Week 20 Pregnancy : Your Baby is getting Final Makeups

WEEK 20 PREGNANY GETS YOUR BABY THE FINAL MAKEUPS

20 Weeks Pregnant and By now you are right in the half way point of your pregnancy. You are entering the second half of the second trimester and there is light at the end of the tunnel. The best part about the second trimester is that it is the easiest and most enjoyable part of the pregnancy. You don’t have the morning sickness or the fatigue commonly seen in the first trimester. You also do not have fatigue and the feeling of having been pregnant forever like some women experience in their third trimester.
By now you are comfortable with being pregnant and you should be able to tell the sex of the baby.

Even though the sex organs are developed already, it really isn’t until week 20 or so when it becomes easy to decipher gender. You have a much better chance of catching the baby in the right position than ever before. Now that you are half way through the pregnancy, you may want to start thinking about childbirth. Do you want to go natural childbirth or c-section? Now is the time to discuss that with your partner and your doctor.

You doctor can take you through each choice and you have plenty of time to do some research and decide which way is best for you and the baby. By now, you can start thinking about child birth classes, these classes will teach you about giving birth but they will also teach you some relaxation exercises such as yoga and breathing exercises.

Baby’s Development

The baby has been developing at a nice, quick pace. The baby will now weight up to 4 times the weight it did from the start of the pregnancy. By now, you can also start to feel the baby fluttering in the womb. Being able to feel the baby that you and your partner created is one of the best joys of pregnancy. By the 20th week, you will also be able to tell when the baby is sleeping and when the baby is awake. You and the baby are on opposite schedules, you will feel the baby more around more as you are trying to sleep or lie down.

The baby should weigh about 11 ounces and be 6-1/2” in length. The baby will start to practice breathing although the lungs will one of the last organs to fully develop. The baby is covered with light fine hair called the lanugo. This helps the baby keep their body temperature inside. The baby has developed hearing by now and may start to respond to your voice as well as the other sounds from outside the womb.

The baby’s organs and structures are still developing. The baby is covered with a white coating called vernix caseosa; this will help keep the baby’s skin safe from irritation as the baby travels through the birth canal. The baby will start to produce meconium, this is a dark green sticky matter that includes cell loss and amniotic fluid that has been swallowed by the baby with digestive secretions.

What Progresses in your baby?

• Sex of baby is now easily determined.
• Tracking of Baby's movement is fully possible
• Baby starts breathing fully through lungs
• Body Temperature assigned.
• Digestive secretions are swallowed by baby's mouth.

Your baby looks like this at week 20 pregnancy

Changes With Your Body

While the baby is growing, new moms to be may start to have trouble breathing or even taking deep breaths. The lungs will become restricted with your organs as the uterus is being pushed up so are your organs. This is common and there is nothing to get worried about. If you are experiencing trouble breathing, bring it to your doctor’s attention. While you are pregnant, it is always best to be safe than sorry.

Some women experience this trouble until the last month of pregnancy when the baby starts to descend into the birth canal. At this stage of pregnancy, you should expect to gain about 8 to 10 pounds. The doctor should be monitoring your weight gain. If they have any concerns they will let you know. Don’t assume that you are gaining weight and stop eating. It is never a good time to go on a diet while pregnant. You may start to notice stretch makes at this week in pregnancy. Use cocoa butter, this not only will decrease your stretch makes but it leaves your skin smooth and hydrated.

You may notice as the baby grows that you are experiencing constipation, indigestion and some skin itchiness. Stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids every day. Stay away from caffinated drinks, these drinks only make you thirstier. Plus too much caffeine is not good for the baby. If you experience excessive itching it could be a symptom of a liver abnormality or a reaction to the prenatal vitamins. If you are having trouble with itching, ask your doctor they can determine exactly why the itching is happening. Try using a cold compress on the parts of skin that itch. You can make a mixture of baking soda and water. This will relieve the itching as well.

What Changes in your body?

• Breathing Trouble
• Increase in body's weight much morer
• Constipation 
• Skin Itchiness and rashes
• Indigestion and thirstness

What To Expect

At this stage of your pregnancy, you should be relaxing and enjoying every minute of it. You should be both physically and mentally relaxed. Stay on target with your exercise and eating plan. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins. At this stage of pregnancy, anemia is common and if it is left untreated then it can lead to premature birth or complications. Try to increase your iron intake with foods or a vitamin supplement. Foods you can choose from are eggs, chicken, dried fruits, wheat germ oatmeal and fruits and vegetables.

Now is when new moms to be start narrowing down their list of baby names. They will also start looking at catalogs or looking online for baby items like cribs and carriages. You can also expect to find out the sex of the baby if you choose to. If you don’t want to know, make it clear to the doctor and the nurses that you don’t want to know. Sometimes it has a way of slipping out.

Tips/Advice

As the baby will continue to grow at a fast rate. You are going to experience body changes as a result of the baby’s changes. These changes are normal and if you have any concerns at all, now is the time to speak to your doctor. If you think something isn’t right, don’t hesitate to call your doctor or go to the local emergency room.