Month 4 · Weeks 13–16
Month 4 of pregnancy: weeks 13 to 16
Many women describe the second trimester as the part of pregnancy they actually enjoyed. The nausea usually loosens, the exhaustion lifts, and for the first time in months you may feel like yourself again.
Symptoms in month 4 of pregnancy
This month usually gives more than it takes. What tends to change:
- Nausea easing, often noticeably
- Energy coming back
- A small bump beginning to show
- Sharp, brief pain low on one side when you move suddenly
- A blocked nose, or gums that bleed when you brush
- Darker skin patches, or a line down the belly
- Appetite returning, sometimes sharply
The brief one-sided pain is usually round ligament pain, the muscles supporting the uterus stretching as it grows. It passes in seconds. Pain that is severe, constant, or comes with bleeding is a different thing and is in the list below.
The baby in month 4
Between weeks 11 and 14, the eyelids close and "will not reopen until about the 28th week." Between weeks 15 and 18, "fine hair called lanugo develops on your baby's head."
The baby is now moving a great deal. You will probably not feel it yet, because there is still room to move without touching anything you can sense.
When you will feel the baby move
The NHS puts the window broadly: "You should start to feel your baby move between 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy." That is an eight-week range, and all of it is normal.
In a first pregnancy it is usually later. The first movements feel like bubbles, a flutter, or a muscle twitching, and are easy to mistake for digestion. Feeling nothing at week 16 means nothing at all.
Source: NHS
What's common
- Nausea easing, often noticeably
- Energy coming back
- A small bump beginning to show
- Sharp, brief pain low on one side when you move suddenly
- A blocked nose, or gums that bleed when you brush
- Darker skin patches, or a line down the belly
- Appetite returning, sometimes sharply
When to call a doctor now
Contact a doctor rather than waiting for your next appointment if any of these happen.
- Vaginal bleeding
- Severe or constant abdominal pain
- Fluid leaking from the vagina
- A high temperature, or pain when passing urine
- A severe headache, or changes in your vision
- Sudden swelling of the face or hands
The good months are the ones worth writing down
Nawah gives you a journal you can share with him, week-by-week content written for both of you, and a father's view showing the same week from his side. In Arabic and English, free.
Get Nawah on Google PlayCommon questions
When will I look pregnant?
Usually somewhere in this month or the next, and later in a first pregnancy. Height, build and the position of the uterus all change the answer. It is not a measure of the baby's growth.
I felt a sharp pain in my side. Is that normal?
If it was brief and came with a sudden movement, it is most likely the ligaments supporting your uterus stretching. If it is severe, lasts, or comes with bleeding or fever, call your doctor.
Should I be counting movements yet?
No. Most women have not felt reliable movement this early, and the NHS says you do not need to count at all. What matters later is knowing your baby's usual pattern, not a number.
Sources
- Fetal developmentMedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine · retrieved 2026-08-21
- Your baby's movementsNHS · retrieved 2026-08-21
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It does not replace a doctor, and it knows nothing about your particular pregnancy. If something feels wrong, contact your doctor instead of waiting for the next scheduled visit.