Five months (around 20 weeks) is over the halfway mark of your pregnancy. At this time your baby is usually approximately the size of an artichoke, and there are numerous changes that are happening to your baby and your body. Here are some of the common things that you can expect to be taking place when you are 5 months pregnant:
You may develop nightmares
During this time in your pregnancy you may find yourself having frequent nightmares. These are caused by a combination of insomnia and stress about being a new mother. When this happens, remember to first take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that the nightmare is not reality. Put on some soothing music or sip on some warm tea to lull you back to sleep. If you want, keeping a journal of your nightmares is a great way to record your bad dreams and release the tension that is causing them.
You will probably have an obvious baby bump
You mostly likely will have a pronounced baby bump that will make it obvious to all around you that you are pregnant- and not just bloated from last night’s burrito. Of course, every woman is different in her pregnancy and it is important to not compare yourself with others if you are not showing as much as one of your pregnant friends.
You will be able to find out the baby’s gender
After five months of wondering if it will be a boy or a girl, you will finally have the opportunity to find out. This is one of the most anticipated moments of pregnancy and you can find out several different ways. If you want to just know the answer, plain and simple, without any fanfare, then you can just ask your doctor to let you know. If you want to do the big reveal with friends and family, then you can have a gender-reveal party where you can ask your doctor to seal the gender result in an envelope that you will hand over to a bakery. The bakery will either put blue or pink frosting inside the cake, depending on what is on that slip of paper. Of course, alternatively, you can always opt to not find out until the actual day. All options are perfectly acceptable.
You will be peeing more frequently
Your growing baby will be pressing down on your kidneys and causing you to pee more than before. Make sure you are always by a bathroom and that you stay well hydrated. If you feel more comfortable with increased protection, consider wearing panty liners.
You will feel increased movement
Your baby is continuing to grow their limbs and testing them out by kicking and flexing. All this movement may be hard to deal with at times, especially when you are trying to sleep, but just remember that it means your baby is healthy and developing well.
Your baby will continue to develop hair, nails and eyebrows
When you are around 5 months pregnant, your baby will continue to look more and more like a human being, rather than a little sea monkey. Crucial features like hair, nails, and eyebrows will continue to develop.
Your baby will start to develop Meconium in their bowel
Meconium is a harmless substance, made up of various things that your baby has ingested while in the uterus, including amniotic fluid, digestive secretions, and dead skin cells. It will contribute to your baby’s first poop after being born.
You may develop round ligament pains
Around this time you may start to feel sharp pains around your hips, abdomen, and groin; this is completely normal. As your uterus expands, the round ligaments that are attached to your pelvic sidewall and on each side of your upper uterus are being pulled and stretched. Some things that will ease this discomfort include: applying warmth to the area in the form of a heating pad, avoiding sudden movement, and exercising regularly.
Featured photo credit: Flickr via flickr.com
