Pregnancyweekbyweek

Your body undergoes various other changes along with the growing stretch marks when you are 23 weeks pregnant. And due to the stretching stomach muscles, your navel will pop out a little but will return to its natural position once you deliver the baby.

You might have approximately gained 15 pounds by now and might experience some muscle cramps in the legs. You will also find it very difficult to sleep in a comfortable position because of the belly that has now acquired the clear round shape.

This discomfort in sleep may be dealt with using pregnancy pillows that give you a better chance to sleep comfortably throughout the night. The increase in the blood volume in lower parts of the body forces you to make frequent trips to the bathroom.

Changes in your blood chemistry may cause some water retention which may result in swelling known as edema. However, this could be avoided by keeping your body movements frequent and avoid sitting for longer hours.

The baby’s pancreas is developing inside the baby and the baby has also started producing insulin. Now the baby can hear your noise and your heart beat as well.

The baby’s tiny bones continue to ossify and the veins are now clearly visible through the translucent skin. The baby is still developing those fat deposits that will be padded under the wrinkly skin after the delivery.   

Continue taking the recommended daily intake of essential nutrients that are necessary for the strength and stamina of your developing baby.

Your uterus is now on top of your belly button and is of the size of a soccer ball. As a result, you will be having trouble bending and sitting comfortably. You will be gaining more weight which is just normal in all the mothers-to-be. You will also observe a lot of changes in your and the bay when you are 24 weeks pregnant.

Take small frequent meals as your baby is in need of more nutrients now. It is suggested that you have six small meals a day instead of three so as to cope with your baby’s developmental needs.

By the time you are 24 weeks pregnant, you can feel the movements of your baby completely. The need for frequent urination, heartburn, anxiety and the growing discomfort lead to loss of sleep. The amniotic fluid begins to increase in volume and will continue until the delivery. 

By now, the baby weighs about 2 lbs and measures 14 inches long. The skin is still wrinkled and will be normal once the fat is deposited and the muscles are formed. The little ones fingernails and the ears are now completely developed.

 The baby is gaining more bone mass and the rapid eye movement has already begun. And as the baby is growing in size, the space inside the uterus is filled up and becomes more crowded.

Continue doing moderate exercises to fell better throughout the pregnancy and to have more stamina during labor. And be sure that your diet is adequate as pregnancy is more complicated in undernourished women.

By the time you are 25 weeks pregnant the growing uterus may put some pressure on your back. Most of the women experience severe pain in their lower back region and the legs because of this mounting pressure.

Along with some growing back pain and leg cramps, week 25 is the time when many women come across pregnancy complications such as preterm labor and premature pregnancy.

Meanwhile, the baby’s going through the remaining major improvements such as gaining weight and development of the central nervous system. The nostrils begin to open and the respiratory system gets stronger in this week.

The baby’s breathing movements also increase as a result of the well-developed lungs. By now, the baby weighs about 1.5 pounds and is probably 14 inches longer. The baby’s spine starts to mature and the brain and nerve endings are so developed that the baby can sense the touch.

You need to take enough care at this stage to deal with the growing needs of the baby and to keep yourself fit.

Increase the calcium intake as this helps you in reducing the cramps in the legs and also in relieving the back pain. Moreover it is quite essential for the baby’s developing spine and his bones.

Avoid activities that worsen your pain and always support your body with cushions and body pillows. Pregnancy pillows help you a lot during this time in getting a better sleep and providing comfort.

Consider some light exercises that your health care provider recommends and always have a balanced and well-planned diet to avoid unnecessary complications.

Being 26 weeks pregnant means that you are now at the end of the second trimester and almost gone through two-thirds of your pregnancy. Instead of complaining over problems like back ache and leg cramps, jus have a look at all those positive bits such as the neatly grown belly, renewed energy, and the healthy hair and skin. And all this because of the growing little one!

You will feel more discomfort because of the growing belly and this will continue in the coming weeks. Most women experience some sudden tightening and relaxing of the uterus which is by now two-and-a-half inches above the belly button. However, these contractions are very common and are painless.

