During this week, your baby’s body grows more rapidly than their head. Their gag reflex now begins to function, which is important for survival after being born and closely associated with their swallow, cough and sneeze reflexes. Your baby’s nose and nasal passages are now fully developed.
Did you know? Until recently, scientists did not think unborn babies could smell because this probably depended on breathing air. However, it is now known that the amniotic fluid surrounding an unborn baby passes through their mouth and nasal cavities, possibly triggering their sense of smell. A newborn baby is naturally drawn to the smell of breast milk after birth, even though they have no previous experience of it. It may be that they are cued for this before birth!
Physical changes
For most women the 2nd trimester is the most comfortable phase of their pregnancy. However, this stage can also bring its own unique physical changes. Occasionally the physical changes of the 1st trimester continue to linger until 14, 16 or even 20 weeks of pregnancy and beyond. However, it is normal to feel concerned if some pregnancy signs disappear while it is too early to feel the reassuring movements of your baby yet.
Growing belly
You may notice your belly beginning to show and that you need to loosen the clothing around your waistline. However, at this stage many women say they just feel ‘fat’, rather than pregnant. From here on in, your baby grows quite rapidly and in the coming weeks your belly will quickly pop out! You may be able to get away with wearing looser or more elasticised pants and skirts for a while longer, but in the coming weeks you will need to start considering maternity clothing.
If you see your caregiver around this time of pregnancy, they should now be able to feel the top of your uterus (called the fundus), when feeling your belly.
Weight gain
Pregnant women are often concerned about gaining too much weight (or not enough). How much or little weight you gain during pregnancy is very individual and various factors can influence this. You can find out more about weight gain during pregnancy here. How do you deal with bump talk?
Emotional reactions
As your baby grows and your belly swells, the physical changes of pregnancy become more evident. How you feel about your changing body is very individual but generally everyone goes through some level of adjustment. Your personal concept of your body image and sexuality can also affect your relationship with your partner (if you have one), as well as how they perceive your body.
You may think about the occasional pampering session to help you feel good about your changing body. Perhaps a facial, massage or a weekend away to celebrate your pregnancy!
Other considerations
Belly piercing
If your belly is pierced you may be wondering what you will do with your jewellery during pregnancy or how to keep the piercing open until after the birth.
Choosing childbirth classes
Childbirth classes can help prepare you for the labour and birth, but are not usually started until after 28 weeks of pregnancy. However, you may want to start looking into these now, as they can book out quite early. Many hospitals offer early pregnancy classes and other sessions on parenting or breastfeeding.
When to stop work or study
If you are working and/or studying, you may start making plans for when you will stop. Depending on your circumstances, this may be several weeks before your baby is due, or you may prefer to continue to as close to the due date as possible. If you are feeling well and coping (or even thriving) with your work or study commitments and your pregnancy is progressing normally, stopping work will essentially come down to your own personal choice. However, bear in mind that sometimes health concerns (for yourself or your baby) could mean finishing earlier than anticipated. Try and stay flexible (and ask your work if they can too) in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Natural therapies
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a lifestyle and health philosophy based on the belief that the body has the ability to heal itself when free of toxins accumulated through poor lifestyle habits. The aim of naturopathy is to stimulate the body’s natural defences to promote equilibrium and allow the body to function at its optimum. Naturopaths can also work with other natural therapies such as acupuncture, clinical nutrition, herbal medicine and osteopathy
