What to expect when you are 2 months pregnant

Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds (relatively speaking)

Its Your baby’s face is starting to take on its definite form: its eyes, ears, nose and mouth appear, followed by the tongue and even the buds of its teeth. Its head is now well formed and more than twice the volume ofmuch larger in proportion to its body.

• The neural tube, which includes the brain, spinal cord, nerves and backbone, will also develop. It is important to get enough folic acid before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects. A prenatal multivitamin can provide reassurance that you are meeting your folic acid needs. Read more about the benefits of folic acid during pregnancy.
• This is a key stage in the development of its senses: from the end of the seventh week onwards, the optical nerves are already capable of noticing variations in light levels.
• All of your baby’s organs are in place - some tiny and others enormous by comparison! Your baby’s brain and its pulmonary and digestive tract are developing at great speed. As far as its heart is concerned, it has gained so much in volume that it forms a little bump at stomach level! Its liver is also taking up a lot of space.
• Your baby's little body is changing rapidly: its vertebral column is forming, its arms and legs are lengthening, its elbows appear, its fingers and toes are becoming distinct, and its muscles are in place and starting to move.

Your body during the first trimester

• Amid your joy about your pregnancy, you may be experiencing morning sickness – nausea with or without vomiting, that can occur any time of the day or night. Morning sickness often one of the first signs of pregnancy. Some women don’t get it, some feel it now and then, others are sick several times a day. Speak to your doctor if you are concerned about your morning sickness.
• Hydration is increasingly important. It is an essential component of your blood, the volume of which has increased a lot since the start of your pregnancy and provides nutrition for the growing fetus and placenta. Water also ensures good functioning of your kidneys which eliminates waste for both you and your baby.

Tips to get you and baby to the finish line:

If you’re experiencing morning sickness:

• Eat frequent, small meals. This may help keep your blood sugar levels steady and keep your stomach filled to minimise that queasy feeling.
• For breakfast, opt for slow-release carbohydrates (whole grain cereals & breads; eggs on toast, etc.).
• Avoid rich and greasy foods which may sit in the stomach longer and go easy on spicy foods. These types of food may aggravate your nausea. For more tips on what to avoid during pregnancy, see Pregnancy Nutrition: What to Eat and Avoid.
• Reduce smells and keep your living spaces well ventilated.

Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your morning sickness, there may be other options you had not thought of such as anti-nausea medication that is safe through pregnancy.