Other discomforts such as leg cramps, back pain, headache and pressure in the pelvis continue and there might also be a condition known as restless leg syndrome where you’ll experience restless and jittery legs. Do simple exercises that slowly stretch the muscles and keep you physically active.

Movements also increase inside your belly as the bay is more active betweens weeks 24 and 28. The brain activities inside the bay have developed and help in sight and hearing. This is the time when the baby will have the first moments of sight.

Air sacs called alveoli start to develop inside the baby’s lungs and they will continue growing for the next 9 years. By now, the baby is 14 inches long and weighs about one-and-a- half pound.

Vitamin intake needs to be boosted and it is suggested to take small and frequent meals rich in fiber. This will further help in reducing the constipation.

Various major changes occur in you and the baby when you are 27 weeks pregnant. Increased sleep deprivation and weight cause shortness of breath and increase the levels of fatigue in you. The growing uterus further compresses the bladder resulting in frequent urination.

Shortness of breath is experienced because of the increased size of the bay. At week 27 of pregnancy, most of the women experience what is called as Braxton hicks contractions – pre-labor contraction that help your body prepare for labor. And the good news is that they are not painful.

This is the time when the milk glands start developing due to which, you will experience breast tenderness.

The baby’s brain tissue and the neurons are developing rapidly and his brain is working as that of a newborn. If the baby is male, the testes will have completely descended by this point of time.

As the network of nerves around the ears has now completely developed, the baby is able to hear you and might also recognize your voice. The retinas start forming and the baby is able to see the light through your abdomen.

By now, the baby will have regular patterns of movements and sleep and is also sensitive to outside touch. At this point, the baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and is approximately 15 inches long.

Take at least 15 minutes of rest or a catnap to feel energetic and recharged during the day. Continue taking a well-balanced and nutritious diet and practice some light exercises to strengthen your pelvis muscles and support the bladder to overcome urinary incontinence.

28 weeks pregnant symptoms:

The baby is growing and developing at an astonishing rate when you are 28 weeks pregnant and the space is getting a little tight. The eyes are completely formed along with the eyebrows and the eye lashes, the muscle tone is gradually improving, lungs are capable of breathing and the baby is even able to open and close the eyes. Overall, the baby’s features are well developed and at this time, the little one looks almost exactly what he or she is going to look after the delivery.

The first few weeks of the third trimester is the period of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, aches and pains, and leg cramps. All this is because the uterus is still growing in size to accommodate the growing baby and because you have even gained a weigh of around 24 pounds at this point.

Even the baby will make you tense by kicking more and stronger during this week. However, the kicks will become significantly less as the space in the womb becomes inadequate in the coming weeks.

Pregnancy week 28 is the time to be aware of the potential risks of pre-term labor. Drink enough water to keep the contractions of the uterus smooth and consult your health care provider immediately if you experience any menstrual type cramping or severe back pain.

You’ll need to get a shot of RhoGAM, or Rh immunoglobulin, this week if your blood showed that you are Rh negative. This will prevent you from becoming sensitized to your baby's blood should it mix with yours during the time of pregnancy.

Pay attention to your baby’s movements when you are 29 weeks pregnant. For any reason, if you observe that the baby’s movements are less or abnormal, contact your health care provider for proper guidance.

By this week you might have gained an overall weight of 20-24 pounds and your uterus is now approximately four inches above your navel. Sometimes, you will be plagued by the heartburn because of the belly growing more and more substantial each day.

Pregnancy constipation is also another problem faced by may pregnant women in week 29. Consume lots of liquids and eat a fiber-rich diet. Pregnancy week 29 is also the time when you experience various other symptoms including rapid weight gain.

By this time, the baby's brain is forming billions and billions of neurons each day and can control the breathing and the temperature of the body as it continues to mature.

The baby’s sucking abilities are improving and the baby can even cough and cry. The lungs too start maturing and the baby’s skin is now less wrinkled because of the packed pounds.

