Dubbed as the honeymoon period of pregnancy, the second trimester lasts from weeks 13 to 27 and is the most comfortable stage of gestation. Nausea and exhaustion that afflicted you during the last three months should be lessening.
There should be lesser pregnancy pain and discomfort, mood swings, and body changes in the next three months. But like the previous trimester, this period also comes with a prenatal-care checklist to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Keep Up with Your Prenatal Checks and Screening Tests
For weeks 4 to 28, pregnant women should see their doctor or midwife at least once a month. The number of visits will rise as your pregnancy progresses because you and the baby will need to be closely monitored by then.
The expectant mother will also need to undergo several laboratory exams, including an ultrasound screening (using a specialized device with an attached ultrasound transducer), blood tests, and birth or genetic screening. The goals of the ultrasound test are to check the baby’s development and activity and to examine the placenta, the amount of amniotic fluid, and length of the cervix.
A blood test and genetic screening will be done to check for gestational diabetes and genetic conditions or birth defects. The doctor may recommend more tests if they find something out of the norm in your test results.
Other than a general checkup and screening tests, your healthcare provider may also vaccinate you against the flu. Your doctor will recommend getting a vaccination immediately when you’re pregnant during flu season (through the fall and winter months). Contracting the flu while you’re pregnant can have adverse effects on the baby’s health and increase your risk for complications.
Your health-care provider will recommend other vaccinations later in your pregnancy to protect you and the baby further.
Eat a Balanced Diet
For the next nine months, what you eat will be crucial to the development of your baby. Pregnant women should eat food rich in protein to promote fetal growth, calcium for the baby’s teeth and bones, and iron for better oxygen delivery to the baby.
Avoid eating unhealthy fats. Instead, eat more lean meat, fish, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. It’s best to ask your doctor about what foods are good or bad for the baby to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Exercise Regularly
Pregnant women should stay physically active unless there are complications during their pregnancy. Regular low-impact exercise can help prevent complications during childbirth and lessen your risk of a C-section. Staying active also aids in increasing your energy levels and eases some of the pain and discomfort during pregnancy.
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial during your pregnancy. It lessens your risk of gestational diabetes and preterm labour, as well as low birth weight in the baby. Exercising can assist in regulating your weight and promoting more oxygen circulation to the baby. However, you must avoid doing anything strenuous activities while pregnant.
Read this exercise in pregnancy guide by the NHS to know what’s safe and unsafe to do during the next few months.
Continue Taking Supplements
During pregnancy, your body will have an increased demand for micronutrients to nourish itself and meet the needs of the growing baby in your tummy. While eating a balanced diet does a lot, the food you eat is usually not enough to sustain your baby’s development. That’s why your doctor will prescribe vitamin supplements during your pregnancy.
Your health-care provider will prescribe iron supplements to prevent anaemia. They will also likely give you supplements for vitamin D, which is essential in regulating calcium and phosphate in the body and keeping bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
Talk to Your Baby
In the late stages of the second trimester, the baby begins to hear, see, and smell. As they become aware of their arms and legs, they will start stirring in your tummy. Your baby should start responding when you talk to them.
Although they can’t see you and may not understand what you’re saying, your baby will feel more secure and comforted when you talk to them. Communicating with your baby in the womb helps deepen your bond and may also aid in the baby’s speech and language development.
Final Thoughts
Having a healthy pregnancy involves a lot of work for the next nine months. Fortunately, the second trimester allows you to take a much-needed break from constant nausea, fatigue, food aversion, and body changes that come with being pregnant.
During this relatively comfortable period, you should continue to follow your prenatal checklist and begin preparations for childbirth and the baby. Research and read as much as you can about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood so you can be as ready as possible for the coming months.
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