If you are 6 months pregnant, you will probably notice a lot of movement in your belly. Your baby is doing gymnastics in the womb for several hours a day, exercising its muscles. By now you will probably be able to feel the baby's movements clearly. Although your baby sleeps for almost 20 hours a day, it is still making itself felt.
Have you already noticed a rhythmic throbbing in your belly? Your baby may have hiccups. You will not only feel this in the 6th month of your pregnancy: your baby will continue to hiccup until birth. In the third trimester, you may also be able to see this on the outside of your abdominal wall.
Your baby will also continue to develop its motor skills during this month. It can now move its fingers in a coordinated manner and often puts them in its mouth. Your baby is already sucking its thumb: this trains the sucking reflex so that it can later drink from your breast.
From the fifth month, your baby's skin is surrounded by the vernix caseosa. This protects the skin from the amniotic fluid. It also has other beneficial properties. It prevents your baby from cooling down after birth. It also has an antibacterial effect and can prevent skin infections. Cheese gunk is also beneficial during birth, as it helps your baby glide through the birth canal.
Size & weight of your baby in the 6th month of pregnancy
Do you have the feeling that your belly is growing particularly quickly now? You're right, because your baby is currently gaining weight and getting bigger. At the beginning of the 6th month, it weighs 300 to 350 grams and is around 25 centimetres tall. This makes it about the size of a larger banana.
In the course of the 6th month of your pregnancy, your baby will almost double its weight. In week 24, it weighs 550 to 600 grams and is around 29 centimetres tall. This means it is now the size of a corn cob. However, your baby may be slightly larger or smaller. The figures given are only an average.
Can you clearly feel your baby now and already want to set up the nursery? In order for your baby to sleep well after birth, it needs to feel safe and secure. This is why we have developed our sleeping aid, the swing2sleep cradle. It offers your baby a cozy nest in which he or she can rest in the best possible way.
Mum-to-be: how your body changes in the 6th month
In the 6th month of your pregnancy, your belly is slowly getting so big that it can restrict your everyday life. Picking things up from the floor or tying your shoes can start to become difficult. Be careful not to carry anything heavy now, as the weight of the uterus and your baby is already putting a lot of strain on your pelvic floor muscles.
Your belly is growing: this may mean that you have to adopt a new sleeping position. You should no longer sleep on your stomach and lying on your back is not good for you or your baby. Ideally, you should sleep on your side. You can buy a pregnancy pillow that offers you the best possible support. If you suffer from heartburn, you should sleep on your left side to relieve your stomach.
It is also not unusual for you to have a big appetite in the sixth month of your pregnancy. Your baby is now putting on weight rapidly: your body needs energy for this. Many women are therefore hungry for high-calorie, hearty meals from the 6th month of pregnancy.
You should have gained around four to seven kilograms so far. Always keep in mind that although you have an increased calorie requirement, you don't have to eat for two. The healthier and more balanced your diet is, the better off you and your baby will be.
6 months pregnant: common symptoms & complaints
Most pregnant women can enjoy the 6th month: You're doing well and your belly isn't bothering you too much in everyday life yet. However, pregnancy is accompanied by various symptoms and complaints in all months.
We summarize for you what you can expect when you are 6 months pregnant:
Cramps in the legs:
From the 6th month of pregnancy, many pregnant women suffer from cramps in their legs. These occur if you don't take in enough magnesium. You have an increased magnesium requirement during your pregnancy. Your gynaecologist can tell you whether you should take a magnesium supplement to combat leg cramps.
Development of hemorrhoids:
It is not uncommon for pregnant women to suffer from hemorrhoids. These develop when veins in the rectum become very enlarged. Hemorrhoids manifest themselves as pain during bowel movements and can also lead to bleeding. You can treat them with ointments.
Stretch marks & itching:
Your belly and breasts grow and expand during pregnancy. This can lead to stretch marks appearing in the 6th month. Itching can also occur: This is caused by the severe stretching of your skin. In both cases, oils are advisable for pregnant women.
Back pain:
Many women suffer from back pain, especially in the last few months of pregnancy. Your muscles are strained by the weight of your baby, while your ligaments loosen. As a result, many women fall into a hollow back, which causes additional pain. Try to strengthen your back with gentle exercises.
Hard belly:
If you feel that your belly is hard from time to time, it's probably not labor pains yet. It may be that you have overexerted yourself and your body is reacting to this. Remember to take it easy during pregnancy and take plenty of breaks.
During this phase of pregnancy, many expectant mothers feel well and suffer from less severe symptoms. However, if you suffer from more severe symptoms, this can also be normal. Every body is individual and copes differently with the stresses and strains of pregnancy. If one of the symptoms becomes very severe, you should contact your doctor immediately.
What else is important in the 6th month of pregnancy
If you are 6 months pregnant, you will need to see your doctor for further examinations. This time, however, they won't be examining your baby, but you. During the 6th month, your doctor will examine your blood and urine to detect complications at an early stage.
For example, you will be tested for gestational diabetes. This is a sugar disorder that occurs during pregnancy and can be very dangerous for you and your baby. Your doctor will also check whether you may have pregnancy poisoning (pre-eclampsia). Your blood pressure will also be measured as part of the check-up.
You can use the second trimester to run important errands. Set up the nursery and buy your first furniture and baby clothes. Find out about the upcoming maternity leave and other legal issues. You can also discuss topics relating to the birth and the time afterwards with your midwife.
Swing cradle from swing2sleep: Gives your baby a natural sense of security
After the birth, you will want to offer your baby a cozy place to sleep where they can rest in the best possible way. We have been working on this mission for more than 30 years: we developed our swing2sleep cradle to offer your baby a natural sense of security.
You place your baby in the skin-friendly hammock, where it lies snuggled up close. Your baby will be familiar with this feeling from the womb - your baby will feel particularly safe in the cradle and will find it easier to fall asleep. This is thanks to the innovative spring cradle motor, which rocks your baby to sleep with gentle up and down movements.
The motor is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and adjusts the intensity of the rocking to your baby's needs. Before it wakes up, the cradle can rock it back to sleep. This not only makes it easier for your baby to fall asleep, but also to sleep through the night.
