Welcome to week twenty three!
As your baby gets bigger and bigger in the second trimester it might be time to check out articles in Go-to-Topics about comfort measures. Most of the discomfort is caused by ligaments that support your growing uterus.
There are other discomforts related to sciatica, varicose veins and pelvic pressure. These discomforts do not affect all women and women tend to have them in varying degrees. Good news is that for most women there are ways to lessen the discomfort and still enjoy your pregnancy.
As your baby gets bigger and bigger in the second trimester it might be time to check out articles in Go-to-Topics about comfort measures.
How my Baby Grows
- Fingers and toes have completely formed, and they even have tiny finger and footprints as well as creases in the palms of each hand
- Your baby’s ears can pick up sounds even better by now
- There is some serious brain development going on that will continue until the last weeks of your pregnancy
- Blood vessels in your baby’s lungs are also developing to help your baby breathe at birth
Symptoms Mama may Feel or Experience
- Your round ligaments might still be bothering you especially depending on what position your baby is in
- Sometimes they will be more on one side of your lower abdomen and you can get sharp pains when you baby moves
- Yet other women say that they feel it equally on both sides
- Self-help measures include a heating pad on low, a hot bath, rest and most doctors and midwives will also suggest Acetaminophen if needed
- You may also be having some lower back discomfort as your uterus enlarges and pulls on utero sacral ligaments
- These ligaments attach near your tail bone and encircle the lower part of your uterus
- They pull on your lower back as the pregnancy grows larger and they attempt to support the growing baby
- A belly band that goes across your lower back and then comes around to the front of your belly can really help
- Sciatica is a very painful, usually temporary discomfort that comes from your buttocks and runs down the back part of your leg
- It is caused by pressure of the baby on your sciatic nerve
- You can try Acetaminophen or a heating pad on warm, but it may not improve until your baby changes positions and gets off the nerve
- Sometimes getting on all fours in the “cat-cow” position so that you can arch your back and then release it with your knees spread apart will help the baby find a better place to hang out
- Varicose veins are very common during pregnancy due to vessel wall relaxation and increased circulating blood volume that is a normal part of pregnancy
- If you have them already, they will likely get worse
- If you don’t have them, they can show up in your legs and even in your vulvar tissue
- They usually improve after the pregnancy
- The most helpful thing that you can do is invest in compression stockings and put them on first thing in the morning
- You may be feeling your baby have jerky movements occasionally that are actually hiccups, some babies get them, and others do not
Thoughts to Consider
- Doulas
- Maybe you have never heard of a doula, they are trained and certified birth attendants that work with you during the pregnancy to find out what is important about the birth experience you want so that when you are in labor, they can support you and your wishes in tandem with your partner
- They stay with you during labor and usually also visit with you postpartum
- They are very knowledgeable about labor and birth, and are there to support your wishes, not replace your partner
- Check out the StorkAdvisor articles in Go-to-Topics on doulas
- The national certifying agency for doulas is DONA International, you can locate a doula in your local area by contacting them online
- Although doulas are a wonderful tool to help you develop a birth plan, support you in labor with positioning and other pain management strategies, and assist with breastfeeding, they are not all the same, we recommend that you interview several and hire one that you really connect with personally
- It is a good idea to begin planning who you want at your birth and when you go home
- Who will be supportive while still listening to your wishes?
- Who do you trust to help you without taking control?
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Dizziness is a common complaint of pregnancy partially because your blood pressure is probably lower than normal during your second trimester
- Because of this, if you rise quickly from a seated or lying down position you might become light-headed, this is especially true if the weather is warm
- Of course, if you stay adequately hydrated with water, that will help too
- Wearing a seat belt is another way to take care of yourself and your baby, just place the shoulder strap across your chest and place the lap belt under baby-low on your hips
