Approved by the What’s Up Moms Medical Advisory Board
Baby is around 15 inches long – the size of a bowling pin. Which is perfect because you are a bowling ball. She’s 2.5 pounds now and counting; her head is growing to make room for that (massive) brain, and FYI: baby is stealing your calcium for her own hardening bones – so make sure you’re getting plenty of it in your diet.
They’re baaaack! We’re talking about hemorrhoids, obvs (and if you don’t have this dastardly symptom, read on and feel very, very lucky). You may have dealt with these bad boys back in the first trimester thanks to constipation, and, unfortunately, it’s common for veins in your rectal area to start swelling under the pressure of your uterus. Constipation then makes the swelling worse because of straining – so it’s a hot mess of a cycle. Try soaking in a sitz bath followed by a few blasts of hair dryer (*after* you get out of the tub, OK? And not on your hair, you follow?). Also, folded witch hazel pads, and learn which OTC creams are pregnancy-safe. Key is to stay regular by eating a ton of leafy veg, drinking water, and staying active. You know the drill.
Sleep is a precious commodity, and a solid night of it is hard to come by these days between the peeing and the side-lying and the heartburn and the merry-go-round of excitement and fretting. You’re already using pillows to support your body in various sleeping positions, but you can also encourage good sleep hygiene by getting outdoors into sunlight every day, exercising, and keeping your bedroom cool at night. (Oh your husband is chilly? He can bundle up.). DO guzzle water all day long, but taper off in the evening so you can minimize those nighttime bathroom trips. Likewise, don’t eat close to bedtime since that can exacerbate heartburn. You’re already avoiding too much caffeine, so that’s good.
Just as important: take active measures to de-stress so your mind won’t use nighttime for ruminating. Keep a detailed to-do list where you can check off items as you go. If the tasks are written down somewhere, they’re out of your head – and that’s a good thing.
