Second Trimester of Pregnancy

The second trimester of your pregnancy lasts from week 13 to 28, or months 4, 5, and 6. It’s the middle phase of pregnancy, when you may start to see your “baby bump” and feel your baby move for the first time.

As you enter your second trimester of pregnancy, the morning sickness and fatigue you may have felt during the last 3 months should fade.

The second trimester is, for many women, the easiest 3 months of pregnancy. Take the time now, while you're feeling better and your energy is up, to start planning for your baby's arrival.

During the second trimester, your baby is growing quickly. Between your 18th and 22nd week of pregnancy you'll have an ultrasound so your doctor can see how your baby is progressing. You also can learn the sex of your baby, unless you'd rather be surprised. And if you’re having twins, you might find that out during this trimester.

Although you should be feeling better now, big changes are still taking place inside your body. Here's what you can expect.

Changes in Your Body

Achiness in your lower abdomen. In your second trimester, you may notice some cramps or aches in your lower belly. Cramps happen because as your uterus expands during pregnancy, it puts pressure on nearby muscles and ligaments. During your second trimester, your round ligament muscle often cramps as it stretches. You feel it as a dull ache in your lower abdomen, but you may also feel sharp stabs of pain. Minor cramps are normal, and may be caused by constipation, gas, or even sex. To relieve the aches, try a warm bath, relaxation exercises, changing your body’s position, or pressing a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to your lower belly.

Backache. The extra weight you've gained in the last few months is starting to put pressure on your back, making it achy and sore. To ease the pressure, sit up straight and use a chair that provides good back support. Sleep on your side with a pillow tucked between your legs. Avoid picking up or carrying anything heavy. Wear low-heeled, comfortable shoes with good arch support. If the pain is really uncomfortable, ask your partner to rub the sore spots, or treat yourself to a pregnancy massage.

Emergency Symptoms

Any of these symptoms could be a sign that something is wrong with your pregnancy. Don't wait for your prenatal visit to talk about it. Call your doctor right away if you have:

• Severe abdominal pain or cramping
• Bleeding
• Severe dizziness
• Rapid weight gain (more than 6.5 pounds per month) or too little weight gain (less than 10 pounds at 20 weeks into the pregnancy)
• Jaundice
• Vomiting
• A lot of sweating

Baby’s Growth in the Second Trimester

During your second trimester, your baby grows up to 3 pounds in weight and up to 16 inches in length. Their brain and other organs grow and develop a great deal. Their heart moves 100 pints of blood a day. Their lungs are fully formed but not quite ready to breathe. And your baby can kick, move, turn around in your womb, swallow, suck, and hear your voice.

Your baby’s eyes and ears move into the correct positions on its head. Their eyelids can open and shut. The baby sleeps and wakes up in a normal cycle. They grow eyelashes and eyebrows.

Your baby grows fingernails and toenails. The tiny fingers and toes separate. They develop distinct fingerprints and toe prints.

Hair grows on your baby’s head. They also sprout downy, fine hair all over called the lanugo. Their body is encased in a creamy, white, protective coating called the vernix caseosa, which is eventually absorbed into their skin.

Your baby’s placenta is also fully developed by this time. The placenta is an organ that gives your fetus oxygen and nutrients. It also removes waste. In the second trimester, your fetus also begins to build up fat on its body.

Second Trimester Tips for Twins

Carrying two? Here are some things to think about:

• Choose a doctor. Ask your OB about seeing a maternal fetal medicine (MFM) specialist, an OB who specializes in high-risk births.
• Go ahead -- nap! Don't feel guilty about taking a nap if you're tired. Even when resting, you're using 10% more energy than a woman carrying a single baby!
• Get your omega-3s. Getting enough omega-3 fatty acids is especially important when you're having twins. Like fish? Get omegas-3s from salmon, herring, sardines, and trout.
• Getting enough vitamins? Ask your doctor if a prenatal vitamin alone gives you all you need since you're carrying two.
• Don't double everything. Before you buy two of every baby gadget, wait and see what your babies like. Some babies enjoy swings and bouncy seats, and others don’t. You also won’t need an extra crib -- at least not at first. Your babies may sleep better when they're together.
• Eat for three. You need about 500 extra calories a day -- about as much as in two bowls of cereal with low-fat milk and a banana.
• Cut back on exercise? After 20 or 24 weeks, ask your doctor if you need to cut back on any types of exercise and, if so, what's still safe to do.
• Look into a breast pump. If your twins spend any time in the NICU, you may need to pump your milk at first. Having a pump ready will make this easier.
• Create a birth plan. This will let your birth team know your labor and delivery wishes. Just try to stay flexible if things don't go exactly as planned.
• Don't wait to find child care. The best caregivers and centers often have a waiting list. Start looking for child care early, especially since you'll need two slots instead of one.

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