4 Month Pregnant: What to Expect? Symptoms and Signs

The fourth month of pregnancy signifies the start of the second trimester. It is considered an exciting month as the mom-to-be will feel her baby move for the first time. This movement will feel like butterflies in the tummy. Keep on reading to know what you can expect in the fourth month of pregnancy.

You are likely to have a definite profile at the end of this month if your pregnancy was not already showing before. Your uterus will begin to rise up in the abdomen this month, causing urinary frequency to decrease. If you are still experiencing nausea, this too will start to diminish during this time.

In addition, your heart will start to pump twenty percent more blood than normal to supply the required oxygen to your baby [1], your energy will increase, and your appetite might begin to pick, especially if you have been too ill to enjoy your meals.

The following are some of the common pregnancy symptoms in the fourth month:

Heartburn is a brand new symptom that you may experience at this stage. This will be a burning feeling in the chest that is triggered by stomach acids that enter lower part of esophagus. During pregnancy, hormones will relax the valve located at the top part of your stomach, which allows stomach acid to go back into the esophagus. The pressure from the enlarging uterus will make it even worse, especially when you’re lying down.

Your doctor will recommend an antacid that you can use during pregnancy to help you get some relief. You can also do other things such as avoiding fatty, spicy or greasy foods; sleeping in a propped up position with some extra pillows; eating smaller meals frequently; drinking milk before going to bed; staying away from alcoholic beverages or caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, and cola; drink a lot of water in between meals to lower stomach acid, and avoid eating right before laying down to rest or going to bed.

All of these can contribute to relaxing lower esophageal sphincter present between the stomach and esophagus, which aggravate heartburn. You could also keep a journal with the items that you eat to find out what is triggering your heartburn. [2]

In continuation, hormones can cause your skin and hair to become unpredictable during this time. You might notice that your hair has become thicker or that it has started to fall out. Oily hair might become even oilier and dry hair a lot drier [3]. Your skin might become uneven in texture or color, while some tiny blood vessels beneath the skin surface might become visible. Your skin might be overly sensitive when you are pregnant, so you have to use the hypoallergenic skin care solutions as treatment [4].

Heaviness within the pelvic region is another common physical change that you might see in the fourth month of pregnancy. If you are finding it difficult to sleep, you can tuck some pillows behind your back and in between your legs to get support and feel more relaxed.

Many pregnant women notice their breasts becoming larger in the fourth month. This happens because the body is preparing itself for breastfeeding post-delivery [5].

You can also expect other symptoms which include:

Fatigue
Body bloating
Face looking more radiant than ever
Stretch marks appearing on the skin in your breasts, legs, and abdomen
Gas or flatulence
Nose bleeds or nasal congestion
Bleeding gums
Swollen ankles
Varicose veins
Achy feet
Breathlessness
White vaginal discharge
Emotional changes such as excitement, pride, doubts, irritation, and so on

What to Expect as Your Baby Develops

The fourth month is close to the mid-stage of your entire pregnancy. Believe it or not, the baby will develop fully by week sixteen, so your little baby bump is going to grow bigger. Your baby will weigh up to 4 ounces with a body length of 5 to 6 inches [6].

The baby’s lungs will still be developing at this stage, but the heart and face will form fully. If you are looking at the fetus on an ultrasound scan, you will see that the fetus is looking more like a baby that you can deliver within five months. The body will start to get more defined, and the toes and fingers will become distinct. This is also the month when the baby’s eyes are going to open, and he/she will start to feel the urge to suck.

It is possible for you to suffer from constipation at this time. This can happen because the rapid development of the fetus and uterus will put more pressure on sections of the digestive system. You could also have constipation problems due to morning sickness having changed your diet in the preceding period [7].

You can expect to experience and notice the above-mentioned things in the fourth month of pregnancy. As you prepare for the months ahead, you will feel even more excited as your baby will move more and your sex drive might also return.