What's Happening with Baby

This week, your baby is beginning to add fat to their body. This fat is important as it will provide energy and help them stay warm after birth. Their skin is now coated in vernix, a waxy, greasy substance that is waterproof and protects their delicate skin from the amniotic fluid. The placenta, while still relatively small, is working hard, performing its crucial function of exchanging nutrients and oxygen from you to the baby, and waste products from the baby back to you.

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Your little one is now about 5 inches long (roughly the size of a pear) and weighs around 5 ounces. If the fetus is a female, her ovaries are beginning to form, complete with a lifetime supply of primitive eggs.

What You Might Experience

You may notice that your heart is beating faster than usual. This is normal, as your circulatory system has expanded to support the pregnancy, and your heart is working harder to pump more blood. While some fatigue can still linger during the second trimester, many women find that the often conflicting emotions of early pregnancy begin to fade.

As you settle into this stage, you may start to feel more energetic and full of life. This is often enhanced by the incredible feeling of your baby moving inside you, which can become more noticeable around this time.

Key Things to Keep in Mind

As the focus naturally shifts to you and the baby, sometimes your partner may feel a little excluded from the process. It's a wonderful time to consciously include him in your plans and preparations. Sharing what you're feeling, both physically and emotionally, can help him feel more connected.

Making special time for each other, whether it's planning for the baby's arrival together, attending appointments, or simply enjoying quiet moments, helps ensure you both feel like a team on this incredible journey.