Second Trimester
Second Trimester
4-6 Months
Experience the “Serenity” with baby
Baby is about 3 inches long and weighs around 110 g
Baby is covered with a layer of thick, downy hair called lanugo
Baby’s brain has started maturing & baby has started dreaming
Heart and blood vessels are fully formed
The baby’s fingers and toes are becoming defined
Experience the first “movement”
The Baby is about 6 inches long and weights around 280 g
A protective coating called vernix begins to form on the baby’s skin
Baby’s heartbeat can be heard clearly
This may be when you feel your baby’s first movement called
“Quickening”
The baby can suck a thumb, yawn, stretch, and make faces
Experience the first “talk” with baby
The baby is about 8-10 inches long and weighs around 630 g
Baby responds to sound by moving or increasing the pulse
if you talk or sing, your baby can hear you
Fat is starting to deposit under the skin
Baby’s lungs begin to stretch preparing for breathing
Exercise During Second Trimester
- Kegel exercises should be a part of your daily routine, beginning in the second trimester. During the last months of pregnancy the growing fetus puts pressure on your bladder, which makes you feel the need to urinate frequently. Sometimes women limit their fluids when this happens, but it’s absolutely essential that keep your fluid intake high to stay hydrate
- A Better Solution: Kegel exercise to strengthen the muscles around your urethra
- How to do it: Contract the muscles in your vagina, Urethera and anusas if you were trying to hold back urine. Hold for 5 to 7 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 to 20 times a day.
YOUR NUTRITION GUIDE TO Second TRIMESTER
- Eating a healthy balanced diet continues to be important during this trimester. Try to include the following in your diet
- 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Include a variety of green leafy vegetables (e.g. broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage) to improve your folic acid and iron intake
- Starchy wholegrain carbohydrates at every meal, e.g. bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice
- Low fat dairy products 2-3 times a day will ensure you consume enough calcium
- Protein-rich foods (e.g. lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, lentils and tofu) twice a day. This will help you to meet your protein and iron needs
- Oily fish at least once a week (but not more than twice a week)- this will ensure you get your fix of essential omega-3 fatty acids, to help with your baby’s brain development