What's Happening to Me

• You will gain about 0.4 kg (¾ lb.) a week or a total of 1.5-2 kg (3 to 4 pounds).
• Your breasts grow larger and softer, and the veins start to show. A clear white fluid, called colostrum, may leak from your breasts.
• Your hair may be thicker and oilier.
• As your baby grows, the uterus enlarges and may put pressure on the lower bowel, causing bowel irregularity.
• Varicose veins, which are enlarged, visible blood vessels of the legs, often appear or become more of a concern during pregnancy. Don't be alarmed. Varicose veins are common. To prevent or minimize any discomfort, be good to yourself: avoid standing or sitting for long periods, elevate your legs, move around frequently, and wear the support pantyhose that may be recommended.
• You may feel baby kicking high in your abdomen or low near your bladder. You may also have some sudden sharp pain in or near the groin area, coming up the sides of your abdomen. This is probably ligament pain, caused by cramping in the structures that support the uterus as they are stretched by the increasing size of the uterus. Avoiding sudden movements and twists should decrease your discomfort.

What's Happening to My Baby

• Baby has become very active and is doing lots of kicking and turning. Early on, these movements may feel only like a faint fluttering.
• He sleeps and wakes at regular intervals.
• He has hair and is beginning to develop a coating of vernix - a white, greasy substance that protects his skin.
• His eyelids are still closed.
• His fingernails are beginning to grow.
• His heartbeat can be detected.
• His organs are growing and developing.
• He now measures about 30 cm (12 inches) in length and weighs about 700 grams (1-1/2 pounds).

Things I Need to Do

• Continue your prenatal checkups. Make sure you get your proper tests.
• Eat a balanced diet. Include plenty of milk and milk products. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day (unless otherwise advised by your doctor).
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, drugs, caffeinated drinks, and junk food.
• Buy well-fitting support bras.
• Enroll in a childbirth education class for expectant couples. It will provide information to prepare you for labor and delivery.
• Walk and do Kegel exercises (pelvic floor tightening) and pelvic rock exercises every day.
• Take time for a rest period every day. Lying on your left side may be more comfortable.
• Talk to a health care professional if you are having problems coping.

Taking Care of My Body

• Bath oils and moisturizing lotions may be used to relieve dry skin. Using warm water instead of hot water also helps.
• Later in pregnancy, be especially careful not to lose your balance getting in and out of a bathtub. It is safer to take showers or sponge baths during the third trimester and until at least 3 weeks after your baby is born.
• External cleaning is usually all that is needed to keep the vaginal area free of the normal increase of whitish or pale yellow discharge during pregnancy. You may want to use a panty liner to protect your clothes. You should report to your health care professional if you have a great deal of discharge or if the discharge has an odor, stings, burns, or causes itching.

A portion of the information contained within this page has been taken from patient education material from www.medicalcenter.osu.edu. © the Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.

The information contained in the www.medicalcenter.osu.edu Web site is provided as a public service by The Ohio State University Medical Center. It is posted for informational and educational purposes only. This information should not be construed as personal medical advice. Because each person’s health needs are different, a physician should be consulted before acting on any information provided in these materials. Although every effort is made to ensure that this material is accurate and up-to-date, it is provided for the convenience of the user and should not be considered definitive.