Baby:  Senses of taste and smell are developing, skin is thickening, and hair follicles appear under the skin. 

Mom:  As your baby and uterus grow, you will notice a baby bump and may experience sharp, stabbing pains in your sides when making sudden or twisting movements due to stretching of the ligaments supporting your uterus. Take it easy when movements cause pain and contact your health care provider for pain that does not go away with rest. 

Baby:  Baby’s heart pumps 100 pints of blood per day, and the kidneys are now producing urine. Baby is moving all limbs, although you may not be able to feel it yet. 

Mom:  Now is the time for financial planning — check with your insurance company to see when to add your baby to your policy. You may also want to schedule a time to meet with our hospital’s financial counselor if you have questions. Call 704-873-5661, and ask to speak to a financial counselor.

Baby:  Muscle tissue and bone continue to form, creating a more complete skeleton, with transparent skin. Baby makes sucking motions with the mouth now (sucking reflex), and is about 4 to 5 inches long and weighs about 3 ounces. 

Mom:  Your oral health changes in pregnancy- sometimes gums may bleed a little, and your mouth is more watery from extra saliva. Now is a good time to have a dental checkup, and tell your healthcare provider if you have gum disease or dental problems. Your health care provider will offer you an alpha fetoprotein blood test between weeks 16-18 to screen for certain genetic defects. Talk to your health care provider for more information about this test.

Baby:  A waxy coating called “vernix" is starting to cover baby’s forming skin as a waterproof barrier. 

Mom:  During the 4^th month of pregnancy, you may feel quickening, the baby’s subtle movements. Write down when you feel your baby move for the first time.  You may also notice heartburn, nasal congestion, and occasional nosebleeds; all due to pregnancy hormones. Notify your health care provider of increasing severity of these symptoms, or dizziness, nausea, unrelieved headaches, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of hands/feet.

Baby:  Lanugo, a fine, downy hair, now covers baby’s skin. Your baby can hear and swallow. Some moms have an ultrasound at this time to find out the sex of their babies. 

Mom:  You may notice some swelling of hands/feet. Your feet may actually spread wider due to the hormone relaxin, which also affects ligaments and joints.  Backaches may increase so use good posture and body mechanics. Ask your health care provider for recommendations for relief of backache and any exercises that may help. 

Baby:  Kicks/movements become stronger and more noticeable now. 

Mom:  You may be experiencing leg cramps, constipation, varicose veins, and/or hemorrhoids. Increase your daily water intake and be sure to include fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet. 

Baby:  Baby’s eyebrows, eyelashes, fingernails, and toenails have formed. Your baby can even scratch itself. Baby is now about 6 inches long and weighs about 9 ounces.  

Mom:  A third of your weight is usually gained by this week, and the top of your uterus, the fundus, is at the level of your belly button.

Now is the time to sign up for educational classes if you haven’t done so already. As a COVID-19 precaution, all classes are online now. Call 704-878-4555 or email Pampered@iredellhealth.org.

Baby:  Fingerprints and footprints have now formed, and taste buds have developed on baby’s tongue. Baby recognizes the taste of its mother’s amniotic fluid (the fluid surrounding baby inside your uterus) and the taste of your milk (when baby is born). 

Mom:  You may notice more forgetfulness during pregnancy, so be sure to write down any concerns or questions you have for your health care provider at your prenatal visits. 

Baby:  Baby’s eyelids are shut, but the eyes are moving, and tear ducts are now developing. Baby is probably gaining a ½ pound each week now until birth. 

Mom:  You may be experiencing stretch marks on your abdomen, breasts, thighs, or buttocks. These will fade after baby arrives. You may also notice a dark line, called linea nigra, on the skin running from your belly button to your pubic hairline.

Now is the time to choose a pediatrician who will see and assess your baby while you are in the hospital.  (The link will take you to our provider directory on IredellHealth.org.

Baby:  Baby can now hear your voice and loud sounds around you. You may notice baby movements when it hears a sudden loud noise — the startle reflex — develops by this time.

Mom:  You may be noticing swelling of your hands and feet; if you notice sudden or extreme swelling, notify your health care provider.

Baby:  The lungs are formed, but do not work yet. Your baby also sleeps and wakes regularly, and is about 12 inches long, and weighs about 1½ pounds. 

Mom:  You may notices patches of darker skin on your face, usually over the cheeks, forehead, nose, or upper lip. This is sometimes called the mask of pregnancy. Your health care provider will schedule a  glucose tolerance test or glucose challenge test between weeks 24-28 of your pregnancy to screen for gestational diabetes. This test may be scheduled earlier in pregnancy if you have risk factors (such as family history of diabetes). 

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, or are diabetic prior to pregnancy, ask your health care provider to refer you to our Diabetes Center at 704-878-4556 for more education.

Baby:  If your baby is a boy, his testicles begin to move from the abdomen into his scrotum. If your baby is a girl, her uterus and ovaries are in place, and a lifetime supply of eggs have formed in her ovaries. 

Mom:  You may notice numb or tingling hands, called carpal tunnel syndrome. 

If you are having any of the following symptoms (not just tingling hands), call your healthcare provider right away:

• severe headaches
• dizziness
• excessive nausea
• excessive swelling of face, hands, or feet
• blurred vision abdominal pain. 

These may be signs of preeclampsia (gestational hypertension), which is dangerous in pregnancy.

Baby:  Your baby is now taking breaths of amniotic fluid, practicing breathing for when it arrives. 

Mom:  Continue to eat healthy and drink plenty of water each day.

Baby:  Your baby is growing, and may be pressing more on your bladder, making you need to urinate more often! 

Mom:  Due to your growing belly, you may find it hard to get comfortable to sleep. Try sleeping with extra pillows, and it is recommended not to sleep on your back or your belly. If you are planning to breastfeed, talk to your health care provider about birth control options after delivery (some types interfere with breastfeeding, but many do not). Also talk to your insurance company about breast pumps. A lot of insurance companies will provide you a pump as part of your benefits. You may also want to schedule a time to meet with our Lactation Educator, and sign up for a breastfeeding class.