One down two to go: 2nd Trimester
Cheers! You have completed week 12. One down two to go…Welcome to the second trimester, the most enjoyable phase of pregnancy.
Yes! It’s the relaxing phase since your body has got accustomed to the hormonal upsurge and you may even notice that the morning sickness has reduced considerably. The symptoms of fatigue and tiredness also tend to get better with your improving energy levels. I am sure you are feeling much better this time. Keep it up!
While you keep getting drenched in this beautiful period of the 2nd Trimester, Mommypure wants to throw some light on this topic so that you have a decent understanding of how to deal with the physical and emotional changes and simultaneously prepare you and your baby for healthier living.
The second trimester is usually marked from the 13th week until the 27th week of pregnancy. Again this phase has its features, both physically and emotionally.
Let’s get going…
Breast enlargement
The tenderness that you felt earlier is now lessening, but the breast continues to increase in size to prepare for nursing. Avoid tight-fitting inner garments. Choose a good quality bra to support the enlargement and make you feel comfortable.
Cramps and aches
The uterus increases in size to accommodate the growing fetus. This eventually puts pressure on the intestines, stretches the muscles and ligaments, and makes your feel some dull ache in the lower abdomen and cramps. At times you may also feel the Braxton Hicks contractions which is a feeling of slight tightness, irregular and mild contractions in your abdomen. To relieve these symptoms immerse your lower abdomen in a warm water tub or take a warm water bath. Do some gentle exercise under supervision or just grab a towel, soak in warm water and do some fomentation on your lower abdomen. At times mild walk or changing the posture can also do the trick.
Weight gain and backache
Extra pounds on your scale! Chill down, it’s absolutely fine. As your nausea has gone down you tend to eat well so the weight keeps increasing. The increasing weight puts some pressure on your back and gives rise to pain and tenderness. Time to start treating yourself! Shop for some low-heeled, good footwear with comfortable arch support. Avoid picking up anything heavy. Be away from strenuous exercise. Sit straight, get good back support when it comes to chair/sofa/dining seats. Pamper yourself with some gentle massage. Sleep on sides. You can put a pillow in between the legs to relax your back muscles.
Oral care
The gums swelling and tenderness is a common occurrence in this trimester because of the increased vascularity brought by the rising progesterone hormone. Your gums may get hypersensitive with the tendency to bleed easily. Follow good oral hygiene, use salt water as a mouth wash and buy a good soft bristle brush. You can also visit your dentist to get the gums and tooth enamel examined and simultaneously seek correct prescriptions, if, the condition demands it.
Nose congestion
The mucous membrane in the nose swells and bleeds easily. Your nose may be stuffy and you may also start snoring. Use saline water nasal drops as a decongestant. In case of bleeding, apply pressure on the base of the nose (starting part of your nose between the eyes). Use an air humidifier and apply moisturizing lotions on the nose edges and stay well hydrated.
Spells of dizziness
One of the effects of increasing hormones is the lowering of sugar and blood pressure. Blood circulation can get affected if you remain in one position or keep standing for too long. Also, a sudden change in posture may hamper circulation. So any movement should be gradual, avoid one posture for long hours, sleep on sides, drink adequate fluids, and wear loose and comfortable clothes. Avoid hot showers.
Leg Cramps
You may feel cramps in your legs at night. This could be due to the increasing weight, hormones, or deficiency of calcium and magnesium. So gear up the intake of calcium and magnesium-rich foods. A gentle oil massage at night could help relax your muscles.
Skin Changes
The melanin in the skin increases due to the raised hormones. This can lead to dark reddish-brown patches on the cheeks, abdomen, thighs, breasts, and buttocks. You may even notice linea nigra, a dark line in the center of the abdomen below the navel. So use some sunscreen lotions before moving out in the sun. Don’t forget to apply some anti-stretch marks oils / herbal preparations on those prone areas and use moisturizers to keep your skin away from dryness and itching.
UTI’s and Discharge
The urine infections get common and at times you may also notice a sticky, white, and clear discharge from the vagina. If you suffer from abdomen pain, foul smell, and soreness cum itching in either of the cases, seek your doctor’s attention. Keep yourself adequately hydrated, have fruit juices, coconut water, and avoid spicy foods. Shop for some good and comfortable cotton inner garments.
Emotional wellbeing
The second trimester is generally an energetic term. As the symptoms of the first trimester fade away your emotional energies transform for the better. You start feeling relaxed, sleep time gets better, and overall you seem to be stable and content. So get enrolled for some exercise/meditation/yoga classes. Start listing down the shopping items for your delivery essentials and all that you may need once the little bundle of joy lands in your arms. Watch some motivating videos on the process of delivery so you are well prepared mentally. You can even join some prenatal classes to spend your time efficiently.
Doctor’s visit.
Take care of all your appointments and make sure that all the scans are done on a timely basis. Symptoms like excessive nausea, vomiting, jaundice, swelling in any part especially feet/ankle, rapid weight loss/gain, groin or abdominal pain, haemorrhoids, varicose veins on the legs, etc. should be immediately brought to your treating doctor’s attention.
As days pass by and your baby keeps growing, cherish every moment of that little baby bump. Do enjoy the cute flap of the kicks of your baby that may come as a lovely surprise in the mid of this trimester. Stay happy and start building your bond with your world of joy!
