Your baby
The soft flutters are turning more and more into real nudges, kicks and thumps. Those movements are still much needed to train your child's muscles. There is time for it now: soon your child will have far less room and the tumbling will be over. If you do not feel your baby for a few hours, he or she is probably fast asleep. Pressing gently on your abdomen with your hands can wake him or her.
The midwife may already be able to tell you which way your child is lying, so that you can work out for yourself whether you are feeling the head, the arms, the legs or the back.
Your baby's heartbeat is also becoming clearer. Where at first it could only be heard through the doptone, your partner could now hear it at home. The best place is about ten centimetres below the navel. No cause for concern if he cannot hear it yet — it is still fairly early in the pregnancy. By 28 weeks he certainly will.
You
Every time you come for a check-up, the midwife takes your blood pressure and records it on your pregnancy card. Pregnancy puts extra strain on your body, which could raise your blood pressure. And blood pressure that is too high can in turn cause problems at the end of your pregnancy.
High blood pressure can also point to pre-eclampsia. In that case the gynaecologist will take over your care, because with pre-eclampsia the placenta works less well, which is bad for your baby.
You do not feel high blood pressure yourself. You may retain more fluid and have constant headaches or see spots, but recognising it yourself is very hard. That is why your midwife always checks. If your blood pressure is on the high side she will probably advise you to take more rest. Drinking plenty of water is good for you too.
How and where will you give birth?
Perhaps you have been thinking about it for a long time, or perhaps you would rather not think about it at all. Either way, in the end there is no avoiding it: the birth. Where do you want to give birth — at home or in hospital? And how do you want to bring your child into the world: in water, on a birthing stool, or simply on the bed? Now is also a good moment to talk with your partner about how he can support you. You can call in the help of a birth coach as well.
Bottle feeding
Magazines and websites often write only about breastfeeding. But what if you already know you cannot or would rather not breastfeed? What sort of bottles should you buy, for instance? Simply buy a couple of standard bottles; the brand does not matter. Do buy at least two, so that you can feed with one while the other is being boiled or sterilised.
There are smaller bottles as well, made for smaller amounts. And there are various teats from various makers. For the first period use the smallest teat, made for newborn babies. Beyond that it is a matter of trying out which teat and bottle suit your baby best. Also handy: a bottle warmer and a steriliser for the microwave.
Breastfeeding
Even if you would like to breastfeed, it is handy to have a few bottles in the house. Are you going back to work and planning to express? After six weeks you can let your baby get used to drinking expressed breast milk from a bottle. Breast milk is best warmed in a bottle warmer, not in the microwave.
Second trimester
