20 Weeks of Gestation

Your 20th week begins

DAY 7 • OF WEEK 20

IMPORTANT: Your body has changed a lot and with the growth of the belly your skin is more sensitive and needs extra care. The use of body oils helps prevent the appearance of stretch marks so common on the belly, thighs, back and breasts during pregnancy.

KEY INFORMATION BOX:
  1. The baby at 20 weeks of gestation is about 16.4 cm and weighs about 300 grams.
  2. Arms, legs, hands and fingers are fully formed and now is the stage of gaining weight and growing more each day.
  3. In an ultrasound exam it is possible to watch a session of games and jumps that the little one gives inside the womb.
  4. Some discomforts start to appear due to the weight of the belly as well as the frequency in the bathroom that tends to increase due to the weight on the bladder.
  5. By the end of pregnancy, your belly button may be completely out , but this will be normal after the baby is born.

MORE INFORMATION ON 20 WEEKS OF GESTATION

The baby at 20 weeks of gestation is about 16.4 cm and weighs about 300 grams. Now the mother’s uterus has reached the height of the navel due to her baby’s fetal development. Know that now the hydration has to be more intense than ever !

Drinking water has never been more important, and to keep your pregnancy very healthy, we recommend about 2 liters of liquid (water, coconut water and natural juices) per day. At about 20 weeks of pregnancy, the vernix increases a lot to protect the baby.

Baby Development

Your previously pinkish skin starts to get a new color and becomes a little more red. The small strands of hair that started growing in the previous week are now evident and can grow much more until the day of birth. Arms, legs, hands and fingers are fully formed and now is the stage of gaining weight and growing more each day. You can see your baby much fatter on the 20-week ultrasound.

The internal organs are developing rapidly in this period, but their lungs are still not functioning. At 20 weeks of gestation, the baby starts to swallow more fluid than before. That’s because you’re doing intensive training for your digestion system.

Another important milestone in the 20 weeks is that at this stage meconium starts to be produced in the baby’s intestine . Meconium is formed by the accumulation of intestinal secretions and amniotic fluid, and will leave soon after delivery.

The baby has a very active life inside the belly and when he is not sleeping, he moves and turns around. In an ultrasound exam it is possible to watch a session of games and jumps that the little one gives inside the womb, including moving little hands, touching his face and even playing with the umbilical cord.

How is Mom Feeling …

With 20 weeks of gestation, mom has probably gained about 4, 6 kilos,  eat every 3 hours  and preferably with foods rich in calcium and vitamins such as white cheese, yogurt, cereal bars, fruits and juices. Half the gestation is gone! Now you need to know the greatest love in the world!

The biggest milestone of pregnancy in the 20th week of pregnancy is the growth of the belly that was taking longer to appear, now it starts to look bigger and rounder every day. With this growth it is natural that some discomfort will start to appear due to the weight of the belly as well as the frequency in the bathroom that tends to increase due to the weight on the bladder. Shortness of breath is one of the most evident symptoms in this phase, however if you have too much be sure to talk to your doctor

Mom’s discomforts

At 20 weeks of pregnancy another symptom that is common to start is heartburn. Avoid very fatty or acidic foods that further increase the symptom. A tip is to eat cold things, as well as cold liquids that give a feeling of relief to the symptom. Your belly button at this stage starts to become more prominent and this is due to the growth of the belly and the stretching of the skin. By the end of the gestation your navel may be completely out , but this will normalize after the baby is born and everything will return to normal, don’t worry.

External factors…

If people could not notice that you are pregnant, this situation will certainly change this week with your belly already evident. Take advantage of the fact that the weight is still not so uncomfortable and take walks and light exercises , which in addition to controlling the weight gain that is accelerated in this phase will make the pain and discomfort lessen. Enjoy every second of pregnancy, take lots of pictures and even pamper your tummy, it’s a unique and inexplicable moment for women !!

Photo: melderomero.com

Dr. Alexis Hart
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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.

Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

Dr. Alexis Hart

My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

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