— At twenty weeks, you are half way through your pregnancy already.
By pregnancy week 20, you have completed half the journey of your pregnancy. Healthy eating, drinking enough fluids, regular workouts, comfortable maternity clothes, enough rest, supportive pregnancy pillow and taking childbirth classes can all be the weapons to complete the remaining half journey of pregnancy.
When you are 20 weeks pregnant, the most dangers of the pregnancy have passed away; but still, there are various important changes to take place. When your baby is developing longer, you may feel restlessness and sleeplessness. The life will be really complicated when you become heavier.
Even you experience any kind of complications, this is the time to stay stress-free and relax because your stress may cause stress to your baby. Living with a positive attitude can greatly help with your growing baby.
Symptoms experienced by a 20 weeks pregnant woman:
With the increased belly size, there is a great pressure on your stomach, lungs, kidneys, and bladder thus causing you to take more frequent bathroom visits.
Indigestion, heartburn, and shortness of breath can all be the result of hormonal fluctuations and your growing uterus. Also, you may feel more perspiration because during pregnancy thyroid will become more active.
In pregnancy week 20, you may also notice thin, milky colored and slight odor vaginal discharge. Don’t be panic, it is normal for most pregnant women. Though it is uncomfortable, this discharge can actually protect the vagina from any infection and keeps a healthy and balance of bacteria in the vagina. If the discharge will become more thick, yellowish, bloody or watery, then it could be a sign of more serious condition.
Headaches are also common during this time that could become even worse when you feel overheated. Dizziness and faintness may also be the conditions with several pregnant women during this time. Take frequent breaks and wear loose-fitting clothing to avoid these conditions.
Physical changes that occur in a 20 weeks pregnant woman:
When you are 20 weeks pregnant, you may observe the darkening of the line between the pubic area and the belly button. The line will look in dark brown or almost black in color. But don’t worry about this; it will fade after childbirth.
You can clearly experience the baby’s moves as the movements will become stronger this week. If you are having a pregnancy ultrasound scan to determine fetal age, it will perhaps be planned around this time.
Some women may feel a hard time seeing the eye chart. This is a normal condition during pregnancy because the higher levels of estrogen can trigger physiological and vascular changes in the eyes thus leading to dry eyes as well as vision difficulties. The increased estrogen levels can trigger swelling changes in the eyes that can make the eyeball to bulge outward. Often, all such changes can be resolved after pregnancy.
You may notice that your navel protruding outwards. Your innie belly button may abruptly change into an outie as the uterus drives your abdomen further.
Fetal changes that occur in a 20 weeks pregnant woman:
When you are 20 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of 10.5 inches in length and weighs about 10.5 ounces.
Your baby continues swallowing and breathing so as to get prepared even after the birth. During this period, the baby’s head may look slightly larger than the remaining body.
The baby’s bones still continue ossifying to become strong and tight. Fingers and toe pads are almost finishing up.
The teeth buds of the baby are developed and are hiding beneath the gum line. During this period, the baby’s skin continues to gather more layers and become more complex with each passing week.
Limbs come very near and attain their relative positions. The baby’s lips now become more structured and they help the baby with prenatal thumb sucking.
For baby boys, this is the time for their tiny testicles to descend, but they still don’t exceed the abdominal wall.
Baby’s eyelashes and eyebrows are clearly visible and during this time your baby almost seems like a miniature baby.
The development of brown fat is taking place on the areas of neck, chest and crotch areas. By this time, your baby may also attain well-developed sleep and wake patterns.
What care should be taken by a 20 weeks pregnant woman?
When you visit your healthcare provider for 20 weeks pregnant ultrasound, your doctor may measure your abdomen to check the baby’s growth. The baby’s size can be measured from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus.
When you are 20 weeks pregnant, it is very important to take iron supplements and consume iron-rich foods, such as green vegetables, beans, and liver. As the hot flashes are common during this period, it is really important to keep the room cool and wear comfortable light clothes.
Before you go to bed, try to drink chamomile tea or a glass of warm milk along with honey as it can help you relax and gives you a good night’s sleep.
Have a wonderful journey of the pregnancy!! Go on to know more about the exciting things during pregnancy week 21…
