Dr. Aruna Ashok MBBS, MS OG, DNB OG
- Clinical Director
Aruna Ashok | 24 July 2023
Congratulations! You did well in the first trimester with a healthy development, that’s why you are here. Six months down, and only three months to go.
At 6 months or 24 weeks of pregnancy, your baby must have gained a little more weight and of course, facial features also must have been clearly defined. It’s growing positively in both size and weight. There are even more details about the baby’s development at this stage which might actually surprise you.
We are here to provide you with certain clarifications and clarify your concerns.
Expectant mothers might wonder what it would be like being pregnant at 6 months, how much weight the baby must have gained, 6 month pregnancy symptoms and so on. Let’s scroll down to explore them.
During the second trimester (week 14 to week 27), you will start to feel several changes in both the baby’s growth inside the uterus and your bump. Let’s start to look at the changes in the baby’s growth.
By this time, your baby is still wrinkled and pinkish in colour. It might have grown between 7 and 12 inches long. And weight may vary anywhere between 600 and 700 grams. The baby generally tends to gain weight steadily every week. This weight comes from developing bones, organs, body fat, and muscles.
Furthermore, your baby in the uterus must have started to grow its eyelashes, hair, and eyebrows by this time. Its facial features must have also been clearly defined. Meaning, that the features might have been inherited from any of your close relatives or parents, which is quite noticeable after birth.
The baby must have also got its fingerprints and footprints on the tiny little hands and legs. Along with it, it must have also started to develop taste buds during this period.
Apart from this, do you know that the baby in the uterus starts to hiccup at this period? You may also feel it when it does. Never panic, this is a significant sign of the baby’s well-being.
Let’s start with eyes to better understand the baby’s movement at 6 months of pregnancy. During this time, the baby will start to roll its still-closed eyes. They can also be opened and closed, but yet can’t focus well.
Even at six months of pregnancy, the size of the baby would still be small to occupy the whole amniotic space. Having more space makes the baby try spinning, turning, kicking and doing whatever it could possibly do. The expectant mother could also feel all these movements.
The baby must have started to focus on external sounds like the parent’s voice, television noise, and even the sound of your deep breath. Furthermore, the baby must have started to do several facial expressions like sticking its tongue out, yawning, and even smiling. Sometimes, it might also try to touch the walls of the uterus and its own parts of the body as well.
The baby at six months of pregnancy must be able to open and close its hands, and even make a fist.
Note that if you are pregnant with twin babies, fetal development and milestones of movement during the second trimester will typically be similar. However, the weight and size of the babies may differ when compared to singleton pregnancy.
Several physical changes take place as soon as you reach the second trimester. Some of them are:
Studies show that a healthy pregnancy is naturally based on a healthy weight. Both, gaining excessive weight and gaining insufficient weight during pregnancy can contribute to the development of serious health issues for both the mother and the baby.
Being obese, even before pregnancy or gaining excess weight after pregnancy can increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and even more complications. It may also lead to necessitate C-section delivery. The complications may also develop even after childbirth.
Below is the table of ideal weight gain advice for expectant mothers according to their BMI.
| Pre-pregnancy Weight | Body Mass Index (BMI) | Suggested Weight Gain during Pregnancy |
|---|---|---|
| Underweight | < 18.5 | Around 13 to 18 kgs |
| Healthy weight | 18.5 – 24.9 | Around 11 to 16 kgs |
| Overweight | 25 – 29.9 | Around 7 to 11 kgs |
| Being obese | > 30 | Around 5 to 9 kgs |
Below is the table of ideal weight gain advice for expectant mothers with twin babies according to their BMI.
| Pre-pregnancy Weight | Body Mass Index (BMI) | Suggested Weight Gain during Pregnancy |
|---|---|---|
| Underweight | < 18.5 | Around 22 to 28 kgs |
| Healthy weight | 18.5 – 24.9 | Around 17 – 25 kgs |
| Overweight | 25 – 29.9 | Around 14 – 22 kgs |
| Being obese | > 30 | Around 11 – 19 kgs |
Following are some of the familiar symptoms of pregnancy at 6 months.
As your baby bump grows, it is quite natural to have a change of posture like curved.
The most common symptom of being six months pregnant is experiencing the kicks of the unborn born in the uterus.
During the 6 months of pregnancy, your body tends to keep the food in the digestive system for a longer period of time. This helps the growing baby absorb more nutrients. However, the process makes the expectant mothers feel discomfort and constipated.
The increasing pressure on the pelvic region because of the growing baby makes the mothers feel pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen.
Experiencing blurred vision during the second trimester is quite natural as the hormones like estrogen and progesterone have the tendency to minimize the production and composition of tears. This makes the eyes of the expectant mothers become dry and irritated, causing blurred vision. However, this symptom is temporary and can typically resolve after childbirth.
Even though migraines are not common among expectant mothers, some women can still experience it because of the food or smell. Keeping a note of what you ate or did can help with identifying and addressing the issue. If it lasts for more than a day or two, have a consultation with your healthcare provider.
Regulating indoor humidity, using saline nasal sprays to moisturize the nasal passages, and sleeping with an additional pillow to elevate the head can help alleviate these symptoms. However, it is essential to consult with a healthcare provider if nasal congestion becomes severe or persists for an extended period.
Swollen feet and ankles are the most popular symptoms of being six months pregnant. The symptoms may be caused by increased blood volume, pressure on the blood vessels, and hormone fluctuations. Do not panic as this is quite common. You can try elevating your feet when sitting or lying down to overcome the issue.
However, alongside these beautiful moments, women may also experience skin changes, leg cramps, backaches, and other discomforts. Pregnancy is a combination of discomforts and joyful moments. To enjoy the moments and alleviate discomforts, the following are some of the essential care tips from expert specialists.
1. What are the right ways to increase my weight during pregnancy?
The right ways to increase your weight during pregnancy are consuming a balanced diet with nutrition-dense foods, and increasing its portion. And of course, you can increase the portion only if your healthcare provider advises to.
2. Can I be physically active during my pregnancy?
The answer to the question is yes. You can be physically active during pregnancy, especially if you were active even before being pregnant. Being physically active is typically considered safe and healthy for expectant mothers.
3. How much must I drink and eat during my 6 months of pregnancy?
At the six months of pregnancy, a woman may need to consume nearly 8–12 cups of fluids every day. This will help expected mothers to keep themselves hydrated and develop a sufficient amount of amniotic fluid for the growing baby. In addition, they are required to consume approximately 2200 calories every day to facilitate the healthy development of the growing baby and the mother.
4. What are the essential supplements and nutrition to take during pregnancy?
In general, you may require nutrients like calcium, folic acid, vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and B vitamins to support the healthy development of the growing fetus. However, it is not recommended to take those supplements on your own. Instead, have a consultation with your healthcare provider before taking them.
5. What are the testing and medical care required during six months of pregnancy?
During the 6 months of pregnancy or the second trimester, testing like urine tests, blood tests, and ultrasounds are performed in coordination with routine consultation. Medical care like screenings, assessments, and checkups are performed to monitor the health of both the developing baby in the uterus and the mother. This is done to identify any likelihood of health risks and make sure of providing a healthy pregnancy.
