Key facts about your baby
- Your baby is about 30cm now and roughly the size of the ear of a corn and a foot long
- Your baby can hear your voice now, so be sure to chat and sing to them often
- Surfactant is being produced, a substance that enables the air sacs to inflate and the lungs to fully expand. The lungs continue to gradually open and are developing the branch-like structure that will be the bronchial tubes.
- Your baby’s face is now completely formed and has eyebrows, lashes and hair.
- Your baby is now viable. This means that there is a chance that they would survive if they were born now, even though it is still extremely early. If the baby is born at this stage, he/she would need help in the neonatal unit, as their body is still very immature and not ready to cope in the outside world yet.
What’s happening with you
- Many women will experience Braxton Hicks contractions during the second trimester of pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions are a tightening in the uterus.
- Your fundus (the top of your uterus) is now above your belly button and you most definitely need maternity clothes
- Many doctors suggest that a glucose tolerance test (OGCT/OGTT) be done sometime between the 24th week and the 28th week. This is a blood test that detects gestational diabetes,
- Your bump may become itchy and you could be having dry eyes caused by pregnancy hormones.
- You should also have booked any antenatal classes by now.
