Fetal development: The 2nd trimester

What fetal development occurs in the 2nd trimester?

Your baby starts out as a cluster of cells. In a few short months, your baby grows and develops leaps and bounds and by the end of the second trimester, your baby is a tiny little fully formed human!👶⁣

Here are a few highlights of fetal development in the 2nd trimester

Hair becomes visible – You can actually see hair on ultrasound starting at about 22 weeks! That is if your baby has any hair, some are born with very little. 😀⁣
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Eyes start moving – At around 16 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is able to slowly move his or her eyes! They still can’t open their eyes though, they stay fused together until around 28 weeks. At 23 weeks your baby starts to have rapid eye movements, so potentially your little one is dreaming at this point! I wonder what those dreams are about?⁣
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Hiccuping starts – This happens around 23 weeks and you might actually feel it when your baby has them. It feels like movement that happens with a rhythm! ⁣
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Sex becomes apparent – You probably still won’t be able to see the sex on ultrasound, but your baby’s genitals are forming into either female or male at around 14 weeks gestation.⁣
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Toenails develop⁣ – This happens around 17 weeks into your pregnancy. Better get those clippers ready!⁣
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Start to hear – Start talking to your baby as early as 18 weeks. That’s when your baby might start to hear you! At 25 weeks they actually respond to your voice and other familiar sounds.⁣
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Lungs mature and develop – Surfactant starts to form at 26 weeks. This is a substance that helps their lungs inflate and helps them to keep from collapsing and sticking together.⁣
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Urine forms – This happens around the 13-week mark of your pregnancy. Your baby actually drinks the amniotic fluid and releases it into the amniotic sac as pee! This means that their kidneys are starting to work. How cool is that?
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Finger and footprints appear – Ridges start to form in their hands and feet at 23 weeks gestation. These are the beginnings of your child’s finger and footprints!⁣
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Where are all our second-trimester moms at? Comment below 🥰⁣
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Originally posted 2021-04-08 14:23:13.