What’s happening to my body in the second trimester? – 6 months pregnant

At this point, you are almost at the end of your second trimester! You are feeling the best ever at this point, not having to deal with the morning sickness anymore (if you are, we are so sorry, you will get through this), eating more of your favourite foods now that your appetite is crazy, with your hubby satisfying your cravings (even in the middle of the night). You can still walk down the street without waddling and having more energy to do the things you want. Yay!

Still, being 6 months pregnant is not all butterflies and symptom-free, here are some of the new, more noticeable changes to your body that you will find happening this month:

• Your growing belly is probably protruding enough to require a transition to maternity clothes
• Your Innie belly button will begin to turn outward (if your belly button is already an outie, you may just have a more prominent one!)
• Your baby’s movements would become more obvious by now and you’re about to become more familiar with your baby’s kicks, jabs, punches, and rolls
• Stretch marks may appear on your belly as your belly and uterus grow, expand, and stretches quickly – you may also feel your belly itching
• You may experience painful leg cramps during this time, often occurring at night as the increased blood volume slow down your blood circulation, which explains
• You may feel breathless as your belly protrudes outward and rises to press on your diaphragm
• Your hands, feet, and ankles may swell because of fluid retention
• You may feel super hungry The. Time. (cries) (but hey, it’s for the baby, right?)
• Heartburn and acid reflux continues as your belly also presses on your stomach

You may have  already started experiencing these in the first trimester and it may or may not go away over time. So, hang in there, mama! To help reduce the incidence of cramps, include food containing potassium-, calcium- and magnesium-rich food like bananas, yoghurt, dark leafy greens. Staying well-hydrated also helps in prevention.  Also, eating smaller, frequent meals instead of the usual three large meals may also help to manage your heartburn. Try to enjoy this trimester as much as you can because you will soon be focused on welcoming your baby  as you enter  the final trimester!

References

1. ​Amato, Paula, and Chandrima Biswas. "The pregnancy encyclopedia: all your questions answered." (2016).​
2. Womenshealth.gov. 2022. You're pregnant: Now what? | Office on Women's Health. [online] Available at: https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what [Accessed 10 January 2022].​
3. Healthline. 2022. 6 Months Pregnant: Symptoms, Belly, Baby’s Development, More. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/6-months-pregnant#symptoms [Accessed 11 January 2022].​
4. Healthline. 2022. Leg Cramps in Pregnancy: Treatment, Home Remedies, and Prevention. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/leg-cramps-pregnancy#takeaway [Accessed 11 January 2022].