second trimester Content | Baby Billy

Emergency medical symptoms during the second trimester

During the second trimester, you should pay attention to differences between normal pregnancy problems and medical concerns. Stay alert, don't hesitate to call your doctor, seek emergency care immediately if you notice anything abnormal.Medical symptoms during the second trimester🤰Abdominal painAbdominal pain😣 can signal preterm labor or ectopic pregnancy. When you feel pain in your abdomen, it's usually a symptom of ligament and muscles in the pelvis stretching to accommodate the growth of the uterus.👶 Sometimes, abdominal pain is related to past surgeries.💉 If you've had any abdominal surgery, you may experience pain due to the expanse of remnants of surgical scars. Infections can also occur but they are harder to diagnose because the exact locations of infections may have been shifted while the uterus is growing.🙂 🤰Back painBack pain is very common during pregnancy. As your uterus is growing, your center of gravity also changes. The way you walk🚶 or sit🪑 also alters to endure the added weight. However, if you're experiencing lower back pain with painful urination🚽, you may have a bladder or kidney infection. Low, dull and consistent back pain may signal preterm labor and other serious problems so you have to call doctors immediately.👩‍⚕️🤰HeadachesHeadaches🤕 during pregnancy are normally caused by hormonal changes, tension, fatigue, hunger and stress and last for a short period of time if you stay well rested. However, if the headache is particularly severe or lasts for a few more hours, you also notice a fever, swelling in the face and hands✋, you have to call doctors immediately because these may be signs of preeclampsia or other complications.👩‍⚕️  🤰Leg crampsLeg cramps🦵 are unknowingly common in the second trimester. You may lack calcium or have too much phosphorus in your diet, or are tired.😫 However, if the cramps elongate for hours, cause swelling and excruciating pain, change the skin color of your leg, you may have thrombosis🩸 in a leg vein that requires immediate treatment.👩‍⚕️  Other medical symptoms during the second trimester🤰BleedingAs your blood volume increases🩸, pregnancy hormones cause blood vessels to dilate and expand. However, bleeding is a scary symptom that indicates serious problems during pregnancy. Especially vaginal bleeding with lots of clots of blood may signal miscarriage.😟 Rectal bleeding which is usually a sign of either hemorrhoids or anal fissure can also be related to ectopic pregnancy or other problems. Seek medical care immediately if you're bleeding heavily.👩‍⚕️   🤰Vaginal DischargeAs pregnancy progresses, slightly odourous and silky white vaginal discharge is common. However, any thick, cheese-like discharge associated with painful urination, irritation may signal yeast infection.🦠 A rush of watery discharge may be a sign of premature labor or a tear in the amniotic sac that requires treatment immediately.👩‍⚕️ 🤰Rectal dischargeRectal discharge is often caused by STIs, physical wounds in the rectum or bowel and gastrointestinal problems. STIs can be detected by foul-smelling, green or yellow, and thick discharge.💧 Bowel problems are usually identified by mucus and watery discharge from the anus. If you notice any strange discharge, you have to report to your doctors immediately for further checkups.👩‍⚕️🤰Nipple dischargeWhen you prepare for breastfeeding🤱, your nipple may release colostrum which is a precursor to breast milk. If you notice any sign of nipples becoming inverted, dry, cracked, nipples having rash, bumps and strange smells, you need to visit doctors to discuss your symptoms.👩‍⚕️  

Pregnancy sleep during the second trimester

Are you accustomed to your sleeping habits these days? Stay strong, you are fully equipped with coping strategies to fight against sleep disturbances now. How you may be feelingYou used to be tired and drained😫 all the time. All those restless nights filled up with anxiety and worries now have been the past.😴 A brighter future is knocking on your door as your hormone levels are rising more slowly, you might have more energy in the morning and more sweet dreams at night. Morning sickness has also passed, too. You can feel peaceful now.😃How to establish good sleeping habitsDuring the entire pregnancy journey, probably the second trimester is the best time for you to have high quality sleep🛌🏾 and establish a good sleeping habit. Unlike the first trimester, your body is getting used to all changes and everything seems more stable.😃  Make the switch to side sleeping if you haven't already. Set a sleep routine and implement things that you should do before sleep such as going to the bathroom🚻, drinking a cup of warm milk🥛, or putting your phone away. All these good deeds will be paid off in the months ahead.Exercise can helpThis is the golden opportunity for you to start exercising🏃 regularly. Your body is not as tired as it was in the first trimester. You can start gentle exercises to boost your mental and physical health.🤗When you stay active and use up energy, you will also fall asleep better at night. Exercises too close to bedtime can backfire as they energize you up, so it's better to exercise in the morning and start a new day.🙆‍♀️

