Your baby
Your baby takes the oxygen needed from your blood, so breathing is not necessary — but your baby is already practising the movement, by drawing amniotic fluid into the lungs and pressing it out again. The vocal cords are finished by now. Your child cannot use them yet, though, because without air they make no sound.
Your baby's skin is protected by a white, slightly greasy substance that smells sweet. It protects the thin, delicate baby skin in the amniotic fluid. You can often still see some of this vernix after the birth, and it protects the skin then too.
You
Are you retaining a lot of fluid and getting swollen feet and ankles? During pregnancy your body produces extra fluid. For some women that is only two or three litres; for others it can be a good deal more. Gravity draws the fluid downwards, which is why your ankles and feet can swell.
You can try to help your body shed it by eating celery, asparagus and fennel — though not too much of them. Try to avoid salty food; ready meals and sauces in particular contain a lot of salt. And drink plenty, which encourages your kidneys to keep working well and so to carry fluid away.
Otherwise, sit with your legs up as much as you can. And raise the foot of your bed a little, by putting a pillow under the mattress. Treating your feet and legs to a good cream is of course an option too. Massage your legs from the bottom upwards, and give your feet room in a pair of slippers.
New shoes
When you are pregnant it is sensible to wear flat shoes with a firm, small heel.
Under the influence of pregnancy hormones your joints slowly but surely become more supple, chiefly to soften your pelvis ready for the birth. But that makes all your joints more vulnerable, and you run a greater risk of twisting an ankle.
Did you know your feet can grow during pregnancy? That is probably because the ligaments soften, so your feet spread a little. Often that larger shoe size is permanent — a good reason to treat yourself to new shoes.
Your second visit to the midwife
This week you will probably see the midwife for the second time. If your pregnancy goes smoothly you will have about thirteen appointments in all before the birth. Up to and including the twenty-fourth week you see the midwife every four weeks; up to the thirtieth week every three weeks; and up to the thirty-sixth week every two weeks.
From week 36 you come every week. A number of the checks are repeated at every visit, such as examining your abdomen and taking your blood pressure. The midwife records all the information on a card.
Amniocentesis
If you are eligible for an amniocentesis, the test will probably take place this week. It shows whether your baby has, for instance, Down's syndrome.
Second trimester
