Second trimester pregnancy signs - part 3

The second trimester, too, comes with some less than pleasant physical ailments. Are you having headaches, back pain, and heartburn? Not nice but totally normal!

Swollen ankles as a pregnancy symptom

Swollen ankles are the most frequently encountered form of water retention, or edema. Many pregnant women experience swollen ankles starting in their second trimester, but swollen ankles might strike later on, during the third trimester too. What can you do to fight swollen ankles? Not a lot, apart from exercising regularly and changing positions. Drinking plenty of water helps too.

Separation of abdominal muscles making space for your growing baby

Have you noticed how your abs have moved apart, and separated into two parts? That's diastasis recti, something that happens to many women in pregnancy to accommodate their growing baby.

Braxton Hicks contractions

Any pregnant woman will notice occasional tightening of her uterus. These painless contractions have nothing to do with labor and are a second and third trimester pregnancy symptom. You will have more of them after exercise or doing the deed. A change of position often makes them go away.

More frequent headaches

Many pregnant women suffer from headaches quite a lot. There are several underlying causes of pregnancy headaches, and how to cure them depends on what the culprit is. Stay hydrated, try to get plenty of fresh air, and sleep a sufficient amount of hours during the night if possible. And if nothing else helps, an over the counter pain killer is fine every once in a while.

Itchy nipples during the second and third trimesters

While you are pregnant, your breasts will start preparing for breastfeeding and they will go through a lot of changes. Growing breasts, leaking milk and... itchy nipples are all things that can happen to you. It's all normal but can be really irritating!

Lower back pain in the second and third trimesters

Pregnant women in the second and third trimesters often struggle with lower back pain. Your joints and muscles are under much more stress than normally, and as your baby develops and grows, you are likely to feel the strain.

Frequent episodes of heartburn acid reflux

Acid reflux is a nasty burning sensation in your chest, caused by stomach acids. Hormonal changes and increased pressure on your stomach are responsible for frequent episodes of heartburn during pregnancy, starting around the second trimester. Heartburn can be very unpleasant, but fortunately there are many natural cures.