Pregnancy Fifth Month: Week By Week

Prenatal

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 13:35

When your pregnancy is in the fifth month you need to start considering some serious lifestyle changes. If your life has been functioning normally so far then some changes are due now, especially if you are still going to work. A week by week pregnancy break up can help you understand just what changes you need to make and when you need to make them. Once your foetus is 18 weeks old you have reached the mid point of your pregnancy and that says it all about the importance of this month.

Here is a week by week pregnancy analysis to help you cope better.

Fifth Month Pregnancy: Week 17

• Oops! Did you just feel the first kick? Yes, it about time for your baby to start kicking. You feel the movements of your baby more and more distinctly as your pregnancy advances week by week.
• It is time to get mommy's maternity wardrobe in place. You need now make some intelligent purchases of maternity clothes that will last you through the whole term of your pregnancy.
• Your breasts too will be stretching limits of their seams so it would be prudent to buy some maternity bras in the fifth month of pregnancy so that you are comfortable.

Week 18:

• How good your baby's hair is will be determined in the second trimester of pregnancy. The baby is now growing hair on its head, eye lids and other body hair.
• Eat lots of green leafy vegetables, coconut etc that is good for hair growth during this time.
• Your baby's lungs is also starting to pump in and pump out amniotic fluid to begin respiration that will start operating on its own as soon as it is born.

Week 19:

• Can you believe it! Your baby can see now. The retina becomes functional in the fifth month of pregnancy and the baby is now photo sensitive seeing through its own eyes and not yours.
• Another good news for this week is your baby is also sensitive to sounds now. Not only can it hear you but it learns to distinguish between sounds it likes and dislikes.
• Some sonogram pictures show the baby plugging its ears due to loud sounds. Listen to soft soothing music in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Week 20:

• Congratulations your feotus is 18 weeks old and you can actually call it a baby now. This is because all its muscles are starting to function. That is why the baby starts kicking during this time. It is flexing its muscles.
• You have to learn to move slowly and deliberately. So do not pick heavy weights with a sudden jolt and do not over work yourself. Your heart is already overworked by 4 times supporting the baby.

These are the things you need to keep in mind for the fifth month of your pregnancy.