Time flies. It seemed just like yesterday when the two lines popped up on your home pregnancy test and here you are today, in your fourth month of pregnancy already! This also marks the end of your first trimester, which honestly, can prove to be quite taxing with all the morning sickness and tiredness.
For now, welcome to the fourth month and the beginning of the second trimester, taking you another month closer to the D-Day! This is the month when you will feel energetic. Your morning sickness should have subsided by now and you will like food more. Your baby bump might also start showing, so give yourself all the belly rubs you want.
Even though your baby is still quite tiny, yet, he or she is growing really fast. He or she is around 8 cms long, about the size of an orange!
This is the month when the baby’s bones will begin to harden. His or her ears will form well, with the cartilage inside taking shape. Your baby’s skin, even though pretty thin right now, will start forming hair called lanugo. In fact, your baby might also start developing hair on his or her scalp! This is also the month when your baby will have eyelashes and eyebrows.
Your baby might be able to hear you, too, so if you want to try talking to him or her, the fourth month would be a great time to start! In fact, you could even try your singing prowess on your tiny occupant!
Your baby might also start sucking his or her thumb.
Like mentioned earlier, your bump will become slightly prominent this month. You will also feel much more comfortable after all the challenges you managed to beat in the first trimester. By the end of this month, you might also start feeling the baby move. How exciting! Even though the movements might not be very pronounced, you might feel a fluttering sensation in your tummy. If you feel something like that, it’s most likely your baby becoming all active!
Even though this trimester will be a happy and comfortable one, please remember that your body is going through a lot of changes. You are producing estrogen, which could cause swelling in your nasal cavity, causing nose blocks and in severe cases, even nosebleeds. It’s alright as all of this will feel worth it in another five months. You might also see pigmentation in your skin, especially on your nose that could feature some dark patches. Worry not, as this is very common in the fourth month.
You might also develop varicose veins or hemorrhoids, neither of which are pleasant. Consult with your ob/gyn to understand how you can manage this better.
You will have a slew of all the regular tests and certain ultrasounds to check the anatomy of the baby and measure his or her growth. This is the month when your ob/gyn might also suggest an amniocentesis in case he or she suspects birth defects. Your baby’s growth will be monitored thoroughly and you will be given your regular medication to keep both you and the baby healthy.
