Pregnancy – Sixth Month Changes
Sixth month lasts from the 23rd week to the 27th week. The baby has come a long way in six short months and the fetus continues remarkable growth and development.
First, the fetus is moving a lot this month. The baby is still small enough to move freely in the fluid and takes different positions. Periods of activity, when you feel your baby’s movements, alternate with periods of quietness. You can feel the baby move if you put your hands on your stomach and you may even see the shape of a foot or bottom as the baby turns and kicks. The arm and leg muscles are well formed already, and the baby proves their strength regularly. The baby can push, turn and clench its fist. The baby hears your voice and has an ear for music already. It likes some tunes and lets you know about it by shifting.
Your baby can cough and have hiccups; it feels like a slight tap inside. Your mini baby breathes in fluid and swallows it. This helps the baby develop the muscles used in breathing and eating. Sudoriferous glands are formed in skin and fat is beginning to form under the surface of the skin. This will keep the baby warm and regulate body temperature after birth. The facial features looks like a miniature newborn baby. The finger and toe nails are growing as well. Taste buds are formed on its tongue. It distinguishes between sweet, salty and bitter things. There have been dramatic developments in the thinking part of the brain. Its eyes are open and are usually blue in color and will not change to their final color until some weeks after the baby is born. Meconium is forming in the intestines. This is a black, tar like substance that you will see in the baby’s first stool. By the end of the sixth month, your baby will be around 11 to 14 inches long and will weigh about 900 gm.
Pregnancy Sixth Month Symptoms
Morning sickness like nausea and fatigue usually lessen or disappear. Weight gain will increase rapidly as the baby’s growth continues. You may begin to notice patterns in the time when the baby is active or asleep. The expectant mother may see a yellowish fluid outbreak from her breast before breast milk; it indicates that its the best time to prepare for breast feeding. Physically, you may experience symptoms such as indigestion, constipation, heart burn, bleeding gums and aches in the lower abdomen. As your baby gets bigger, you may feel shortness of breath as there will be increased pressure on all your organs especially the lungs.
Some women notice an increased appetite around this time. Have loads of iron rich food because during your pregnancy, you body needs more iron for the developing baby and the placenta and also to keep up with your expanding blood volume. Having a right diet with all the nutrients is very important during this time as your baby is developing much more rapidly.
As your belly grows, your abdomen may begin to itch. This is due to the skin stretching as the baby grows; moreover, dry skin tends to make the itching worse. Apply a moisturizing lotion after you shower to reduce the itch and to help keep the skin soft. It’s important to continue to have regular prenatal care so that the doctor will be able to monitor you and the baby. Complications are easier to prevent and treat if the mother has good care during the pregnancy.
