The
Growth and Development of Your
Baby
This
month continues to be a period of rapid
growth. Your baby's skin is wrinkled
and red. It is covered with lanugo (fine,
soft hair) and vernix (a
substance consisting of oil, sloughed
skin cells and lanugo). Real hair and
toenails are beginning to grow. Your
baby's brain is developing rapidly. Fatty
sheaths which transmit electrical impulses
along nerves are forming. Meconium, your
baby's first stool, is developing. A
special type of fat (brown fat) that
keeps your baby warm at birth is forming.
Baby girls will develop eggs in their
ovaries during
this month. The baby's bones are becoming
solid.
Your
baby is almost fully formed and
looks like a miniature human. However,
because the lungs are not well
developed and the baby is still
very small, a baby cannot usually
live outside the uterus at this
stage without highly specialized
care.
By
the end of the sixth month, Your
baby will be around 11 to 14 inches
long and will weigh about 1 to
1 1/2 pounds.
What
is Happening With You
Continue to see your health
care provider for all of your prenatal care appointments.
It is important that your weight, blood pressure,
urine, fetal heartbeat, fundal height, uterus size,
swelling, varicose
veins, and other symptoms are continually monitored
by your provider throughout your pregnancy.
You
will be feeling a lot more fetal
activity as your baby grows larger
and stronger, his or her bones
become solid, and he or she becomes
more active. You are likely to
still experience lower
abdominal aches; leukorrhea; constipation;
heartburn, indigestion,
flatulence, or bloating; occasional
headaches,
faintness, or dizziness; nasal
congestion; nosebleeds;
ear stuffiness; bleeding
gums; a hearty appetite; leg
cramps; swelling; backache; varicose
veins; enlarged
breasts; and skin pigmentation
changes. You may also begin to
have an itchy abdomen.
Emotionally,
absentmindedness, boredom, and
anxiety are common during this
period of your pregnancy.
What
is Happening With Your Partner
Your partner is also probably anxious. Share your
feelings about becoming a parent and how it will
affect your life. Attend childbirth and parenting
classes together to get ready for your new baby.
Allow your partner to feel the baby moving and kicking
inside of you.
Discomforts
and Remedies
Visit the Common
Discomforts section if you are
experiencing any discomforts. You
may or may not experience some of
these discomforts and be sure to
talk to your health care provider
about them if you have any questions.
back
to top
