| A Relief, New Challenge |
| Written by Jane Brown | |
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You're in your second trimester! The good news is that some of the unpleasant early symptoms of pregnancy, such as nausea and fatigue, will begin to subside as your body adjusts to the growing life inside of it. There's still plenty of work for your body left to do, however, and new physical changes you'll have to adapt to as your baby develops inside of you. In the second trimester of your pregnancy, your baby begins a rapid period of growth and development. At the beginning of your second trimester, your baby is only about six inches long, by the end of the second trimester, your baby will be about a foot long and will resemble a small infant. You'll be going through some big changes of your own during this second trimester of pregnancy. You'll start to gain weight more rapidly as your baby grows, your breasts will increase in size and prepare to begin making milk for when your baby is born, and various internal changes will continue to accommodate your growing child. The second trimester is referred to by some as the "honeymoon" phase of pregnancy. This is because some of the negative pregnancy symptoms experienced in the first trimester of pregnancy, morning sickness, fatigue, breast tenderness, etc. have begun to abate. Most doctors believe the symptoms level off because of a drop in the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone present in the mother's body, and the body's adjustment to increased levels of progesterone and estrogen. Also many women during their second trimester of pregnancy see a marked increase in their sex drive. You'll feel increased sensitivity in your breasts and nipples and increased blood flow to your pelvic area will make it easier for you to reach orgasm. Your body will continue to undergo many changes as your pregnancy progresses, however. The second trimester is when your pregnancy will show, or become visibly apparent to others. As you gain weight, your "baby bump" will appear. During your second trimester, you'll gain about a pound per week. It's important that you gain weight during this time to accomodate you baby's growth and nutritional needs, but almost equally important is that you don't gain too much weight. Eat a well balanced diet to ensure your weight gain is not too rapid. You may be somewhat dismayed by your body's changing shape. Try to take a little time out to appreciate the beauty of the pregnant form, and do a few things that make you feel better about your appearance, such as having a manicure or pedicure. Your circulatory system is also increasing in size in order to accomodate the increased blood flow that's necessary for your unborn child's growth and development. Pregnant women gain about four pounds in increased blood volume during pregnancy and three pounds of fluid volume. The changes to your circulatory system can have a number of impacts on your body. For example, you may experience some slight ankle swelling during this time. This is caused by the increase in fluid in your body and the changes to your circulatory system. This can be uncomfortable and the best way to avoid what could be a potentially annoying pain is to take frequent sit downs, use a foot rest, exercise regularly and avoid sitting with your legs crossed. Changes to your skin may also develop in your second trimester of pregnancy. You may frequently appear to be plushing or you could get brownish markings on your face. One common skin problem during pregnancy is stretch marks. Keeping your skin moisturized and frequent massage to areas where you may develop stretch marks can help head off this problem. Some other common physical complaints during the second trimester include:
Many women suffer these symptoms only mildly or not at all. The second trimester of pregnancy truly is much easier than other parts of the process. Think of it as a respite between the early stages and the final trimester which culminates in labor and delivery. |
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