Weeks 20 - 22

Week 20

Overview

You have made it to week 20 and are practically half way through your pregnancy! Your little one is weighing in at 300g (10.582oz) and it 25.6 centimetres in length, now measuring from crown to heel.  

Your baby is about the size of a small banana and you may be gaining more and more weight from this week onwards.

 

Your baby’s development at this stage

The reason why we now measure from crown to heel from week 20 is that in the first 20 weeks your little one would have been curled up in a little ball and is now stretching out a bit.

Your baby is swallowing more, which is great practice for his or her little digestive system. He or she is also producing a sticky and black by-product of the digestive process, this is known as meconium. This substance will begin to accumulate in the baby’s bowels and you will see this in the first diaper that they soil. Some babies may even pass this gooey substance while in the womb or even during delivery.

Changes in your life as your baby grows

The top part of your uterus is now level with the belly button and you certainly would have gained some weight by now. Ensure you are getting adequate amounts of iron. This is a vital mineral for the production of haemoglobin which is the part of the red blood cells that carries your oxygen.

What to do at this stage

Make sure that you have signed up for a childbirth class by now as this can help you to prepare for your labour and delivery.

Treat yourself for meeting the halfway mark through a little self-indulgence. Go to a spa, buy some new pyjamas or get a prenatal massage. 

Sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help you to get a good night’s sleep and try to avoid any fabrics that are synthetic to sleep in as these tend to trap any moisture and can leave you feeling chilled and damp during the night.

Week 21

Overview

In continuing his or her growth spurt, your baby is now 26.7 centimetres from tip to toe and weighs roughly 360g (12.699oz).  

A lot is happening in your uterus right now, one of these things being the tiny buds for the baby’s teeth starting to pop up in the gums. Rapid movements are also occurring in the eyes. Bone marrow is starting to ramp up its red blood cell production and this will soon bring oxygen to the baby.

 

Your baby’s development at this stage

Your little one is about the size of a large carrot and you will feel like he or she is performing dance moves in your belly, as the little flutter-like movements have now developed into nudges and kicks. You may be getting to know your baby better through keeping track of his or her movement patterns. If you are expecting a little girl, then her vagina has started to form. 

Changes in your life as your baby grows

You are likely to be feeling more comfortable during this week, you are getting used to your growing uterus and many of the early symptoms of pregnancy are gone, for the most part anyways.

You may, however, be suffering from pregnancy acne as the increased production of your skin’s oil is causing this. Try using a gentle cleanser and lotion and be diligent with your skin care regimen. It is advised that you stay clear of any oral treatments for acne as these can be harmful to you and your baby. Check any topical treatments with your doctor first.

You are probably also extremely prone to varicose veins at this point. These often form from the increased pressure in your legs as you are carrying more weight. As well as this, the higher levels of progesterone surging through your body may result in the walls of the veins relaxing. Daily exercise and taking the pressure off of your feet when you can, will be able to help with any veins you may be seeing.

Another development may be spider veins, which are a group of small blood vessels that look like a spider web appearing at the skin’s surface. These tend to disappear once you have given birth and do not cause any discomfort.

What to do at this stage

It might be a good idea to create a baby registry as friends and family have probably been asking you what you want or need for your baby. This is especially helpful if you are having a baby shower.

Your hormones are raging, and as a result, your sex drive may be through the roof, if your pregnancy is progressing at a healthy rate according to your doctor, then having sex with your partner should not be an issue. You may suffer from some bleeding when having sex, this is normal and is caused from the swelling in the cervix capillaries, these sometimes burst when having sex. This is normally nothing to be concerned with, but it may be best if you mention it to your doctor just in case. 

Week 22

Overview

Your little one is now about 27.8 centimetres in length and weighs 430g (15.168oz) – getting big! There are a number of things happening inside of you right now, some developments include the hormones your baby needs to inform the organs to operate correctly and tell the nerves needed to work for smell, touch and a number of other sensations. If you are having a boy, then the testes would have begun to descend. In the case of a girl, then the vagina, ovaries and uterus are in all the right places inside of her at this stage.  

 

Your baby’s development at this stage

Your baby is officially starting to resemble a mini human. The eyelids, lips and eyebrows are defining themselves. The eyes may have formed, but the little irises, which are the coloured area of the eyes, are still lacking in pigment.

The baby’s lanugo, which is the fine hair covering the body, are now fully present and little wrinkles are visible on the baby’s skin, these will only disappear when the thin layer of fat has fully developed and plumps these wrinkles out.

Inside the baby’s belly, the pancreas is developing at a steady pace, this is essential for producing some vital hormones for development. 

Changes in your life as your baby grows

You may find that lots of people want to touch your belly at this stage. Don’t feel as though you have to let everyone touch it as it is perfectly alright if you tell people not to. People may also be telling you whether or not they think you are at the right size at this point, just remember, every woman grows and shows in different ways and at different stages.

Just ensure that you feel happy in yourself and feel as though you and your baby are healthy by attending regular check-ups with your doctor. Hearing a professional opinion is always reassuring as helps you to ascertain whether or not your baby’s growth is on track.

If you start to notice stretch marks on your belly, this is perfectly normal for a lot of women. These are small streaks of textured skin that can range from dark brown to light pink in colour. These can also appear on your buttocks, hips, breasts and thighs. Some lucky women don’t get any stretch marks at all. It all depends on the elasticity of your skin.

There are a few changes happening to your body at this stage which have a lot to do with the hormonal changes you are currently experiencing:

• Your hair is thicker than normal. This is not because you are growing more hair, but rather due to the fact that you are losing less.
• Your body hair may have increased due to the sex hormones present in your body. These hormones are known as androgens and can result in new hairs sprouting on your jaw, upper lip, cheeks and chin. You may also have some stray hairs popping up on your legs, back and belly.
• Your fingernails are growing faster than usual and may be growing out harder than normal, or even softer.
• Your skin is changing too. Some women say that their skin is healthier and better than ever when they are pregnant, other women suffer from acne and dark patches caused by increased melanin.
• Your nipples may be darker and larger, these are natural changes as your breasts are preparing for breastfeeding.
• Your feet may be larger and go up a size, or even two. Lax ligaments caused by a hormone called relaxin which helps to prepare your body for childbirth may result in your feet spreading a bit and in some cases, this can be permanent.

What to do at this stage

Your fingers may be swelling at this stage, so you may want to either increase the size of your rings or take them off for the duration of your pregnancy before it is too late to be able to get them off easily. A good idea for your wedding band may be to wear it on a chain around your neck for the time being.