Pregnancy: All About the Second Trimester

Pregnancy:  All About the Second Trimester

What to expect during week 14-28 of your pregnancy...

The 2nd trimester usually happens around week 14. The 2nd trimester is an enjoyable time for many women, now that nausea and vomiting are past, and the baby is not yet so big as to be uncomfortable. In fact, you start to feel energetic and have a good appetite. Now is also the period when you can feel your baby's first movements. Find out what other changes to expect during this stage of pregnancy.

Second Trimester: Week 14-28

Your Baby's Growth and Development

At 14 weeks, facial features including the eyes, nose, mouth and ears are recognizable. The major organs will have formed by the 15th week of pregnancy. You will also notice periods of activity and quiet as your baby develops sleep/wake patterns like a newborn.

  Week 15: A fine fur called laguno covers the body. The baby may start to move - this movement is called quickening.

  Week 16: Fat begins to form underneath skin. The baby's heartbeat becomes audible using the stethoscope.

  Week 19: Sex organs start to develop. Baby starts to develop sleep/ wake patterns.

  Week 20: Hair and nails form.

  Week 22: Baby can hear when you talk, read or sing.

  Week 24: Eyes are formed.

  By the end of the 2nd trimester, the baby is about 14.7" long and weighs about 2.1 pounds.

Your Body's Changes

In the 2nd trimester, you will begin to notice a decrease in urinary frequency and the end of morning sickness. In fact, you may even experience a renewed sense of well-being, an increase in appetite and feel more energetic. Eating well is especially important at this time, as your baby will also start growing much more rapidly.

There may be a gradual increase in the amount of vaginal discharge. At the same time, your breasts will continue to increase in size, although there will be less tenderness. Your heart rate also increases because of the rise in blood volume and the need to transport oxygen to your growing baby.

A bulging lower abdomen begins to show by the end of the 4th month. During the 5th month, you can actually start to feel the first movements of your baby. As the baby grows larger inside of you, you may begin to experience some side effects typical of this stage in pregnancy: indigestion, constipation, heartburn, haemorrhoids, water-retention or high blood pressure.

There may be some pain in the abdomen, which is caused by the stretching of the ligaments on either side of the womb, which should cease to hurt by the end of the 6th month.

By the 6th month, your abdomen may begin to itch as your skin stretches to accomodate the growing uterus. Striae (white or silvery stretch marks) on the rapidly enlarging abdomen and breasts may appear.

As your weight increases, backaches and varicose veins are relatively common at this stage of pregnancy.

Sex, however, is usually better because the vagina is more engorged with blood, resulting in increased sensation.

Your Emotional Changes

In the 2nd trimester, your mood swings stabilize, and the reality of your pregnancy finally sets in as you feel the first movements of your baby.

This is also the time when many women start to embrace their new identity as a mother. You start to focus more on the health of your baby, and think about issues on how you would go about bringing up your child and which delivery option to go for.

As your pregnancy progresses, changes in your body's shape such as your expanding belly and weight gain may make you feel unattractive, or just the opposite, give you a heightened awareness of your own sexuality. If you are upset with your new body shape, do share your concerns with your partner.

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