When a pregnant approaches the second trimester, a number of physical changes will be noticeable. Keep on reading the following article if you are eighteen months pregnant and want to know what to expect in the second trimester of pregnancy.
For women, the second trimester of pregnancy is considered the best of all. Many experience some very good feeling during this time, which is usually about the fourth to sixth month. You can expect to escape the first trimester symptoms such as nausea, morning sickness, vomiting, and so on. You will feel a lot more comfortable with all the changes that your body is going through.
The experiences can differ from one woman to the next in the first eighteen weeks of pregnancy, but the general consensus is that the second trimester will be the most exciting time as you are going to feel your baby.
Before looking at what to expect in the second trimester of pregnancy, you should know some of the symptoms that you might experience.
As your baby grows, you will feel an increasing pressure on your body. At this stage, the size of your uterus will be as big as a cantaloupe, and your abdomen will be forced out as lower back is pulled forward. The hormonal changes will affect your ligaments and muscles to cause symptoms such as:
- Stomach bloating, gas or flatulence;
- Indigestion or heartburn;
- Painful varicose veins in your legs because of increased pressure;
- Stretch marks appearing around your belly;
- Leg cramps or slight swelling of the feet and ankles;
- Skin problems such as redness, itchiness, edema, or acne.
What to Expect In the Second Trimester of Pregnancy
Movements: During the fourth month, you will enter into a new phase of pleasure or excitement as you move into your second trimester. You will start to feel very excited as you experience the baby’s movements. In the initial stages, the movement will feel like a fluttering. In the fifth month, your baby will grow enough for you to feel twisting, kicking, punching, and rolling inside your womb. You could also use a stethoscope to hear your baby’s heartbeat.
It is important to mention that some women might not feel the fetus movement until the fifth month of pregnancy. Quite often, a woman will not feel her baby move in the second trimester and might not even show much. This can happen either because the woman has some very strong muscles in her abdomen, or has a little much weight in that area, all of which can prevent her from feeling the movements straightaway. If you are having this experience, you should not worry unnecessarily and must always follow your doctor’s advice.
Aside from feeling the fetus starting to move inside your womb, the baby could also hear your voice. At this time, your baby will be almost five and a half inches in length and weighs five ounces. Your baby can not only hear but recognize your voice.
Hunger: When you reach the second trimester, you will start to feel hungry a lot more often as your appetite increase. Your appetite will increase to satisfy your needs as well as your baby’s dietary needs. Moreover, you may start to crave for certain types of foods. If you are having heavy cravings for fried or heavy foods, you should avoid eating too much because they are not healthy or nutritious for the baby and could lead to heartburn and indigestion. If you develop these symptoms, you should try to have smaller meals frequently, chew thoroughly, and eat slowly.
In addition, you should try not to lie down immediately after eating, and do a bit of exercise to keep both you and your baby healthy. You should also know that you can observe some weight gain and would feel like your baby is about ready to shoot from your body.
Difficulty sleeping: You might find it a little difficult to sleep at night as your belly is continuing to grow. For this, you can use a pillow to support your knees and growing belly.
Low blood pressure levels: The blood pressure level usually drops during this time to cause nausea or dizziness. For this reason, it is advisable to have some fruit juice or healthy snack on hand to avoid these
symptoms.
Increase sex drive: This is one of the common changes that most women notice during this period. You should talk with your doctor to know whether it’s safe for you to have sex in the second trimester. Aside from that, your doctor can also confirm if you are going to give birth to more than one baby.
Now that you know what to expect in the second trimester of pregnancy, you can take the steps necessary to enjoy this pressure time. Take your prenatal vitamins often, stay hydrated, maintain a good diet, and get enough rest.
