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Medical Video: 2nd Trimester Q&A with Belly to Baby
When you enter the second trimester, you may begin to feel more comfortable undergoing your pregnancy. Morning sickness is now only a small part of your past, replaced by the first "greeting" of the baby in the near future. You might also wait until this point to share interesting stories with friends and family, which means you can officially start celebrating the arrival of little angels in your life.
Take advantage of new sheets in your pregnancy by compiling a guide to-do-list. Use this list to make sure you stay on the right track, from planning maternity leave, making appointments with the dentist, to decorating your child's room.
What needs to be done when entering the second trimester of pregnancy
You can check each item in this list, or just use it as a guide. Do what feels right for you.
1. Register in a prenatal training class
If you haven't already done so, now is the right time to start regular exercise.
Joining a prenatal class can help motivate you to obey each of your sports sessions. In addition, many women argue that prenatal exercise classes are a good way to establish friendship with other pregnant women and provide mutual support to one another. You will also find it easier to control your weight if you exercise during your pregnancy. Some good choices include swimming, yoga or prenatal pilates, walking groups, or light dance classes.
You can also start doing Kegel exercises yourself. Kegel gymnastics can help prevent leakage of urine during and after pregnancy, avoiding hemorrhoids getting worse, and increasing your vaginal muscles, which makes sex more enjoyable.
2. Learn about medical tests and doctor appointments that must be done during this trimester
At this stage, you may visit your obstetrician every four weeks (unless you have a condition or complication that requires more frequent check-ups). You will undergo a blood test, such as a glucose test to determine your risk for gestational diabetes. You may also be offered choices for genetic testing, such as nuchal translucency (NT) screening, amniocentesis, or a new test called cell free fetal DNA testing to determine the risk of your child having a genetic, chromosome or neural tube (Down syndrome or spina bifida ) Make sure you are ready to undergo each test and screening, so you know what your doctor is doing and you can ask questions that you might have.
You might also see your baby on ultrasound! The second trimester opens the opportunity to find out the sex of your baby, which is in the 20th week. Previously, discuss with your partner and decide whether you want to know the sex of your baby or not.
3. Plan maternity and childbirth leave
First, understand your rights as a female worker. Every female worker has the right to get leave for 1.5 months before giving birth and 1.5 months after giving birth, or if it is accumulated to 3 months (Article 82 of Act No. 13 of 2003 concerning Labor).
Determine how much time you want to take in your vacation ration, when you want to start your leave, how you plan to be accessible to colleagues during your "vacation", how much you plan to work in your first week back to work, whether you plan to work part time or have a flexible schedule or work from home, and who will handle your responsibilities when you leave. Then, make a personal appointment with your boss so that you will have exclusive time to discuss the details of your situation and plans. Once completed, formalize your leave all along with all the terms and conditions agreed in writing (send a copy to the HR department) so that there is no misunderstanding later.
4. Maintain a healthy diet
Many pregnancy symptoms, such as heartburn and digestive problems, come from the food you eat and usually arise on the surface during the second trimester. Create a food journal to track what you eat to help identify foods that can make your symptoms worse. Tracking what you eat is also an easy way to make sure you manage a healthy weight and get the nutrients you need to accommodate your baby growing.
During pregnancy, it is important to stay hydrated. Drink at least eight glasses (about 1.5 liters) of liquid every day. Try bringing a bottle of water in your bag to make it easier for you to drink regularly. Water helps facilitate the transportation of nutrients through the blood to your baby. Water also helps to prevent urinary tract infections, constipation and urinary retention, all of which are common during pregnancy.
5. Shopping for maternity clothes
Most pregnant women start shopping for maternity clothes between weeks 12-18. Even if you don't look like a pregnant woman, maternity clothes will make you more comfortable moving. Not only that, charming maternity clothes will increasingly emit your pregnancy glow and your confidence.
Keep in mind that you may need different sizes of maternity clothes for each stage of pregnancy, so the safe way is to buy only a few sets of flexible core clothing and you can add to your collection over time.
