During the second trimester, your baby is growing exponentially and will be between 13 to 16 inches long (33 – 40 centimetres) and weight about 2 to 3 pounds (900 – 1360 grams). Additionally, between 18 and 22 weeks, an ultrasound may also reveal the sex of the baby.
Usually, around 18 weeks of pregnancy, your baby’s fingernails, eyebrows, eyelashes develop and the skin has a wrinkled appearance. According to ACOG, your baby’s organs will begin to be functional – the kidneys can even produce urine. Incredibly, your baby will already be able to swallow and hear. By week 21, the foetus will be more active, and you may be able to feel your baby moving around. But don’t worry too much about your bouncing baby, they will also go to sleep at this stage, so you’ll get a few moments of peace.
During the second trimester, your baby grows fine hair (referred to as lanugo) and is protected by a wax-like coating (called vernix). This is to protect the very delicate skin as it is still very thin and undeveloped at this point. By week 26 your baby’s organs begin to develop more rapidly, the eyes begin to open, and the brain is maturing quickly.
Many people find the second trimester to be easier than the first, as some symptoms such as nausea and fatigue might pass at this point. This is why it is often referred to as the ‘golden period’. Although you may still experience different symptoms such as back pain, abdominal pain, leg cramps, constipation and heartburn, these tend to be less severe than those of the first trimester. More noticeable changes will now occur in your body such as the expanding of the abdomen as your baby grows.