Behind already a third of pregnancy. The calendar begins to count the second trimester of the entire period of bearing a child. What does a woman feel during this period? How does she feel? What is happening with her baby and her body?
Women in forums on pregnancy and motherhood often write: "The fact that my pants are not fastened has never pleased me so much." And in this phrase two major changes of this period are displayed.
The first part of the statement is important: “I've never been happy ...” Indeed, with the onset of the second trimester, the mood of a pregnant woman changes for the better. Less irritability, anger, anxiety - and thanks for that, let's say the end of the hormonal storm of the first trimester.
Well, the second part of the statement: "My pants are not fastened." The tummy begins to grow, this is not yet visible in loose-fitting clothing, but the tight-fitting blouses and dresses will treacherously betray the emerging tummy.
What awaits a pregnant woman at the end of the third month and at the beginning of the fourth? Let's analyze in more detail.
Sensations at 13 weeks of gestation
Hormonal restructuring, which was manifested by toxicosis in the first weeks of pregnancy, at this point is almost over. Of course, everything is individual, but most women experience nausea, dizziness, and a feeling of constant general malaise.
The piquant change waiting for a woman at this time is an increase in libido. The increased sexual attraction to the partner is explained at this stage both by the psychological factor (the woman is now less afraid of spontaneous abortion) and physiological (the hormonal background returns to normal)
Some women are surprised to learn that their breasts have already begun producing colostrum - the prototype of future breast milk. And this despite the fact that before giving birth another 5 months.
The 2nd trimester is considered the calmest among the three periods of pregnancy. Anxiety associated with the fear of a miscarriage worries the mother less and less - at this point the fetus is already protected more reliably and is less exposed to risks.
From unpleasant - constipation problem
At 12-13 weeks of pregnancy, abdominal sensations may not be very pleasant - for example, if a woman is faced with constipation problems. They come, as a rule, just during this period. Indeed, now the tone of the muscles of the digestive system is greatly reduced, and the intestines are squeezed due to the increased size of the uterus. This is a typical problem, you should not be afraid of it. It is only necessary to carefully approach your diet and increase motor activity, for example, through leisurely walks.
It is important to remember that laxatives, as well as enemas, are prohibited for a pregnant woman for 9 months. Such procedures can provoke a reduction in the smooth muscles of the uterus. And this is already fraught with spontaneous abortion, or otherwise - a miscarriage. Women during pregnancy are often prescribed Duphalac.
Thrush - don't be scared
During this period of pregnancy, many are faced with such an unpleasant phenomenon as thrush. Officially, the disease is called candidiasis, because it is caused by fungi of the species Candida. These fungi can be asymptomatic in the body of a woman without causing anxiety and not declaring themselves in any way. But at the time of impaired immunity, stress, sharp hormonal changes begin to intensify. Propagating, they displace the normal microflora.
Symptoms: severe unpleasant itching, copious discharge of a cheesy character with a pungent odor. It’s not worth the alarm here - the disease is easily treatable even during the period of gestation. The main thing is to drop thoughts of self-medication and consult your supervisor. In the 21st century, a specialist will easily pick up drugs that will relieve an unpleasant disease, and will not harm the baby.
Reasons to beware
In the second trimester, toxicosis recedes, but if a woman feels unwell, she should be extremely careful about this. So, at what points should you beware?
- If pulled the lower abdomen. Most likely, the cause is uterine distension, but it’s not worth the risk and heroism. If you feel such sensations, you must immediately lie down and relax, and at the next scheduled appointment you must tell the gynecologist about this incident.
- Cramps. Especially often they make themselves felt at night. An extremely unpleasant sensation, most often it is caused by a lack of calcium in the pregnant body. If you had to deal with this phenomenon, you need to increase calcium intake. It is important to give preference to calcium of plant origin.
- Headaches. Extremely common malaise of expectant mothers. The reasons are not fully understood. A woman wearing a baby should not use medication, so people will have to save themselves. Cold compresses, infusions of chamomile, lemon balm and, of course, a dream. Careful ventilation of the room contributes to rapid falling asleep. But there are situations when there is already no strength to endure a headache. In this case, doctors allow one-time administration of painkillers. An important clarification is that you can take a pill based on paracetamol, but tablets containing aspirin are strictly forbidden.
