Second Trimester
Changes to your Body During Months 4 to 6
Your uterus grows bigger
What will I notice?
You start to look pregnant.
What can I do?
Wear loose-fitting clothes or maternity clothes. Avoid very high-heeled shoes as they can cause your lower back to hurt.
You can feel your baby move
What will I notice?
You will feel your baby move at about month 5. This feels like a flutter at first. The moves will feel stronger as your baby grows.
What can I do?
Learn when your baby is most active and when your baby rests. Enjoy feeling your baby move!
More energy, less nausea
What will I notice?
You may feel less tired and less nauseated.
What can I do?
Enjoy it!
Skin changes
What will I notice?
You may have brown marks on your face or a dark line down your stomach. The skin around your nipples gets darker and bigger. You may get stretch marks on your stomach, hips, and breasts. These are brown or dark red lines that come from your skin stretching.
What can I do?
Avoid drinks with caffeine that make you urinate more. These drinks include coffee, tea, and soda.
Stuffed-up nose
What will I notice?
Pregnancy hormones may make your nose feel stuffed up like you have a cold.
What can I do?
Use saline drops (Ocean® spray drops) to clear your nose.
Bleeding gums
What will I notice?
Pregnancy hormones can make your gums bleed more easily.
What can I do?
Use a soft toothbrush and floss every day. Go to a dentist for a cleaning.
Heartburn
What will I notice?
Your growing baby and uterus put pressure on your stomach. Pregnancy hormones relax the opening to your stomach. Acid from your stomach can burn your esophagus (the tube from your mouth to your stomach).
What can I do?
Eat small meals every 2 to 3 hours. Sit up after meals. Eat plain food not spicy or greasy foods. Talk to your provider about medicine to help heartburn.
Sharp pulling feeling on the side of your uterus
What will I notice?
You may feel a sharp cramp or pulling feeling on the side of your uterus. This is called round ligament pain. This happens when the ligaments on the sides of your uterus stretch.
What can I do?
Change your position. This might be sitting instead of standing or turning onto your other side if you are lying down.
Constipation
What will I notice?
Pregnancy hormones slow digestion. This may cause constipation. Your stool (poop) or bowel movement may be hard and painful to pass. You may not pass stool as often as before.
What can I do?
Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Eat vegetables, fruit, and whole grains to make softer stools.
Hemorrhoids
What will I notice?
Many women get hemorrhoids during pregnancy. They feel sore and may bleed when you pass stool. They may itch as they heal.
What can I do?
Use witch hazel pads (Tucks®) or hemorrhoid cream prescribed by your provider.
Feelings
What will I notice?
You may feel:
- Happy to feel less tired and less nauseated.
- Excited to feel your baby move.
- A sense of well-being.
What can I do?
Enjoy this exciting time in your pregnancy!