Approved by the What’s Up Moms Medical Advisory Board
Baby is about 3½ inches long — like a crayon! — and weighs 1½ oz. Because she’s brilliant (natch), she’s moving a ton, experimenting with all she can do: wiggling toes, flexing limbs, putting hands to her face (#advanced & #gifted). Her skin is getting thicker and hair follicles are appearing right under the surface.
Meanwhile, you are three months pregnant, ⅓ of the way there, and that’s dynamite! Welcome to the 2nd trimester, otherwise known as The Honeymoon Phase. Sounds pretty glorious, right? Sure, some pesky new veins have cropped up on your legs (and belly, for cripes sake) and you’re belching like a trucker, but all in all you’re feeling like a million bucks. Your energy level is back to a human level and, thrillingly, you can stay up past 9pm. And a weight has lifted; your risk of miscarriage has now gone down to less than 5% and will continue to drop with each subsequent week (after a normal 16-week ultrasound, the risk will decrease to 1%).
Because you’re feeling good, these next three months are a great time to kick a$$ and take some names: settle into a regular exercise routine, start the pediatrician search, plan for the nursery, gather data for your registry and just generally pounce on all that pregnancy biz niz.
Speaking of honeymoons (heyo!) if sex was off the table for you in the 1st trimester because you felt like crap, now your sex drive may be springing back to life. The increased blood flow throughout your body also means increased blood flow to the pelvic area – which many women find enhances sex. So if this is you, waste no time and get it on; down the line your size alone will make most positions a gymnastic event of supreme awkwardness. (BTW – no, sex will not harm the baby – the amniotic sac and uterus protect the fetus. And, no, baby “watching” you. Not that you really believed that… fully.) And remember, it’s not all about you! Your partner may have some reservations about sex right now. It’s not uncommon for men to worry about hurting the baby (or you) despite reassurances- and sometimes they’re just anxious in general about what’s to come. Like always, just communicate.
