Weeks 23 and 24
Hello little baby..
This second trimester is just going by so quickly. I am feeling a lot more comfortable and energetic than during the first trimester. I have started getting some heartburn some evenings, so a smaller dinner is on the cards going forward. They say that if moms get a lot of heartburn during their pregnancy, baby arrives with loads of hair. Unfortunately that is an Old Wives tale, but it will be interesting to see if its works for us!
You are the size of a grapefruit at 23 weeks and a cantaloupe melon by 24 weeks! I am starting to feel your little movements more often now that I know what they feel like. Itโs true that I donโt feel them every day and that is quite normal.
Some days I have backache if I have been standing for too long. I need to do more posture checks to support my back muscles as you are only going to get bigger and heavier!
I have noticed that my gums sometimes bleed after I brush my teeth. I have opted for a soft bristle toothbrush and it has helped. I am still seeing my dentist every 6 months, she just does not do any x-rays.
Emotionally, I do sometimes wonder what my body is going to look like by the end of pregnancy. So many changes happeningโฆ but then I just get excited about the miracle of becoming a mother, and really enjoy each phase. I have noticed that my nipples have got darker, and a faint line is starting from my pubic bone to my belly button. I believe that is quite normal as the hormones in my skin make it darker. Itโs called Linea nigraโฆ.
Hello my Mommy,
So my wrinkly skin is still quite see-through, my eyes are fully formed, but due to lack of pigmentation, there is no colour yet. My balance control in my inner ear has developed enough for me to tell whether I am up or down. My position is usually head up (breech) and I often stay like that up until 30 weeks or so. But there is still a lot of space for me to sometimes try lying sideways for a change.
My skin is starting to look a bit pink as the blood capillaries are developing. My hair on my head is growing but I donโt think it relates to your heartburn, or not.
Did you know that the kicks you feel can sometimes be delayed for some moms. If the placenta is lying in front (anterior) it creates a cushion effect so you donโt feel the baby kicking against your abdominal wall. So the foetus is jumping and doing karate kicks and you had no idea!
The reason your gums bleed is because of the extra blood supply during pregnancy. It causes your gums to swell and bleed easily if the toothbrush is too hard. Itโs great that you are looking after your teeth during pregnancy!
Tips for pregnancy
- Try some gentle exercise like walking. Get into the sunshine to up your Vitamin D levels. Some yoga stretches will help with any backache. If the pain is really bad, you need to let your Gynae know. Relaxin hormone is making the ligaments and tendons of your back and pelvis quite lax, so you need to be sure not to overstretch them now.
- Do some research for Maternity leave. How long do you have available to you?
- If you have to go back to work, look into childcare options. Take the time to research options early, so you are not too stressed when heavily pregnant and wanting to look around.
- Visit a Pelvic floor Physio to get advice as to whether you need Kegel exercises or not. Some moms already have tight pelvic floors and need to adjust to more or less direct exercising of the pelvic floor.
Our Diary of a Pregnancy series is written by Sr Des Meyer, a Perinatal Educator, in private practice, who is based in Durban North. Sr Des has been a Childbirth Educator ย and Well Baby Clinic sister since 1991. Her passion lies in educating new parents to enable them to achieve their goals as confident parents. “Knowledge is power and a good foundation for the exciting years ahead.”
