Forgetful and vague
By the middle of the pregnancy, the idea of having a baby has now had time to sink in. You may experience feelings of excitement mixed with many other emotions and your thoughts may begin to turn towards making plans for the baby and preparing for the labour and birth. Other common thoughts can include reflecting on how you were parented and how this may affect the way you will parent your own child. You may seek out other 'mothers' or feel you want to spend more time with your own mother. It is also amazing how you begin to notice other pregnant women and/or new babies. All of a sudden they seem to be everywhere!
Your partner (if you have one) may finally start sensing the reality of their baby during this time, as they begin to feel them move or come with you to an
ultrasound (a truly exciting experience to watch their response!) Women are lucky in a sense because they will normally feel their baby move first (usually between 18 to 22 weeks) but your partner may not be able to sense this by touching your belly until about 2 to 4 weeks after this (bearing in mind that this is a general guide, the timing can vary). The movements may begin as infrequent and faint sensations. But as your baby continues to grow and become stronger, they develop into more regular 'jabs' or 'kicks'.
Babies at this stage of the pregnancy have plenty of room to move and are like buoyant, astronauts floating in a sea of amniotic fluid. This allows your baby to roll and somersault vigorously, helping them to strengthen and exercise their body while in the womb. It is amazing and exciting to watch your belly move gracefully in one movement (like a wave) and then see sudden sections protrude out with a kick or an elbow! Thoughts of your baby playing football or soccer as a child are often humorous comments made by parents when their baby is very active!