Is it really possible? Are you feeling a bit better? Many women are cautious to express that they actually feel better as they enter that magical second trimester of pregnancy, but there is some merit to it.
Some women are lucky enough to feel great throughout their entire pregnancy. Others have a really rough first trimester and anxiously await that light at the end of the tunnel. Though the second trimester can bring about changes of its own, the reality is that can bring about some relief as well. If you have been suffering from common symptoms such as nausea for example, you may start to see that taper off.
Though every woman and every pregnancy is different, the second trimester is typically the most enjoyed time period for most. This is a welcome change and allows many women to enjoy their pregnancy! It is important to know what’s going on in your pregnancy, with your baby, and be aware of what is most common to expect during this precious time period.
Out With the Old and In With the New
So you can finally bid adieu to many of your first trimester symptoms. The reason that they came about was due in large part to the hormones that your body was inundated with. These hormones are all essential to a pregnancy and to your unborn child, so you should be happy for them. They are however nasty in the sense that they can create some unwanted and often awful symptoms. The most common first trimester symptoms often include nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, breast tenderness, and headaches. Most women can say goodbye to these symptoms as they enter the all important second trimester-and that’s welcome news!
What many people don’t tell you however is that you may accumulate some new symptoms. Though these all hit women differently and aren’t often that big of an issue, it is important to be prepared for them. Many women will have an increase in vaginal discharge, and they will also deal with a great deal of additional mucous as the membranes go into overdrive.
As you can see from a symptoms chart such as this http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy/pr00018 there can be new and interesting indications that the baby is coming in the not so distant future. You are likely at the point where you simply don’t fit into your old clothes anymore as your waistline is growing and changing. Your breasts are bigger and you may very well experience Braxton Hicks contractions which are a preview of what’s to come.
You will likely experience movement as the trimester progresses-this is an exciting step and a welcome “symptom” of the second trimester for many women. So though the first trimester symptoms are gone and you may feel more energized and less exhausted, you may have them replaced with newer ones that take some getting used to.
Your Baby’s Progress
Your baby is really starting to make some major progress in terms of their development, and this is exciting! They have reflexes now and they can even smile, frown, suck in amniotic fluid, and excrete it as urine. If you have an ultrasound during this time, you may even find baby sucking their thumb which is simply amazing! The baby has developed a great deal and they are starting to look like an actual baby at this point. Baby has his own fingerprints and has very distinct features, including genitalia which will tell you what the gender is if you wish to know. The baby will really start to bulk up and gain some weight as this trimester continues on, and you will feel this through your own weight gain and of course movement. It’s an exciting time and likely the best trimester, so enjoy every second of it!
Additional Reference:
http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/articles/pregnancy/weeklypregcalendar/index2.php
