Welcome to your second trimester! You can now relax and let go of your first trimester fears! Some of your first trimester symptoms may also have started to fade and hopefully, you will soon experience that second trimester burst of energy. Overall, during the next 12 weeks, women find themselves with more energy, an increased appetite, and with a general sense of well-being.

During this month, you will likely also experience the first sensations of your baby moving. These movements are known as quickening and feel like little flutters in the lower belly. It is the most exciting feeling for a new mama-to-be! You’ll never forget the first time you feel it!

So let’s back track and talk about stress for a second. Even though those big first trimester fears are gone, it is only natural to feel stress and anxiety about your growing baby’s health and well-being. Medical tests are only able to tell you so much. You may also have started thinking about your birth plan and may want things to go a certain way. I’m going to talk about whether you should consider a Doula and more on birth plans in the upcoming weeks 🙂 All of this worrying about the unknown definitely puts a mental load on you that you are unable to control. Occasional stress is okay (and totally natural!) but be mindful that this does not turn into chronic stress as chronic stress has been linked to changes in the fetus’s brain development. Combat this “natural” stress before it turns into chronic anxiety with regular yoga and meditation, adequate rest, and by following healthy eating habits.

Your gastrointestinal system may also be experiencing some changes during this time. All of the hormonal changes can lead to constipation and for this, hydration is key. Drink lots of water whether it’s plain water, fruit infused water, coconut water, etc.

If the constipation persists, trying some of these natural tips may help:

• Squeeze ½ of a lemon in a cup of hot water and drink it first thing in the morning
• Eat more fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, and fiber rich foods
• Soak raisins at night (1 tbsp) and eat them in the morning with breakfast
• Have a cup of warm milk with 1 tsp ghee before going to bed (also promotes sleep!)
• Firmly massage the belly with warm sesame oil in a clockwise direction first thing in the morning
• Do some form of exercise for 15-20 minutes daily
• Don’t suppress the urge to go, this increases toxin build up in the body and can affect your Doshic balance as well as the fetus’s health

What’s happening inside your body:

This month, the fetus becomes stable and as it grows in size, you may begin to feel a heaviness in your body. All of the body parts of the fetus become better defined and all of the internal systems of the baby will function together for the first time this month. The heart begins to function fully and so in Ayurveda, it is said that this is the time a mother is considered to have two hearts. The baby is able to voice its wishes through its heart and these wishes can be experienced by the mother.  If these wishes are not fulfilled, it can lead to an increase in Vata which can have an adverse effect on the fetus. Hence, why you don’t deprive a pregnant woman of her cravings.

What you’re feeling:

Your belly will begin to grow and your breasts will continue to swell as well as you head into month 4. The breast tenderness and soreness may worsen during this month. You may also feel an occasional loss of balance because your center of gravity is off with the growing of your uterus and increase in amniotic fluid. You will start experiencing the urge to urinate more frequently as the uterus puts pressure on your bladder and maybe even begin getting some aches and pains in the low back and legs. A common pain that begins in the 4th month of pregnancy is round ligament pain in the groin and pelvic region. This is due to the ligaments stretching to accommodate the uterus, mild stretching can help relieve this pain.

Month 4 Diet Guidelines:

• Ayurveda recommends taking 1 tbsp of ghee with 1/4 tsp rock sugar every morning before breakfast during this month of pregnancy
• Continue eating Satvik foods consisting of Vata pacifying fruit, vegetables, and grains

Month 4 Lifestyle Guidelines:

• Continue daily pranayama and meditation for stress relief. Shitali and Ujjayi breaths are great around this time.
• Breast soreness is a natural part of pregnancy related to hormonal changes. For comfort, re-evaluate the bra you’re wearing as wired bras can sometimes be constricting and make symptoms worse. A warm sesame oil massage once a day leading up to the third trimester is also helpful in relieving soreness.
• The beginning of the second trimester is also good time to begin an at-home Prenatal Yoga Practice. There are many programs available out there and your delivery hospital may also offer Prenatal Yoga classes. In ancient times, women did a lot of housework – squatting and cleaning, standing and churning, walking to get water but today, we spend a majority of our day sitting at a desk or sitting on a couch. Even if we do housework, much of it has been made a lot easier for us due to technology. Sometimes, we get walking in but this does not help with our flexibility (which is something that is necessary for natural and healthy childbirth). Ayurveda doesn’t promote working out with weights, doing crossfit-like workouts, or other high intensity training during pregnancy as this places added pressure on the body and does not contribute to flexibility.

  During my PA training, I probably helped with close to  150 deliveries including natural birth and C-sections and this is totally my biased opinion but it seemed to me that the most “fit” looking moms and the most overweight moms ended up having the C-sections. This isn’t taking fetal complications and any other maternal risk factors into consideration which is why I called it my biased opinion. But take this tidbit with a grain of salt, it’s just something that has stuck with me. In medicine, you see a lot that changes your life forever. Like I’ll never forget the first time a patient died on me, I think I was 21 years old. This was all years ago but my note to self after my ObGyn rotation was to stay balanced and stay in between the two extremes, exercise but don’t over do it, eat what you want but not for two. Of course, birth is unpredictable and anything can go wrong at any given time but my goal has always been to aim for a natural birth and then whatever happens, happens. One day, I’ll write about V’s birth story 🙂

  Back on topic, below are some yoga poses to incorporate into your practice to promote flexibility and prepare your body for birth.

That’s all for Month 4! Within the next couple of weeks, I’ll post more on my experience with my awesome Doula, with the Hypnobabies Program, and also more on developing a Birth Plan 🙂

Namaste.