy but remain red. The skin will appear red until the fat, which is white, builds under the skin layers. Then the skin will turn from red to pink, and then to a very light pink or white if they are Caucasian. The skin will be very wrinkly under the thick coating of vernix, until the fat fills it out and pushes the wrinkles out.
Your Pregnancy - Week 23
You
Back pain may be a constant, nagging ache for you right now. Your frame isn't used to the added weight, which was put on quickly. With the added weight, your balance and posture will change. Those changes may throw your back out of its normal position , resulting in some minor aches and pains along the way. Ask your doctor before you take any medications ease the pain. Other ways to ease the pain are to take short breaks through the day so you can get off your feet, wear good support shoes if you are on your feet for periods and hold a good posture when you walk.
Your Baby
Baby is 28.9cm long and weighs 501 grams. This week will begin a rapid growth phase for your baby's brain. During this week, and for the next following weeks, billions and billions of brain cells will develop. These brain cells will control ev
Your Pregnancy - Week 24
You
A common ailment during pregnancy is swollen ankles. Swollen ankles are usually the result of being on your feet or an extended period of time. When you are on your feet all day, the excess fluid in your syste
Your Baby
Baby is 30 cm long and weighs 600 grams. A feature that will make your baby unique starts growing this week - your baby's hair. Baby locks will start to cover baby's scalp and any traits on their scalp will appear too. Cowlicks, widow's peaks and even the hairline itself will be visible once the hair grows. The hairs will not have pigment yet, remaining colourless strands for several weeks. Baby's hair will also be short, fine and won't have any texture until closer to the birth.
Your Pregnancy - Week 25
You
Your skin will need some extra care during your pregnancy. To accommodate the baby growing inside of you, your skin will need to stretch. If you put on weight quickly, or if you have multiple babies, you skin will stretch fast and you have a higher chance of developing stretch marks. Stretch marks occur when the elastin in your skin can't stretch fast enough, resulting in damage to the collagen below. A clear, red or even pocked skin will result - and last throughout your lifetime. To prevent stretch marks, keep yourself hydrated with plenty of fluids. Get lots of exercise to help moderate the weight gain. Use a lotion with vitamin E and rub it over your abdomen at least once a day. Nothing will guarantee that you won't end up with stretch marks, but these suggestions might reduce the severity of them.
If you are planning to paint, organise for someone other than you to paint baby's room. Scraping or sanding any kind of paint during pregnancy is definitely not recommended as it could contain lead.
Your Baby
Baby is 34.6 cm long and weighs 660 grams. Your baby's spine will form this week. The spine is a very complex system, with rings, joints and ligaments all forming to work together to form the backbone. The cartilage will grow harder and become bones in the spinal column. All 100+ bones will be in place, but very small at this point. Make sure you are eating foods rich in folic acid, as this nutrient is said to prevent many spinal cord defects. Orange juice is a great source for your necessary daily intake of folic acid.
Your Pregnancy - Week 26
You
It is important for you to continue some type of exercise throughout your whole pregnancy. Exercise will help control your weight gain, as well as keep your muscles strong for the rigors of delivery. The exercise doesn't have to be strenuous or for long periods of time. Half an hour of activity taken three or four times a week is all you need to manage. Two of the best forms of exercise for pregnant women are swimming and walking. Always check with your doctor or midwife if you have trouble doing any activity.
Your Baby
Baby is 35.6 cm long and weighs 760 grams. Your baby may develop a new habit is week. Baby can learn how to suck their thumb. Baby's hand will still remain clenched for large portions of the day but can unclench and stick out their thumb. Your baby has the co-ordination to figure out how to get their thumb in their mouth. If baby likes the comfort from sucking, they may well make it a habit.
