You are 21 weeks exactly

Try to fit a little energizing exercise into every day; you'll feel much better for it.

133 days until your due date

Keeping up exercise while working can be hard, and after a day at work it may be the last thing you feel like, especially as pregnancy goes on. But you can exercise without going to the gym with a little planning: take the stairs (carefully) instead of the elevator now and then, or get off the bus or train a stop early and walk.

If you sit all day, it's even more important to keep moving.

Good to know

Office workout

Ways to keep moving at work:

Get up from your desk at least once an hour. Walk over to speak to colleagues instead of calling or emailing, and volunteer to fetch coffee (which will also make you very popular!).
Seated leg exercise: straighten one leg out in front of you with your thigh parallel to the floor, then repeatedly bend and straighten it to help your circulation. Then flex and point your foot from the ankle. Do each at least 10 times with each leg.
If there's a pool near work, try a lunchtime swim; you'll feel much better in the afternoon.
Walk wherever you can, wearing comfortable sneakers and carrying your work shoes. Take water with you and stay hydrated all day.
At night before bed, fit in some abdominal exercises to strengthen those muscles.

Ask a Doctor

I seem to have a lot of vaginal discharge. Is that normal?

Yes, you may have more discharge in the second trimester. It's usually clear, stringy, or mucusy and shouldn't smell unpleasant. If it becomes thick and white and itchy, you may have a yeast infection, which is common in pregnancy and easy to treat.

See your doctor straight away if it turns yellow or green or smells bad, if it burns when you urinate, or if your genitals become sore, because you may have an infection that needs treatment. Don't ignore abnormal discharge; although it won't affect your baby directly, an infection can raise the risk of premature labor.

You may also leak urine when you cough, laugh, or run. This is called stress incontinence.

This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.

Office workout

I seem to have a lot of vaginal discharge. Is that normal?

Appointments and key dates around now