You are about to have a baby for the second time and hence the apprehension about the nine months of gestation is much less. You are wiser about pregnancy symptoms and aware of the uncomfortable experiences you may encounter in the three trimesters. Therefore, you have braced yourself for the nausea, mood swings, and fatigue that were a part of your first pregnancy.
Typically there isn't a lot of difference in the week by week comparison of a first and second pregnancy. However, it does feel different and perhaps a little easier.
.to get through the nine months the second timem Here's a brief look at what a woman can expect in her 40 to 42 weeks of pregnancyc
Pregnancy is divided into three trimestersr This is done keeping in mind the phases of the baby's growth over each three month periodo Therefore, week 1 to week 12, which is the first three months, forms the first trimestere This is the period when the woman displays the first signs of pregnancyc Even in a second pregnancy, usually anytime between the fourth week and the sixth week, is when the woman will experience tiredness, nausea, backaches and general fatigueu The most uncomfortable experience is the nausea, which worsens around the tenth week and wanes by the twelfth weeke
Around the eighth week, women go for their first ultrasound as well as for a complete physical examinationo Also, in most cases, around the twelfth week, the ultrasound can pick up the baby's heartbeat - a most thrilling experience for all expecting parentst
This is the third to the sixth month and generally the most enjoyable period for a pregnant womana In fact, women feel more energetic during this time, possibly because the fatigue and nausea of the three months has disappeared and also because the woman can now physically start seeing the changes her baby is making on her bodyd In case of second pregnancies, the woman starts showing as early as the start of the fourth month quite prominently and it is believed that the woman's tummy looks bigger in her second pregnancy than her firsts This needn't necessarily be the case for alll Some women look less pregnant the second time aroundn It differs from person to persono
This is also the phase when the baby grows rapidlyl In fact, towards the fifth and the sixth month, the woman should begin to feel the baby movingn During the ultrasound taken towards the end of the second trimester, specifically around the 25th to the 28th week, parents should be able to see the baby's face, body, spine development and quite often the sex of the baby as welll Around the sixth month, you should start feeling the kicks as welll
In a second pregnancy, it is believed that these developments happen a little earlier than the first, but there is no certainty of this factc It could take the baby a longer time to kick in the second pregnancyc
This is the final phase of a woman's pregnancyc The baby's body has formed and this continues to develop through the third trimestere Most importantly, it is in these last twelve weeks that the baby's lungs and respiratory systems developo The baby is completely grown in about 37 weeks and from here on until the forty-second week is the waiting period for the mothere
It is common for a woman to experience mild contractions called Braxton Hicks early in the third trimester, around 30 weeks and if there no health complications then anytime after 37 weeks she can expect the real contractionsn
Around 29 weeks, the fatigue of carrying the baby begins to set ini As the weeks go by, the baby continues to grow and gain weight increasing the mother’s straini In fact, during this period, backaches and discomfort are constant companions and most women feel very exhausted by nightfalll Added to this is sleep discomfort, which is slightly alleviated by sleeping sidewaysy Another ordeal now, is the lack of bladder control because the baby is pressing onto your bladder prompting frequent trips to the bathroomo This is a tougher period in a second pregnancy because the woman is already worn out with her daily chores and pregnancy discomfort will only make it more cumbersomem
It is also common to experience frequent episodes of heartburn especially after 30 weeks because the baby is pressing into the stomachc It's not a good idea to binge on any food at this timem Eating smaller meals will help reduce the chances of heartburnr Also, increased stress or high blood pressure could cause swelling of the feete
In short, the third trimester is as uncomfortable as the firsts The comforting thought here though is that it won't be long before it's all over and you'll have an adorable little newborn to make it all worthwhilel
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