As incredible as a Pregnancy trimester could be for a mother-to-be, at the same time, she should be prepared to experience some inconvenience, ills that occur irregularly. The second trimester of pregnancy (Week 13 to 26) is when most women regained their strength & feel better. Outwardly, the pregnancy is obvious; you don’t need to tell anyone you’re pregnant at this stage. During this second trimester of pregnancy, the carrier will not be so weighty that moving about will become a hard thing to do.
The Baby experiences fast development during the second trimester, & the mother-to-be can find herself occupied with a series of health tests & making delivery arrangements.
As a mother-to-be, you need to be aware of some basics to a healthy pregnancy, things to avoid, appropriate tests to carry out at the right time, & possible conditions you can experience along the line, so you won’ be caught by surprised or panic.
This article is a one-stop guide from Baby’s growth to the mother-to-be experiences every week during the second trimester of pregnancy (Week 13 to 26).
What is the second trimester?
The 2nd trimester of pregnancy transpires in the middle of your pregnancy & lingers from the thirteenth to twenty-sixth week. The most pleasant aspect of this second trimester to most women is the morning sickness & pain they no longer experience, which is a threat to them during the first trimester.
During the second trimester, the Baby develops from 7.5cm, 30 grams by week 13 to roughly 23cm & 820 grams by week 26. The unborn baby undergoes so many changes & expand from 4–5 inches in length to about 12 inches.
Thirteenth Week
The Baby’s Growth
At this period, the Baby develops at a fast pace. The eyes mature to its position, likewise formation of the arm & bones. Although Baby’s head remains too large, the other part of Baby’s body gradually begins to get together.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
During week 13, the uterus already develops large while it chokes your pelvis & continues to expand to the top of your stomach. The uterus appears as a soft, silky ball. Perhaps you’re yet to put up weight till this time due to nausea; once your health condition improves, you’ll start noticing changes in your weight as part of the second pregnancy trimester.
Suggestion: You should have a medical examination to confirm the pulsation of your heart.
Fourteenth Week
The Baby’s Growth
The Baby’s ear starts budging from the neck to its proper positioning by the head. Also, the neck protrudes, with the jaw shaping out. Each of the attributes on the face & second-to-none thumbprints fixes to their positions. Also, the Baby gradually starts reacting to external stimuli. Let’s say your belly bulged out; the Baby will attempt to jerk/twist.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
You’ll observe constipation since pregnancy endorphins affect the bowel, & your muscle layers keep expanding mainly to make room for the Baby experiencing growth. Besides, it would help if you started putting on maternity dresses by this time.
Suggestion: You can reduce constipation through everyday exercise, taking enough liquids, & veggies plant.
Fifteenth Week
The Baby’s Growth
During the fifth week, Baby’s body fills up with neat hair, often peeled off naturally. Besides, the bones become firm to the extent that the Baby can suck his/her finger. Also, it starts developing hair that surrounds the eyes & head.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
The uterus expands roughly 3 to 4 inches right beneath the umbilical cord. Occasionally, within the next five weeks, you can carry out a blood test to check up on Down syndrome. Another test is amniocentesis.
Suggestion: Try to embrace a sleep position to your left side, fold pillows at your back, & within your legs.
Sixteenth Week
The Baby’s Growth
Possibly, you can eavesdrop on the pulsation of your Baby’s heart. The nerves now function well, likewise the legs & hand shifts.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
Weeks after, you’d start noticing your Baby making movements, known as “quickening.” The movement can be noticeable since it does that frequently. Apart from this, you can observe changes, like high blood volume, capillaries in the leg becoming more apparent. Since your uterus starts to adjust, you’ll urinate less.
Suggestion: You can put on leg coverings; perhaps the bloodstreams in your leg tries to swell out. Engage in exercise so that the blood flows better.
Seventieth Week
The Baby’s Growth
Now, the Baby is two times its weight two weeks back to this period. The Baby’s starts to add fat, which assists its heat formation & metabolic rate. Now, the lungs begin to blow out Cameron’s fluid while the cardiac & excretion organs start functioning correctly. Any parts of the body surrounded by hair start to form, such as the hair on the head & eyebrows.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
Your weight increases by 2 – 5 Kg, & you can increase in cravings for food.
Suggestion: If you want to change from lying flat to take a sit position or from sit to stand, endeavor to do any of this slowly to prevent becoming weak. Peradventure, you’re feeling dizzy, either sit, relax immediately or rest your head.
Eighteenth Week
The Baby’s Growth
The Baby’s sudden growth begins to decrease; meanwhile, it starts reacting to external stimulus gradually. Further, it begins simple body movements like gaping & making body language. Taste buds start to come up, making it possible for the Baby to recognize what taste sour & sugary. Peradventure, Baby’s lip is smooth; it can suck. By now, your retinas are more reactive to light. Hence, assuming a light shine on your stomach, the Baby can twist to protect its eyes.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
Your uterus measures up approximately to the bigness of melon, quite observable right beneath your belly button. From this date up to 22 weeks, you can commit to a mid-pregnancy scan to check out your Baby’s development & be aware of your possible delivery date. This test can indicate if the pregnancy is a male or female, provided the Baby takes the proper positioning. Your vascular organ must function 40% to 50% better to provide sustenance for the pregnancy.