6. Go to the dentist
Pregnant women are more prone to tooth decay, bleeding gums, and gum infections. This is because fluctuations in pregnancy hormone levels in your body can affect your gums. Your gums will be more likely to bleed and there is a great chance of developing inflamed or infected. You are also more likely to get a buildup of plaque (a type of bacteria) in your teeth. Reporting from Motherlyabout 40 percent of women experience gum inflammation at one time during their pregnancy.
Bad oral hygiene can affect your health and your baby's. Recent research shows an association between gum disease and preterm labor, so that oral hygiene is now more important than before and the second trimester is the ideal time to start scheduling a treatment appointment with your dentist.
7. Make detailed family and prospective financial plans
Raising a child is an expensive task, and being a parent brings a number of new financial responsibilities. Start by making a budget by including new family members in your calculations - such as playgroup or child care, diapers, clothing and formulas. The second trimester is also a good time to start thinking about long-term financial needs such as life insurance and education policies, including a will (you want to make sure your baby is protected if something happens to you), start a child college fund savings, and renew your tax.
8. Register in the birthing training class
Childbirth classes are very appropriate to consider even if you have established your choice of epidural-assisted labor. Good childbirth classes will include information on issues of pregnancy, childbirth, and childbirth that are relevant and useful for each mother and partner. Many hospitals offer this service, so take the time to investigate the local hospital or ask for a good birth class recommendation from your obstetrician. In this class you will also learn relaxation techniques and get the opportunity to meet other prospective mothers who make the birthing class even more enjoyable.
Childbirth classes can vary in applying their approach. Some need several weeks to complete one semester, others only need one day. These classes can be filled very quickly, so start your investigation from now on!
8. Where to give birth? Like what?
In early pregnancy, it is important to make wise decisions about who you are responsible for caring for your pregnancy, where you will give birth, and how you want to give birth. This decision can affect:
- The care you receive and the effects of the treatment
- The quality of your relationship with your service provider
- How much information you get
- The variety of choices and options you have, especially during labor and childbirth
- Your involvement in your care decision
Do you choose a doctor or midwife; normal or caesarean delivery; giving birth at home, with hypnobirth, or water birth, all of this will depend on many factors, including what kind of birth experience you want, whether your pregnancy is at high risk, and whether your labor costs can be covered by insurance.
9. Start practicing sleeping sideways
While the lump of your stomach is getting bigger during this trimester and will continue to grow until the third trimester later, finding a comfortable position to sleep well will be more difficult. Experts recommend that you sleep sideways on your left side rather than sleeping on your back or on your stomach, from now on. You can use a large soft cushion to support your back during sleep so that you don't change position in the middle of the night.
10. Decorating the child's room
When so much of what happens during pregnancy is from your hands, it can be fun to control something like designing a peaceful place for you and your baby to enjoy in a few months, even if your baby will sleep with you at first. To be on the safe side, ask other people to do paintings and load tasks such as assembling a baby cot.
Starting to look for a baby bed and / or basket as early as possible is a good idea, because some models can take weeks to reach you. While you can borrow or request a "legacy" baby crib from friends or family members, the best step is to buy new to make sure your chosen bed meets the latest baby safety requirements. Be sure to follow the instruction manual and always be careful when assembling a new crib.
But, if all the affairs of the room decoration actually makes you overwhelmed, it's OK to not do it now. Your baby will be just as happy to sleep in a simple room (like your room!) By sleeping in a complicated design room.
11. Look for baby names
Discussing a child's name with a partner is fun (and a little frustrating), so it would be better if you start from now. Write down the potential names that you and your partner like, also discuss whether you want to use family names, unique names, or combinations.
Equally important, take time for you and your partner to spend time together. Weekly night, maybe? Or plan a babymoon to places you've dreamed of. It is important for you and your partner to set aside time to enjoy each other's presence before your two lives turn upside down 180 degrees with the arrival of your little one later.
READ ALSO:
- 9 Health Conditions That Can Harm Pregnancy
- 10 Things You Must Do During the First Trimester of Pregnancy
- 5 Natural Ingredients to Prevent Stretch Marks while Pregnant
