Hello!

Welcome again!! I hope you all are doing well.

First of all, let me congratulate you on the safe completion of your first trimester. Welcome to the fourth month that is the first month of your second milestone aka second trimester of your pregnancy. Actually, from this month onwards, it’s all about development as almost all of the organs have already completed their formation. Now you will be able to feel your baby move for the first time. Your hormone will settle and morning sickness will fade. But this was the only gist, let see the detailed development of our baby as well as our body during this fourth month of the pregnancy i.e., from week 14 to17 of the second trimester…

Week 14:

Baby’s Development:

After completion of the 13th week, the baby’s neck starts to grow longer. The chin becomes more distinct and unique fingerprints on the fingers start to generate from this week. Now, the baby will start responding to external stimuli like poking and can feel your touch too (emotional, right). 

Mom’s Body Development:

As the baby will grow in your womb, the muscles and skins on your body also start to enlarge to accommodate the baby. As your energy increase, appetite also increases up to approx. 300 extra calories in a day. Here the real nightmare of all the women will start i.e., the hair on your head will start thinning but it will become shinier throughout the second trimester. You might also suffer from constipation as a result of the increased appetite and other body changes.

Week 15:

Baby’s Development:

Our baby can now make different facial expressions as the muscles of the face starts to move. The bone starts hardening but remains quite flexible (to ensure a more comfortable passage through the birth canal) and the muscles grow thicker in some parts of the baby. As our baby’s growth continues, from this week, the legs begin to outgrow the arms. Now onwards our baby starts sucking the thumb and the constant sucking reflex helps our baby for the chubby and full cheeks. The hair on the head and eyebrow starts growing. And at the end of this week, our baby averagely measures 4.5 inches and weighs about 130 grams.

Mom’s Body Development:

Now, you can feel the uterus that will be about 3-4 inches below the navel. You will start to feel a shortness of breath in crowded places as the baby size increases. Swollen gums, indigestion, and bloating are the few problems that will be with you as a result of pregnancy. In addition to this, some might suffer from nosebleed too because of increased blood pressure and sensitive nasal passages.

Week 16:

Baby’s Development:

The umbilical cord is now fully developed. Our baby’s nervous system also starts operating, and the arms and legs can now move freely. The hairs keep on growing while taste buds are also generated. At this stage, our baby’s reproductive system is fully formed.

Mom’s Body Development:

As I already mentioned in the starting, you will begin to feel the baby movements in the belly. Scientifically this process is known as ‘Quickening’. At the beginning, you might feel these movements as gas bubbles, but later you will easily recognize them as they will start to occur more often. As your uterus size increases, the backaches will introduce itself to you. Your breast sizes should have increased by several cups as they get ready for breastfeeding. You might face dry and itchy eyes which are pretty standard.

Week 17:

Baby’s Development:

From this week, as the hair on the head, eyebrows, and eyelashes are already formed, now they just get filled and baby also increases in size considerably reaching the double the size in the last two weeks. Baby’s body and limbs grow more than the head to give a more proportionate look to the body. Now, our baby starts accumulating fat under the skin which helps in temperature regulation and as well as metabolism. The placenta i.e., an organ that develops in your uterus to provide oxygen and nutrients to our growing baby and removes waste products from the baby’s blood also grows with the body. Lungs continue its function to exhale amniotic fluid and the circulatory system starts its work too. 

Mom’s Body Development:

As the blood flow increases, you will notice an increase in vaginal discharge, mucus, and saliva from your body. You will also suffer from skin itchiness as it becomes more sensitive because of the stretching of the skin. Now, you will notice the weight gain more clearly with a more detectable upsurge in the appetite. As our stomach muscles and skin keep on expanding to accommodate the baby that will result in the appearance of stretch marks around our waistline.

