Hi there! Hope your pregnancy is progressing well. You are in the fifth month already and your tummy is now becoming rounder. But, is that episode of your daily serial making you cry unnecessarily? Do you get irritated by the slightest of things? Mood swings bothering you too much? Well, this is more common than you think in the fifth month of pregnancy.
This month, you will continue being energetic, but your growing tummy could mean aches in your abdomen and back. Your baby is growing steadily and you are closer to holding your bundle of joy.
Inside your womb, your baby is growing steadily, 14-15 cms already. He or she has a protective layer around the skin. Your baby is very active this month, moving, kicking and punching often. Even though the initial feeling is like that of a butterfly fluttering around in your tummy, soon, the movements will become more pronounced.
If it’s a baby girl, then the uterus will also start forming in the fifth month. Your baby might also have hiccups. This is the month when your baby will settle into a routine. You will know when your baby is active and when he or she will fall asleep.
As your baby grows rapidly, your body will see a lot of changes. First, there will be a weight gain, so don’t panic. You might also begin to notice stretch marks, so now would be a good time to start using the creams to reduce them. Your heart will beat faster as it is now pumping a lot more blood. Your uterus is growing, because of which, your belly button might get pushed out. You might start feeling some pain, especially around your back and near your lower ribs as the body is busy accommodating the growing uterus.
This growth is also likely to put pressure on your lungs, because of which you might start feeling difficult to breathe. The increased fluid in your body could gather near your feet by the end of the day, causing swollen feet and ankles, varicose veins and so on. Another part where your uterus is exerting pressure on is your bladder - so expect broken sleep as you will find yourself rushing to the washroom every now and then. Your breasts will see a spurt of growth, becoming bigger by almost two cup sizes in some cases! Your nipples will start developing tiny bumps as well.
All this flurry of activity happening inside your body could also make you tired, cranky and famished.
As the pregnancy progresses, your ob/gyn will monitor you and the baby very closely. You will be asked to get your blood pressure and sugar checked often. Apart from this, the doctor will monitor your heart, shape and size of your uterus and will ask for any changes in vision or headache if you have swollen feet as this could be indicative of gestational hypertension.
Apart from this, the growth of the baby, foetal heartbeat and various other tests will be performed. In some cases, the ob/gyn might recommend a test called cordocentesis, to detect birth defects. This test requires a hollow needle to go through your abdomen into the umbilical cord near the placenta to take a sample of your baby’s blood.
With your steadily progressing pregnancy, it is critical that you follow the doctor’s advice to the last alphabet. Remember, your baby’s safety is in your hands, so it’s important that you take care of yourself. Eat well and take enough rest because in the next few months, your tummy will grow bigger and will cause you a lot of restrictions in terms of movements. If you feel that you are gaining too much weight, indulge in safe and light exercise. Walk around so that you feel healthy and fit. Start wearing comfortable cotton clothes so that your skin can breathe too.
Your fifth month will bring about a lot of changes in your routine. Take care of the itchy skin around your tummy by applying moisturizers. Happy fifth month, mommy!
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