Second Trimester

Week 13

Your baby is growing fast! Crown to rump length is about 3 inches! You will probably be able to feel your uterus in the upper edge of your pubic bone, during the beginning of the second trimester your uterus has filled your pelvic area and begins growing upward into your abdomen. You may be showing quite a bit now! Morning sickness has probably subsided by now and you may be feeling quite well. Most women would agree that the second trimester is the most comfortable of the three.

Your baby's face and body begin to look quite human like. Few malformations occur after the first trimester as the fetus now has all of its functioning organs.  At this time, the baby's genitalia are formed enough to tell if its a boy or a girl! 

Week 14

Your baby is about the size of your fist, weighing almost 1 ounce! You are probably feeling quite uncomfortable in your regular clothing by now. You may need to begin shopping for maternity clothes if you haven't already. By this week your baby's head seems more proportionate to baby's body. You may find that you develop skin tags here and there. They are nothing to be alarmed about, usually just little raised pieces of flesh. Most of the time they disappear by themselves after you give birth.

Week 15

Your baby is close to 4 inches long from crown to rump! Your belly is likely showing by now. However, its wise not to compare yourself to pregnant friends. Women come in all shapes and sizes and so do their pregnant bellies. Do not be alarmed if someone else is looks less or more pregnant than you. Our bodies are all different and you will go through growth spurts at different stages in your pregnancy. Your baby continues to grow and thrive. Your baby can be seen sucking his thumb at this stage via ultrasound. Baby's bones though still quite soft are beginning to harden and calcify. You may be scheduled for an ultrasound in a few weeks!

Week 16

Your baby has grown almost a half an inch this week measuring in at about 4.5 inches! You may have gained some weight by now but don't be alarmed. Much of that weight gain is placenta and amniotic fluid. It is recommended that women gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. Your baby's legs are longer than his arms now and his fingernails are fully formed. You may feel movement now but do not be alarmed if you haven't yet. The baby has been moving from early in the first trimester, it isn't until he gets big enough that you will actually feel this movement. Many people (especially with their first pregnancies) do not feel movement until after the 20th week.

Week 17

Your baby is about 4.9 inches (crown to rump) long! Your uterus reaches about midway between your pubic bone and your belly button. It would be rather hard to conceal a pregnancy at this point. Your baby continues to put on weight and after this week starts to develop fat stores. You may begin to feel a bit of discomfort in the weeks to come. Your uterus is getting larger and putting strain on your surrounding organs and ligaments. Some women feel pains in their sides. This is called round ligament pain. Its is common in pregnancy and may be felt as a sharp or dull pain in the sides of your belly. If you are concerned or if the pain is persistent then you should contact your doctor. However, the occasional pain or dull ache is usually just a natural part of growth during pregnancy.

Week 18

You are likely going for an ultrasound this week. Most doctors will schedule a level 2 ultrasound at 18-20 weeks. This is the best time to view a baby in utero and since all of the baby's organs are fully formed it is a good time to check for any abnormalities. Baby is about 5.5 inches crown to rump and weighs over 5 ounces! Your baby is very human looking now and continues to grow and fine tune all his organs and functions! 

Week 19

Baby may be as big as 6  inches crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces! Your baby is very human looking now and continues to grow and fine tune all his organs and functions! Your uterus is likely just about at your belly button now. You may be feeling some movement now although the really big kicks may not come for a few more weeks yet. 

Week 20

Baby may be as big as 6.5  inches crown to rump and weighs about 9 ounces! You are now half way through your pregnancy! Your baby's movement may seem irregular, some days you may feel lots of movement while other days almost nothing at all. If you are concerned, drink a glass of juice or have something to eat and then lie down. Usually that will spark some movement but if not, try not to worry. Its very common for fetal movement to seem irregular until closer to the 28th week.

Week 21

Your baby can hear you now, talk to your baby, sing him songs! Baby weighs over 10 ounces and is over 7 inches long crown to rump. Your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid now and will continue to do so until birth. This is how your baby recycles the amniotic fluid surrounding him. This is good practice for him and makes good use of his kidneys! You may notice swelling more in the second half of your pregnancy. Do not be alarmed, swelling in your extremities is a common occurrence in pregnancy. Although if you are having pain due to swelling or if its constant then consult your doctor.

Week 22

Your baby weighs 12 ounces and is 7.5 inches crown to rump! You are likely feeling comfortably pregnant now and may even begin to find yourself walking a bit different to compensate for your growing belly. Your baby continues to grow and develop now and fine tune all his organs. Heartburn is a normal part of pregnancy. With your uterus pushing on your organs (especially your stomach) it can cause stomach acids to back up into your esophagus and give you a burning sensation known as heartburn. This happens most often after a large meal or while lying down. It may help to watch what you eat and eat smaller portions more frequently.

Week 23

Your baby weighs almost a pound and is about 8 inches crown to rump! Your uterus is quite a bit above your belly button now and you may be feeling stronger kicks and bumps from your baby. Your baby's skin is still quite wrinkly at this point but will grow more firm as he retains more fat. You may be feeling restless at night especially if you are someone who normally sleeps on their back or belly. If you are noticing an increase in swelling these days you may want to be sure you are getting enough fluids. During pregnancy your body needs 6-8 glasses of water a day.

Week 24

Your baby weighs about 1.2 pounds and is almost 8.5 inches crown to rump. Your baby is filling out now and from this point on may survive if born. From week 24 it is possible for a baby to survive with the help of doctors although there is an increased risk of complications to a baby born this early.

Week 25

Your baby weighs about 1.5 pounds and is almost 9 inches crown to rump. Your baby is growing and your uterus is about the size of a soccer ball! Hemorrhoids and constipation are a common complaint during pregnancy. The best thing to relieve constipation is to drink plenty of water and try to add fiber into your diet. 

Week 26

Your baby weighs almost 2 pounds and is over 9 inches from crown to rump!  Your baby continues to grow and from this week on your baby will probably gain about half a pound a week! With every week that goes by, your baby's chance of survival increases if born prematurely. By 28 weeks the survival rate among premature infants is 75%. By the 32 week, the survival rate among premature infants is over 90%!