20th Week of Pregnancy: Go Bananas!

It is time to be overwhelmed with joy and excitement. Because you have transitioned into the 20th week of pregnancy. This week marks the closing of the first half of your gestation period. You are literally halfway there!

What Changes Happen in the 20th Week of Pregnancy?

Your nine months of pregnancy are classified into 40 full weeks. And at 20 weeks pregnant, you and your baby have grown majorly. This week calls for celebration as well as more pampering and care.

Mom-to-be

In the 20th week of pregnancy body changes in you will be profound at the belly. Your uterus has grown three times its original size since the start of gestation. But there is still more growth to be. From 20 weeks pregnant, your uterus will grow nearly 1 centimetre per week until childbirth. You will see that you get hungrier as days pass. It is because your little one is demanding more calories and nutrients. Don't shy away from indulging in four-course meals. Not to mention that when you eat for two, you will gain weight in kind. So expect to put on some pounds this week. Besides this, stronger nails and heavier hair will be a part of the 20th week of pregnancy body changes. Your pregnancy hormones will be pumped up and flow extra nutrients to your hair and nail cells. Your muscles will stretch and your ligaments will loosen up a bit too. Your baby had already started making movements but at 20 weeks pregnant, you are likely to feel these movements better. You may mistake these movements by your baby as gas bubbles, butterflies in the stomach or a grumbling sensation. But don't worry, you will get used to it. Your breasts are preparing to breastfeed the baby so they will continue to grow in size until delivery. But at 20 weeks pregnant, your now darken nipples will leak a yellowish fluid. This fluid is the very first appearance of the milk. Also, read about: Common Health Conditions During Pregnancy

Baby

When we ask you to go bananas, you really can. It is because your baby has developed as large as the size of a banana. Needless to say, it has grown heavier too. You can already feel the baby weight inside you. Though your little one is not so little now, it still has plenty of room to move around. At 20 weeks pregnant, your baby will make good enough movements. It will stretch, twist, turn, have hiccups, practice basic skills and more. Your little one will also practice some exercising with its punches and kicks that you may feel very soon. This week, the baby will mostly focus on the art of survival. It will practice reflexes by sucking its thumb. Your baby is still being kept safe with the coating called vernix. In the 20th week of pregnancy body changes in the baby are not as many but highly important. If your baby is a girl, its vaginal canal will come in form by the end of this week. The nose of your child will take shape. And the hair on the eyebrows will form.

20 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

Common symptoms women experience at the mid-half of their pregnancies are:

• Stronger Nails
• Hair growth
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Occasional headaches
• Faintness or dizziness
• Leg cramps
• Oedema
• Belly button morphing outside

Care in the 20th Week of Pregnancy

In your joy of completing the first half, you need to be wary of the care you need for the second half. Here are some tips for the same:

• Have a well-balanced and colourful diets
• Eat more fibre
• Increase your iron intake
• Continue prenatal vitamins
• Exercise with caution (because your ligaments have loosened)
• Stretch now and then and maintain good posture to avoid back pain

When to Call the Doctor

You need to seek immediate medical assistance if you experience any of the following:

• Bleeding from the vagina
• Leaking vaginal fluid
• Persistent dizziness
• Low blood pressure
• Rectal pressure
• Pain in the shoulder
• Pelvic pain and cramping

For more information or free personalized guidance, speak to a Credihealth medical expert at +918010994994.