Carpal tunnel during pregnancy

Carpal tunnel during pregnancy refers to tingling pains in the fingers, wrist, hands and arms. It is a common symptom because of all the swelling you're expecting.Carpal tunnel during pregnancy👋What is carpal tunnel?Carpal tunnel is a common syndrome when you're pregnant.🤰 You experience numbness or a dull ache in your fingers, hands, wrists and arms.✋ You also have swollen fingers and go through trouble grabbing objects and performing simple motor skills in daily routines.👋Causes of carpal tunnelFluid retention collected in your tissue of the hands and wrists and increase in blood volume🩸 compress the median nerve, causing throbbing pain. You may feel more uncomfortable at night since the wrist is usually bent when you sleep.👌There's not much you can do to prevent the syndrome because eventually all the natural changes will find you when you're pregnant.🤘 You can mitigate the pain by making minor changes in your daily life and get used to it.🤟  How to relieve carpal tunnel👋Limit activities involving hands movementFigure out which activities cause you the most pain and avoid doing them. Try to limit them as much as you can, especially the ones where your wrists are mostly immobilized like working on computers.✍️👋Breaks when workingTake breaks to move your arms and stretch your hands. Moving around increases blood flow and relieves the pain.🤘 You can also use wrist stretches, such as wrist extension and wrist flexion.🤟  👋Sleep positionAvoid sleeping🛏️😴 on your hands and try to keep your wrists straight instead of bending them. If you wake up with pain, shaking your hands and doing a little stretching might help you.👋Pain relieversIf none of those methods work, you should consult with your doctor to ask for anti-inflammatory pain medications that are safe for pregnancy. They don't cure the pain but can only temporarily alleviate it.🤘✌️   

Why your pregnant belly feels tight and heavy?

Your belly is getting tight and heavy to prepare for labor. You're almost there so buckle up and get ready for the rest of the journey.Why does your belly start feeling hard during pregnancy?🤰Growing uterusAs you're stepping into the third trimester, your uterus pushes against your abdominal wall and makes your belly feel hard.🤰 Your growing uterus also crowds your internal organs such as lung and bladder. Stretch marks on your belly become more visible and itchy.🙁🤰Gas and bloatingGas and bloating can also contribute to belly hardness. You get gassy because hormone changes slow the rate of digestion, leaving the food longer in the intestine🍲 and giving time to bacteria to produce gas.🦨 🤰Braxton Hicks contractionsIf you feel sensations of stomach tightening, it could be Braxton Hicks contractions. They appear more frequently in the third trimester as they prepare your body for labor.😃 🤰Preterm laborSharp pains on one or both sides of your belly might be caused by round ligament pain. However, if you feel excruciating pain accompanied with your belly feeling hard, this belly cramping can signal a more serious problem such as preterm labor.🙁  When to call doctorIf your contractions are so painful that you can't endure it, you should consider calling your doctor.👩‍⚕️ Any signs like vaginal bleeding, less fetal movement, amniotic fluid leaking can be dangerous so you should call your doctor immediately.🏥 

Lower back pain during pregnancy

Are you having lower back pain these days that makes walking difficult? The pain might get more serious as the uterus is growing. You can't cure it right away but definitely we will help you relieve your discomfort.😃 Lower back pain during pregnancy😩Posterior pelvic painThis is one of the most common types of lower back pain.😩 You will feel pain in the back of your pelvis either on one side or both sides of your buttocks or at the back of your thighs. Simple daily tasks such as climbing stairs, standing can cause discomfort.☹️😩Lumbar back painLumbar pain happens in the lumbar vertebrae in your lower back which is higher than the posterior pelvic.☹️ You will feel it over and around your spine approximately at waist level. Sitting💺 or standing🚶 for a long period of time deteriorates your pain and it tends to get more severe at the end of the day.😩SciaticaSciatica is not a common type of back pain that occurs during pregnancy. True sciatica appears when a herniated disc puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. If you have sciatica, your leg pain🦵 is more severe than your back pain. It even radiates to your foot🦶 and toes, creating a tingling sensation or numbness in your legs. Causes of lower back pain😩Your uterusAs the uterus👶 is getting bigger and bigger everyday, it shifts your center of gravity and also stretches out your abdominal muscles to accommodate its weight. Since it presses on surrounding nerves and increases stress on your joints, your back keeps being in pain throughout the day.☹️ 😩Hormonal changesWhen you're pregnant🤰, a surge of progesterone and relaxin hormones relax your joints and ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. Since muscles in your back are not stable, their mobility causes pain when you walk🚶, stand, sit💺 for long periods, lift things, or get out of bed🛏️. Ways to relieve your lower back pain😩ExerciseWhen your back hurts, exercise may actually be just what you need. Some stretching exercises, walking, prenatal yoga🧘 are helpful in gaining muscle strength and staying healthy. Swimming🏊‍♀️ is another great exercise because the buoyancy of the water relieves pressure off your joints and ligaments while you become a pregnant mermaid. 😩Pay attention to your postureAlways stand up straight and sit up straight.😃 As your center of gravity changes, it's hard to do at the beginning but you have to try to keep your posture correct. It's equally important to avoid standing for too long or lifting heavy things.🙅‍♀️ Take breaks, wear comfortable shoes to make sure your shoes have good arch support.👟