- Abdominal pain and spotting. Urgent ambulance! This is one of the most dangerous symptoms during pregnancy, most often this is how miscarriages begin. If you seek medical help on time, in most cases you can save the pregnancy. The threat of miscarriage is the worst consequence of spotting. More “safer” problems are cervical erosion or placental abruption. But in any case, with such a symptom, a doctor is needed. And urgently!
What happens to the uterus?
At 13 weeks of pregnancy, a woman's sensations are directly related to an increase in the size of the uterus. During this period, it is actively growing. If in a “calm state" its size is about 5 cm in length and 4 cm in width, then during this period it is already significantly increased - the height is on average 13 cm and the width is 10 cm.
It fills with itself almost the entire hip area and continues to rise higher into the abdominal cavity. Other organs have to be tangibly crowded - and all this affects the sensations at 13 weeks of gestation. The "moving" bodies will express their dissatisfaction with such troubles as heartburn, constipation or shortness of breath in the expectant mother.
An interesting pattern in the body of a pregnant woman begins this week - now the size of her uterus will coincide with the period in weeks. Now, at the 13th week, the uterus reaches 13 cm in height, in a week it will increase by another 1 cm.
The uterus in this period is already felt by the woman in a supine position - it feels like a round formation, somewhat reminiscent of a melon in its outlines.
Feelings at this stage
Fancy a peach? So, the future baby is of this size at 13 weeks of gestation. The sensations in the mother’s stomach are the most pleasant for the child - he is warm, comfortable there, he hears a muffled mother’s voice.
What does the baby feel during this period of time? He became much more active, he sleeps a lot only at night, and in the daytime he is often awake. For days, he listens to sounds that come from outside. He already reacts to external stimuli such as cold and heat, light and darkness. Touching his mother's tummy gives him pleasure. He can already show it - during this period he learns to make grimaces and smile.
What sensations does the fetus still feel at 13 weeks pregnant? He is already beginning to distinguish between the taste and smell of the food that his mother eats. He doesn’t like something from her menu, and he makes an offended grimace. And the taste of other dishes, on the contrary, will appeal to him, and he will already meet them with a smile. Indirectly for mom, this is expressed in a craving for some products and rejection of others. It happens that women during pregnancy can not look at their favorite dishes. Or vice versa: the future mother was completely indifferent to something, but the 13th obstetric week of pregnancy gives the feeling that without this dish, meals are tasteless. So the baby expresses his first taste preferences.
Physical development of the fetus at this stage
Physical development continues. Externally, the former tadpole more and more resembles the outlines of a child. At this stage, it weighs 15-25 grams. Muscle and bone tissue continues to form: the first signs of ribs appear, limbs form.
The baby’s digestive system this week acquires food fibers - they begin to form in the intestines. Their task in the future, throughout life, is to help push and digest food.
All the baby’s little teeth are already laid and are left to wait for their finest hour when Mom will rejoice: “We have the first tooth!”
Internal organs have already taken their proper places and in the future they have to grow and form. Some of them have already taken up the job: the pancreas has begun to produce the first insulin, and the small heart is already working hard, driving up to 25 liters of blood over the body per day.
Boy or girl?
By the beginning of the second semester, the genitals are also undergoing significant changes. The genital tubercle of the baby becomes longer and goes along one of two ways: either gradually turns into a penis, or, if the future baby is a girl, bends down and becomes a prototype of the clitoris. By the way, girls already in this period have more than 2 million eggs in their ovaries.
The earliest period at which you can determine the gender of the baby is just 13-14 weeks of pregnancy. The feelings and premonitions of the mother can be confirmed or not - one of the most exciting issues of pregnancy. But most specialists at this stage still do not run the risk of voicing the final verdict - the deadline is still small, the child may lie so that it is difficult to identify his genitals, and there is a high probability of error. What doctors can voice at this stage is the number of children in the womb.
Expectant mother - how the face is changing
Those who, despite 2 strips on the test, did not fully realize their pregnancy, will have to believe in it at the beginning of the second trimester. In addition to the fact that at 13 weeks of pregnancy, the abdominal sensations are becoming more noticeable, so the appearance of the future parent is undergoing changes.
