Your uterus extends well above your navel now. You may actually be seeing fetal movement across your abdomen as your baby gets comfortable in her shrinking living space. You will also notice that your feet have begun to swell. This is a result of the dramatic increase in blood volume you've experienced, which is feeding excess fluids to surrounding tissues, resulting in edema (or water retention). To make matters worse, the weight of your uterus is requiring the veins in your legs to work double time to pump all that extra blood back to your heart. Estrogen also increases the amount of fluid your tissues absorb.

The result of all this is puffy and sometimes aching feet. Putting your feet up when you can, wearing comfortable low-heeled shoes, and soaking your feet in cool water are all good ways to ease the discomfort. Special compression stockings, available at medical supply stores, may also be helpful.

If you experience sudden and severe swelling of the face and hands, call your doctor or midwife immediately. It may be a sign of preeclampsia, also called toxemia, a condition that is potentially hazardous to both you and your baby. Other signs of preeclampsia include: