Nine Months: What to expect from the second trimester of pregnancy, aka the 'babymoon'

The second trimester offers a much-needed break from the tough first trimester, which is generally associated with periods of morning sickness, fatigue, and aversion to food. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the second trimester is also called the ‘babymoon’ phase.

This stage in your pregnancy allows you the chance to relax and more importantly get things into perspective. It also serves as a good time to understand the changes your body is experiencing and watch your little one taking baby steps towards a brighter future. To understand this stage a bit better, you could follow Firstpost’s show Nine Months — a visual how-to survival guide that brings experience, knowledge and perspective to mothers so they can follow a reliable and singular narrative on pregnancy and parenting.

Another Step Closer To Parenthood

The second trimester bids goodbye to the unpleasant symptoms you encountered in the first trimester. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief as the morning sickness fades away. This also means you’ll be back to consuming nutritious meals that will help nourish your baby in the weeks to come.

Second Trimester – A Bed Of Roses?

While there’s an upside to the second trimester, there’s a downside too, although it’s much less pronounced than the effects you see in the first trimester.

During this stage, you’re prone to anaemia, bleeding gums, and swelling. While you may instantaneously want to ask your doctor for healing in a pill; trust us, at this stage food should be your primary medicine. While supplements like folic acid, calcium, and iron are essential, you should rely on them only as complementary additions, to battle deficiencies.

Here’s a quick peek into eating right during pregnancy —

• Maintain a regular intake of green leafy vegetables, dill leaves, kidney beans, eggs, chicken liver, and pulses, which are good sources of iron, vitamins, and antioxidants

Tip: Drizzle some lemon juice on the vegetables and pulses to increase iron absorption

• Munch on a dry toast when you wake up in the morning. This will help prevent nausea and ease your tummy. Also, avoid food that is spicy or has a strong aroma.

Tip: Eat small meals at frequent intervals, to ease digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes

The Status Of Your Baby

And while you’re providing your body with a constant supply of nutrients, your baby is readily absorbing these and making quick progress. An ultrasound in this trimester could reveal your baby’s facial features and you’ll be pleased to know your little one can even swallow and hiccup!

However, the most heart-warming moment is when you begin to feel slight movements in your tummy; yet another reminder that your baby has gone from being the size of a tiny pea to growing into the perfect fit for your palms. With his fully developed ears now being his portal to the outside world, he wouldn’t mind a soothing lullaby or a quick chat with his mommy dearest. We bet you’ll be happy to oblige!

Doctors will expect a growth in your baby by 14 inches and 2 pounds by this time. This is based on the estimation by the American Pregnancy Association for second trimester pregnancies.

Second Trimester Predictions For You

It’s not just your baby growing and making space for himself, your body is adjusting just as efficiently to accommodate the little one. Here’s what happens —

• As your uterus expands, the lungs get compressed, which often leaves you short of breath at times

• The uterine ligaments stretch to make space, thus leading to low-intensity abdominal aches, cramps, and back pain

• Pigmentation may occur at the mid-line of the tummy; stretch marks too are not uncommon around the thighs, buttocks, and stomach. In some cases, women may suffer from melasma (skin discolouration), which is not a serious cause for concern as it usually subsides after delivery.

• During this trimester, there are chances of developing increased blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or thyroid level fluctuations. Therefore, it’s important that you consult your doctor frequently to monitor your health and prevent further complications.

Reaching the ideal weight during your pregnancy is important. Seeking a doctor’s guidance will make things easier. Generally, if you have a normal Body Mass Index (BMI), you would be recommended a consistent weight gain of 2 kilos every month. However, if you are overweight, you would be required to consistently increase only 1 kilo monthly.

The Second Trimester Checklist

As you rapidly proceed towards the due date, the intensity of care is increased two-fold. Close medical attention is provided to track nutrient intake, fetal development, and possible medical complications.

The entire process generally includes —

• A diet fortified with folic acid, iron, calcium, and protein supplements. Iron and calcium supplements are generally prescribed after assessing your baseline haemoglobin levels

• Omega 3, 6, and 9 supplements are recommended to aid in the baby’s brain development

• An anomaly scan is conducted at 20 weeks to determine normal functioning of the baby’s organs

• A fetal 2D Echo is performed at 24 weeks to rule out the possibility of any cardiac malformation

• The quadruple marker test is carried out from time to time to identify genetic problems in the growing baby. It is considered as a must, particularly for mothers aged 35 and above to determine conditions like Down’s Syndrome.

• For tests that come positive, the mothers are urged to undergo other tests like Amniocentesis or NIFTY. Amniocentesis entails taking amniotic fluid from the mother’s amniotic sac and assessing it to identify defects in the baby. NIFTY, on the other hand, is a non-invasive test conducted to identify genetic conditions.

It’s time to brace yourself as you reach the second trimester. It’ll only be a matter of time before your baby is here. Follow the same healthy routine of a nutrient-dense diet. Exercise in moderation; prenatal yoga would be perfect. If you’ve been anxious lately, enroll in a childbirth class to improve your understanding. The best part? You may even make some new mommy friends. And lastly, consider this a good time to go on one long getaway before it’s nearly time for your baby’s arrival!

Watch this episode of 9 Months for a more comprehensive discussion on what to expect from the second trimester of pregnancy.