You're in the last week of your 2nd trimester!! Doesn't it seem so surreal? On the days that you are feeling super pregnant, and exhausted, just remind yourself how far you have come! Oh yeah, annnnd you are creating a human life inside of you. In fact, that baby has doubled in weight in the last month! Does that ever truly soak in? Probably not. Try to soak up some energy from the anticipation and excitement you feel! You can expect continued changes as your baby grows and gets ready to join this world!
Have you been asked the question "how are you feeling?!" one hundred times or more yet? Has your go-to answer become, "PREGNANT!"? There might not be a better answer than that. Your body is continuing to adjust to the growing baby party. Unfortunately, many mamas will start to experience some swelling and edema right around this time. This is usually just a normal symptom, but be sure to mention it to your health care provider if it is concerning you!
Preeclampsia is something that you need to be aware of at this point in your pregnancy. It is often diagnosed by a sudden jump in blood pressure, and possibly swelling/edema, but those are not the only symptoms. Preeclampsia is something that your provider will check for, so make sure that you are scheduling and attending your needed appointments!
For some, exercise helps pregnancy symptoms. You surely do not need to be a gym-junkie, and don't even try to lose weight right now. Physical activity always does a body some good, unless your doctor has told you it is not for you right now! If you haven't been active through your pregnancy, you should do some research and talk to your provider before you jump in.
Your little 14.5 inch, 2-pound baby is growing, growing, growing! Doubling your size in just one month is quite the feat. As they get bigger, so do baby's hiccups! You might think you have a fun little jumping bean friend inside. The craziest thing about these hiccups is that now they might be induced by what your baby is tasting!!
The taste buds are now fully developed, so your baby can actually taste a difference in the amniotic fluid. Isn't that wild?! As your baby adjusts to different tastes, hiccups might be their first reaction. Don't worry, they aren't in any pain or stress, their little bodies are just learning to adjust!
As if them tasting isn't cool enough, your baby recognizes your voice! Talk to them often! They can easily be born and instantly recognize both parents voices, if they were familiarized with them in the womb. Just add 'talk to baby' to your nightly ritual with your spouse or significant other. Check!
Baby-proof your home! Even though you don't have a newborn yet, the busy toddler stage will creep up on you. It almost happens overnight too! One day your baby isn't crawling, and then the next they decide to master the skill. Get those cupboards locked and outlets covered now while you have the time!