Transcript: As you near the end of your second trimester, you’re probably unlikely to call your condition “comfortable!” But you can be proud of your baby’s progress in this month. He or she is really growing now! By the end of your 28th week, your baby will weight in at around two and a half pounds, with a length of about 16 inches. Your baby is starting to develop blood vessels in the lungs, bringing them even closer to working on their own. In addition, the nostrils are opening, allowing him or her to practice breathing. Your baby’s eyes, which have been closed up to this point, will open this month, so he or she will be even more sensitive to light than before. In addition, your previously transparent baby is turning pinker. This happens as his or her tiny capillaries begin to fill with blood. While your baby has had the capacity to hear muffled sounds for some time, stronger nerves leading to the ear and advanced brain-wave activity are now developing. That means that your baby may be able to hear and respond to your voice! So try reading and talking to your tummy this month. What else is going on in there? When not practicing for life outside your body, your baby is sleeping. And brain wave scans show that he or she is experiencing dreams.  Aside from that protruding navel…which occurs when your uterus swells enough to push your abdomen forward…what else will you notice during your seventh month? As unpleasant as it may be, if you’re like more than half of pregnant women, you’re experiencing an embarrassing pregnancy symptom on the backside: hemorrhoids.  Hemorrhoids, which are really varicose veins in your rectal wall, can cause itching and pain, especially during a bowel movement. They occur as increased blood flow to the pelvic area causes swelling. For hemorrhoid relief, increase your fluid and fiber intake to ensure that you don’t become constipated. Over-the-counter hemorrhoidal creams or a witch hazel compress may also help. As you enter your third trimester at this month’s end, you will probably notice an increase in edema, or swelling, to your hands, feet, and ankles. Another unpleasant symptom that some women notice this month is sciatica, a sharp pain that radiates from the buttocks to the legs. Sciatica pain may occur as your fetus grows and puts pressure on the sciatic nerve in your spine. Gentle stretching exercises, physical therapy, or massage may ease the pain.  Two trimesters down…one to go! Before you know it, your baby will be in your arms and annoying symptoms, from swelling to sciatica, will be a distant memory.