It’s your second trimester and your baby bump is proudly showing. Although a lot has happened with your baby’s growth since the first trimester, they still have plenty of growing to do. Every day they’ll get bigger and change more – and you’ll start feeling it! Here’s how your baby will grow in your second trimester.
Week 14
Week 14 marks the start of your 4th month of pregnancy. It’s unbelievable to think that your baby, which started as a single cell, is now the size of a lemon. It may seem like they’re getting restless inside, but all they’re doing is wiggling and stretching as they learn how to use their bodies. They’re also learning how to make those adorable faces like frowning and smiling that they’ll make at you once their born. You won’t feel it just yet, but their reflexes are in high gear as they master more moves – they might even be sucking their thumb!1
Week 15
Like the hard skin of an apple, which is how big they are now, your baby’s soft cartilage will start turning into harder bone. This is when their inner ear, which will eventually allow them to hear your voice, starts to evolve. Now that their joints and limbs are all working and up to speed, they’re dancing away inside your tummy.2
Week 16
Your little champion gets a bit stronger each day. Their heart is bigger, more durable, and pumping more blood to its tiny body, and their bodies will start straightening out more as their spine grows and their back muscles become firmer.3 Their eyes, which you can’t wait to fall in love with aren’t open yet, but they’ll move back and forth as they start sensing light.3
Week 17
Just think – only 23 weeks of pregnancy to go! Your baby’s lifeline – their umbilical cord – is stronger and working overtime to get them the essential nutrients and oxygen they need.4 Their bodies are starting to form fat, which protects their organs and keeps them from getting chilly.4
Week 18
Congratulations, you’ve reached your 5th month of pregnancy! Feeling butterflies? No, it’s not nervousness. Now that your baby is bigger (as big as a cucumber) and moving around more, you might start feeling flutters here and there.5 All their senses they’ll use to touch, taste, smell, see and hear are still evolving, but right now they can hear what’s happening inside you and are listening to your heartbeat and breathing.5
Week 19
Your baby has ripened into a tomato – well, the size of one at least. Their arms and legs are more proportionate to each other now.7 If you could see them, you would see your baby is covered in a waxy material that will protect their sensitive skin and keep it from staying wrinkly as their baby fat, which makes them so adorable, fills in.7
Week 20
You’re about halfway through your second trimester now! It’s a popular question you’ll get asked a lot, and you’re probably wondering yourself – is it a boy or girl? If you haven’t had an ultrasound to find out yet, you’ll be scheduling one to find out soon. Meanwhile, your baby’s skin is thicker, their hair and nails are longer, their taste buds are growing, and they’re learning how to swallow.8
Week 21
Your baby is about the size of a carrot – and soon they’ll be able to taste one too! Your baby’s intestines have been developing and are now getting nutrients from within the fluid they’re swallowing. These nutrients are coming from the food you're eating (see our essential nutrient blog post) and taste buds growing inside your baby’s mouth can actually taste them!9 Just think, this is when they start learning what different spices and the savory sweetness of food tastes like and might even determine what they like to eat once their born.9
Week 22
More baby fat means your little one is getting heavier inside your belly. At week 22, it’s around the size of a squash. Their sense of touch and sight continues to get stronger. They've learned to open and close their teeny fists into a strong grip that they’ll soon use to hold your fingers (or your hair so watch out!) and they're more in tune to light.10
Week 23
Woah baby! Your bump is becoming a bit rounder as your baby starts to double the amount of weight they're gaining. Inside, they can feel you moving around and even hear certain sounds, so put on some music and have one of your first dances with them.11
Week 24
Welcome to month 6 – you’re almost to the end of your second trimester. You’ve probably joked back and forth about which features the baby will get from you and dad (of course the best ones come from you, mom!). Even though they haven’t picked up color yet, their eyelashes and eyebrows have grown in and their face is almost done shaping.12 Also taking shape are branches in your baby’s lungs, which will help them take those tiny breaths you’ll feel when you hold them close to you.13
Week 25
It’s week 25 and your baby is the size of an eggplant. Blood vessels forming under their skin will give your baby that rosy pink color you cherish.14 Their lungs are growing blood vessels, too.14 Yet another trait you’ll have debate over with dad is their hair color, which is starting to take on color and texture.15
Week 26
Your baby is taking up more space in your belly than ever before. Their eyes, which have been closed all this time in order to grow, might start to open so they can see what’s going on inside.16 Try holding a flashlight up to your tummy - they might give a kick or nudge in response!
Week 27
You’ve finally made it to the end of your second trimester. Only one more to go! Keep singing those lullabies and saying sweet words to your baby. Their brain activity and hearing is sharper and they’ll start recognizing voices and sounds they’re hearing outside.17 From time to time you might notice some pulsing – that’s probably your baby hiccuping!17 With your third trimester around the corner, you’re brimming with excitement wondering all the ways your baby will continue to grow.
Disclaimer: PerkinElmer and ViaCord do not endorse or make recommendations with respect to research, medication, or treatments. All information presented is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.
References:
1, 7, 11, 13, 15. Second Trimester. (n.d.). Retrieved August 03, 2020, from https://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy-growing-baby-weeks-14-27.
2-4, 8-9. Pevzner, H. (2020, June 25). Your Pregnancy Week by Week. Retrieved August 04, 2020, from https://www.verywellfamily.com/pregnancy-your-week-by-week-guide-4159265
5-6, 10,12,14, 16-17. Your Pregnancy Week-by-Week. (2020, April 02). Retrieved August 04, 2020, from https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/6
