By the end of this week, you have hit the second trimester! You are one third of the way through this pregnancy, and your miscarriage possibility has dropped immensely!! There are some really big and exciting pregnancy milestones in the coming months. A little baby bump will likely be making its debut soon; you finally get to see some "results" of what your body has been working so hard on!
Although you are rolling into the second trimester, first trimester symptoms may hang around for a little bit longer. Every person and pregnancy are different so there is no way to tell exactly when a certain symptom subsides. Bummer! But, find comfort in knowing that if you have been sick and over-tired, it should be fading away soon! The second trimester is commonly known as the easiest, most comfortable phase of pregnancy.
If this is not your first pregnancy, you will be feeling little baby flutters and bumps in the next 6 - 8 weeks! For you first timers, feeling movement will still happen this trimester but will be closer to the end of it. Those first kicks may be so faint that you don't even realize what they truly are, but once you do, you will live for them!
Your uterus has grown a substantial amount, and is now making its way up into your abdomen. If you haven't gained any weight yet, you will now start to see gradual movements on the scale. Remember, weight gain is healthy and necessary for you to grow a tiny human! Do not shame yourself, or compare your weight gain to other women. That is just plain silly.
About this time you will start to notice a little something called vaginal discharge. The combination of an increase in estrogen and blood flow in your pelvis causes it. You may be surprised, but it serves a pretty important purpose; protect the birth canal from infection and keep a healthy amount of bacteria in the vagina. If it bothers you, wear a panty liner, not a tampon!
As your fatigue and sickness wear off, you might be wondering what on earth is happening with your sex drive. One day, you could be very, very, very interested and on other days, you could want to be left completely alone. Try to be open (kindly) with your spouse about how you feel and take advantage of the days when all you can think about is him! Unless you are a high-risk pregnancy, or have been advised by your doctor to abstain, you can safely engage in sex through your entire pregnancy.
Baby still has a rather large head. In fact, it measures about half of their crown to rump length. Their little body will start to grow rapidly, and catch up very soon. At this stage, each fetus begins to grow at very different rates. Regardless of how much, or how little, they will soon tack on to their length, there is lots of internal development happening!
Until now, your baby's intestines have been growing inside of the umbilical cord. Now they will slowly move to their permanent home inside their abdomen. Bones are now forming in those teensy budging arms and legs, which explains why you will feel a good kick or two by the end of this trimester! You won't experience their strength for months, but vocal chords are now forming. Your little one will be ready to exercise them for you soon enough!
Schedule your ultrasound appointments at times that your significant other can be with you. Studies have shown that seeing baby on an ultrasound helps the parent who is not pregnant feel connected and get into parent mode! Remember that even though you talk about the pregnancy with them, you are the one actually feeling and experiencing everything first hand. Being mindful of that, and helping them feel connected, will go a long way!