What to Expect when you’re Expecting: The Fifth Month By: Baylee Wagoner

This Month’s Checkup: By this time at your checkup you will probably have a drill. At this checkup you can expect your practitioner to: Weight and Blood Pressure Urine, for sugar and Protein Fetal heartbeat Size and Shape of Uterus, by feeling from outside Height of Fundus (top of Uterus) Feet and hand swelling Any symptoms you are having that you are concerned about And any questions you may have

A Look Inside: By this time you’re halfway through your pregnancy now and your uterus will hit your belly button sometime around the 20th week. By this time there is no hiding that you’re pregnant. At the end of the month, your fetus is 7-9 inches (which means almost halfway to birth length) and weighs nearly a pound. You’re also capable of numerous gymnastic feats (including somersaults) that help baby grow and develop motor skills.

What you may be Feeling: During the fifth month you may be experiencing all the symptoms you may have felt from last month. But still others may hardly be noticed because you’ve by now become so used to them. But some of those symptoms are: Physically- Fetal Movement Heartburn Leg Cramps Mild swelling of ankles and feet, and occasionally hands and face Backache Also mild skin color changes in face and body

What you may be Feeling: Not only are you going to feel a change in your physical activity, but also you will feel a change in your emotion. And some of those changes are: A growing sense of reality about the pregnancy Fewer mood swings, but you will occasional weepiness may occur. Continued absentmindedness

Sleeping Positions: When you’re pregnant giving up your favorite sleeping positions are like giving up your teddy bear when you were younger. You are most likely going to lose some sleep from it, until you get use to the new position. You’re not suppose to sleep on your stomach. The most common sleeping position is sleep on the left side with one leg crossed over the other because that is the most comfortable position for both you and your fetus.

Backache: When you’re pregnant the aches and discomforts are not suppose to make you miserable, though that’s often the upshot. Some things that you could avoid backache is: Try to keep the weight gain within the recommended parameters. Don’t wear very high heels or flat shoes. Don’t stand for long periods of time. Learn the proper way to lift heavy loads. Avoid reaching above your head Learn to relax and stay calm.

Outside Influences on the Womb: Still in the study of the unborn, there is certainly no shortage of nonsense. However, scientists are starting to find some of these apparently over-the-top theories may actually have a basic of fact. But that doesn’t mean it is a for sure thing they are still doing more research before anyone can answer your question with certainty .

Abdominal Pain: When you feel pain you are probably feeling the pregnancy equivalent of growing pains: the stretching of muscles and ligaments supporting the enlarging uterus. Most pregnant women experience these pains, which may be sharp and stabbing, and are most affect when you stand up from a bed or chair, or if you cough. You should mention the pain to your practitioner at your next visit, so that they can reassure you that it is normal, if annoying, part of pregnancy.

Late Miscarriage: People say that after you are past the third month you don’t have to worry about miscarriage but that’s not always the case. It does occasionally happen that the fetus is lost between the 12th and 22nd weeks. This is known as late miscarriage and it is rare in a healthy woman with an uneventful, low-risk pregnancy. If you have heavy bleeding with or without cramping, call your practitioner immediately or go to the hospital if this happens, for treatment of threatened miscarriage and prevention of future miscarriages.