Here the skin looks almost loose around the neck as the baby has turned his head slightly. This is normal at this stage: the lack of fat beneath the skin and the need to grow rapidly can make your baby appear as if he needs time to "grow into" his own skin.
While you may be enjoying your food, you could be paying the price with indigestion. The pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes the muscles in the entire digestive tract. This slows digestion and the sphincters, or rings of muscles, at each end of the stomach become less effective. This can cause heartburn and indigestion as acidic juices from the stomach leak back into the esophagus. In addition, as your pregnancy progresses, your growing baby is squashing your stomach so that you have a smaller space to digest food.
To relieve indigestion, eat little and often, eat slowly, don't eat late at night, and cut down on fatty or spicy foods. Make sure to talk to your doctor about any natural remedies, including peppermint tea. Rather than lie flat, prop yourself up with pillows. Check with your pharmacist before taking over-the-counter medicine.
Natural remedies might seem harmless, but taking any herbal preparation, even peppermint tea, should be discussed with your doctor.
Yes, pregnancy slows down your digestive tract, which can lead to unpleasant burping, bloating, passing gas, and an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach. Symptoms can be worse after you eat a large meal. To minimize problems:
Although it's much less common than paid maternity leave, you may be entitled to paternity leave and pay (see Going back to work). Speak to your human resources department now to find out your rights and whether your company offers additional perks. To maximize the time you can take off once the baby is born, figure out how much vacation you have left and consider saving up days. You may also qualify for FMLA leave, but this is unpaid.
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