Now measuring thirteen and a half inches and weighing over one and a half pounds, your baby is filling out. The wrinkled skin is starting to look smoother. The joints and ligaments of the spine are developing—these structures will protect the spinal cord. Sweat glands are forming in the baby’s skin. The nerves around the mouth area are showing more sensitivity, and the swallowing reflexes are strengthening. Your baby may even get the hiccups, which will feel like tiny intermittent spasms in your abdomen.
You are getting close to the beginning of the third trimester, and you may start to feel some of the emotionality of the first trimester. Although you are looking forward to the birth of your baby, as the weeks go by, the reality of being a mother may start to hit you. Talking to other women who have been through pregnancy and childbirth can help—not only will you have someone to listen to your concerns, but you can learn from their experiences. Also, if you are writing in your journal, continue to explore some of the changes you will be facing as your baby is born. One of the largest concerns can be your job. Perhaps you are afraid it will be too demanding and want to explore other options? Perhaps you’re considering taking a year off but don’t know if you can afford it. (For help, read: “Finding Stimulating Part-Time Work? Yes, It’s Possible!” or: “Two Incomes to One: Can You Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom?”)
Hot Topic: Sleep
Sleeping may get more difficult as the baby get bigger. Your sleep can be disturbed by trips to the bathroom, your inability to get comfortable, or your baby practicing kicks and flips at night. Here are some things to try if you are having trouble sleeping:
- If you don’t already have one, get a long body pillow
- Go to the bathroom at least twice in a thirty-minute period before bed
- If you are still going to the bathroom during the night, try to drink most of your fluids early in the day and limit drinking in the evening
