Welcome to the second month of your journey to discover your bundle of joy. You reached the fifth week of your pregnancy. Unlike the first month of pregnancy, which might have passed even without realizing you are pregnant, at this point, you are very positive that you are pregnant. You must have taken a home pregnancy test by now and are filled with excitement and apprehension. Why, a pregnancy does spell some anxiety, doesn’t it?

• Second Month Pregnancy Symptoms
• The Second Month Of Pregnancy
• Development Of The Baby In The Second Month Of Pregnancy
• Development Of The Baby In The Fifth Week
• Development Of The Baby In The Sixth Week
• Development Of The Baby In The Seventh Week
• Development Of The Baby In The Eighth Week
• What Should Be Included In The Second-Month Pregnancy Diet?
• What Not To Eat In The Second Month Of Pregnancy?

Second Month Pregnancy Symptoms

Feeling overwhelmed and sore at one time and overly excited the other? Welcome the onset of the exhilarating journey called pregnancy. Not only that, you might have started the second month of pregnancy with nausea and vomiting (continued symptoms from the first month). Other symptoms like food aversions, fatigue, mood swings, food cravings, etc. will be more or less same as the first month.

The Second Month Of Pregnancy

The second month of pregnancy is significant in delivering a healthy baby. The fetus undergoes many changes during this month. The heart starts to beat which can be picked up on an ultrasound. The major organs will start to bud. Distinguishing the head from the body of the fetus is possible.

Development Of The Baby In The Second Month Of Pregnancy

Here are the changes happening in inside womb (week by week) during the second month of pregnancy:

Development Of The Baby In The Fifth Week

• Heart, bones, muscles, brain and spinal cord continue developing
• Umbilical cord develops and attaches the baby to your blood supply
• Amniotic sac and placenta are also developing
• You may begin to feel more tired than usual

Development Of The Baby In The Sixth Week

• Baby grows in the form of a tadpole
• The fetal heart starts to beat
• The size of the uterus increases
• The frequency of your urination starts to increase

Development Of The Baby In The Seventh Week

• The limb buds appear (these will develop to the limbs later)
• Heart, bones, muscles, brain and spinal cord continue developing
• Lungs, intestine, mouth, nostrils, appendix and eyes start to develop
• You start to feel changes in your body. The dresses starts to become tight, particularly at the waist

Development Of The Baby In The Eighth Week

• Folds of eyelids start to develop
• The ears start to form as a small fold on either side of the head
• Webbed fingers and toes form, which help your baby to swim and move around
• The neural tube is well developed during this point of pregnancy
• Bones starts to replace the cartridges
• Your blood volume increases and the heart starts to pump more blood per minute

Now you recognize how the second month (from 17 to 56 days) of pregnancy is very crucial. Your lifestyle can affect the developing fetus during this month. The mother’s exposure to drugs, alcohol, counter top medications, etc. during this period can lead to birth defects. Similarly, the diet that you follow this month also has a significant role in the healthy development of the fetus.

What Should Be Included In The Second-Month Pregnancy Diet?

The pregnancy diet of the second month should help to support the developments of the baby. Some women find it difficult to eat and drink anything because of morning sickness and other pregnancy symptoms. Not to worry though, but try taking in as many nutrients as you can. Here are the vital nutrients and food that should be included in your pregnancy diet during the second month of pregnancy.

• Folate and Iron: Folic acid and iron rich foods should be continued this month as well. (Please go through the article – pregnancy diet-first month)
• Calcium: Calcium is an essential mineral that you need the most during this month of pregnancy because the ossifying of the fetus bone starts during this month. If you don’t have 1000 mg of calcium intake per day during this time, the fetus will extract it from your body’s calcium reserves, increasing your chances of osteoporosis in the future.
  • Dairy products: The dairy products are rich in calcium. Make it a practice of drinking two glasses of low-fat milk per day. Other milk products like yogurt, cheese, etc. are likewise a beneficial source of calcium. Therefore, include milk and milk products in your daily menu.
  • Vegetables: Vegetables like kale, turnip, broccoli, cabbage, romaine lettuce, leafy green vegetables are rich in calcium
  • Tofu: Tofu is one of the calcium rich food popular among the expecting mother
  • Almonds: Each almond nut provides 70- 80 mg of calcium
• Proteins: You have to take extra 25 grams of protein every day during the pregnancy period. You can increase the intake of protein by including any of the following items in your daily menu:
  • Poultry: Turkey and chicken are a good source of protein
  • Whole grains: Food items made out of whole grains are an excellent source of protein
  • Eggs: By enjoying omelets, scrambled eggs, or an egg salad, you are satisfying a portion of the daily needed protein intake. An egg provides around 6 grams of protein
  • Nuts and seeds: Nuts like peanut, pistachio, almonds, cashew, walnuts, etc. and seeds like sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of protein
  • Lean meat: Lean meats are a good source of protein. One portion of well-cooked lean beef, pork, or lamb provides 33 grams of protein
  • Legumes: Legumes like black beans, kidney beans, white beans, etc. help to meet the daily-required proteins. Food items made from soybeans are also a good source of protein. Include lentils in your pregnancy diet to get optimum proteins
• Oranges: Include fresh orange juice or fruit itself in the daily menu. It is not only rich in vitamin C and calcium, but also the tangy flavor of it will help to minimize the discomforts of morning sickness. It will also have a refreshing effect on you
• Oatmeal: Oatmeal is rich in fiber and calcium
• Banana: Banana is a rich source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, fiber, iron, folic acid and potassium

Remember if you are not able to stick to a healthy diet for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, there is still plenty of time to make it up for. After 12 weeks, most women find their nausea and morning sickness disappearing or dissipating, enabling them to eat better.

What Not To Eat In The Second Month Of Pregnancy?

Beverages that have caffeine, alcohol, and food that have increased chances of food poisoning like soft cheese, unpasteurized milk products, meat spreads, and raw eggs should be eliminated from the menu. Keep off junk food and packaged drinks for your entire pregnancy, though an occasional splurge is alright. Foods that are too salty and sugary also should not be included in the second- month pregnancy menu.