For starters - at this very moment, the majority begins to have a tummy. The waist disappears, the shapes are becoming more rounded and the main sign of future motherhood - the tummy - is already beginning to give way noticeably. Those of acquaintances who did not know about the “interesting situation” during this period will already be able to see it if they are careful.
Changes apply to the chest. The mammary glands fill up, increase in size, become heavier. By the end of pregnancy, each breast will weigh from 400 to 800 g; after birth - even more. Therefore, it’s worth choosing comfortable bras right now.
If the expectant mother has not looked into the departments for pregnant women, then now is the time to start. Shopping aimed at buying special clothes is simply necessary - after all, most trousers will now put pressure on the tummy and cause discomfort. And for the baby I’d probably want to pick something up.
In addition to comfortable bras and trousers, you should pay attention to shoes. The feeling at the 13th week of pregnancy is changing, wearing high-heeled shoes can already be difficult, and even traumatic. Therefore, expectant mothers are advised to acquire shoes in a small, but very stable heel. In addition, such shoes are also needed for the prevention of varicose veins.
The disadvantages of this period of pregnancy include the appearance of age spots. They do not occur in all pregnant women, often appear on the face and can significantly spoil the mood. But you should not worry - after pregnancy they quickly disappear, leaving no traces.
Another typical change is the darkening of the areola of the nipples of the mammary glands. This is due to a change in the synthesis of pituitary hormones through which all girls and a woman in position pass.
Sensations at 13 weeks of pregnancy: reviews of problems with the lower back
It is important for women to understand which discomfort in this position is normal and which is not.
There should be no pain in the abdomen at 13 weeks of gestation. In reviews, women often mention unpleasant sensations in the lower back.
Here it is necessary to clearly understand and share where it hurts - in the lower back or is this how the stomach reacts to fetal growth? The loin may experience pulling pain due to loosening of the intervertebral discs. In addition, the center of gravity changes, and if a woman did not build herself a strong muscle frame before pregnancy, she can feel the whole load on the lumbar spine. Women who were involved in sports before pregnancy and, on the whole, had an active lifestyle, face much less pain.
What else you need to know about your body when pregnancy is 12-13 weeks? Sensations of bursting and sagging weak pains on the sides of the abdomen are associated with the growth of the uterus and the tension of its ligaments. The key here is that these pains are weak. If the pain becomes severe and sharp, a woman needs to call an ambulance.
Are you cold? To be treated urgently!
No one - neither a child, nor a pensioner - is 100% protected from colds. Including a pregnant woman. During this period of life, catching a viral disease and even flu is easy.
When pregnancy is at 12-13 weeks, a woman's sensations are very important. And if she felt weakness, chills, aching bones, she should immediately begin treatment.
Yes, the main organs of the baby at this point are already formed, but the disease can give a complication. And you can never know for sure how such a combination - influenza and pregnancy at 13 weeks - will be displayed on the development of the fetus. The feelings of the expectant mother during this period are aggravated, and most often she feels the onset of the common cold.
It should not be treated with medical methods: wash your nose with saline, drink fruit drinks and fruit drinks, actively gargle. And all this, coupled with bed rest and a doctor’s call at home, is not worth going to the clinics in this interesting position.
The relationship between nutrition and well-being
Sensations at 13 weeks of pregnancy are also associated with the nutrition of the expectant mother. The baby in the womb feels that the parent ate or drank - the taste of the amniotic fluid changes - and reacts to it. In addition, displacement of internal organs due to the growing uterus causes heartburn and a feeling of heaviness. The value of proper nutrition during this period is difficult to overestimate.
The minimum amount of sweet and starchy foods is what pregnancy should be at 13 weeks of age. The development of the fetus and the sensations of the mother depend on a balanced diet, on the absence of harmful and heavy foods in the diet. What exactly needs to be excluded for a woman expecting a baby?
- sweet carbonated drinks;
- any kind of alcohol;
- fast food;
- food with a lot of spices, spicy sauces.
It is advisable for a expectant mother to have dinner 2-4 hours before bedtime, and try to make the meal five times a day.
If you follow these simple rules, then the touching expectations of the new man will not be overshadowed by a feeling of heaviness and discomfort.