Suggestion: Try to have the ultrasound test.
Nineteenth Week
The Baby’s Growth
Vernix starts growing on your Baby’s skin; the skin comes out the more while it’s easy to see-through the veins, shows red.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
You can feel stress at this period, like pains in your belly, fatigue, indigestion, constipation, muscle contraction, back pain, etc. Swollen veins can lead to small red traces appearing on your hands, elbows, & face, though it only lasts for a short time.
Suggestion: Have some nice treat, & don’t stress yourself out.
Twentieth Week
The Baby’s Growth
Now, the Baby adapts to your voice, the grumbling of your belly, external noises. It can turn around, strike your belly with its foot, also use hands to block its ears in case of deep noise.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
The 20th week marks the middle stage of the pregnancy; you can wonder about all forms of developments that have taken place before this level. You no longer find your waist since your womb is almost uniform with your belly button. Be careful as you’re more prone to Bladder complications because some muscles present in the urinary system stops functioning. You’ll start exuding sweat beyond ordinary since the Endocrine gland is up and running, & your respiration deepens.
Suggestion: Mind your sitting, standing, sleeping position. If you’re sleeping, use a pillow behind your waistline, don’t stand always. You can use a stool or step chair if you’re sitting. If not, you can start to feel pains in your back.
Twenty-first Week
The Baby’s Growth
The pace at which the Baby now grows drops gradually, while it adds fat along the line to maintain warmth. The body parts keep growing. Also, it starts to appear buds as provision for permanent teeth. The fat follicles make soft skin.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
The womb by now protrude beyond your belly button, & you must have added 5-6 pounds to your weight.
Suggestion: This week is the appropriate time to apply for training on labor pains.
Twenty-second Week
The Baby’s Growth
From time to time, Baby’s physique keeps getting better weekly, with the eyelash already grown. It acts towards any noise nicely. You can lift your voice and speak to the unborn child.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
The womb keeps developing, & nausea fades off, though you can experience muscle contraction in the part of your body, particularly the leg.
Suggestion: Take more minerals like potassium & calcium to prevent discomfort. You can also drink some milk or take simple fruits, pomelos, etc., before your night’s sleep.
Twenty-third Week
The Baby’s Growth
The Baby still needs to add fat to put off the wrinkled form on its skin. At times, the soft hair becomes more dark-skinned.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
By now, you’d have added almost 5 – 7 Kg. During pregnancy, you can experience an increase in vaginal discharge, commonly of a hardly detectable odor. Assuming either smell or color notably switches to a different one, consult your doctor. You might be having an infectious disease. To correct this, you can put a warm pad on the spot or have some rest.
Suggestion: Since your skin expands, there’s a tendency for it to appear dry & scratchy. Apply moisturizers to maintain a moisten surface.
Twenty-fourth Week
The Baby’s Growth
The Baby starts to produce white corpuscles that assist in combatting illness & infectious disease. Also, Baby’s sense of smell is in place to be receptive to touching or noise.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
You can add almost ½ Kg weekly. Try to test for childbearing diabetes from this 24th week to the 28th week.
Twenty-fifth Week
The Baby’s Growth
Your Baby’s skin is non-transparent rather than being able to see-through, though it remains masked with wrinkles since there’s a need for it to develop appropriately to its skin. You can listen to the pulsation of Baby’s heart by a stethoscope. Alternately, you can place your ear on the stomach to listen to its heartbeat, though it relies upon the Baby’s position.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
Aside from the womb protruding to the top, it enlarges to the surroundings of your stomach. You may experience a painful swell in your anus due to constipation, high blood circulation, dyspepsia.
Suggestion: Immerse your buttocks in a little hot liquid or put an American witch hazel or ice bag to relive the piles. Never ingest any food or medicine substances that have a laxative effect. You can as well use antibacterial soap.
Twenty-sixth Week
The Baby’s Growth
The Baby can listen to sounds very well, as its organ for the sense of hearing is mature. While your Baby responds more to noises, this helps its vitality. The Lungs is subject to growth, about to be fully developed. The sensation style of your Baby equals that of a recently born child; likewise, they have sleep & wakening behavior.
Pregnancy carrier’s experience
Your Baby’s frequent moves instill confidence in you. You keep adding fat roughly ½ Kg weekly. There’s a possibility you feel uncomfortable in your rib while the Baby develops & moves to the top across your rib enclosure. The stress can lead to dyspepsia. Possibly, you can feel discomfort below the surroundings of your stomach while the womb tissue expands.
Parting shot …
By now, you should have an idea of what to expect, things to plans towards & tests to carry out during the second pregnancy trimester, likewise your Baby’s growth each week. During this trimester, you gradually contribute to your delivery easiness, hence keeping to a healthy pregnancy favors you a lot.