Kick, kick, kicking
Keep paying attention to your baby s movements. Let your doctor or midwife know right away if they seem to decrease. Your baby should remain active right up to delivery, and a noticeable slowdown in activity could be a sign of a problem.
Ripening cervix?
At a prenatal checkup, your provider might do an internal exam to see whether your cervix has started ripening: softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening). But even with this information, there s still no way to predict exactly when your baby is coming.
Leaking fluid?
Call your provider if you think your water may have broken. Sometimes there s a big gush of fluid, but sometimes there s only a small gush or a slow leak. (Don t try to make the diagnosis yourself. Call even if you only suspect you have a leak.) If your water breaks but contractions don t start soon, you ll be induced.
Fatigue
By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you re under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning while trying to get comfortable.
Dizziness
If you ve been sitting or lying down for a long time, don t jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.
Itchy rash?
If you notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly, and possibly your thighs and buttocks as well, you may have a condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short). Call your caregiver if you feel intense itchiness all over your body, even if you don t have a rash. It could signal a liver problem.