What You Should Know: Pregnancy, the Second Trimester (14-27 Weeks)

This is one of a series of articles on pregnancy. For more information about pregnancy and birth options, see my other articles including my series on homebirth.

The Second Trimester

The second trimester is considered the 'easiest' of them because you tend to feel the best. Around 16 weeks your morning sickness will disappear and you're not so largely pregnant that it's difficult to move. During the second trimester, some mothers feel more confident because they start to show, so they look pregnant. Atop that, this is when you'll feel your baby move, and some mothers get great relief from knowing that their baby is okay.

Emotional Changes

You will still feel emotional and out-of-sorts. This continues through the pregnancy and somewhat postpartum. The exhaustion lets up, so you'll start to feel more rested, which can make emotional upheavals somewhat easier to deal with. Since you've made it into the 'safe zone', you may also be elated at the upcoming birth and somewhat fearful about what you'll be like as a new mother, expenses, what you're going to do about your job, and the big change that's coming. You may have some worries about labor and delivery as well.

Physical Changes

You're showing! This can start to put strain on your lower back and affect your balance, so be careful. Ice and snow may present a problem during the winter months so be on the watch, particularly for black ice on sidewalks and in parking lots. Though your baby will be fine if you fall, you could end up sore from that as well.

Breast changes: your breasts are probably larger, and near the end of the second trimester, they will start to produce colostrum so that you can breastfeed when your baby arrives. They may still be sensitive or tender.

Morning sickness: you may still have to deal with some morning sickness, particularly around the beginning. Some women experience some kind of morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy, while some women don't.