The Physical Changes

As the weeks wear on, your body will continue to change to accommodate the baby, which could make for an uncomfortable few months while you wait for labor to arrive. As you gain weight, your breasts will keep growing and perhaps leak colostrum (the liquid produced before milk), your back may ache, you might get winded easily, and you’ll likely have to visit the restroom for bathroom breaks a lot more often than you did pre-pregnancy (things like sneezing and laughing could lead to some leakage—embarrassing, yes, but totally normal). The unlucky will have to deal with stretch marks on the abdomen; spider veins in the face, arms and neck; and varicose veins in the legs and rectum—also known as hemorrhoids when they pick this spot to strike.

You may start to have noticeable Braxton Hicks contractions as well. These “practice” contractions differ from the real deal in that they don’t get stronger or closer together as they go, but they may be uncomfortable.

The Emotional Changes

Playing the waiting game can be difficult, especially with all the physical discomfort that goes along with it. The reality that you’re about to be a parent for the first time (or again!) will hit you harder than it has before, and that can spark anxious thoughts. Talking about your fears with your partner or other moms (and even your baby) can be helpful, as can journaling. You can never totally prepare for what’s about to happen, but reading books, taking classes and getting everything ready can help ease your concerns and make you feel as ready as possible.

The Baby’s Changes

During the third trimester, your baby’s getting all the finishing touches, if you will—his eyes blink for the first time, his bones fully form, and the lanugo (fine, downy hair) on his body sheds. At this stage, babies gain weight rapidly, sprouting up from around 2.5 pounds at the beginning of the trimester to their delivery weight of 6 to 9 pounds or so. It’s even possible that your baby is having sweet dreams when he sleeps now—although it’s anyone’s guess as to what they’re about. Pretty soon, you’ll get to ask him yourself!

The Doctor’s Visits

From 28 to 34 weeks, your appointments will increase to every other week. We’ll monitor your weight gain, blood pressure and urine; listen to the fetal heartbeat; and check the baby’s position. You can also expect to be screened for gestational diabetes and Group B strep (bacteria that can cause an infection with your baby), and, as a part of our OB VIP program, we’ll review your birth plan, including cord blood banking and breastfeeding, to make sure you are ready and set to go. At 36 weeks, we’ll start to see you every week, and if you go past your due date, you’ll come in twice a week until the baby is born. Whatever questions you have, please ask! We are here for you and are committed to making sure that you have a great birth!

The Physical Changes

There’s good news on the physical front for this middle trimester: Morning sickness usually subsides, your sex drive is in top form, and any tenderness in your breasts from the first trimester is likely to disappear. As baby grows, though, so will you—expect to put on about three to four pounds a month. This trimester is probably the one in which you’ll put away most of your wardrobe staples and embrace maternity clothes.

Darkening, stretch marks and dryness are three potential effects on your skin, so be diligent about using sunscreen and moisturizers. Leg cramps may also strike; stretching your calves, especially before bed, will help with that. Breathlessness is normal now, as your lungs are working overtime. If you were exercising vigorously in your pre-pregnancy days, you’ll want to change your routine to something lower impact now. Swimming, prenatal yoga and walking are all good choices.

The Emotional Changes

You should be adjusted to those hormonal fluctuations that might have caught you off guard in the first trimester, so you’re likely to feel more on an even keel now. As your body changes, though, you may start to worry about weight gain, stretch marks and swelling. Some women feel extra beautiful with the changes pregnancy brings; others struggle with body image. Whatever you’re feeling, you’re definitely not alone.

The Baby’s Changes

Most significantly for many, this is when your baby’s sex will reveal itself. It’s also the stage in which you’ll probably start to feel some movement, and your baby might be able to respond to familiar sounds, like your voice. He or she is undergoing rapid changes—developing fingerprints and footprints, sprouting hair, accumulating fat, developing the ability to swallow and make sucking motions, and forming bones.

The Doctor’s Visits

Throughout your second trimester, you’ll have doctor’s visits once a month. At Healthy Woman, you’ll see physicians on a rotating basis so you can feel comfortable with all the doctors on staff. During your appointments this trimester, your weight gain, blood pressure, uterine size and urine will be checked, and your baby’s heartbeat will be listened to. There are optional tests that can be performed during this time that doctors will discuss with you, and you’ll have an ultrasound around 20 to 22 weeks. This is also a good time to create a birth plan; at Healthy Woman, as a part of our OB VIP program, one of the co-founders will meet with you to go over your expectations and hopes for the birthing process. For a detailed explanation of the schedule of doctor’s visits, see our schedule of prenatal visits here.