How Big Is My Baby? // Second Trimester Weeks 13-28

You’ve reached the second trimester, hopefully you’re starting to feel a little more like a human being now and any nasty symptoms you had are starting to fade away. You might have already had a scan of your baby too, how exciting.

Here’s your week by week baby breakdown…

Week 13 – Pea Pod

Your little baby is now starting to form fingerprints and will be practicing those new sucking skills by sucking on their thumb and swallowing amniotic fluid to give them nutrients.

Week 14 – Lemon

A thin layer of hair is starting to cover your babies head and body to protect them and keep them warm inside your tummy. Most of this will disappear before your baby is born but some may still remain. Your baby is also starting to practice their facial expressions as they receive an overload of signals from their developing brain.

Week 15 – Apple

Your babies eyes are now sensitive to light although they’re still closed and their hearing is starting to develop too. By the end of this week they should be able to hear your heartbeat and might even be able to hear your muffled voice.

Week 16 – Avocado

The muscles around your babies neck and shoulders is getting strong so they are able to hold their head up straighter now.

Week 17 – Turnip

Your babies hearing is greatly improving everyday, they may be able to hear you playing music to your bump now and will be able to hear your voice when you talk.

Week 18 – Bell Pepper

You may be expecting your next scan around now and may be able to find out the sex of your baby if you wish to.

Week 19 – Heirloom Tomato

Babies arms and legs are now in proportion to the rest of their body and as a result you may start to feel little flutters in your tummy from now but don’t worry if you don’t. It can take a few more weeks to recognise those little movements especially if this is your first pregnancy.

Week 20 – Banana

You’re halfway there! A whitish substance called vernix is starting to cover your babies body, this provides protection and acts as a moisturiser for their delicate skin.

Week 21 – Carrot

You are probably really feeling those kicks now and may even be able to tell when your baby is most active. I’m afraid it’s likely to be at night when you’re trying to sleep.

Week 22 – Spaghetti Squash

Baby’s eyes are fully formed but their iris has no colour yet. They have also started to store up meconium, this will form their first poo after birth. Sorry about that, it’s not pleasant.

Week 23 – Large Mango

Depending on the position of your placenta you might be able to see your tummy move now when your baby kicks and their movements get stronger and stronger. Now that their hearing is improving you might notice that they move at certain sounds for example a door slamming.

Week 24 – Ear of Corn

Your little baby still has a lot of growing to do but you’ve reached the ‘medically viable’ week. The time in a pregnancy where survival outside the womb is possible and medical intervention can be offered if required.

Week 25 – Swede

Small hairs are forming on your babies head although these are likely to fall out after birth and be replaced by new hair. Your baby’s eyes are now so sensitive to light that you might get a kicking response if you shine a torch on your bump.

Week 26 – Red Cabbage

Your baby’s lungs are now begin to form fully getting ready to fill with oxygen when they take their first breaths.

Week 27 – Head of Cauliflower

A true pattern of sleep and awake should now be forming. You will probably notice periods during the day when your baby is resting or sleeping compared to when they are awake and kicking away. Baby is also starting to have dreams in their sleep, their eyes darting back and forth behind their eyelids in response to their dreams.

Week 28 – Aubergine

Can you feel a weird tickling sensation in your belly? Your baby most likely has the hiccups.

That’s the end of the second trimester, you’re two thirds of the way towards meeting your little person. To see their growth and development in the third trimester, click here.

Rachel xx