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Advice For The Fourth Month:

• From this week onwards, you should aim to gain around 15 grams of weight each week.
• As you will now have a visible baby bump which will increase considerably in size, it is vital to opt for more comfortable clothing. Try investing in HunyHuny’s simple yet beautiful tops, tee, and hoodies which are a great go-to for when you need to dress up. 
• Consult your doctor and take advice for the required correct amount supplement that should be taken.
• For discomforts like backaches and leg cramps, do regular moderate pregnancy exercise with the intake of plenty of fluids and green vegetables. You should take rest to ease the pain.
• As your weight increases, so be more careful while walking and sitting down.
• It is recommended to have an overall checkup every few weeks.
• It is suggested to sleep on the left side as it is better for blood circulation in the body.
• It is crucial to maintain proper blood flow in the body to make sure blood pressure should not increase much.

What Foods To Eat During The Fourth Month Of Pregnancy:

This month is the time when headaches, mood swings, and morning sickness will depart from your pregnancy life. Your food aversions will also reduce after the first trimester and that will replace by food cravings. Here, your baby grows the most, and your blood volume increases. Your body needs foods that will help in that. So, your main focus should be to meet the required nutrients for the baby’s growth and development. For that, you should include the following foods in your ongoing pregnancy diet.

Iron-Rich Foods:

It is vital for you as it helps in increasing blood volume. These iron-rich foods will help you to meet a higher level of iron requirement. Its sources are meat, tofu, liver, soybeans, whole grains like brown rice, nuts, and seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, and dried fruits.

Fiber-Rich Foods:

This helps in improving your digestion and provides relief for constipation. Its sources are oatmeal, bran, barley, flaxseeds, chia seeds, almonds, pecans, pistachios, brussels sprouts, broccoli, sweet corn, artichokes, green peas, raspberries, strawberries, figs, pears, banana, and apples.

Calcium-Rich Foods:

As now our baby’ s bones are begin hardening, calcium is a must. This plays a very important role in the development of strong bones in the baby. Examples are kale, milk, yogurt, sesame seeds, cheese, sardines, watercress, broccoli, okra, and almonds.

Zinc and vitamin C-rich foods:

Zinc is the crucial element for building proteins, and most importantly in the development of a healthy nervous system and immune system. Zinc-rich foods are oysters, lamb, chicken, spinach, mushrooms, wheat germ, pumpkin and squash seeds, nuts, and beans. Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron in the body. Examples are tomatoes, sweet potatoes, green and red peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and green leafy vegetables.

Omega Fatty Acids-Rich Foods:

It is essential for eye and brain developments in the baby. It also governs the proper functioning of the reproductive system and skin, hair, and bone growth of the baby. Its sources are vegetable oils, salmon, sardines, soybeans, chia and flax seeds, walnuts, and almonds.

Foods To Avoid During The Fourth Month Of Pregnancy:

Some foods will hurt the baby’s health and development. So, it’s best to avoid them. Following is the list of foods to dodge during the fourth month of pregnancy.

Liquorice:

Having an excessive amount of black licorice during pregnancy resulting in lower IQ levels in babies. It also holds chemicals that linked to triggering uterine contractions, causing premature labor.

Refined Flour Aka Maida:

We all know, Maida is hard to digest and can cause constipation and in severe cases, it may lead to ‘Haemorrhoids post-delivery. So, avoid refined flour and stick with whole-wheat foods.

Blue Cheese, Raw Eggs, And Undercooked Meat:

The above foods, may all contain micro-organisms like bacteria that cause food poisoning in your body, which ultimately harms the baby. So, instead of blue cheese, opt for Parmesan or Cheddar cheese. For raw eggs, go for cooked eggs and make sure all the meat while consuming should be thoroughly cooked.

Artificial Sweeteners:

Everything in excess is harmful so, try to consume this within a limit. It will be better to replace artificial sweeteners with natural sweeteners like jaggery, honey, dates, or maple syrup whenever possible for you.

Salt:

It is the same case as artificial sweeteners; excessive consumption of salt retains water in the body and causes bloating and increases blood pressure. If possible, replace the common salt with low-sodium salt as that is much healthier. 

So, that was the detailed development of your baby and yourself which happen in the first month of your second trimester with required food intakes. To know about the coming months of the pregnancy, stay tuned, and follow us at HunyHuny.com.

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