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After successfully battling all the morning sickness, nausea, and other pesky early pregnancy symptoms welcome to your second trimester of pregnancy. The second trimester starts with your 13th week and ends around the 27th week of pregnancy. As you have stepped in you might have realized that nausea and morning sickness have been aside and now your skin starts to feel healthier and your hair looks shiner and thicker.
On the other hand, your little bundle of joy would also be developing and making his presence felt by probably rolling in the amniotic sac. As per Dr. Elsa, a Trained Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Dubai in the second trimester your baby starts to develop upon the foundation set in the first trimester. In general, there are a number of big milestones taking place like growing in the size similar to the head of a cauliflower from the size of a nectarine.
Apart from this for a mom-to-be, there are several second-trimester symptoms she goes through. The most common symptoms experienced are:
Skin pigment: During pregnancy, the production of melanin (a pigment that gives color to the skin) increases resulting in darker or brown patches on the face, darker color of the nipples, and a dark line running from the pubic region to the belly button.
Dizziness: Due to changes in circulation and flow of blood to the upper body and the head feeling light-headed or dizzy is the most common. If dizziness hits you try to lie down on your side and consume plenty of fluids.
Stretch marks: Be it during pregnancy or post-pregnancy stretch marks are the most talked about. Just because your baby grows and your skin changes you can experience dry and itchy skin that develops stretch marks.
Leg cramps: Often experienced at night, women feel low leg cramps with sharp pain. If you feel cramps try to do stretching before bed and if the symptoms are sharp pains in the calves try muscle massage or just take a warm shower.
Lower back pain: Due to weight gain and uterus expansion the center of gravity and posture change resulting in putting more pressure on the back. To get relieve from the pain try exercise or stretching.
From experiencing possible symptoms to getting more visibility of your belly to the outside world you and your baby experience and develop a lot. Each week of the second trimester of pregnancy includes something new. Below mentioned are week-to-week changes that go on.
The length of the fetus changes in the 13th week. It is now more than 7cm and is considered that it can swim quite vigorously.
Week 14th of the second trimester is known as sucking and swallowing because now your fetus is around 9 cm long and weighs about 45 grams which can suck its thumb. In terms of body development, the eyelids are fused, fingers and toes are growing nails and fine hairs are grown on the face.
In the 15th week, the skin of the baby is developing, the skeletal system is developing along with hair growth. During this time the baby starts to make a lot of movements with its head, arms, hand, and legs.
The fetus is now 12-14 cm long in length and clear eyelashes and eyebrows have appeared, the tongue gets its tastebuds.
From being about like a crown to a rump your baby is growing and weighs around 140 grams but is still very tiny. The facial muscles are strengthening along with practicing sucking and swallowing.
In week 18th of the second trimester the ears of your baby move to the final position, eyes are still being developed, along with little fingertips and toes are officially formed.
The baby is covered in vernix caseosa a waxy substance preventing the skin from being scratched or torn.
The length of the fetus is around 21 cm in length where the ears are fully developed. fingertips have prints developed and the genitals can now be identified.
Week 21 of pregnancy offers control over the movements and the legs and arms are now in proportion.
Now the baby is about the size of a coconut and weighs just over a pound. Your little one is still growing but can now perceive lightness and darkness.
Your baby is now capable of hearing the sound because the ears are now fully developed. They can respond to the sound by rolling or making different movements.
The body of the baby now weighs around 0.6kg and are same as the size of the corn. The baby also experiences changes in its body because the lungs are now able to breathe and the face is fully formed.
By week 25 the baby gets active and starts to kick and punch your tummy.
The tastebuds of your baby are now fully developed and the nostrils are opening and allowing them to start smelling.
Similar to the size of broccoli your baby is now learning the patterns of body movement, listening, and identifying day and night with the regular phase of sleep.
Visit New Concept Clinic, a Pregnancy Care Clinic in Dubai for your pregnancy care, or book an appointment with the top specialists in obstetrics and gynecology in Dubai.
