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You’re almost at the six-month mark. It’s common to get quite achy at this stage.
You might have a sore back, painful ribs and sometimes even your hands and feet can feel a bit creaky.
It’s a combination of those lovely old hormones loosening up your body so you’re ready for birth and also bits (like your ribs) physically moving to make space for your baby. If you’re really struggling with pain in your pelvis, back, or legs, it could be Pelvic Girdle Pain (or SPD).
Even though you’d probably prefer to just flop on the sofa it’s a good idea to try and stay active, a nice easy stroll can ease your backache.
Although a few niggles are normal always chat to your midwife or doctor if the pain gets bad, you can’t move properly or you have swelling in your arms and legs. And of course, if you have other symptoms like a cough or fever, check in with your GP.
What does my baby look like?
That crazy growth continues this week and your baby is almost 29cm long from their head to the heel of their foot. Remember those long rulers at school? That’s how big your baby is now.
They definitely look less giant shrimp now as their legs and arms are the same length. And they weigh around the same as a can of soup, one whole pound (500g). But wait for the next few weeks as they’ll start packing on the weight.
What’s gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is when you get high blood sugar during your pregnancy.
When you have your first booking in appointment (around 8-12 weeks) your midwife will ask you some questions to see if you’re more at risk of developing gestational diabetes. And if they think you are you’ll have a glucose tolerance test around 24-28 weeks. You’ll have this earlier if you’ve had gestational diabetes before.
This is usually done at the hospital. You pop along in the morning and they test your blood before you eat or drink anything. Then you drink a super syrupy glucose drink and wait for 2 hours. Then they test your blood again.
Sometimes, when you’re pregnant, your body doesn’t pump out enough insulin, so your blood sugar levels go haywire. And that’s not good for you or your baby.
If you do have gestational diabetes you’ll have to monitor your sugar levels and you may need to change your diet, up your exercise or take medication or insulin. You’ll also have more checks during your pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes usually goes away when you have your baby but it does put you at risk of getting gestational diabetes again or developing type 2 diabetes.
Join our Facebook group to chat to other mums about gestational diabetes.
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