Your baby
Your baby can do more with every day that passes. Recently breathing has been added. That sounds a little odd, since your child breathes no air. But amniotic fluid is drawn in and out of the lungs, which is fine practice for the real thing. It is much needed, too, because the lungs still have to mature.
Grasping and holding are going better and better. Your child now sometimes takes hold of a foot or the other hand. He or she also squeezes the umbilical cord from time to time, but there is no need to fear it being squeezed shut — that cannot happen. Nor need you fear your child getting tangled in the cord while tumbling about. It is a good 50 centimetres long, so there is ample room for all the movement your child needs.
You
Noticed milk coming from your breasts? That can happen. Your breasts prepare for breastfeeding of their own accord, and as a result a little colostrum — a yellowish, transparent fluid — may come from your nipples now and then. Whether or not you produce colostrum during pregnancy says nothing about how breastfeeding will go.
Milk production only really gets going once your baby is born. It used to be said that you should prepare your nipples for breastfeeding by rubbing them hard with a towel after showering. There is really no need for that 'toughening'; you mostly risk damaging them. There is no need to rub cream into your nipples and areolas either. You can massage your breasts with a nourishing oil or cream, though.
Thinking of a name
With the surname you have little choice; with the first name all the more. Will you go for a classic name or a modern one? French or Dutch? Perhaps you knew what you wanted to call your child before you were even pregnant. Or perhaps you are nowhere near agreeing.
A name is something personal; it gives you an identity, and your child is often stuck with it for life. So choosing the right one matters. A book of names can help.
Parental leave
If you have worked for the same employer for at least a year, you are entitled to parental leave. Are you planning to take parental leave straight after your maternity leave? Then discuss it with your employer in good time.
Second trimester