Shortness of breath during pregnancy

Running out of breath soon?😮‍💨  Even a minimal amount of exercises can take your breath away fast. Sit down, take a deep breath and here's what you need to know about shortness of breath during pregnancy.😃 Shortness of breath during pregnancy😮‍💨Causes of shortness of breathPregnancy hormones stimulate your body to breathe in more frequently and deeply😮‍💨 to take in more oxygen for your growing baby-to-be. Your blood capillaries🩸 are also swollen, muscles in the lung are relaxed to absorb more air.As your uterus👶 keeps growing bigger, it puts pressure on your diaphragm and lungs, limiting their full potential to inhale as much oxygen as they want, causing you to feel out of breath. 😮‍💨When will shortness of breath ends?When you reach closer to your due date, your baby👶 is moving to the position and preparing to come out. As your baby drops down into your pelvis, the lung and diaphragm will be less compressed and you will breathe more easily.😃 What you can do about shortness of breathTo ease your symptoms a little bit, you should stand🧍🏼 as straight as you can to expand your lungs and let them do their job. Take it easy when you exercise🚶 by having breaks in between. Sleep on your left side😴 so you can easily breathe and blood circulation works better. 

Swollen feet during pregnancy

When you're pregnant, you may have different weird symptoms throughout your body. As the uterus is putting more weight on your body, you might notice your feet swelling thanks to the gravity.  Swollen feet during pregnancy👣What is edema?Edema during pregnancy is the assemblage of fluids🌊 in your feet and ankles, causing them to swell and get worse as your due date nears.🙁 👣When swollen feet start?You will be likely to notice your swollen feet around week 22 to week 27 of pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, you will continue the symptoms getting worse as your baby is growing bigger.👶👣What causes swollen feet?During pregnancy, your uterus👶 is constantly growing and putting pressure on the pelvic veins and your vena cava, causing a shift in the center of gravity and impairing return of blood🩸 to your heart. Increased blood flow and large volume of fluid in your body lead to edema in your feet and ankle.How to stop feet from swelling while pregnant👣Avoid long periods of standing or sittingIf you're on your feet🦵 standing for long hours, your feet will get swollen easily. You should take a seat🪑 for a while and rest. If you're sitting down a lot, you should stand up and walk around for 5 minutes after one hour sitting.👣Kick up your feetIf possible, elevate your feet👣 while you sit so that the blood🩸 does not concentrate too much on your feet and ankle. Kick your feet to the air for a while and put them down.👣Sleep on your sideSleeping😴 on the side takes off pressure on the large vein that returns blood from the lower half of the body to your heart. You can put pillows underneath your legs to raise their position.🛏️👣Be physically active throughout the dayYou should take walks🚶 around your yard! Swim laps in a pool are also effective as the water pressure can push fluid back into your veins, then it goes to your kidney and gets released.🏊‍♀️ 👣Wear comfy clothesInstead of tightening your blood flow, loose clothing👚 sets your veins free and allows blood to flow more easily. Don't wear socks or tight stockings on the ankles or calves.🙅‍♀️ 

