Model Marriage
The Second Stage (Weeks 13 – 28)
This is the most comfortable stage of pregnancy. Sickness and tiredness reduce extremely,
your body begins to grow and becomes quite rounded.
(a) From week 13 to 18, the baby now looks like a baby, but is very tiny. All major
organs begin to work, including the kidneys. Your baby makes breathing-like
movements. This is not real breathing as the lungs will not expand and work until
after he is born.
(b) His fingernails and toenails form, and eyebrows and eyelashes begin to grow. He
moves around, and many mothers notice the first foetal movements at around
eighteen weeks. The feeling is like butterflies or bubbles in the stomach.
(c) During week 19 to 24, the baby begins growing hair on his head. There is still
more fluid than baby, and he can easily turn around inside you. The movements
become more noticeable and your husband may be able to feel them if he places
his hand on the bare skin of your stomach.
(d) By week 25 to 28, the pregnant mother can detect definite periods of rest and
activity. Some babies seem to kick and move around at the same time each day,
and they then have set times when they keep still, and possibly are asleep.
(e) His eyes open, and he may respond to the small amounts of light coming through
the stretched abdominal muscles. He can suck his thumb, and may even get
hiccups. This is a strange sensation for the mother, almost as if he were giving
little regular kicks in the same place.The Third and Final Stage (Weeks 29 – 40)
Reaching thirty weeks often feels like the last lap of a marathon. You may need to take your
maternity leave from work at this stage, as you become bigger and need to rest more often. This
though, varies from woman to woman. Some women are still full of energy, and quite happy
working and keeping active. Others need to slow down, and begin to focus their attention on the
baby.
(a) At week 29 to 32, the baby becomes well developed. He can swallow, hear, suck
his thumb, recognize your voice, and, if he were born now, would have a good
chance of survival. However, the best place for him over the next few weeks is
undoubtedly inside you, where he is safe, secure and continues to grow.
(b) You may notice that the baby’s movements change as he gets bigger. He has less
room to move around now, but you may be able to identify which is a foot kicking
and which is an elbow poking.
(c) At week 33 to 36, the baby continues to put on weight. He will probably settle
into the head-down position and gradually move down. This happens as the lower
part of the uterus softens for labour, and the baby fits into the top section of the
pelvis.