Baby kicks, pregnancy brain and skin changes: Your second trimester guide, week by week

If the first trimester was the opening act, with its queasy mornings and sudden exhaustion, the second is the stretch many women have been waiting for.

Pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, and doctors break the journey into three parts. The first trimester covers weeks 1 to 13, the second runs from week 14 to week 27, and the third takes over at week 28 and carries you to the end. The second trimester is the middle chapter, which many people call the easiest of the three.

That doesn’t mean it’s free of surprises. Your body is still changing quickly, and some of the changes are unexpected.

Also Read: What happens in the first trimester? Week-by-week symptoms and changes to expect

Here is what many women notice, one week at a time, from week 14 to week 27. As always, every pregnancy is different, so you may skip some of these entirely.

The “feel good” weeks

Week 14: Welcome to the sweet spot
You’ve reached the second trimester, and for many women the mood lifts with it. Appetite often returns, energy picks up, and some people notice a higher sex drive. If that sounds like you, make the most of it. Ask your doctor about a gentle fitness routine, and start getting the house ready for the baby while you have the energy.

Week 15: The strange little symptoms
Even the easy trimester has its quirks. A stuffy nose is common because there’s more blood flowing through the delicate lining of your nasal passages. You may also get leg cramps and sensitive gums.

Also Read: Expecting twins? Here are 9 types you should know about 

A hormone called relaxin loosens your ligaments, which can leave you feeling a bit clumsy. Don’t be surprised if you bump into a doorframe or two.

Week 16: A change in colour
Around 90 percent of pregnant women find that skin darkens in certain places: around the nipples, on the inner thighs, in the armpits and around the navel. For some, particularly those with deeper skin tones, the darkening spreads to the cheeks and nose. It’s often called “the mask of pregnancy.”

Week 17: Aches, fog and first flutters
Hormones strike again, and backaches become very common. If you’re misplacing keys or losing your train of thought, you may be experiencing so-called “pregnancy brain.”
But here’s the good news: many expectant mothers start to feel their baby move somewhere between weeks 16 and 22, so keep an eye out.

Week 18: The bump becomes real
Your belly probably looks pregnant to you by now, even if others can’t always tell. Your breasts are growing in preparation for making milk. Steady weight gain is normal from here until delivery, usually about half a pound to a pound a week. You might even find your feet have grown a size.

Week 19: The burn

Pregnancy hormones relax a muscle at the lower end of your food pipe, which lets stomach acid creep upward and causes heartburn. Eating smaller meals, staying upright after eating and skipping greasy, spicy or acidic foods can help. Constipation may also visit as your growing baby presses on your intestines.

The baby makes itself known

Week 20: Hello, little kicker
Your baby may be putting on quite a show now. The first movements often feel like a flutter in your stomach rather than a kick. Leg cramps, dry eyes and restless nights are also common this week. A pregnancy pillow can be a lifesaver if sleep has been difficult.

Week 21: Stretching pains
You may have felt tugging in your lower belly before, but it often grows stronger as your baby grows. You can feel it as a sharp twinge in your hip, groin or abdomen as the ligaments stretch to make room for your expanding womb.

Week 22: Hair today
Many women see thicker, shinier hair and faster-growing nails thanks to higher progesterone levels and the extra nutrients your body is storing up. Keep taking your prenatal vitamin. Your stretching belly may get dry and itchy, and a pregnancy-safe oil or moisturizer can calm it.

Week 23: The outie surprise
A growing belly can pop an “innie” belly button out into an “outie.” It returns to normal after delivery. Meanwhile, you might still be dealing with leg cramps, brain fog, backaches, extra discharge, constipation, headaches and stretch marks.

Also Read: IVF vs IUI: What’s the difference and what women should know 

Week 24: Mixed feelings
Desire is a personal matter at this point. Some women still feel a high sex drive, while others feel too tired or sore. Tingling hands, bleeding gums and snoring may also begin. Snoring comes from swelling in the nose and the weight you’ve gained.

Nearing the finish line

Week 25: Pins and needles
Tingling fingers may be carpal tunnel syndrome, which is usually caused by normal swelling and fluid buildup. It tends to disappear after the baby arrives. Until then, avoid sleeping on your hands and shake out your wrists during the day.

Week 26: Restless nights, itchy skin
Anxiety, leg cramps, trips to the bathroom and general discomfort can all steal your sleep as the third trimester nears. You may also feel itchy palms and feet. Mild itching is usually harmless, and antihistamines, ointments or soothing lotions can help. But intense itching can signal cholestasis of pregnancy, a liver condition that needs medical care, so tell your doctor.

Week 27: The less glamorous side
Some women develop hemorrhoids, which are swollen, itchy veins in the rectum caused by extra blood flow and pressure. Straining from constipation makes them worse. A high-fiber diet, lots of fluids, an ointment, a sitz bath or witch hazel pads can bring relief.

When to pick up the phone

The second trimester is usually smoother, but a few signs deserve a call to your doctor or midwife right away:

• Signs of preeclampsia, such as a severe headache, vision problems or sudden swelling in the face, hands or feet
• Bleeding, spotting or unusual discharge
• Regular or painful contractions
• A noticeable drop in your baby’s movements after you’ve started feeling them
• Leg pain that doesn’t go away, especially in the calf, or swelling or a color change in one leg
• Fever and chills
• Intense itching, as mentioned in week 26

Also Read: Samantha’s pregnancy puts myositis in focus: Is healthy pregnancy with autoimmune disease possible? 

Your care team would always rather hear from you early. If something feels wrong, trust your instincts and call.

(Disclaimer: This article is for general information and isn’t a substitute for medical advice)