Your Fifth Month Of Pregnancy
By: Julie Fletcher
You have now entered into the middle of your second trimester. Have you felt your baby move yet? If you have not felt thee fluttering before, this month you almost definitely will. The fetus is now 4 to 6 inches long, depending on the week of your pregnancy. The fifth month is considered weeks seventeen through twenty (17-20). At twenty weeks, you have hit the mid-point of your pregnancy which is typically forty (40) weeks.
Sometime this month you may be given an ultrasound (sonogram) to check on the development of your baby. Size, bone structure, and the heart will be examined for possible problems. There are occasions when a technician may not be able to get a good view of certain structures and you may need to have a repeat exam. This is common and unless warned by your doctor of a possible problem, try not to over-worry. A bladder that is not full enough to push the uterus up towards the ultrasound wand can give fuzzy or very dark pictures that cannot be ‘read’.
Between the end of your fifth month and into the early part of your sixth month of pregnancy, it is possible to ‘sex’ the baby. If the fetus co-operates then you may just leave the exam room knowing what colors to buy for your newborn. Do not be discouraged if your baby decides to cross his or her legs, scrunch up, or otherwise jump around so much that you cannot see the boy or girl parts. Keep items you buy unisex and wait until near the end of your pregnancy to buy anything that is sex specific. Be sure to keep tags and receipts!
Your tummy is probably getting harder to hide under regular clothing. The uterus is about the same size as a cantaloupe and growing! Not only is your womb expanding, but your baby will be putting on some serious weight this month. By the end of and perhaps even before, the baby will have double his or her weight to one pound. This is a huge weight gain and is a harbinger of things to come. The fetus still has at least 5 to 6 more pounds to gain before the end of pregnancy. This weight will be gained quickly in the last trimester.
You might have already gained between ten and fourteen pounds. This may double in the last trimester, bringing your total gain up to twenty-eight to thirty pounds. Some women gain more, some gain much less. If you were overweight before pregnancy, there is a distinct possibility that you will lose weight at some time during your pregnancy. It is perfectly safe for a women who is heavy to lose poundage during pregnancy as long as she is eating a healthy, well balanced diet. Many doctors encourage overweight women to lose weight during pregnancy by increasing their activity levels. There is no cause for concern as long as sonograms, urine, and blood tests indicate a healthy, growing baby. Do keep in mind that even if you are overweight, dieting is not recommended by any doctor. The key to a healthy pregnancy is healthy levels of activity and a balanced diet.
If you were underweight your doctor or midwife may ask you to increase your intake of certain foods. If you find that you are unable to eat more, try supplemental drinks like Ensure. Some of these drinks can be expensive and you may want to find a store brand which can, on average, cost half of the price of name brands. Read labels and compare ingredients. Avoid sugar laden beverages or those with weight loss ingredients. One lesser known tip is to purchase baby formula and mix it into your own milk or milkshakes. You may also enjoy the taste of children’s nutritional beverages, such as Pediasure. You can find store brands of these drinks, as well. For optimal weight gain, drink at least three beverages a day. Be sure to watch your weight gain and decrease your intake of these drinks if you notice a large jump on your scale. Almost all pregnant women, barring those with allergies, can benefit from at least one nutritional supplement drink a day.
Now, what were we going to talk about next? Oh, that’s right…this month you may notice you are forgetting things. This is normal and women the world over refer to the forgetfulness as ‘pregnancy brain’. You might also notice more symptoms that have nothing to do with forgetting little things. Some symptoms you may experience now are increased vaginal discharge, leg cramps at night, swelling in your ankles, and more heartburn. If your discharge is yellow, greenish, or brownish, talk to your doctor right away. Foul smelling discharge can also indicate an infection which could cause preterm labor. Leg cramps can at times be alleviated by upping your potassium intake. Try eating a banana a few hours before you retire for the evening. If you are having trouble with pressure and maybe even hemorrhoiids now, try using a low stool for your feet while having a bowel movement. Using a little witch hazel on your toilet paper will cleanse and soothe you, too! Adding fiber into your diet can help bulk up your stools and increase regularity. If you are having trouble with constipation along with hemorrhoids‘, ask your doctor about a stool softener and be sure to drink lots of water.