Second Trimester of Pregnancy
The state of pregnancy is supposedly a wonderful stage of a mother’s life. The second trimester pregnancy is considered as the enjoyable period of the pregnancy, which is usually spread over the 13th to the 28th week of the pregnancy stage. Although the body continues to witness changes, many symptoms of the first trimester disappear. The mother may not experience fatigue, nausea and morning sickness as prevalent in the first trimester pregnancy.
The baby undergoes many changes and it’s a fully developed fetus now. A good growth is seen in the fetus’s organs. The baby’s movements are well felt by the end of the 5th month. The abdomen will start growing and will actually expand. The uterus also grows and occupies the large abdominal duct. So the stretch marks start becoming prominent, which could result in possible itching on the abdomen. As the first trimester pregnancy may not witness huge changes in areolas & nipples, they become bigger and prominently darker during the 2nd trimester pregnancy.
During this second trimester of pregnancy, mother feels better than the 1st period. The fetus starts its movements known as “quickening”. Weight gain is now rapid than the first period. During the end of 5th month, the uterus top reaches till the navel. The uterus can have contractions, often termed as Braxton Hicks contractions. These contractions are unpredictable, but don’t cause much pain.
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A yellowish fluid is discharged from the breasts and the mothers should now start preparing themselves for breast-feeding. Due to the increasing size of the baby, changes like palpitations, gastric sensations, heartburn, lungs pressure may be felt. There is formation of a dark line from the navel till the lower abdomen. The increased hormones may cause bleeding from the nose and gums too.Weaker women can experience iron deficiencies. The risk of miscarriage is higher in this period, if the pregnancy is on an increased risk. A white colored discharge from the vagina is normal, but a doctor should be seen if this discharge turns red.
Since second trimester pregnancy is the most developing phase of the pregnancy, utmost care should be pursued in terms of diet and blood levels. Needless to emphasize on a mineral and vitamin rich diet, iron is also vital factor needed for the growing baby and placenta. Intake of iron proficient diet like spinach, red meat, legumes, dates, raisins, whole grains etc should be on the daily list.Frequent water intake of a minimum 8-10 glasses a day should help to control the infection of urinary tract. The increased belly size may not let women sleep well and movements during the sleep may not be comfortable. In such cases, a pillow can be used between the legs while sleeping on the sides. Also, the increasing weight results in swelling of the limbs for many women. Leg cramps are common as the pressure is on the lower limbs. So a little bit of slow walking can help stretching and relaxing the muscles.Some good changes may be a glow in the skin and growth in the hair. Overall, second trimester pregnancy is the most enjoyable phase for any expectant mother!