Doppler ultrasound

Why should I take the test?💡Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive test that can estimate the blood flow through your blood vessels by using high-frequency sound waves. This helps to show whether different parts of your baby's body are getting all the oxygen and nutrients via the placenta.Your midwife may offer you a Doppler scan if they think you may be at risk of complications. If your baby is measuring small for dates or not actively kicking these days, you need extra care during your pregnancy. Doppler ultrasound is also offered to moms who have previously suffered the loss of a baby or had existing medical conditions. It is also a useful way to check your baby's well-being and growth if there are any concerns. How is the test done?💉A sonographer will put some gel on your tummy and move a transducer over your skin. Depending on what information doctors need, there are two types of Doppler scans.Uterine artery Doppler scansUterine arteries are the vessels that carry your blood to your womb. These small arteries will expand to give the baby all nutrients and oxygen the baby needs to grow at a healthy state. An uterine artery Doppler scan will check the blood flow through these arteries so that you can receive extra care if any risks to the baby are detected.Umbilical artery Doppler scansIf your baby's movements are reduced, the scan will check the blood flow in umbilical arteries which carry blood from your baby to the placenta via the umbilical cord. If any issues are found during an umbilical artery Doppler scan, your obstetrician may request additional scans to look at the blood flow in the baby's brain and aorta. TMI from Baby Billy👩‍⚕️: Risks of the procedureSince the scan is noninvasive, it's perfectly safe for your baby to have frequent Doppler scans. The benefits of having lots of checkups to monitor the baby's health outweigh any potential risks.Doppler scans at homeAlthough it is possible to hire or buy a portable Doppler machine to listen to your baby's heartbeat at home, it is not recommended for you to try it by yourself. Hand-held Dopplers are sensitive to sounds so they can pick up the sound of blood flowing or your heartbeat easily and mistake it for your baby's heartbeat. Hence, you should leave Dopplers to trained health professionals who can differentiate them apart and interpret patterns more precisely and correctly. 

Pregnancy glow

Do you look at yourself in the mirror recently and notice how your skin is glowing? Pregnancy glow is most evident during the second trimester so don't miss the opportunity to check out yourself.Pregnancy glow👩Pregnancy glowYour radiant, glowing appearance👩 these days is called pregnancy glow. Becoming a mom is not just about acne and pains, but it also gives you a flushed face and glowing skin. You're glowing!🤰 👩When does it start and end?There is no specific timeline for your beauty to glow.🤗 You may notice the radiance and flushed face more easily in the second trimester when all dull symptoms such as morning sickness has been alleviated.😃 The end of pregnancy is also the end of the pregnancy glow. After your baby is born👶, your hormones and blood flow go back to normal. Causes of pregnancy glow👩Surging hormonesExtra estrogen, progesterone, hCG hormones contribute to the glow. The increased amount might have made your face look glowy and shiny.☺️👩Increased blood flowYour blood volume🩸 increases by up to 50% to support your baby and other organs. More blood in circulation accentuates your beauty features and makes your skin look glowy and lively. A higher body temperature during pregnancy leads to flushing.🌡️👩Oil productionThe sebum glands produce more oil on your face, making it look shinier. However, sebum also contributes to acne on your skin.😉Don't worry if you don't encounter this pregnancy glow since every pregnant body is different.😃 Pregnancy glow doesn't indicate anything about your pregnancy.🤰  

Pregnancy hunger pains

Stock your refrigerator with all healthy choices of foods that you crave. You will be surprised how often you open it at night because you are hungry.Causes waking up hungry at night😋HormonesHormone changes are partially responsible for your late night pregnancy hunger.🍲 The increasing levels of hormones may give you mixed signals whether you're full or you're starving. Hence, you end up waking up at night and find yourself opening the refrigerator looking for food.🥡😋MetabolismYou're eating not just to fill your belly but also supply nutrients to your little baby. Your metabolic rate increases to meet the demands of your growing baby.👶 You need about 340 extra calories per day in the second trimester. If you carry twins or triplets, you might need more calories so you should consult this with your doctor.👩‍⚕️ It's okay to eat more than before and stick to healthy options to have a balanced pregnancy weight gain. How to deal with late night pregnancy hunger pains😋Don't go to bed hungryFill your empty stomach with some extra fiber. Because your body digests more slowly, fiber rich food will keep you full for longer.😃😋Snack smartlyMidnight snacking is probably everyone's habit even before pregnancy.🤰 As long as you choose healthy snacks for both you and your baby, go for it! Hard boiled eggs🥚, cottage cheese🧀, fresh fruits are healthy, delicious and fill you up at night.😋Limit processed foodsHighly processed foods make a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar🧂🩸 after consumption. You will eventually feel more hungry even though you already eat.🙁😋Stay hydratedYou need to drink lots of water🥛 to support your blood volume and replenish the amniotic fluid covering your baby. Staying hydrated will also help you process food more efficiently.😃😋Avoid foods that cause indigestion or heartburnFried, fatty foods🍔, citrus, peppermint and soda are big no-nos at dinner. They are high in fat, making them more difficult to digest. The high level of sugar also upset the balance of bacteria in your gut, causing indigestion and stomach upset.🥪