Pregnancy life changes in week 20

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pregnancy-life-changes-week20

Twenty weeks and you are midway through your pregnancy!! The healthy and happy baby is in your womb, growing fast every day.

He will now measure nearly 16.5cm long, head to rump and about 25cm from crown to bottom. They will be approximately the size of that of a banana and is growing quickly!

The baby will now be having fun by doing somersaults and just kicking around in the limited space it has. Although they are primarily just getting bigger and stronger now, there are some important elements of their growth going on as the nerves in their brain which regulate the senses which are still forming, ultimately allowing them to see, smell, hear, touch and taste.

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They will also begin to produce Meconium in their bowel. Meconium is a harmless blend of amniotic fluid that your baby has swallowed, dead skin cells and digestive secretion that will make your baby’s first bowel movement after the birth.

See how your baby is developing

  • You will now actually feel each and every movement or kicks of your baby.
  • The baby will now be able to suck its fingers.

The little darling will now weigh around ten and a half ounces now. The baby will also be approximately six and a half inches long from crown to bottom and around 10 inches from head to base – almost the length of that of a small banana. The measurements of a baby during the first twenty weeks are taken from the top of its head to its bottom– the “crown to rump” measurement. This is the time when the baby’s legs will be curled up against his torso and will be hard to measure. After twenty weeks he will be measured from head to toe.

These days, your baby will be swallowing more, and this is actually a good habit for the digestive system. He’s also generating meconium, which is a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will gather in his bowels, and you’ll find it in his first soiled diaper (some of the babies pass meconium when they are in the womb or perhaps during delivery)

How Big is Your Baby This Week?

The sweet angel is now about the size of a small artichoke. He/she may have thin eyebrows and is growing some hair on its head.

Baby’s Length: The length of the baby will be about 6.46 inches.

Baby’s Weight: It will now weigh nearly 10.58 oz.

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A peek inside your womb

Bowel: Meconium is gathering in your baby’s bowel, and it is a black sticky substance which is made up of sloughed cells, swallowed amniotic fluid and digestive secretions which will show up in the baby’s first dirty diaper.

Skin: The body of the baby will now be covered with the vernix caseosa, which is a greasy white substance that shields the skin of the baby during its long submersion in amniotic fluid.

Uterus: The crown of your uterus, which is called as fundus, is now at the level of your navel.

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How your life’s changing

You are midway through the pregnancy, and the crown of your uterus is approximately level with your navel, and you may have increased nearly 10 pounds. However, the weight gain will not end there. From now on, you might increase another pound or so every week. If you began your pregnancy underweight, you might require gaining a bit more; if you were overweight, then perhaps a bit less. Make sure you’re obtaining enough iron, which is a mineral that’s used mainly to make haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the part of your red blood cells that transports oxygen.

During pregnancy, your body requires more iron to keep up with your increasing blood volume, as well as for your developing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the excellent sources of iron for the pregnant women. Poultry, particularly the dark meat, also includes iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron comprise of raisins, legumes, spinach, soy-based products, prune juice, and iron-fortified cereals.