More so than ever, this is the right time to eat right and enough every day as your baby will start absorbing plenty of nutrients from you to gain weight and prepare for the delivery. By this time, the baby is around 16 inches long and weight about 2.5 pounds.

Perform light exercises that help you to strengthening your abdominal muscles and take enough iron supplements as iron deficiency is considered the most common problem during pregnancy. However, iron supplements cause constipation.

Pay close attention to your weight gain and the swelling you're experiencing when you are 30 weeks pregnant. Extreme swelling may be the sign of Preeclampsia – a condition that occurs in very small percentage of pregnant women.

Preeclampsia is a potentially dangerous condition that can include sudden weight gain, extreme swelling and severe headache. But, when properly treated, it can be managed.

Week 30 of pregnancy is also the time when you are likely to develop varicose veins. They appear as fine bluish or reddish lines under your skin and are caused due to weakness in the small veins.

The amount of amniotic fluid starts decreasing inside your belly and the production of progesterone in your body increases. The decrease in the amniotic fluid is because your little one continuing the growth and is taking up most of the space in the uterus. By now, your uterus might have reached about 4 inches above your belly button.

Inside, the baby’s toe nails are growing and the eyelids open and close. The early lanugo is disappearing and the bone marrow is now producing the red blood cells. Even the movements will be very frequent and you may even recognize the body parts.

Week 30 of pregnancy is the hard time shifting from one position to another and you will be having more trouble sleeping comfortably at nights as the belly expands. Using a pregnancy pillow may bring you some comfort.

Some relaxing exercises may help you in alleviating discomfort and the back pain. Light physical activities help you in getting a proper sleep.

Being 31 weeks pregnant, you will probably have some trouble catching the breath. But be careful to prevent excessive fatigue and dizziness. The movements inside your tummy become less frequent has the baby has less room to swim about in the amniotic fluid.

The uterus now measures about 4.5 inches above your navel and the breasts start leaking colostrums or pre-milk that forms in the breasts to nourish the baby after its birth. Use good breast pads to prevent the leaks from being known to others.

At this time, you might experience some pains and aches along with numbness in your hands. All this conditions are normal in most of the pregnant women because of the continuous weight gain and changing hormone levels. There is no need to panic as all these symptoms will disappear after the delivery.

By this week, your baby is about 17 inches long and weighs about 4 pounds. During this and the weeks to come, the baby will be accumulating layers under the skin that will help the baby in keeping safe and warm after the delivery.

The baby’s immune system is getting stronger and the nerve connections begin to function. By now, all the important body organs of the baby have almost completely developed except for the lungs.    

Continue taking small and frequent meals to avoid heartburn and take necessary precautions to stay away from the aching back.

Iron intake is very important in the third trimester of pregnancy as there is a large shift of iron in the baby.

Now that you are almost 32 weeks pregnant, you will probably be feeling contractions in the belly on a regular basis. From now on, you should be very careful with everything happening within you as indication of any severe pain can be labor pain.

A lot of physical changes continue occurring in you and the baby. Your estrogen levels and the blood volume continue increasing as a result of which the leg cramps and the back aches may continue.

Pain in the lower back and the buttocks around week 32 can also happen as a woman’s center of gravity continues to shift. You should be very careful while moving to avoid unnecessary slips or falls.

When you are 31 weeks pregnant, your blood volume will be around 50% more than it was before pregnancy. This increase in the blood volume is necessary to support the baby’s growth.

As the baby is slowly dropping into pelvis in preparation for birth, the blood tends to pool in the mother’s lower limbs which results in low cranial blood pressure that may lead to fainting or dizziness. In order to avoid this, take a small walk when you rise from a prolonged sitting position.

There are even chances for the leakage of the amniotic fluid during this period. It is very essential to call your doctor if you experience any of these conditions.

By this time, the baby’s lungs have completely matured and all the senses are working properly. Continue eating well and exercise moderately and stay as relaxed as possible by all means.