– Gaining weight to help the baby grow!
You deserve congratulations for making it halfway through your pregnancy, but you should know that there is still a lot to go through after being 6 months pregnant.
The good news is that the majority of women feel good about themselves during this period. Most of the bothersome symptoms of the first trimester are gone, such as morning sickness and fatigue.
Even more, you have more energy than ever before and you are excited about the arrival of the little one. Although you feel like you have a lot of energy, you shouldn’t use it all because you will need it in the following months.
What to Expect When you are Six Months Pregnant?
This is the period when you start gaining weight faster than ever before. This is because your body is preparing the little one for the life outside the womb by fattening it.
In case you managed to avoid wearing pregnancy clothes until now, this will change. The baby gets stronger in 6 month pregnancy, and this is why you are able to feel stronger kicks.
It is normal to feel anxious about the baby, although some women get bored with being pregnant, because they feel like this is the only thing that defines them. You should find something to do to reduce your anxiety.
6th Month of Pregnancy Symptoms
1. Back and Leg Pain
Since you gain a lot of weight during this month, it is just normal that all the extra weight will have an effect on your legs and back, and so it is very likely that you will experience some pain. One thing that you should do is to use a heating pad to relieve the pain.
2. Heartburn
The internal organs are changing their place a bit because they are being pushed by your uterus during the 6th month of pregnancy. So your gastrointestinal tract is also affected and the digestion slows down. As a result it is more common to experience heartburn. In order to make it better you could talk to your doctor and use some over the counter medication.
3. Constipation
This is one of the most bothersome 6 months pregnant symptoms, and this is because it also affects your mood. The good thing about it is that it is easy to deal with in case you have a lot of water.
4. Hemorrhoids are Still Likely to Appear
Usually people dread having hemorrhoids, but women often have to face them when being six months pregnant. They are caused by the pressure on the rectal veins that makes the blood get trapped. Usually they are painful or itchy, but they can be handled with the help of topical creams. Although you may think that you will never get rid of them, they usually disappear after you give birth.
5. Swelling
A lot of women see their feet swelling during this month. This is caused by the pressure of the extra weight. To make it better you should put your feet up and rest them. It is also a good idea to wear comfortable shoes, preferably having flat heel.
6. Increased Appetite
During the sixth month of pregnancy a lot of women feel like they could eat a lot more than they did before. This is something natural because your body is trying to offer as much nutrients to the little one as possible.
Nonetheless you shouldn’t eat too much. The number of calories that you need doesn’t increase by much.
7. Itchy Stomach
Most probably your belly wasn’t big enough to nourish the baby, and so the skin needs to stretch. Because of this in many cases women have an itchy feeling on their belly. Another effect of the growing belly is the appearance of the stretch marks during pregnancy. Although at the beginning they have a more than visible color, you can be sure that with time they will become less visible.
8. Full Breasts
In the majority of the cases when women are 6 months pregnant, they don’t feel tenderness in their breasts anymore, but still they feel full. This is because they are preparing for the arrival of the baby and they are producing more and more milk.
9. Tingly Feet and Hands
The extra weight puts a lot of pressure on the ligaments, joints and veins, and because of this the blood circulation isn’t sufficient to the extremities. As a result you might experience a tingling sensation in your extremities.
10. Clumsiness
During the 6th month of pregnancy a lot of women feel like they are clumsier than usual. This is because the joints and ligaments loosen and so they are also more prone to falling. This is why you have to be more careful than usual, especially in case you have to walk up or down the stairs.
6 Months Pregnant and Baby Evolution
The baby gets really active during this month. You may also observe that the baby has a reaction when he or she hears your voice or other known voices.
Another interesting thing to know is that the heartbeat of the little one becomes so strong that other people can hear it through your belly.
At this point the skin of the little one is pretty transparent, so the veins are still visible. Also the skin is full of wrinkles, but in the following period he or she will grow the skin. This month the little one could gain one pound.
Mother’s Responsibilities in 6 Months Pregnancy
- In order to make sure that everything will go smoothly during childbirth, you should take a class in this field, especially in case this is your first pregnancy.
- Make sure that you consume foods rich in potassium and calcium, such as yogurt or bananas. These are very healthy and they can also help you relieve the pain that you may be experiencing.
- In case you didn’t take care of this until now, this is the right time to pre-register to a hospital. In order to know what to do when being 6 months pregnant you could talk to your health care provider or call the hospital directly.
Want to know what happens next month? Here’s what to expect when you are 7 months pregnant!
More Resources:
Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips – Visual Instructions For Expecting Parents
